Statewide FireSafe Organization Becomes Reality

By Matthew Koehler, New West Unfiltered 5-22-07

After several years of planning and coordination, efforts to establish a statewide FireSafe organization in Montana became a reality on May 18 during a signing ceremony at Carroll College in Helena. FireSafe Montana will offer a very important service for the citizens of Montana – statewide coordination of efforts supporting FireSafe programs and firewise activities.

Pat McKelvey, president of FireSafe Montana, explained, “With climate change and increasingly long fire seasons, it is important for a non-governmental entity like FireSafe Montana to exist.”

With a mission of educating and spreading awareness about living in the wildland-urban interface, mitigating fuel hazards, and promoting firewise concepts, FireSafe Montana joins a growing number of state FireSafe councils around the western United States.

“The establishment of FireSafe Montana shows that a wide cross-section of our society – home and property owners, insurance companies, local fire departments, conservation organizations and forestry contractors – are combining forces to offer more systematic efforts to protect our communities from wildfire,” said Jake Kreilick, restoration coordinator with the WildWest Institute and a FireSafe Montana board member. “This includes better and more accessible educational materials and resources and efforts to broaden the existing network by creating local FireSafe councils in every county in Montana.”

McKelvey stressed that FireSafe Montana is recruiting a broad membership. “For this organization to be successful, we need to involve a variety of stakeholders and interested parties. We are inviting fire councils, neighborhood and homeowner’s associations, local and volunteer fire departments, firefighting contractors, large forest property owners, real estate and insurance professionals, timber industry and forest consultants and any other individuals or organizations involved in or concerned about wildland fire suppression, mitigation and education.”

To become a non-voting member the cost is $15.00. For voting members the cost is $30.00 and to become a sponsoring member, the cost is $250.00.

Those interested in learning more about FireSafe Montana are encouraged to contact Pat Mckelvey at (406) 447-8225. Educational materials and technical information will soon be available on the web at www.FireSafeMontana.org. More information about firewise principles is available at www.firewise.org. [End of article]