CRANFILLS GAP, Texas — Cranfills Gap Volunteer Fire Department received a 2019 Freightliner
large brush truck thanks to a $200,000 grant through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance
Program administered by Texas A&M Forest Service. The truck has pump controls in the walk-thru
and at the back of the truck, a backup camera with communication capabilities and a remote radio
headsets for safety.
“Our volunteers help cover a large service area that spans into two counties,” said Cranfills Gap VFD
Fire Chief David Witte. “This new truck will allow us to respond with an 800-gallon water supply and
a foam-producing propak. The truck has a walk-through behind the cab and a large front bumper designed
to provide a safe platform when fighting a wildland fire.”
According to Witte the truck was manufactured specifically with wildland firefighting in mind, but can
also be used for traffic control after a vehicle accident.
Three generations of the Witte family have served or now serve on the Cranfills Gap VFD since the
volunteer fire department was created in 1963. Chief Witte has been with the department for 47 years.
Twenty volunteers fill the firefighter roster and the department also has junior volunteers that donate
their time giving back to the community. The department is grateful for the new apparatus that will
help in maintaining a high standard of response.
“Cranfills Gap VFD is excited to have received this large brush truck and will begin driver training to
familiarize the volunteers with the various aspects of the apparatus,” said Matthew Schlaefer, Regional
Fire Coordinator with Texas A&M Forest Service. “It will be a huge asset for the community and
surrounding area.”
Texas A&M Forest Service is committed to protecting lives and property through the Rural Volunteer
Fire Department Assistance Program, a cost-share program funded by Texas State Legislature and
administered by Texas A&M Forest Service. This program provides funding to rural Volunteer Fire
Departments for the acquisition of firefighting vehicles, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing,
dry-hydrants, computer systems, and firefighter training.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.