FOYIL, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation has given more than 100 volunteer fire departments hundreds of thousands of dollars.
127 fire departments received checks for $3,582.67 each Tuesday night from the Cherokee Nation, according to KJRH.
Rural fire departments rely heavily on grants and donations to survive, and firefighters at these fire stations say the donations will go a long way.
“It’s been a tough year on all departments in the state, and it’s just the equipment, some of it’s old and worn out, and they’re going to use that money to use it to buy things they really need,” Foyil Fire Chief Randy Atchley said.
Chief Atchley told KJRH that he’d be buying this crews wildfire gear as his station is only equipped with structure fire gear.
This is the eighth year the Cherokee Nation has donated money to fire departments.