KEMPNER, Texas –- Kempner Volunteer Fire Department converted a Stewart Stevenson 5-ton excess military truck
into a large brush truck. The truck was received from Texas A&M Forest Service through the Department of Defense
Firefighter Property Program.
Upon acceptance of the truck, the department met the conversion challenge by doing the work in house while keeping
in mind the growing community and the future addition of Fire Station #3.
“We have a new subdivision being built that will have over 190 new homes,” said Kempner VFD Fire Chief Dan
Hause. “We built this new fleet addition with the knowledge that it could be useful in helping to protect those homes
and our predominantly rural area.”
The truck was designed for rough terrain and longer staying power.
“Typically, brush trucks are smaller and carry less water, so this tender, with its 1,000-gallon water capacity,y will be a
great asset,” said Hause.
According to Hause, the truck is well-equipped for the job and can also be used as a tender that can transport water to
an emergency scene and has the defensive capability to suppress fires.
“Like a lot of volunteer fire departments, staffing can be a problem at times, but we equipped this truck so if we have
only a few firefighters to respond to a call they can knock the fire down quickly and safely,” said Hause.
This rugged apparatus with all-wheel drive makes this truck a great option for transporting water to fire trucks
engaged on the fire line in the field.
“It will be an enormous benefit to Kempner Volunteer Fire Department to have this large brush truck in their fleet,”
said Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Fire Coordinator Matthew Schlaefer. “Having a large quantity of water at
the onset of a fire will give the firefighters the upper hand to help slow the fire growth.”
Kempner Volunteer Fire Department has open enrollment for different volunteer positions.
“Our department has volunteer openings for all types of positions, not just firefighting,” said Hause. “If you have the
heart to serve, we have a position for you. If interested, email [email protected].”
Community support is appreciated.
“We have a number of fund-raising projects a year, and our community are always very supportive, and we greatly
appreciate their backing,” said Hause. “We also extend our gratitude to our Deputy Fire Chief Justin Martin, who
spent many late hours on the fabrication of this truck, and to Texas A&M Forest Service for having grant opportunities
available to help increase the firefighting power of volunteer fire departments.”
Texas A&M Forest Service is committed to protecting lives and property through various fire department assistance
programs. The Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program launched in Texas in 2005, is one such program
and has released over 800 retired military trucks to Volunteer Fire Departments across the state. The Agency
transports the vehicle from a military installation, performs necessary repairs, and delivers it to the volunteer fire
department at no cost to them. The USDA Forest Service oversees the program nationwide and is the supplier of the
excess military equipment to fire departments and emergency service providers.