When a large fire breaks out in southwest Kansas, it rarely becomes the responsibility of just one department. Instead, sirens from multiple towns can often be heard responding — a direct result of mutual aid agreements that have become essential to protecting lives and property across the region. Mutual aid agreements allow neighboring fire departments to automatically assist one another during major incidents. In rural areas like southwest Kansas, where communities are spread out and resources can be limited, that cooperation can mean the difference between a contained blaze and a devastating loss. Fire chiefs across the region say no single department has enough manpower or equipment to handle every large-scale emergency alone — especially during wind-driven grass fires, structure fires, or multi-vehicle accidents on highways.
Read more: Dodge City Daily Globe
