The Winston County Journal

After October of this year, the Louisville Fire Department will gain more flexibility in fighting field and timber fires thanks to a new brush truck that will be paid in part with numerous grants.

Plum Creek Timber with a vested interest in timber protection donated $8,000 to the purchase of the brush truck.

"This is what the foundation part of Plum Creek Timber is for," said Robert Gray, Senior Resource Manager for Plum Creek out of Meridian describing the company's role in helping local communities.

It was local community member and volunteer firefighter Jim Bell who suggested applying for the grant and helped get the process going.

"He was the force behind helping us get the grant," said Louisville Fire Chief Mike Stevenson.

Bell, who serves as a volunteer fire fighter for the city of Louisville and a Plum Creek employee, recommended and helped Fire Chief Mike Stevenson apply for the grant and followed the application throughout the process so that his local community could gain from the foundation's generosity.

The $52,000 truck will replace an old brush truck that had become more difficult to operate, as its equipment was at least 25 years old and had numerous problems associated with it.

The city has also been approved to receive a $2,000 grant from the Mississippi Forestry Department to help pay for the truck. An additional 15 percent of the cost, around $7,800, is expected to also be received from a USDA Rural Development grant.

"If it wasn't for receiving grants like this it would be on the local taxpayers to help purchase needed equipment," said Fire Chief Stevenson.

To date, LFD has received over $255,000 worth of grants this year. The remaining balance on the brush truck will be paid for from State Fire Rebate Funds.

Stevenson also noted that this year had been one of the busiest brush and timber fire seasons.

Stevenson added that the truck would benefit the entire county since he expects the truck to roll out and tackle city fires as well as aid the county when they need assistance.

Plum Creek is one of the largest private timberland owners in the nation, with more than 8 million acres of timberlands in major timber-producing regions of the United States. Plum Creek seeks out organizations that improve the quality of life and provide services that would not otherwise be available to residents in the communities where they operate. Through financial contributions from the Plum Creek Foundation and employees, Plum Creek supports the communities where we live and work.

The mission of the Plum Creek Foundation is to provide philanthropic contributions to support and improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities where Plum Creek operates.

The Foundation meets quarterly to review applications submitted from organizations in the company's operating regions.