The Powder River Energy (PRECorp) Foundation Board of Directors has given more than $30,000 in direct support to three volunteer fire departments in Crook County.

• The Carlile VFD received $10,000 toward the purchase of a brush firefighting truck and construction of a fire hall. Those funds were comprised of $5,000 from the Foundation and another $5,000 from Basin Electric Cooperative (Basin). “Our department is in need of updating our fire trucks and we have now purchased a 2024 truck and pumping unit, and retire an outdated truck,” said Carlile VFD Secretary-Treasurer Jennifer Cranston.
• The Moorcroft Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) was awarded $10,000 for the purchase of handheld emergency communication radios. “This donation will be used to purchase new handheld radios so that we may operate safely and more efficiently during emergencies,” said Moorcroft Assistant Chief Justin Thomas. “This donation will help us replace at least two of the crucial radios that have continued to function.”
• The Sundance VFD received $10,000 toward the purchase of updated bunker gear for new personnel. In addition, Basin added another $2,500 to cover Sundance VFD needs. “This grant/donation will be used to better outfit our department for the various wildland and wildland-urban interface scenarios that have threatened our county so far this season,” said Assistant Sundance Fire Chief Dallas Johnson. “The money just donated will be used to outfit several of our members with new structural bunker boots and structural turnout gear, as we have multiple members who have gear that has either expired or will in the very near future.”

The departments and their many volunteers respond to fire and traffic emergencies in the towns of Moorcroft and Sundance, as well as covering rural wildfires in the county.

“The Foundation Board remarked that this donation is vital for the residents and visitors to this area of northeast Wyoming, so they have all of the fire and emergency services available to them when needed,” said Foundation Executive Director Joe Roth. “The wildfire season of 2026 is a prime example of how an emergency can quickly erupt. The local volunteer fire departments have a variety of needs, and the Foundation is proud to meet those needs so these heroes have the essential equipment when it is time to respond.”

Established in 2007, the Powder River Energy Foundation has driven more than $3.2 million back to the communities in Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan, and Weston counties. For more information on the Foundation, its charitable giving, fundraising, or how organizations may apply for grants, please go to the Foundation website at www.precorpfoundation.org .

Basin Electric Cooperative supplies wholesale power to Powder River Energy Corporation, and other cooperatives across nine states.

Photo Captions: (Photos courtesy PRECorp Foundation)

Carlile VFD: From left, members of the Carlile VFD gather in front of their new truck with Foundation representative Tim Velder, Jennifer Cranston, Bill Dewey, Foundation Director Mary Yemington, Joey Kanode, Dan Zimmerschied, Rick Hapstonstall, and Ivan Cranston.

Moorcroft VFD: Moorcroft VFD Chief Jeff Holberg and Assistant Chief Justin Thomas gather with Foundation representative Tim Velder in reception of their $10,000 grant for new emergency communications radios.

Sundance VFD: Sundance VFD members gather to accept a $12,500 donation from the PRECorp Foundation. From left, Thomas Engelhaupt, Tony Williamson, Curtis "Mac" Williamson, Dallas Johnson, Curt Williamson, Ray Blaise, Chris Tomford, Devin Lee, and Foundation staff Linda Tokarczyk.