LINCOLN- LB655, introduced by State Sen. Mike McDonnell, would allow Nebraska to spend around $1.2 million per year in state funds to unlock $3 million in federal funds to build two teams of local volunteer and paid firefighter teams to curb the rise in wildfires. However, during a public hearing for the bill last Thursday, debate ensued over whether the state should hire its own paid wildfire response teams or recruit local volunteers.

The state money, which would be allocated through this bill, would go to the Nebraska State Fire Marshal's Office and the Nebraska Forest Service, and the federal funds would be applied for through a Community Wildfire Defense grant. The fiscal note, which states McDonnell's intent to hire 23 full-time state employees to build these teams, was called inaccurate by the senator. Rather, according to McDonnell, the goal is to model response teams after the volunteer Urban Search and Rescue Teams hosted by Lincoln Fire & Rescue, which specialize in natural disaster response.

McDonnell went on to state that the new teams will be made up of both volunteer and paid firefighters from all over the state, and the bill drew support from the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighters Association. However, one opponent of the bill, State Fire Marshal Doug Hohbein, stated that his agency's duties do not include actively fighting fires. Hohbein went on to argue that, if the fiscal note is accurate, he would have to hire 23 new firefighters, changing the role and scope of the Fire Marshal's office in Nebraska.

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