BIG SANDY, Texas –- Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department added an excess Stewart Stevenson military
truck named “Truck 20” to their fleet thanks to a truck award through the Department of Defense Fire Fighter
Property Program and a slip-on unit grant through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program
both administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.
“Rural volunteer fire departments are relied upon to respond to a variety of emergencies,” said Texas A&M
Forest Service Regional Fire Coordinator Josh Bardwell. “This repurposed military truck has found a new home
in the Pleasant Grove community where it will enhance their capabilities to respond to wildfires and go places
other apparatus can’t.”
This conversion could be a dual-purpose addition.
“Our new brush truck can handle more difficult terrain and can haul more water than any of our other wildland
trucks,” said the Pleasant Grove VFD Fire Chief Scott Mischnick. “Currently, it’s for wildland use only, but we
have discussed the possibility of also using it as a rescue truck as well.”
The truck was painted a nonmilitary color and underwent extensive changes, including the addition of a 500
gallon water tank while still maintaining the heavy-duty resilience of the truck.
“Department members did some work to prepare Truck 20 for paint, including some welding, but other entities
installed the slip-on unit and painted the truck,” said Mischnick.
The Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1986 and serves a population of 3,000.
“All the volunteers with PGVFD appreciate the ongoing support of the Pleasant Grove community,” said
Department Secretary Mandi Mischnick. We would also like to express gratitude to the Texas A&M Forest
Service for offering this program that enables us to repurpose a retired military vehicle for fire service.”
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.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.