Rural Kentucky Fire Departments Featured in National Documentary

Two eastern Kentucky fire departments will be featured in a national documentary focusing on rural preparedness and first responders.

The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium, based at Eastern Kentucky University’s Justice and Safety Center in Richmond, said in a statement that it decided to begin filming its documentary with the Beattyville and Lee County volunteer fire departments.

Rob Kennedy, director of Homeland Security Training Programs for RDPC strategic partner The Center for Rural Development, says the departments were chosen partly due to actions that firefighters took to contain a massive downtown blaze recently.

Kennedy says the two departments share resources and manpower and provide a good illustration of how the nation’s rural emergency responders have specific needs that can differ greatly from their urban counterparts.