For the second consecutive year, Colorado Springs fire was awarded a hefty grant from the Allstate Foundation to create safer neighborhoods through wildfire mitigation for many homes.

The $30,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation will be used to help pay for wildfire mitigation around at least 60 homes in the Village at Comstock and Discovery neighborhoods in Rockrimmon, said Colorado Springs fire’s wildfire mitigation program coordinator, Amy Sylvester.

Last year, the department was awarded a $20,000 grant for the same type of mitigation work, Sylvester said.

“I think we just really demonstrated the amount of work that we can get accomplished with the funds,” Sylvester said. “We were able to reduce the risk around more homes than initially anticipated, and we’re planning to do the same this year.”

The grant will be used to reduce wildfire within Colorado Springs’ wildland urban interface along the Front Range, consisting of removal of dead fuels, thinning of existing fuels and removal of volatile fuels within 30 feet of the structure, Sylvester said. Fire officials will work with residents of the targeted neighborhoods who wish to have wildfire mitigation work done on their properties and match the cost of the mitigation work dollar-for-dollar, Sylvester said.

Details of the grant process and how residents of the targeted neighborhoods can apply for mitigation work funds will be discussed at two upcoming meetings: the Comstock Village homeowners’ association will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Rockrimmon Library, 832 Village Center Drive, and 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at Woodmen Valley Chapel, 290 East Woodmen Road.

“We have funding for at least 60 homes, and if some people don’t use the full allocated amount we can free up money for other residences,” Sylvester said. “The most important thing residents need to know is to contact us on the front end before they get the work done because we invoice and pay directly to the contractor, not the homeowner.”

Sylvester said local fire officials plan to apply for the grant every year because wildfire prevention in the form of mitigation works best.

“The type of work that we’re focusing on with this grant money is all for mitigation and prevention efforts because it has been so successful,” he said.

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Contact Andrea Sinclair: 636-0235

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The modified M9-Beretta pistol used for the Basic Active Shooter Course fires a powder propelled paint cup to provide the most realistic training possible while maintaining the level of safety required for the scenarios, Jan 26. The course is taught by a 4-man training team from the 610th Security Forces Squadron, Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. They came to Dobbins Air Reserve Base to provide this critical training for the 94th Security Forces Squadron and other Dobbins area security personnel. The two day course provides classroom and tactical instruction to first responders covering several shooting spree scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Brad Fallin)

GS-09 Brad Fallin