WACO, Texas — A new coat of paint and a slip-on unit give Downsville Volunteer Fire
Department’s 2.5-ton excess military truck new life. The 1997 Stewart Stevenson will help to fill in the
gap as a small brush truck, essential for wildland firefighting.
This truck is one of 700 that have been transferred at no cost to Texas volunteer fire departments
through the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program, and the slip-on unit was purchased
with a $20,000 grant through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
Both programs are administered by the Texas A&M Forest Service.
“The addition of a 500-gallon water tank and a 10-gallon internal foam system helps to make this truck
conversion perfect for our department,” said VFD President Bryan Beavers. “We have needed this type
of truck for a long time. It not only holds a large amount of water but can draft from a pool or pond
when necessary and has foam capability essential to suppression operations.”
Downsville VFD’s service area includes farm and ranch land.
“Since we are in the country, at times, we may have to cross fields and ditches to get to a brush fire,”
said Beavers. “This four wheel drive will allow us to get to those type of areas more easily.”
The Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program was launched in Texas in 2005 as a program
to help increase the capacity of Texas volunteer fire departments. In 2018, FEMA indicated that Texas
is one of the top-rated states where 84 percent of the fire service is provided by volunteer fire
departments, making this type of program of great value to those departments. The Texas A&M Forest
Service excess military equipment program is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service which also
oversees the national program.
The Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, funded by the Texas State Legislature, currently
provides 100 percent funding up to $20,000 for the acquisition of slip-on units that are to be installed
onto excess military vehicles, helping in their conversion into a firefighting apparatus.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.