BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — After catastrophic fires burned thousands of acres in North Dakota last year, state lawmakers continue to look at how towns and counties can be better prepared for another emergency.

On Thursday, supervisors and firefighters gave their report to legislators on the emergency response services committee.

Earlier this year, the governor signed Senate Bill 2340, which gave the go-ahead to study the current needs of fire departments and emergency managers around North Dakota.

Darin Hanson from the state's Department of Emergency Services, as well as Tom Claeys, the state forester, discussed not just who gets the call, but how to pay for the response after the fires are put out.

"Like any state agency, if you give us a dollar, we'll leverage it for three or five or sev

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