Several items would have aided many volunteer fire departments.
Republican leaders in the state House of Representatives are extinguishing efforts to spend up to $35 million to help rural volunteer fire departments as they battle wildfires that a six-month drought is fueling, House Democrats said Friday.
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"This is an extraordinary year," said House Minority Leader Jari Askins of Duncan. "It's time for extraordinary help."
Several bills Democrats authored to provide funding for rural fire departments were not heard in the full House. The House adjourned late Thursday, the final day bills could be considered before being sent to the Senate.
"This is not about being partisan," said Askins, who like House Speaker Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville, is running for lieutenant governor. "This is about being Oklahoman and taking care of the people who are trying to take care of us.
"These firefighters are not political bodies, they are neighbors trying to help neighbors in their need. It is absolutely unclear to me why a speaker from a rural part of the state has not embraced this issue and helped us resolve it."
Since Nov. 27, wildfires have burned more than 550,000 acres and damaged or destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses.
House Democrats in January announced legislation that included $30 million for mostly one-time appropriations to allow the departments to buy equipment. One measure called for annual grants to rural fire departments to nearly double; each volunteer department receives $2,800.
Other proposals killed in the House were employment protection for volunteer firefighters, a significant, one-time appropriation to replace outdated fire equipment and a revolving loan fund to assist fire departments in meeting future needs.
Askins said House Democrats will try to add some of those items to Senate Bill 1735, which won unanimous support in the Senate. The measure would raise annual operation grants for Oklahoma's 874 rural fire departments to $5,000 each.
House Democrats also will work with senators on getting their proposals included in appropriate bills that passed the House, Askins said.
Damon Gardenhire, spokesman for Hiett, said the speaker is focused on firefighters' needs.
"He feels strongly that these local firefighters need funds," he said. "He has been fighting these fires in his own hometown. He understands the needs and he is working hard as a leader to get more funds for these heroes."
Legislators earlier this session approved $3.6 million in emergency funds to replenish money the Agriculture, Food and Forestry Department spent on fighting wildfires, Gardenhire said.
"Now the speaker and the House leadership will be taking a close look at how more dollars can get to those heroes by taking a look at it in the context of the entire state budget," he said.
Askins said the emergency appropriation was not distributed to volunteer fire departments.
Rep. Jerry McPeak, D-Warner, said it's disheartening to volunteer firefighters that their funding needs are being held up even though the state has about $600 million in new revenue for the coming fiscal year.
"Why should they continue to volunteer if their state is not going to back them?" he asked.
