MISSION, Texas –– Mission Fire Department recently received a retired military vehicle and its title to add to their
fleet through Texas A&M Forest Service as part of the DoD Firefighter Property Program.
“The military vehicle is serving as an addition to our fleet,” Fire Chief Rene Lopez said. “It is going to be used as
a brush truck.”
The addition of a thousand gallon tank on the vehicle expands the department’s fire suppression capabilities
and its status as a high profile vehicle that is raised significantly off the ground renders it a sufficient asset
when executing flood evacuations.
“The military vehicle’s height makes it an excellent truck for rough terrain,” Lopez said. “We currently have
two other off road vehicles in our fleet, but the military vehicle can go further than the others because it has
six wheel drive as opposed to four.”
A 150 gallons per minute pump, a one inch hard line and a fresh coat of red paint were also added to enable
the military vehicle to be converted into a firefighting machine.
Recipients of this excess property are required to convert the vehicle into a service-ready unit within 180 days
of acquisition.
The DoD Firefighter Property Program, a program managed nationwide by the USDA Forest Service, provides
excess military equipment to fire departments and emergency service providers. Launched in Texas in 2005,
this program has released over 350 retired military trucks to VFDs across the state to help them better protect
lives and property.
According to Regional Fire Coordinator Travis Pecht, the Rio Grande Valley is one of the fastest growing areas
in the state of Texas and a booming trade with Mexico.
“This truck gives Mission fire department, whose service area is 34 square miles with a population of 125,000
citizens, a multi-purpose vehicle which can respond out into the county to fight wildfires, or rescue people
from flooded neighborhoods,” Pecht said.
“This program along with other TFS grant opportunities are excellent help to departments needing vehicles
and equipment,” Lopez said. “They have been helpful to our large department and smaller departments find it
even more valuable.”
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.