May 2, 2016 — TERRELL, Texas — Texas A&M Forest Service recently awarded College Mound Volunteer
Fire Department a $20,000 grant to purchase a new slip-on unit through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department
Assistance Grant Program.
A slip-on unit is an apparatus built to meet the demands of the fire service and is easily mounted on the back of
a pick-up truck or a custom-built bed and is especially effective in fighting wildland fires, car fires, and many
others.
“We replaced an older, worn-out skid unit that was on a vehicle we had,” College Mound VFD Chief Josh
Phillips said. “This new slip-on has a 400-gallon water tank and a 20-gallon foam tank with the Compressed Air.
Foam System and will be a great benefit.”
The unit was put into service earlier this month and has been used on many calls, including a mutual aid call for
an 18-wheeler accident and auto accidents.
Chief Phillips expressed his gratitude for the grant they received and how important Texas A&M Forest Service
programs are to volunteer fire departments in the state of Texas.
“The grants are vital to the volunteer fire departments for training and safety, which in turn is vital to the
community that the VFDs serve,” Chief Phillips said. “I would encourage any VFD that has not looked into the
grant programs to do so, it would be a great benefit.”
To learn more about the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, and other programs offered by
Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.