ARTHUR CITY, Texas – The Chicota Volunteer Fire Department traded in its older engine for a newer model to increase emergency response capabilities.
“We would not have been able to purchase a truck of this magnitude without the grant from Texas A&M Forest Service,”said Caleb Brewer, Chicota VFD chief. “We only paid 10 percent of the $200,000 with the remaining balance being covered by the grant. This really helped our small department and I am very appreciative that the program allowed us to obtain such a good truck.
The new truck will have the capability to hold up to 3000 gallons of water and operate as a frontline engine when fighting house fires. Serving over 2,000 residents in an 84-mile radius makes this truck very beneficial to the community.
“We customized the truck with a nozzle that’s remote activated by a joy stick and we installed a hose reel that will help us fight grass fires,” said Brewer. “This is really a truck that is equipped to fight almost any magnitude of fire.”
This upgrade was made possible by a cost-share grant administered through the TFS Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
These grants are important because VFDs respond to 90 percent of wildfires in Texas. The departments are staffed primarily with volunteers who operate with little to no money.
The Chicota VFD award is among the $12.8 million passed through TFS to Texas volunteer fire departments each year.
To learn more about this program visit http://texasfd.com.