FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently awarded each of 10 students from around the country $500 for community service projects that reduce wildfire risks or increase community preparedness as part of the TakeAction campaign. Four of these 10 students are from Colorado.
TakeAction — Teens for Wildfire Safe Communities is an NFPA campaign that provides resources and projects that benefit young adults, their families and neighbors. According to NFPA, more than 8 million U.S. students in grades 6-12 live in a community having wildfire risk. There are many actions youth can take to help make the communities where they live safer, including individual, family or community service projects that reduce wildfire risks and post-fire effects.
Four Colorado Students Awarded
The four Colorado award recipients were from Rocky Mountain High School, Nederland High School, University of Colorado – Boulder, and Colorado State University. Their community service projects included helping a local farmer mitigate fire danger around his house; completing fuels reduction projects to protect the downtown area of Nederland, as well as the Ben Delatour Scout Ranch within the Elk Creek watershed, from the detrimental effects of large wildfires; and distributing informational packets to neighbors about evacuation planning.
More About TakeAction
TakeAction award funding was provided by State Farm Insurance through NFPA’s Year of Living Less Dangerously campaign. The awards will be used for the students’ future educational costs or as a donation to the students’ favorite charitable organization.
The other six TakeAction award recipients were from Hawaii, Missouri, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas and Virginia.
All of the TakeAction projects are great examples of how teens can be involved in reducing the wildfire risk within their communities. For those interested in participating in a community service project focused on wildfire mitigation efforts in Colorado, the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) provides volunteer opportunities through our Volunteer Program, which seeks to achieve stewardship of Colorado’s diverse forest environments through forestry outreach and service.
Discover more about NFPA’s TakeAction campaign and how teens can become involved in wildfire risk reduction community service projects.
Learn more about Colorado wildfire mitigation efforts on our website.