For immediate release, Farmers Bank & Trust

(Magnolia, Ark. — October 25, 2022) – Farmers Bank Foundation has donated $5,000 to the Blevins Fire Department for equipment purchases at the all-volunteer agency.

The Blevins Fire Department will use the new funds to help outfit a department side-by-side ATV with life-saving fire and rescue attachments. These attachments will aid in hard-to-reach wilderness area calls. 

The Blevins Fire Department is responsible for incidents across five square miles of primarily rural territory. It includes wooded areas that cannot be easily accessed by traditional fire trucks and roads. The Blevins Fire Department also responds to emergency incidents in nearby communities via mutual aid agreements.

“After we purchased the side-by-side, we had to equip it with medical and fire equipment,” said Tim Choate, firefighter and first responder at Blevins FD. “That means we had to get two separate units for emergency calls.”

The Blevins resident also noted that the new equipment would make first response times much faster and more efficient for hard-to-access incidents.

“Sometimes, we’ve even had to rely on other means of transportation to get to wildfires, but now we can get there and respond much quicker,” Choate added. “This donation will help our community and the surrounding areas immensely in search-and-rescues, wildfire suppression, and rural accidents. We appreciate Farmers Bank for supporting our volunteer fire department.”

Farmers Bank Foundation Executive Director Elizabeth Burns Anderson said: “It is always a pleasure to help local first responders in any way we can. We hope that these funds can make a real impact on fire and rescue efforts in Blevins and its neighboring communities.”

About Farmers Bank Foundation: Created in 2021 for Farmers Bank & Trust’s 115 anniversary, the Farmers Bank Foundation’s giving priorities are to support local nonprofits whose mission is to purposefully enrich the quality of life in the communities where Farmers Bank & Trust customers and employees live. The foundation's funding is made possible by the bank's shareholders and employees across Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Farmers Bank Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that will operate independently from Farmers Bank & Trust. For additional information or to apply for Farmers Bank Foundation funding, please visit MyFarmers.Bank/FarmersBankFoundation.