National Fire Plan Success Story
Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy
Bell Buckle, Tennessee
Kentucky Division of Forestry
National Fire Plan - Firefighting
2008
The Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) recently participated in the sixth annual Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy. The annual training academy is sponsored by both state and federal wildland fire agencies in Tennessee and Kentucky. The Kentucky Division of Forestry uses NFP funds to send its employees as students and instructors.
The Academy provides an opportunity for students to receive needed wildland fire courses during a one-week period. Since 2003, 80 wildland fire courses have been offered at the Academy. Over 150 KDF employees have. attended courses at the academy. In 2008, almost 300 students from numerous state and federal agencies attended the academy.
The academy has greatly increased the fire suppression and fire management skills of KDF employees. This increased knowledge benefits both KDF and federal agencies that may use KDF on incident assignments. The Tennessee/Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy directly meets the intent of the NFP by increasing the number of qualified wildland fire fighters available for fire suppression assignments.
Contact: Bernie Andersen Fire Management Chief, Kentucky Division of Forestry; phone: 502-564-4496, email: Bernie.Andersen@ky.gov.