"Once again, an Oklahoma Indian tribe has made a significant contribution toward a critical public service. In fact, in this case, the contribution was so significant it likely is helping to keep some of the services in operation.

The Cherokee Nation recently contributed more than $305,000 to 127 rural fire departments in northeastern Oklahoma, continuing a pattern begun about five years ago.

In the five years since the tribe has been aiding the rural services, it has contributed more than $1.4 million to those departments. The rural fire services operate within the tribe's 14-county boundaries.

Rural fire services are critical to protecting Oklahoma's wide expanses of remote, undeveloped lands, which are subject to grassfire outbreaks practically every year, yet many of these services are sorely underfunded. It is not unusual for volunteer firefighters to spend their own money to buy needed items and even to put gasoline in fire trucks. Some fire service leaders said the tribal money will be crucial to providing much-needed supplies, such as walkie-talkies and grassfire-fighting equipment.

Oklahoma's Indian tribes have on numerous occasions in recent years helped out when state funding was insufficient. Among the top recipients of tribal contributions have been health care, education and transportation. Some tribes also help augment law enforcement activities in some areas."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Tribal aid (The Tulsa World 9/30)

Also Today:
Cherokee Nation donation benefits 127 rural fire departments (The Tulsa World 9/29)