March 9, 2016 — Brookston, Texas — Brookston Volunteer Fire Department recently added a solid
firefighting machine to its fleet. It’s 6×6, rear tandem dual tires, Cummins engine and automatic transmission
help make this truck dependable when trekking rough ground.
The 1990 BMY cargo vehicle was made possible through the Department of Defense Firefighter Property
Program administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.
“This military truck can maneuver through muddy areas and rough terrain where many of our other trucks
struggle,” said Brookston Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Robert Patterson. “This truck is the perfect
design to help us fight wildland fires in those areas.”
The fire department painted the vehicle a non-military color and added a slip-on unit with an 800-gallon water
tank and a 10-gallon foam tank. The foam system is an important addition when fighting vegetation fires. The
foam helps to cool the fire and coat the fuel, preventing its contact with oxygen, resulting in suppression of the
combustion.
A new pilot project through Texas A&M Forest Service made the addition of the slip-on unit possible. The
grant opportunity was made available to aid departments in the conversion of certain DoD firefighter property.
This reimbursement rate is 100 percent of the actual cost not to exceed $20,000 in grant assistance.
The addition of the slip-on unit will help to increase the department’s capacity to fight wildfires in its
community and surrounding area.
“Brookston VFD covers the largest area in Lamar County, so this new vehicle will really be helpful in
providing fire protection,” said Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Fire Coordinator Nathan Carroll.
The DoD Firefighter Property Program provides excess military equipment to fire departments and emergency
service providers. Launched in Texas in 2005, this program has released over 400 retired military trucks to
VFDs across the state to help them better protect lives and property. The USDA Forest Service oversees the
program. Texas A&M Forest Service picks up the vehicle from a military installation, performs necessary
repairs and delivers it to the Volunteer Fire Department at no cost to them.
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com