Socorro County elementary students will get educated on wildland fire prevention thanks to a $10,000 grant the county received through the Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program.

Assistant Emergency Service Administrator and Wildland Fire Coordinator Jerry Wheeler said the funding will be used to supply materials to elementary students countywide from kindergarten to third grade, and in some areas fourth- and fifth-graders. Students in Headstart programs, as well as those who are attending La Promesa Elementary School (which is within the Belen Consolidated School District but located in Socorro County) will also receive the same material.

Socorro County Fire Marshall Fred Hollis said education is key to preventing wildland fires.

"Public education works," he said.

"And the kids love it," added Floodplain Manager Bear Albrecht.

The grant is funded through the Bureau of Land Management in cooperation of the New Mexico Association of Counties. Wheeler said the county applies for this grant every year, but this year they received less funding than in previous years due to the number of entities now applying for available funding.

"More people are putting in for it now," Wheeler said.

Along with providing educational material for local schools, Wheeler said during the peak fire season they will also conduct patrols in areas considered at high risk for fires. The agency will also explore the use of billboard advertisements and hosting workshops in order to get fire prevention information out to the public.

"We have specific targets to meet with this grant," Wheeler said.

Hollis said one of the hardest things to do is to get people to attend fire prevention workshops.

"People don't think it can happen to them," he added. "We get more participation in an area after a fire's occurred, not before."

Although some fires are started by lightning during the peak fire season, many are caused by humans.

"Our goal is to prevent and suppress fires," Wheeler said.

In addition to the wildland fire prevention education grant, Wheeler said the county also received a $13,300 grant from the Rural Fire Assistance program.

"We put in for funds from the RFA for equipment and training," Hollis said.

Wheeler further explained that this grant will be used for a (mobile) trailer that can be used to store additional hoses, backpacks and shelters and then transported to the location of the fire.

"If we utilize county employees we have to have them equipped," Wheeler said.

Often county employees, who operate graders or bulldozers, are called to help in the event of a fire and Wheeler said there is required fire-rated gear that must be available for those who respond.

"They have to have a fire shelter, boots, hard hat, gloves, shirt and pants," Wheeler said.

Through these grants, some of the counties quick objectives will be met and Wheeler said they are also working on a county-wide education and information plan they hope to have completed and implemented this year.

Contact Jackie Schlotfeldt