August 25, 2016 — GILMER, Texas — Texas A&M Forest Service recently awarded a $100,000 grant to
Gilmer Volunteer Fire Department for a new brush truck through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department
Assistance Program.
The truck, a 2016 Ford F-550, is replacing a smaller 1985 pickup that lacked dependability.
“The new truck has a 400-gallon poly water tank, a class A foam system with a 20-gallon foam cell, and a
firefighter station on each side,” said Gilmer VFD Fire Chief Jerry Taylor. “It will be our first-out truck and
used strictly for wildland fires.”
“Our area is an urban-wildland interface with a lot of ranching and farming, and hay fields make up a big portion
of our calls,” explained Taylor. “We average approximately 417 fires a year, and out of that, 350 are wildland or
hay fields.”
Gilmer VFD’s 24 volunteers serve approximately 13,500 residents in their 117 square-mile service area of
Upshur County. Gilmer also provides mutual aid to other departments in the county.
Texas A&M Forest Service is committed to protecting lives and property through the Rural Volunteer Fire
Department Assistance Program, a cost-share program funded by the Texas State Legislature and administered
by Texas A&M Forest Service. This program provides funding to rural VFDs for the acquisition of firefighting
vehicles, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing, dry hydrants, computer systems, and firefighter
training.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.