CROSS PLAINS, Texas — Cross Plains Volunteer Fire Department recently received a grant in the
amount of $18,000 from Texas A&M Forest Service to purchase a new slip-on unit to put on one of their
fire trucks.
Ever since the wildfire that wiped out much of Cross Plains in December 2005, the VFD has worked to
improve efficiency by updating its equipment so they can better prepare for these types of events.
The wildfire destroyed more than 100 homes and took the lives of two Cross Plains residents.
“We’ve been working with Cross Plains VFD ever since the big incident to better their capacity,” TFS
Regional Fire Coordinator Charles Tice said. “This new unit will expand their capabilities more than
anything and help out on mutual aid. TFS wants to do anything we can to help build their department.”
Cross Plains Fire Chief Rickey Carouth said the grant came at a time when they were trying to build and
update three new pieces of equipment for the department.
“We needed to update our old equipment,” Carouth said. “We put the slip-on unit on one of our new
trucks. Now we have a brand new truck with new equipment that won’t break down and require as much
maintenance as our older trucks did.”
TFS passes approximately $12.8 million along to volunteer fire departments across the state every year,
helping them purchase equipment to better protect lives and property.
“TFS is the only thing that keeps us going,” Carouth said. “They have been very good to us over the
years.” To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.