Title III Grant Program

Under P.L. 115-141, section 302(a)(2) provides that Title III funds may be used to reimburse counties for search and rescue and other emergency response activities, including firefighting and law enforcement patrols, performed on national forests and the specified BLM lands in western Oregon and paid for by the county. Specifically, the following expenses paid for by the county may be reimbursed in proportion to the amount attributable to these emergency response services performed on a national forest or the specified BLM lands:

  • Salary or wages of emergency response personnel deployed during an emergency response.
  • Replacement of equipment, material and supplies expended, damaged or destroyed during an emergency response.
  • Repair of equipment damaged during an emergency response.
  • Maintenance of vehicles, equipment, and facilities during an emergency response.
  • Purchase of capital equipment such as the purchase of a fire engine, a search-and-rescue snowmobile, or other emergency response equipment.
  • Expenses of training personnel to respond to emergencies on national forests.
  • Expenses of equipment and supplies to be kept on hand for response to emergencies on national forests.
  • Expenses of non-disposable personal protective equipment and electronic aids such as GPS devices in anticipation of responding to emergencies.
  • Purchase of equipment for 911 emergency systems.   


*****************************KLAMATH COUNTY NOTICE OF PROPOSED TITLE III PROJECTS**************************

SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SELF-DETERMINATION ACT

This notice starts a 45-day public comment period for projects being considered for funding under Title III of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act as renewed in Public Law (PL) 115-141.  The grant period is anticipated to start on March 1, 2024.  The projects under consideration and their descriptions are shown below:

Activities under the Firewise Community Programs:

•    Oregon Living with Fire -Oregon Living With Fire (OLWF) and its Coordinators facilitate and share best practices leading to advancements in community fire adaptation. This includes resilient landscape creation, maintenance, and a more integrated wildland fire response in Klamath, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties.

•    Klamath County Fire District 1 (KCFD1) -  Klamath County Fire District 1 (KCFD1) seeks to improve the resiliency of our community by effectively reducing the impacts of wildfire. Due to the large threat of wildfire in Klamath County, KCFD1 is proposing the creation of a 5-year mitigation program. The primary goals of this program will be to establish up to 7 Firewise communities and safely dispose of over 2 million pounds of hazardous fuels. KCFD1 is requesting $326,416 to establish a multi-phased approach under the Firewise Community Program Category, authorized under Title III project funding. 

Search and Rescue and Other Emergency Services:

•    Bly Rural Fire Protection District (Training) - Wildfire Fire Training for Bly RFPD

•    Bly Rural Fire Protection District (Personal Protective Equipment) - To provide Bly RFPD volunteers the necessary PPE to respond to wildfire incidents within the Bly response area to protect life and property and minimize acres lost to wildfire. Proper PPE would increase the capabilities to participate as a viable mutual aid partner.

•    Bonanza Rural Fire Protection District - We intend to procure an engine using available funds.

Develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans:

•    Walker Range - Walker Range CWPP update. The original CWPP was completed in 2005, updated in 2012. This plan is out of date by 6 years.

•    Keno Rural Fire Protection District – Continue to provide Intterra Software to maintain an applicable and up-to-date CWPP.  Intterra was used during the recent Golden Fire.  While using the application, it was apparent that Intterra is a valuable tool, exceeding the capability of other software used by state and federal agencies.

Comments regarding the projects listed above may be sent to:  Klamath County Finance, Vickie Noel, Finance Director, 305 Main Street, Klamath Falls OR 97601; or by email to vnoel@co.klamath.or.us. Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on January 19, 2024.