LAKE OUACHITA, Ark. – A volunteer fire chief on Lake Ouachita is preparing for the loss of a program his department has relied on for decades.

The Federal Surplus Property Program has supplied everything from fire trucks to protective gear for government entities across Arkansas, and it’s now shutting down.

Arkansas Department of Public Safety Secretary Mike Hagar said recent changes in federal regulations have made it impossible to keep the program running.

He said the program has long been self-sufficient—selling surplus federal equipment to state government entities, including volunteer fire departments.

But with fewer large surplus items available for resale, the department said it can no longer sustain operations.

For Barnes and his small rural station, the program has been a lif

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