A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky.
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In the U.S., mail carriers are still beloved by many Americans. (Adobe Stock photo)
Despite the U.S. Postal Service's ongoing financial and organizational struggles, U.S. Postal carriers remain beloved by many Americans. "With the Postal Service seemingly in jeopardy, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the nation’s more than 500,000 postal employees," reports Steven Kurutz of The Washington Post. Stephen Starring Grant, a former postal worker, told the Post, "I was the face of the United States government for a lot of the people on my route. . . No matter what else is going wrong, you’re still getting your mail.”
As China's promised purchases of U.S. soybeans continue to be tracked, the country purchased "10 U.S. soybean cargoes this week," report Naveen Thukral and Ella Cao of Reuters. The update comes "as the world's top buyer continues purchasing from the United States following a late October trade truce. The cargoes, totalling around 600,000 metric tons, are for shipment between March and May, the traders said, which is the peak shipping season for rival supplier Brazil."
Auctioneer students come from far and wide to learn at the Bozeman, Mont. school. (Adobe Stock photo)
It's all about pitch, tenor, cadence, body language and the ability to say "SOLD!" like you mean it. "Welcome to the Western College of Auctioneering in Bozeman, Mont., a major training ground for a profession that is critical to the sale of cars and cattle in America," reports Liza Weisstuch of The Wall Street Journal. "Since it was founded in 1948, the school has matriculated over 5,000 students, who also auction everything from real estate to farm equipment to fine art."
After years of avoiding and denying the harm toxic wildfire smoke can do to firefighters, some recompense has been made. Firefighters "will be eligible for a payment of nearly $450,000 and college tuition for their family if they die or become debilitated from a smoke-related cancer," reports Hannah Dreier of The New York Times. "The legislation, which passed as part of a larger military spending bill, requires that some 20 smoke-related cancers be automatically treated as line-of-duty injuries or deaths for all firefighters who work for public agencies."
As 2025 moves into the rearview mirror, it still warms the heart to hear all the good things that happened before 2026 came marching in. Across the globe, some wondrous stuff happened. The U.S. neared completion of the "world’s most ambitious oyster reef restoration in the Chesapeake Bay, with more than 1,700 acres of reefs now revitalized," reportsReasons to Be Cheerful. "Over 120,000 'hedgehog highways' now connect about 240,000 gardens across the U.K. . . .Yemen now has an estimated 1.3 million beehives, some 100,000 more than three years ago." Read 97 good things here.
Fire department software may become too expensive for rural communities to buy. (Adobe Stock photo)
Rural fire departments have long relied on affordable software to track incidents and operations. But because of changes in software company ownership stemming from a flush of private equity investment "fire chiefs around the country are scrambling to manage shrinking options and soaring costs," reports Mike Baker of The New York Times.
Over the past decade, a handful of private equity firms have backed companies that are "aggressively investing in public safety systems, where tax dollars provide a steady source of revenue," Baker explains.
The fire-software services company, ESO, serves as an example. Investor dollars enabled ESO to buy up its competitors, shut them down, and push fire chiefs with few options to purchase ESO systems, which are priced significantly higher.
When the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department in northern Connecticut learned ESO had acquired its former software system and was shutting it down, ESO offered Norfolk an alternative system that "would raise the community’s costs from $795 per year to more than $5,000," Baker reports. Norfolk Fire scrambled and found a cheaper competitor, but shortly thereafter, ESO bought that company, too.
Volunteer fire departments are common, comprising 85% of the roughly 30,000 fire departments across the U.S., and many already struggle to maintain staffing and equipment standards. Norfolk's fire department has turned to using "silent auctions and karaoke fund-raisers to help sustain operations," Baker reports.
ESO maintains that its cost increases support innovation. But ESO improvements may never reach most rural fire departments; in fact, climbing costs could push some back to using paper records.
Masks are still not allowed while wildland firefighters do strenuous fire suppression work. (Adobe Stock photo)
In a 180-degree turn from tradition, the Forest Service will provide wildfire fighters with personal protective equipment to guard them from toxic gases and particles found in wildfire blazes.
The change reverses a "decades-long ban that exposed workers to toxins known to cause cancer and other serious diseases," reports Hannah Dreier of The New York Times. "They were only allowed to wear bandannas, which offer no protection against toxins."
New Forest Service guidance encourages wildfire firefighters to "mask up and even suggests that they shave their facial hair for a better fit," Dreier writes. The change is the first time the Forest Service has admitted "that masks can protect firefighters against harmful particles in wildfire smoke."
The Forest Service's new stance developed following "a series of articles in The New York Times that documented a growing occupational health crisis among wildfire crews," Dreier explains. Following the Times reporting, the Forest Service, which "employs the largest share of the country’s 40,000 wildland firefighters, has come under intense scrutiny by Congress."
To that end, Forest Service chief Tom Schultz was grilled by members of the Federal Lands subcommittee "about what he was doing to protect firefighters," Dreier writes. Schultz told committee members, "We need to continue to focus on safety as we move forward, including this issue.”
Despite the new guidance, wildland firefighters are allowed to wear masks only for less laborious duties. Deier reports, "They remain banned during arduous work, like digging trenches to contain wildfires, because the Forest Service says they may cause overheating."
Wildland firefighters aren't allowed to wear masks. (Photo by Chris Boyer, Unsplash)
Hiking with heavy equipment, digging trenches and wrestling water hoses are part of the job that wildfire firefighters signed up to do. But what they didn't sign up for is breathing in toxic fumes that could someday lead to multiple illnesses, diseases and possibly an early death.
While urban and metro firefighters won't consider entering a fire site without wearing a mask, thousands of federal firefighters "spend weeks working in toxic smoke and ash wearing only a cloth bandanna, or nothing at all," reports Hannah Dreier of The New York Times. Firefighters often work extreme hours during fire season, with some even working in fire toxins year-round. The result is many extremely ill men and women.
"Some have become permanently disabled after breathing in concentrated plumes of ash, fungus or poison oak," Dreier writes. "They are getting cancer in their 20s, developing heart disease in their 30s, waiting for lung transplants in their 40s."
Forest Service researchers have "warned for years about the effects of smoke," Dreier explains. "But year after year, the Forest Service sends crews into smoke with nothing to prevent them from inhaling its poisons."
The USFS hasn't just resisted providing its fire crews with face masks; it forbids their use. USFS has said facial respirators are "impractical" and could cause firefighters to develop heatstroke. Dreier writes, "But internal records, studies and interviews with current and former agency officials reveal another motivation: Embracing masks would mean admitting how dangerous wildfire smoke really is."
If the agency admitted how many physical threats are present during a blaze, it would "lead to a cascade of expensive changes," Dreier adds. "Recruitment for the grueling, low-paying jobs could become harder. Spending could increase on an extensive range of health issues. . . . "
The U.S. Labor Department has been working to establish rules that require federal firefighters to have masks, but has faced pushback from the Forest Service and the Trump administration.
Lithium-ion batteries pose unique fire risks. (Kumpan Electric photo, Unsplash)
In the event of a fire, call 911. While that's good advice, considering how much longer it can take firefighters to arrive at a rural fire scene, it's even more important for rural residents to do as much fire prevention and containment planning as possible. Donna Kallner for The Daily Yonder writes, "Let’s take a hard look at our stuff, whether we should rethink where and how we store things."
Leftover ammunition and firearms from hunting or sports are commonly found in rural homes, garages and sheds, and their storage requires careful attention. "The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute recommends that ammunition be stored in its original packaging or other packaging designed for the purpose (such as metal or plastic ammo cans) and separate from heat sources, open flames, and firearms," Kallner explains. For general and fire safety, before storing a firearm, remove all ammunition, including chamber rounds.
Everyday electronics, such as cell phones or laptops, run on lithium-ion batteries, which pose unique fire risks including extreme heat, lethal gases and the ability to "reignite hours to days after appearing to be extinguished," Kallner adds. "Your rural volunteer fire department would definitely want a heads-up if they might be walking into a structure fire involving lithium-ion batteries."
Plan where flammable and combustible fluids will be stored. "What distinguishes flammable from combustible liquids is the temperature at which they give off enough vapor to ignite in the presence of an ignition source," Kallner explains. "An area that gets so hot you wouldn’t leave an infant or pet there is not suitable for flammable or combustible liquids. . . . Flammable and combustible liquids should be stored at least 10 feet away from any potential ignition source. . .that includes electrical outlets."
Preventing fires is the first goal, and having an early warning system in place in case of fire is the second goal. "We can plug only one charging device into an outlet at a time. We can shop for one of those flammable storage cabinets for the fuels for the lawnmower, string trimmer, and chainsaw," Kallner adds. "We can ensure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are properly installed in all recommended areas, tested monthly, and replaced at least every 10 years. We can update our home fire escape plan and practice until shutting doors behind us is automatic."
The Star Wars franchise might begin and end in "a galaxy far, far away," but its newest series 'Andor' serves up some close-to-home conflicts. "Migrant farm workers sweating visa status amid amped-up immigration enforcement. Aggressive strip mining of the land without consideration of local communities. … Rising disregard for due process and human rights," writes Adam B. Giorgi for The Daily Yonder. "Various installments in the franchise have been associated with or said to draw inspiration from then-contemporary concerns, including the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the American invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. But it’s arguably never been more timely or effective than it is in 'Andor.'"
Keen moved part of its production back to the U.S. (Keen photo via BBC North America)
High tariffs are one tool the Trump administration has put in place to try to stimulate American manufacturing growth, but even as those costs hit the U.S. market, the question remains, "How can the U.S. reinvent its manufacturing sector in today's global economy?" While U.S. factories look different now than they did in the 1970s, it can be done. Family-owned Keen Footwear located outside of Louisville, Ky., is showing the way, reports Michelle Fleury of BBC North America. "With just 24 employees on site, the factory relies heavily on automation — sophisticated robots that fuse soles and trim materials — underscoring a transformation in how goods are made today."
If it feels like life needs a reset or even an "undo" button, heading outside may be the answer. "Nature can save us from a world gone mad," writes Dana Milbank of The Washington Post. "I hiked the Appalachian Trail, and it fixed my brain. … I wandered happily along the trail spotting the colors of the forest in spring: the red columbine, the lavender wild geranium, the lacy maple-leaf viburnum. … I found myself talking back to the birds that seemed to be following us."
Pharmacist Jan Brandenburg shares her Appalachian roots in her new cookbook.
Sometimes sharing recipes from home is the best way to showcase what your region is all about. For Jan Brandenburg of Kentucky, home is Appalachia, where she learned to love cooking, baking and science. "Today, after nearly 40 years as a practicing pharmacist, Brandenburg has published The Modern Mountain Cookbook: A Plant-Based Celebration of Appalachia, a tribute to her Eastern Kentucky roots and a vibrant exploration of how food — like medicine — can nourish, heal and connect," report Dana Cox and Rosa Mejia-Cruz for UKnow. "Brandenburg often finds herself offering guidance to patients … not just on medications, but on food choices, too. And she's just as happy to share recipes."
Seeing and smelling my mom's homemade yeast rolls rising in a warm oven, getting a nose-full of Grandma's mildewy basement where I used to fetch canned tomatoes, hearing the old Gordon Lightfoot song my dad played until everyone had it memorized. Those are all distinct experiences with memories and feelings attached to them. According to social psychologist and researcher Chelsea Reid, that feeling — nostalgia — is good for us. Reid explains in her story for The Conversation, that "sentimental longing for treasured moments in our personal pasts is linked to our well-being and feelings of connection with others … triggered by sensory stimuli such as music, scents and foods, nostalgia has the power to mentally transport us back in time."
A line of ARC-supported firefighters head off to battle a blaze. (ARC photo via Civil Eats)
When people think of firefighters, they don't also think about prisoners, but that's what some firefighters are, and just like non-incarcerated firefighters, they need care, too. "As hurricane-force winds caused wildfires to raze entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, more than 7,500 firefighters risked their lives. … Among them were an estimated 1,100 inmates from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation," reports Nadra Nittle of Civil Eats. "Sam Lewis of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition discusses why good meals, better pay, and post-release support could transform the future for incarcerated firefighters — and why society should see their humanity."
USFS Chief Tom Schultz talk with Region 4 employees in Utah. (USFS photo via Route Fifty)
Despite shedding 5,000 employees in early 2025, the United States Forest Service leadership feels sufficiently staffed for this year's wildfire season, which started near the beginning of June, peaks in mid-summer and trickles down in late October. "USFS says it’s ready for fire season after asking separated employees to come back," reports Eric Katz for Route Fifty. "But employees say the losses have been 'crippling.'"
U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz admitted that staffing cuts and retirements had left shortages "though he said efforts to bring some of those employees back to work and shift others around to fill 'critical positions' will ensure its readiness," Katz explains. At a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting, Schultz reassured lawmakers that USFS is prepared.
While 2025 USFS staffing levels for firefighters and some deployment teams are comparable to those from 2024, they are just two parts of the operation. An entire team of fire experts, or "red card" holders, support firefighters behind the scenes, and both firefighters and red card holders "depend on support personnel who have left the agency in large numbers," Katz reports. USFS employees who actively fight fires rely on support staff for paychecks, supply purchases and contract management.
Schultz told Senate members that 1,400 [red card] employees will return for the upcoming fire season. He added that the USFS had "reassigned between 600 and 700 employees to move laterally to serve in critical areas," Katz writes. Schultz didn't comment on which areas would supply staff for the lateral move.
Even with the return of experienced key personnel, some active USFS firefighters don't think it will be enough. One firefighter told Katz, "We are not ready. The institutional knowledge of older people who left and the numbers of skilled people who left from all disciplines is crippling.”
Steve Guitierrez, a long-time federal firefighter who represents his colleagues through the National Federation of Federal Employees, told Katz, "I find it difficult to make that without all those employees that we will be fully staffed for this fire season. We were already low on numbers to begin with.”
Fire departments can wait years for a new fire truck. (Adobe Stock photo)
Firefighters and fire trucks are the backbone of fire protection in most communities, but over time, keeping fire trucks repaired or buying replacements has become increasingly difficult. "Fire engine manufacturing is now largely controlled by three companies," report Mike Baker, Maureen Farrell and Serge F. Kovaleski of The Wall Street Journal. "Some departments have waited years for replacement vehicles while hunting the internet for parts to keep their older rigs going."
Wall Street executives sought to eliminate competition among fire truck makers "in a plan to boost profits from fire engine sales," the Journal reports. "One company, backed by a private equity firm, cut its own manufacturing lines as part of a streamlining strategy and then saw a backlog of fire engine orders soar into billions of dollars."
Edward Kelly, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said the pandemic caused production delays, but it isn't the main problem. He told the Journal: "In hindsight, it was masking what ends up being a main driver of higher cost and lag time in production: the monopolizing of fire truck and ambulance manufacturing in the United States. . . . Absent competition, monopoly capitalism is a shakedown.”
With no new competitors in sight, U.S. fire departments have no choice but to order from the three big companies that still make trucks. One of those companies, Rev Group "has created a more standardized vehicle that can be made in less than a year," the Journal reports. "If more fire departments choose this standardized model, said Mike Virnig, a Rev Group executive, it is likely that overall wait times will drop."
Wildland firefighters often deal with tremendous heat, extremeweather and treacherous terrain. (Adobe Stock photo)
Federal firefighters work in heat, wind, fire, smoke and unpredictable weather. Despite their dedication to public safety, most wildland firefighters face deep pay cuts unless Congress intervenes, writes Robin Verble for The Conversation. "Continued uncertainty regarding federal pay and benefits, coupled with mental health risks and seasonal financial strain, make this a precarious time for wildland firefighters."
Roughly four years ago, Congress approved a "temporary retention bonus of $20,000 a year or 50% of the firefighter’s base pay, whichever amount was smaller," Verble explains. "However, wildland firefighters are still waiting for that raise to be codified." If Congress allows the pay raise to expire, "many firefighters will lose large percentages of their income. . . .These aren’t high-paying jobs. The starting pay is as low as $15 per hour."
The pay policies embedded in the "federal wildland fire system also incentivize overworking," Verble writes. "With starting pay so low, many wildland firefighters end up working an average of over 600 hours of overtime annually to pay their bills. . . . Many federal firefighters are temporary seasonal employees, so they need to reapply for positions every year."
When asked about federal firefighters' low pay, Tania Daffron, assistant fire chief for Bloomington, Ind., told The Rural Blog, "Fighting for decent wages is ridiculous, regardless of jurisdiction. Federal departments should be leading the way. No wonder personnel transfer or leave this 'ultra-hazardous' profession."
The U.S. Forest Service isgrappling with constant employee turnover. "Over the past three years, 45% of the USFS wildland firefighting workforce has quit," Verble adds. "Retaining experienced firefighters amid longer and worsening fire seasons will require policymakers to improve health care, pay and the organizational structure itself, including how firefighters are hired and retained. Yet, the federal government continues to delay taking action."
Asst. Fire Chief Michael Moravek with mascot, Fire Pup. (Photo by Jennifer King via the Echo)
Across the country, rural fire departments are struggling to attract, train and retain volunteer firefighters. In Oglethorpe County, Georgia, the small unincorporated town of Vesta had a fire department facing closure until they put a call out to the community for help, reports Makenzy Wolford of The Oglethorpe Echo. "Down to three volunteers and battling new state regulations, the station faced the possibility of extinction." That was four years ago. Now the Vesta Volunteer Fire Department is staffed with volunteers thanks to its residents' "overwhelming response."
Vesta Fire Chief Wayne King "wasn't even a volunteer firefighter four years ago," Wolford writes. "He, among the majority of the station’s current volunteers, were unaware the station needed help until Douglas Spencer spoke to the congregation of Vesta Baptist Church. . . . Douglas, along with his wife Nicole Spencer, were two of the remaining firefighters at the Vesta station. When the situation became dire, Douglas went to the church. . . . A dozen members, including King and now assistant chief Michael Moravek, chose public service that night."
Moravek told Wolford, “I’ve always wanted to do this. I’ve been living here for 25 years, and no one’s ever asked. I thought they didn’t need anyone else extra.” Wolford adds, "The once-grim station blossomed in the 3½ years since Spencer’s call to action. Handshakes, hugs and kind words flowed freely Saturday as the VFD hosted its annual barbecue fundraiser on the first day of deer gun season."
Firefighting requires physical stamina, extensive knowledge of fire and bravery, which is part of the reason why getting and keeping volunteers is difficult. Moravek told Wolford, "I was very surprised by the amount of training that we had to go through. Twelve weeks of training at night time. . . . And then it’s a continuous training experience.” Wolford reports, "Training and certification requirements are more involved and strenuous than many anticipated."
Like most rural communities, all of Oglethorpe County's fire departments are staffed by volunteers. Wolford adds, "The issue of staffing, like that Vesta faced, is not only a local problem. . . Nationally, fire departments are struggling to come up with a staff equipped to act as the community’s first line of defense against everyday emergencies."
Wildland firefighters are considered a 'national resource,' but many are risking their lives for $15 an hour. (A.S. photo)
Federal firefighters can spend weeks away from home putting out devastating fires while barely making enough money to make ends meet. The mismatch between job demands and pay has caused some firefighters to leave the profession, but other firefighters have organized to change pay and benefits, reports Nathan Pipenberg of Capital and Main. Grassroots Wildland Firefighters "represents a striking example of a growing movement among workers to organize outside the structure of an existing union."
While some new unions start without a broader union's umbrella, GWF is using its members' support to work in tandem with the profession's existing union, the National Federation of Federal Employees, to give the profession a stronger voice. "Firefighters increasingly felt they needed to make themselves heard if they wanted to see change. So far, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters — working alongside NFFE — has proven that point." Max Alonzo, a former firefighter hired by NFFE who helps with legislative plans, told Pipenberg, "I don’t feel like we’d be as far as we are right now if they hadn’t brought national attention to these issues.”
The dual effort is gaining momentum. "When Congress began considering a pay supplement for federal firefighters, whose starting wage is the federal worker minimum of $15 an hour, both the union and Grassroots Wildland Firefighters organized front-line workers to meet with members of Congress and speak at committee hearings and a press conference on the steps of the Capitol," Pipenberg explains. "With pressure came promising results: temporary pay supplements, expiring this September, that currently translate to as much as $20,000 per year. Although it was not the permanent legislation they sought, firefighters saw their starting annual income nearly double, to $51,500."
Even with pay increases, a national discussion about the physical and health risks federal wildland workers endure remains elusive. "The job can be grueling and unusually demanding. Wildland workers are expected to serve as a 'national resource,' available to travel across the country with only a few hour's notice," Pipenberg reports. "Firefighters fell trees, dig fire breaks, and crawl on hands and knees to find hotspots that could ignite. They often sleep outdoors, near the fire and in the smoke."
September will mark the end of the temporary pay supplements, which means the GWF and NFFE continue to lobby. "The groups are pushing for the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, which would make the supplement permanent, and for Tim’s Act, which would raise wages, expand mental health service and offer health insurance to seasonal workers," Pipenberg writes. "Both bills have been introduced in Congress but have made little progress."
Firefighting foam was created in the 1960s. (Adobe Stock photo)
Commercial product companies aren't the only ones to blame for PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," making their way into U.S. soil and drinking water. Through its extensive use of firefighting foam, the U.S. military has also contributed to the slowly degrading and noxious chemicals spreading across the country, reports Sachi Kitajima Mulkey of Grist. "The Department of Defense is among the nation's biggest users of firefighting foam and says 80% of active and decommissioned bases require cleanup."
The Environmental Protection Agency doesn't consider any exposure to PFOA and PFOS, two of the most toxic PFAS, safe. In mid-April, the agency also "designated these two compounds' hazardous substances' under the federal Superfund law, making it easier to force polluters to shoulder the costs of cleaning them up," Mulkey explains. "Meeting these regulations means that almost all of the 715 military sites and surrounding communities under Defense Department investigation for contamination will likely require remediation."
The history of PFAS chemicals dates back to a 1930s lab accident, but their extensive commercial use in products began in the 1950s and 60s. Mulkey reports, "In the 1960s, the Defense Department worked with 3M, one of the largest manufacturers of PFAS chemicals, to develop a foam called AFFF that can extinguish high-temperature fires. The PFAS act as a surfactant, helping the material spread more quickly. By the 1970s, every military base, Navy ship, civilian airport, and fire station regularly used AFFF."
From that point, PFAS chemicals were used in everything from cookware to raincoats to carpets. It would take decades for government agencies and communities to realize that these human-made, fluorine-based chemicals were harmful to animals and humans. Once their harmfulness came to light, another set of problems evolved — how to remove the chemicals from the environment, which research has proven is both expensive and difficult to accomplish.
Today, military sites have some of the most extensive cleanup work. "Congress ordered the department to publish the findings of drinking and groundwater tests on and around bases," Mulkey reports. "Results showed nearly 50 sites with extremely high levels of contamination and hundreds more with levels above what was then the EPA's health advisory. Following further congressional pressure, the military announced plans to implement interim cleanup measures at three dozen locations."
The shortage of volunteer firefighters is a national problem. (Graphic by Adam Dixon, Ambrook Research)
When fires start in rural places, emergency service volunteers may not respond immediately, so many areas rely on farmers to help handle fires. "The extra support is essential in (Chief Chris) Rohwer's small rural community of Pitsburg, Ohio, where field fires are the 'bread and butter' of his department — and where all-volunteer staffing is extremely low," reports Nora Neus of Ambrook Research. Rohwer told him: "We've got a lot of local farmers that have gone out on their own and started putting some type of water storage tank, either in their pickup or on a trailer. So they can at least try and get that knocked down while we're being dispatched."
Nationally, the number of volunteer firefighters is at an all-time low. Small fire departments also face limited budgets for updated equipment and response systems. Neus writes, "Firefighters around the country say farmers can — and should — set themselves up for success, knowing that when they call 911, help may be a ways away. . . . Rural fire departments also may not have expensive equipment specific to farm operations, for example, grain bin rescues."
Dan Neenan is director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety and has been a volunteer firefighter since 1991. He gave Neus his recommendations for ag rescues: "So talk with your local folks and see as far as ag rescue equipment, what do they have? What might they need? Not looking for you to fund it for 'em, but if you got together with some other folks in the farming community, maybe [you] can do a fundraiser to get that grain rescue tube." Neus adds, "Neenan also recommends farmers or firefighters enter a contest his organization is running to give away dozens of rescue tubes."
Fire prevention is one of the best ways rural communities can help their fire departments -- keeping fires from starting in the first place. "Neenan recommends keeping an eye on wet hay that can overheat and start a fire," Neus reports. "Neenan has one other bit of advice: Farmers should get to know their local fire departments before an incident takes place, even if they aren't able to volunteer themselves. . . . At the end of the day, it is crucial for farmers and rural firefighters to rely on each other."
Migrants walk along concertina wire on the U.S. side of the border in Texas. (Photo by Paul Ratje, The New York Times)
Emergency workers and town officials in Eagle Pass, Texas, have been overwhelmed by the thousands of immigrants who require rescuing from Rio Grande River perils, heat exhaustion or the physical demands of wrangling with border obstacles, as they attempt to cross into the U.S., reports Edgar Sandoval of The New York Times. "This week, a delegation of 60 Republican congressmen, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, gathered in town at the edge of the Rio Grande to call for the Biden administration to stem the immigration surge."
Eagle Pass is home to a border patrol station, but the town is not equipped to handle the number of people crossing. "Many [immigrants] are in urgent need of medical attention when they arrive — help that is only available through a city that is already straining to meet the needs of its own 28,000 residents," Sandoval writes. "The city has had to assign one of its five ambulances full-time to transport injured migrants from the river's edge."
Eagle Pass, Texas (Wikipedia maps)
Meanwhile, the cost of aiding, treating and managing migrants is straining the town's fire department and law enforcement. The Fire Department is "spending about $150,000 a month on ambulance costs responding to migrants alone. . . .That figure does not include overtime, costing more than $30,000 a month, Sandoval reports. "The Eagle Pass police chief, Federico Garza, says his small police force of 74 officers is often diverted from everyday duties to respond to calls of migrants idling on a corner or crossing through a backyard. The sheer number of calls 'can be overwhelming,' he said."
Texas has "long been at the center of U.S. immigration policy," Sandoval adds. "But the area has turned into a key point of friction this year between Republican leaders and the Biden administration, as Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas openly defied federal authority and set up state law enforcement patrols, concertina wire and floating buoys along the border in a bid to keep new migrants out of the state."
In January, the flow of immigrants into Eagle Pass slowed, but some of the efforts hurt the town's economy. "The recent closure of an international crossing known locally as Bridge 1 crippled a local economy that benefits from a steady stream of Mexicans who legally cross every day to eat at restaurants, fill their gas tanks and commute to work," Sandoval reports. "The closure over the holiday season cost the city about $1 million, Rolando Salinas Jr., the mayor of Eagle Pass, said."
Kale Geiswite of New Berlin Fire Company flies a drone. (Photo by Matt Jones, The Standard-Journal)
While some drones have been known to start fires -- intentionally and unintentionally -- they also are being used by rural volunteer fire departments, such as in Pennslyvania, to help emergency responders have "an eye in the sky," reports Matt Jones of The Standard-Journal, which covers central Pennsylvania. Paul Vavra, a chief pilot of the drone program at the Duboistown Fire Department, told Jones: "We started our program about six years ago here at Duboistown. . . At that point, we were the only ones in Lycoming, Tioga and Sullivan County doing drone work for fire, rescue, EMS and law enforcement, other than the state police."
Since then, more counties have purchased or received donated drones to bolster emergency responder support. "In 2022, Kale Geiswite of the New Berlin Fire Company in Union County put in a request to the National Public Safety Drone Donation Program. He said the department was looking for a drone with thermal capabilities that could be used to respond to residential structure fires, wildfires and search and rescues throughout the tri-county area of Union, Snyder and Northumberland counties," Jones reports. Geiswite told Jones: "We made a video about how we were trying to start a drone program and what we were looking to do with it. Within four months, Duboistown reached out. . .They donated our first drone."
The National Fire Protection Association, under code 2400, "provides standards for small unmanned aircraft systems that establishes 'minimum requirements for the safe operation, deployment, and implementation of sUAS including organization program criteria and considerations, professional qualifications for safety personnel, and elements of a maintenance program, per the organization's website," Jones writes. However, local departments have to develop their own protocols for volunteer training and drone dispatch requirements.
As a service, the Sierra Sun Times in California shares National Fire News on its website. Thursday's update was stark: "33 large wildfires have burned 386,575 acres in 10 states. One new large wildfire was reported in New Mexico yesterday. About 3,700 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents nationwide." While the statistics are startling, there is something everyone can do about it, particularly in rural areas where volunteer fire departments are stretched thin and need help from every resident. In honor of Fire Prevention Week, October 8-14, Donna Kallner of The Daily Yonder gives these reminders.
In the kitchen. The focus for Fire Prevention Week this year is on home cooking fires. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths. Home fires caused by cooking peak at Thanksgiving and Christmas. But you have time before the holidays to ingrain safer habits.
Fire extinguishers. Portable fire extinguishers are an important component in rural fire prevention. They're great for putting out or buying time against a small fire that's confined to a small area (like a wastebasket) and not growing. . . .To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word P.A.S.S.
Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you as you pull the pin to release the lock.
Aim low, pointing the nozzle at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
Sweep the nozzle from side to side.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. More than a quarter of people killed by cooking fires were sleeping. . . . That's just one reason to make sure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area, and on every level of your home. . . . If you or someone you know can't afford smoke detectors or cannot install them properly, check out this American Red Cross program.
Fire drills at home. Some things are, sadly, not at all unexpected – like filling the kitchen with smoke when sausage rolls off a frozen pizza in a hot oven. But when an unexpected alarm sounds in the middle of the night, your family needs to know what to do. There's a reason why schools conduct regular fire drills: They work. . . . Once you have a plan, practice – at least twice a year. Here's more helpful information on home fire escape plans.
Close doors. As you practice your fire escape plan, learn to close doors behind you. Changes in building construction and furnishings mean fire can spread faster now, and you may only have about three minutes to escape. Fire needs oxygen to burn. Closed doors can slow a fire's growth.
Fire crews are a rural area's 'first line of defense' for most emergencies. (Photo by Peter Crabtree, The Daily Yonder)
Rural fire departments have struggled to get adequate funding, volunteers, and employees, and the problem is getting worse. "A slow but steady decline in volunteers is catching up with America's small-town and rural fire departments," reports Caitlin Randall of The Daily Yonder. "Some solutions – like better funding, a different volunteer structure, and more publicity – aren't simple. And others – like the need for more jobs to retain young people – are beyond fire departments' control."
Wikipedia map
Randall's report focuses on a small fire department in Bennington, Vermont, pop. 15,400, working to put out a fast-burning brush fire "in one of the most remote corners of southern Vermont. By the time the first crew arrived, the fire had spread with shifting winds coaxing a rapid uphill burn. . . . With just seven volunteer firefighters available to tackle a wildfire that might torch hundreds of acres of mountain wilderness, a mutual aid request went out to four other departments, including one from across the state line in New York.
"Other crews responded, but they, too, were dealing with a depleted volunteer corps. As each new team scrambled up the rugged terrain, others stepped back, exhausted from time spent digging fire lines — dirt channels in the angled terrain — and tackling burning brush while carrying power tools and 40-pound water packs. It was grueling, dangerous work with little rest while the blaze burned on, in this case, for nearly eight hours."
The lack of volunteer firefighters is a nationwide problem, more acutely felt by rural areas, such as Vermont, where "88% of their fire crews are staffed mostly or entirely by volunteers," Randall explains. "Fewer and fewer people are joining their ranks, and long-time volunteers are aging out. The crisis isn't confined to Vermont. Nationally, 70% of fire departments are mostly or entirely volunteer, and the number of new recruits is also declining."
The National Fire Protection Association, which tracks the numbers of volunteer firefighters in the United States, says the numbers have dropped 17% over a five-year period, Randall reports -- "from about 815,000 in 2015 to 677,000 in 2020, the last year for which figures were available. It's in small towns and rural areas with fewer resources where the falloff in volunteering has been felt the most, in communities where firefighters are the first line of defense for everything from fires to car crashes to natural disaster rescue missions."
"Among the raft of recruitment and retention challenges facing volunteer fire departments, stringent training and certification guidelines top the list," Randall explains. Rural fire departments bear the added burden of needing more good-paying jobs to keep volunteer firefighters in town.
Rabbi Howard Cohen, who served as fire department
deputy chief in Bennington, told Randall, "We have huge respect for firefighters, but we need to acknowledge the
fire service has been in a state of crisis for a long time. It’s an antiquated model that absolutely needs to change."
An OnMed health kiosk uses high tech, remote care. (Photo by Arielle Zionts, KFF Health News)
Rural patients are more likely to face medical provider shortages, and these communities have to find new ways to provide care. In LaFayette, Alabama, "Terry Vester and her husband, Al, are the only primary care doctors in the town of 2,700 residents, surrounded by farms and other small communities," reports Arielle Zionts of KFF Health News. "The Vesters are in their late 60s and would like to retire soon. Terry Vester wants to spend more time with her grandson and aging parents. But she can't imagine abandoning her patients, some of whom she has cared for since they were born."
Attracting new physicians is challenging for LaFayette, which is not a wealthy town with the amenities many doctors seek. Residents have a median income of $39,077, compared to the state's $59,910. "Black residents — who make up 70% of the population — are much more likely to live in poverty than white residents," Zionts writes. "The Vesters have worked in LaFayette since the early 1980s and saw the local hospital close in 1988. The nearest emergency room is now in another town 20 minutes away along a rolling road. So are the nearest urgent care clinic and pediatrician's office."
With those barriers in mind, town residents who need medical advice have turned to "the city fire department, staffed with full-time firefighters and emergency medics," Zionts reports. "People from LaFayette regularly walk or drive themselves to the fire station to ask for help, said Fire Chief Jim Doody. He added that the station has a makeshift exam area within its small entryway, containing a bench, defibrillator machine, and cabinet filled with medical supplies. . . .This de facto walk-in clinic option isn't available in most other rural areas, where emergency medical services are often run by volunteers who aren't posted at a station all day, Doody said. But he's noticed fewer LaFayette residents relying on the fire department since a new telehealth service arrived in town."
OnMed telehealth kiosk service opened in LaFayette to meet basic medical needs. Patients can head into a computerized booth, press a button and see "a nurse practitioner appear on a large vertical video screen positioned at eye level," Zionts explains. "OnMed patients use an automated blood pressure cuff and other devices to collect their vital signs, and the data is sent to the provider treating them from a distance. Patients can also hold a stethoscope to their chest to transmit the sounds of their heart and lungs. A special camera captures internal temperatures, which can be used to diagnose infections. A hand-held camera lets providers examine problems such as rashes, irritated eyes, and swollen throats. In some states, the stations can dispense medications."
While Vester spoke positively about OnMed services, she feels "It's still important to have doctors in town," Zionts reports. "Vester plans to reach out to Alabama medical schools to let them know she's looking for doctors to take over for her and her husband."
Photo by Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson, Magnum via Aeon
There's nothing like a delightful chat with a fellow human. "A good conversation mixes opinions, feelings, facts and ideas in an improvisational exchange with one or more individuals in an atmosphere of goodwill. It inspires mutual insight, respect and, most of all, joy," writes Paula Marantz Cohen of Aeon. "It is a way of relaxing the mind, opening the heart and connecting, authentically, with others. To converse well is surprising, humanizing and fun."
Some just make the world better. Meet Renee Boughman, who "proved that an honor payment system can be a sustainable business model for a restaurant," reports Taylor Sisk of The Daily Yonder. "The most popular item on the menu? Feeding those in need with a dash of community building."
Successful Farming photo
The vintage vibe is a fun way to learn about the past. "Browse these Successful Farming covers ranging from 1910 to 1959 to get a glimpse of schools and students" from days gone by," reports Lisa Foust Prater of Successful Farming. "The quality of life of farm families has always been an important topic, including the education of farm children."
Fighting fires is not for the faint of heart. "A day fighting wildfires can require as much endurance as riding the Tour de France, reports Brent C. Ruby for The Conversation, a journalistic platform for academics. "The crew is participating in a study that my team from Montana is conducting to measure the physical strain and total energy demands of work on an active wildfire, with the goal of finding ways to improve firefighter fueling strategies and ultimately health and safety on the line."
NASA photo
In a world fraught with problems, even outer space is having trouble figuring things out. "NASA just found a question mark in space. The object is far outside our galactic neighborhood, possibly billions of light-years away," reports Allie Yang of National Geographic. "But astronomers have seen similar objects closer to home. What exactly is it?"
Even if a lot of food grows on trees, money doesn't. Paul Krugman of The New York Timesin his opinion "Why are Groceries So Expensive?" Krugman asks: "Can we blame Bidenomics? Or are surging food prices an example of 'greedflation,' inflation caused by price gouging?"
Audience members at lasts year's Wisconsin Civics Games State
Championship at the State Capitol. (Photo
by Julia Hunter, WNA)
The finals are tomorrow! Students from 13 high schools across the Dairy State will compete in the Wisconsin Civics Games state finals.. "Fifteen teams, each comprising up to four students, will face off in head-to-head matchups, answering questions about the state budget, local elections, legislative term limits, quorums, freedom of the press and other civics-related issues," reports Julia Hunter of, whose foundation sponsors the games/ "Each member of the winning team will receive a $2,000 scholarship to a Wisconsin college or university. . . .The games will be broadcast on WisconsinEye, and are expected to begin around 9 a.m. and conclude at approximately 3 p.m. . . . The WNA Foundation launched the Wisconsin Civics Games in 2018 in response to declining civics education and participation."
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"Odd Hours, No Pay, Cool Hat" is a new documentary about rural firefighters. "While the population is increasing, the number of volunteer firefighters is dwindling rapidly," reports Joelle Orem of The Scoop. "John Deere and the National Volunteer Fire Council recognize the deficit and have partnered to educate and recruit volunteer firefighters to the call through the film. . . . The idea for the film came from the rich heritage of community partnership. . . . Farmers and firefighters often work hand in hand to respond to emergency calls for service during snow and thunderstorms. Visit oddhoursfilm.com to watch the teaser."
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Older trees absorb and store carbon, but carbon isn't the only concern with older forests. "More than 60 percent of the trees managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management make up mature or old-growth forest. . . . A first-of-its-kind census shows that the two agencies are stewards of 112.8 million acres of mature and old-growth trees," Marianne Lavelle of Inside Climate Newsreports. "But it remains to be seen whether those rules will lead to greater protection for mature and old-growth stands on public lands, as some environmentalists have called for, or for more logging, thinning and prescribed burning by the Forest Service to control wildfire, disease and other climate-related threats."
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Does green energy always have to compete with land needs? Maybe not. Some Wisconsin researchers are looking at ways for the two have a more symbiotic relationship. "'Agrivoltaics,' the use of land for both agriculture and solar power, was at the center of a panel with a regulator and researchers recently hosted by the University of Wisconsin," reports Joe Schulz of Wisconsin Public Radio. . . . "The panel explored potential trade-offs between renewable energy and agriculture."
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Summertime can be glorious, but it can also be time to find a summer job. For rural young adults, there are quite a few options out there, reports Money magazine. "It’s helpful to start with a simple job so you can earn money and gain experience just from the added responsibility. . . . Instead of looking for available jobs, you can create your own. Offering yard work services is a great way to make your opportunities and serve your community." People with pets may be vacationing away from home and farm. If your familiar with rural animal or pet care, this could be a flexible, fun money maker.
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The woolly mammoth was an adult male
in its mid 40s, 6-7 tons in weight, and 13 to 14 feet tall at the shoulder.
(Photo by Daryl Marshke, University of Michigan)
Not every day do you find a 15,000-year-old animal skeleton in Iowa. "Of all the tiny spots in a sea of soybeans, Jim Bristle and Trent Satterthwaite hit the honey hole," reports Chris Bennett of Farm Journal. "When the pair of Midwest farmers dropped a backhoe bucket 8' below mature beans and felt the machinery groan and shift, they struck a massive, prehistoric beast hidden in blue clay and released the creature from a 15,000-year sleep. . . . Farmland is the vault of the unseen, and Bristle and Satterthwaite made one of the most unlikely scientific discoveries of the 21st century—a woolly mammoth skeleton alongside three telltale boulders."
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Rebecca the alpaca and her "fiber." (H.L. Barnes, Successful Farming)
Experimental, whimsical, classic---domestically sourced fashion-fiber can be fabulous and expensive. "According to the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Americans spend more than 250 million dollars on fashion and accessories every year," reports Heather Lifsey Barnes of Successful Farming. "With the demand for local fiber growing, agriculture is positioned to partner with these influencers and connect them with how fiber is grown and raised." To give educators industry know-how, some North Caroline high and middle school teachers "Toured an alpaca farm, which gave teachers a hands-on look at the fiber growing on its source.At Venezia Dream Farm, owner Star Cash raises alpaca for their fiber.. . .Cash went to school to learn how to grade the fibers."
