GROESBECK, Texas –– Groesbeck Volunteer Fire Department will now operate with a 5-ton
converted military truck awarded to them by Texas A&M Forest Service through the DoD
Firefighter Property Program.
“We only had one grass truck, and when that one was down, we could not respond,” retired Fire
Chief Charles Bratcher said. “We have a lot of territory to cover.”
The program is managed nationally by the U.S. Forest Service. Recipients of this excess property
are required to convert the vehicle into a service-ready unit within 180 days of acquisition.
”We added lights, painted it, and added a tank and pump,” Bratcher said. “This 5-ton truck as a
lower center of gravity and is easier to work with than our old 2.5-ton truck. It works well
maneuvering on county roads and fighting grass fires, but it can also be used to fight a house fire if
we need it to.”
The DoD Firefighter Property Program provides excess military equipment to fire departments and
emergency service providers. Since its founding in 2005, this program has released over 300 retired
military trucks to VFDs across the state to help them better protect lives and property.
“The city of Groesbeck and the whole county will benefit from this military truck,” Regional Fire
Coordinator Matthew Schlaefer said. “It is a multi-purpose vehicle and carries large amounts of
water.”
GVFD serves approximately 10,000 people with about 35 volunteers. They are also the primary
backup agency in their area.
“It is a very rugged off-road vehicle that can go where other types of engines can’t,” Bratcher said.
“For us, it’s going to mean the difference in being able to respond and not respond.”
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.