Cherokee Village

Certified Firewise Community/USA

Cherokee Village became a certified Firewise Community/USA during a luncheon presentation Sept. 7, 2005 at Cherokee Village City Hall. Presenting the award were Jim Smalley (right), wildland fire manager of the National Fire Protection Association; Deputy State Forester Larry Nance and Arkansas FireWise Coordinator David Samuel. Firefighter Rudy Castillo (below, left) proudly displayed Cherokee Village's new highway marker designating the Sharp County town as a Certified Firewise Community/USA.

Cherokee Village began the Firewise program in July 2004 by assessing its community risk, organizing a FireWise board and developing a plan for wildfire prevention and mitigation. FireWise board members posed for a banner shot (below, right) during one of its first meetings. Arkansas FireWise provides grant money to purchase equipment to complete each community's individual mitigation plan.

Community leaders who initiated the Firewise project in Cherokee Village include Mayor Ray Maynard, Tom Paul, Russ Stokes, Charles DeLoach, Bill Clark, Mike Taylor, Rudy Castillo, Kent Viers, Rich Spurlock and John French.