assistance in organizing, 
training, and equipping rural 
fire companies. Many such 
communities had organized 
efforts for fire protection, but 
without adequate funding 
their firefighters were poorly 
trained and not equipped to 
do the job. This program 
responsibility, with limited 
funding, was given to the 
State Foresters for 
implementation. 
Initially the program 
emphasized organizing and 
training firefighters. As funds 
became available, the 
program bought radios and 
specialized equipment. A 
major contribution has been 
the /oan of Federal excess 
personal property to the 
States, through State 
Foresters to the rural 
community fire companies. 
Rebuilding and modifying 
excess Federal vehicles and 
equipment have greatly 
increased the 
fire-suppression capability of 
these small rural fire 
departments. In addition to 
providing better protection 
and capability for fighting 
structural fires, these fire 
companies have been 
integrated in many areas 
into the early response to 
forest and brush fires. The 
70 
Capability of these companies 
to respond has meant better 
deployment of State and 
county forest-fire control 
units. 
Interstate Fire Compacts 
Severe fire years have 
emphasized the need for 
cooperation among the 
States. Two multi-State 
compacts were organized in 
the South: the Southeastern 
Interstate Forest Fire 
Protection Compact, 
authorized in 1956 by 
Congress, and the South 
Central Interstate Forest Fire 
Protection Compact. These 
compacts provide the 
mechanism for exchange of 
personnel and equipment for 
fire protection. Joint training 
and periodic meetings among 
fire specialists in the States 
assure close cooperation 
and the ability of crews from 
one State to operate 
efficiently when called upon 
to fight fires in another State. 
The fire season of 1985 most 
recently called the compact 
into use in the Southeast. 
In addition to the regional 
compacts, agreements with 
the Forest Service and State 
compacts in other regions 
