WICHITA FALLS, Texas Bowman Community Volunteer Fire Department now has access to an
extra 3,300 gallons of water to help fight wildland fires thanks to a grant through the Rural Volunteer
Fire Department Assistance Program.
“Our protection area is becoming more of a wildland-urban interface, so this truck is very important in
helping to protect property not only in our immediate area but also when we provide mutual aid to the
Twelve surrounding counties,” said Fire Chief John Strenski.
The truck was converted by a local company, and the conversion included a steel poly-lined water tank,
25-gallon foam cell, front bumper remote-controlled water sprayers, and a dump valve.
“The dump valve is a first for our department,” said Strenski. “It will allow us to efficiently have a
water supply available when firefighting.”
A dump valve assists in moving water to non-hydrated areas, especially in rural areas. Having the
capability to dump a large amount of water into a portable tank and then draft and shuttle more water
to the scene gives the firefighters access to water without lag time, which helps in extinguishing the fire
faster.
The M916, 6×6 excess military truck was acquired through the Department of Defense Firefighter
Property Program (FFP DoD). This program was launched in Texas in 2005 and has released over 600
retired military trucks to Volunteer Fire Departments across the state. Texas A&M Forest Service
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.
Both the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program and the FFP DoD Program are
administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.
“Our department is grateful to Texas A&M Forest Service for providing the grant for the slip-on unit
and truck,” said Strenski. “We would not be able to add such an apparatus to our fleet without the grant
programs.”
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.