Fighting fires on a shoestring

A new donation will make a world of difference for a rural fire department struggling to meet expenses.

The Kremlin Volunteer Fire Department, a 21-member-strong outfit, has been swamped with insurance, utility and workers' compensation payments, Fire Chief Barry Donoven said Monday, leaving little funding to purchase new equipment.

The extra cash will be a huge boost for a department that receives only $4,000 annually through taxes, Donoven said.

The $1,250 donation from Stockman Bank will help alleviate some of the budget crunch and fund new radios and possibly an addition to the department'...