BELLEVUE, Texas –– Bellevue Volunteer Fire Department received a retired military vehicle to add to
their fleet through the DoD Firefighter Property Program managed by the USDA Forest Service and
administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.
“Residing on the edge of timber and rolling plains, there is quite a bit of grass that can fuel wildfires and
rough terrain can be difficult to navigate with the vehicles we had in operation,” Fire Chief Mark Hanson
said.
Bellevue VFD was called to service for several large fires in 2009 and 2011 to protect lives and property;
having to cross rough terrain in all conditions is vital for them.
The vehicle’s ability to carry large amounts of water also proved to be an asset as the department serves
102 square miles and provides mutual aid to other fire departments for 600 square miles.
“The first job we put the new vehicle on was repositioning a semi until it was straight on the highway
after an accident,” Hanson said.
The department was required to convert the military vehicle into a firefighting apparatus within 180
days of acquiring it. To achieve this Bellevue VFD had to repaint the vehicle and install lights and a radio.
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.
“Without TFS’s assistance, we wouldn’t be able to have the vehicles that we have or keep them up to
date,” Hanson said.
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.