Central View Fire Receives Aid For Fighting Wildland, Forest Fires

White County’s Central View Fire Department received a grant for new tools to fight wildland and forest fires.

Fire Chief Matt McBride said there has been an increase in the number of small to mid-sized grass and brush fires across the Upper Cumberland. McBride said the Tennessee Division of Forestry grant will provide new personal protective equipment tailored for use when fighting these particular fires.

“The difference between structural gear and forestry gear is I would say easily probably somewhere between twenty to thirty pounds difference between the coat and pants,” McBride said. “So, as you can imagine, that’s less wear and tear on your firefighters and they can work longer and not be as stressed physically or mentally.”

McBride said the grant will also provide the department with backpack leaf blowers that will allow the firefighters to establish fire lines much faster. McBride said the increase in this specific kind of fire is due to the large amount of growth in the region.

“We have a lot of rural land that’s being developed,” McBride said. “And then when you start having dozer and forestry mulching and cleaning up of property and burning, it’s just your risk analysis goes up a lot. You know, when you start having more of something going on, there’s a chance of the other side of that happening so much more often.”

McBride said the grant will allow the fire department to balance its firefighting abilities between the urban structural fires and the rural wildland fires.

“We have, in the past, done such a good job of fire prevention on the structural side, and in elementary schools,” McBride said. “And now we’re starting to incorporate some fire prevention as far as campfires, camping, outside burning.”

McBride said the fire department is also trying to teach citizens how to prevent fires themselves.

“We talk to several different groups in the county on different occasions about outside burning,” McBride said. “And try to give people knowledge and education and try to push why we get burn permits and try to push it on social media.”