Community leaders in the City of Kamrar today proudly unveiled a recently purchased fire truck that will help improve fire protection services in the community. The truck’s purchase was made possible through a $25,000 grant from USDA Rural Development.
“We are pleased to be assisting the City of Kamrar with this new brush fire truck that will greatly increase the ability of their volunteers to fight grass fires which can spread quickly and cause significant property damage,” said Timothy Helmbrecht, USDA Rural Development Acting State Director in Iowa.
The new four-wheel drive, four-door crew cab truck replaces a smaller truck that was more than 20 years old, had outdated fire-fighting equipment and was unreliable. USDA Rural Development’s grant assisted with half of the $50,000 total cost for the truck and required equipment.
The City of Kamrar, with a population of 199 residents, received grant funding from USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities programs which help ensure rural areas enjoy the same basic quality of life and services enjoyed by those in urban areas. Community Facilities programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees and grants that can be used to purchase, construct, and/or improve essential community facilities and purchase equipment.
Some examples of essential community facilities include public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment.
Contact USDA Rural Development
For more information about finance programs available through USDA Rural Development, please call the Humboldt office at (515) 332-4411 Ext. 4. This office serves communities, businesses and residents in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Story, Webster, Winnebago and Wright Counties.
Further information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting the agency’s web site at www.rd.usda.gov/ia.
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.7 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a State Office in Des Moines, along with Area Offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.