March 8, 2016 — Cleveland, Texas — Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department recently added a
small brush truck to its fleet thanks to a $100,000 grant from Texas A&M Forest Service. The
grant helped to provide a 2016 Ford F550 brush truck with a 500-gallon water tank and a foam
system.
With warmer-than-normal temperatures and the breezy, dry conditions, the department expects
an elevation in fire danger in their wooded area. The new truck is ready to roll when any fire
incidents occur.
“This new addition gives us the ability to respond to multiple calls at the same time,” said Bear
Creek Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Bryan Matthews. “The majority of our district is
forest, with more than 50 percent of our calls being in the wooded areas, including the Sam
Houston National Forest.”
The department will use the new vehicle as a multipurpose truck, incorporating the Jaws of Life
for use in vehicle accidents occurring in the area.
While serving under Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas A&M Forest Service works with fire service
cooperators throughout the state to minimize the loss of life and property in response to wildfires
and other all-hazard emergencies. This year, Texas A&M Forest Service is set to award
approximately $24.3 million in grants to volunteer fire departments for the purchase of
equipment and training.
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.