Energy Outreach Program Gives Back to Froid | Video

Evan Kruegel | 2/22/2013

The town of Froid, Montana is small, really small. The population is only 200 people, but the fire department has a proud history of serving the area. Roughly ten percent of the city`s residents are active volunteers at the fire station.

"We have a really good group of guys and they all respond. They drop everything when that buzzer goes off, and they`re here and we`re responding”, said Froid Fire Chief Dave Clark.

But the station is struggling to keep up with the growth the oil industry is placing on the area. The department is responsible for covering a 60 mile area from point A to point B, and their gear is becoming outdated. On Friday morning, they received some help, in the form of a $10,000 check from Williston`s Energy Outreach Program.

"The money will be very useful. We`re mainly funded through the county, and everyone knows county budgets are really tight, so this will really help,” said Clark.

While issues in Williston, Watford City and Dickinson have been well documented, smaller communities have been impacted by the oil as well.

"Our footprint in the northwest corner of North Dakota isn`t just in the big cities. And a lot of times you see a lot of needs in the smaller communities throughout the region. So from our standpoint it`s important that we reach as many folks as we can, and as many communities as we can,” said Energy Outreach Coordinator Logan Pape.

The donation will likely be used for new foam equipment, which is especially useful in dealing with fires at oil sites, something that`s becoming much more common around Eastern Montana. As the region continues to develop, the fire department will likely only become busier, so the donation will help address some pressing needs.

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