State Forestry Dept. Investigates Fire Grant Allegations

<p>State Forestry investigators are looking into allegations hundreds of thousands of dollars in state grant money has been misspent.&nbsp;</p>

Wednesday, December 14th 2016, 10:58 pm

By: News 9


State Forestry investigators are looking into allegations hundreds of thousands of dollars in state grant money has been misspent. It involves 861 rural fire departments that split $3.3-million in Forestry grant money last year.

More than 85-percent of Oklahoma firefighters are volunteers. However, according to a packet of information that was anonymously dropped off at News 9 Monday morning, more than 100 rural fire departments failed to adequately document their “run reports” last year. Run reports indicate when crews respond to fire or medical calls.

State Forestry Services Director George Geissler said his people are looking into it. 

Perry Brinegar is one of the state’s 11 rural fire coordinators.

“We’re doing the best we can,” he said. “And for something like this to come out, because they didn’t turn in their run report, that they shouldn’t have gotten that money, either somebody does not understand what firefighters or the fire service goes through, or they’re someone in the fire service who really doesn’t care.”

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