| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Information Officer, 970 244-2097 |
Rocky Mountain Interagency Wildland Fire Engine Academy Comes to Grand Junction Next Week
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Wildland firefighters, engineers and captains from throughout the region will be in Grand Junction next week to hone their firefighting skills and prepare for the upcoming fire season.
The Upper Colorado River Fire Management Unit is hosting the Rocky Mountain Engine Academy next week at the Grand Junction Air Center and Clarion Hotel. The academy is an intense training course designed to give experienced wildland firefighters the opportunity to improve their skills in fire engine operations including driving, pumping and maintaining engines.
Thirty-two students will attend this year’s academy from federal land management agencies, local municipalities from the five-state region, and the Colorado State Forest Service. The academy will bring a total of 100 visitors to the area for the week, including students, instructors and fire management staff.
The Rocky Mountain region encompasses South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado. The academy is held annually at different locations throughout the region.
Media Opportunities
Opportunities are available for the media to talk to academy officials and get photos and video of students practicing their skills with fire engines on Thursday, April 29.
If you are interested, please contact Erin Curtis at 970-244-3097 to arrange.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506