BLM distributes radios to local rural fire departments improving public safety and wildfire response
BOISE, Idaho – On April 30, 2025, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Boise District Fire and Aviation Program provided 109 handheld two-way radios to 18 rural fire departments as part of the agency’s Rural Fire Readiness (RFR) program. The radios will enhance reliable and immediate communication and efficient coordination between local departments and BLM resources, improving wildfire response across the region.
“These radios are a critical tool for ensuring seamless communication between our agency and our rural firefighting partners,” said BLM Boise District Fire Management Officer Chris Cromwell. “By strengthening interagency coordination, we can improve response times, increase firefighter and public safety, and better protect the communities we serve.”
Eligible rural fire departments located adjacent to BLM-administered lands must meet certain requirements including having an existing cooperative agreement with the BLM to respond to wildland fires in support of BLM as available and needed. The following cooperating fire departments received radios through the program at no cost:
• Horseshoe Bend Fire Department
• New Plymouth Fire Protection District
• Black Canyon RFPA
• Sand Hollow Fire Protection District
• Gem Fire Protection District #1
• Gem Fire Protection District #2
• Weiser Area Rural Fire District
• Midvale Fire Protection District
• Payette Fire Department
• Upper Deer Flat Fire Protection District
• Silver City Fire & Rescue
• Weiser River RFPA
• Indian Valley Fire Department
• Murphy Reynolds Wilson Fire District
• Owyhee RFPA
• Mountain Home RFPA
• Bruneau Fire Department
• Saylor Creek RFPA
The RFR program is designed to equip rural and volunteer fire departments with surplus firefighting equipment to bolster local interagency response efforts. By supplying these essential resources, BLM ensures that communities in wildfire-prone areas have the tools necessary to continue to safely and efficiently suppress wildland fires.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.