The ten department members of the Enloe Volunteer Fire Department used their talents to convert a 2.5-ton Stewart Stevenson into a firefighting apparatus.
The excess military vehicle was awarded to them through the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program (DoD FFP). The department also accepted a $20,000 grant from the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program to purchase a slip-on unit that was installed onto the back of the truck. Both programs are administered by the Texas A&M Forest Service.
A slip-on unit is a complete self-contained firefighting system designed for a pick-up truck or custom-built vehicle platform. It is used in wildland firefighting as well as structure and automobile fires.
“This truck is replacing a 1952 GMC that has served us well,” said Enloe VFD Fire Chief Rocky Young. “We will be using the newly converted truck for larger fires, and since it has four-wheel-drive, it will be our best option for getting into difficult rural areas.”
The department members used their time off from their regular jobs to completely change the bed out, then prime and paint the truck and add rails and a brush guard.
“We just got the truck ready for service and are glad to have an apparatus that is capable of carrying 500 gallons of water and can draft from a pool or other water source,” said Young.
Some of the department members traveled to Texas A&M Forest Service in Lufkin to receive guidance on the truck’s operation and maintenance.
“We appreciate the support of our community and for Texas A&M Forest Service grant opportunities,” said Young. “Both are important and beneficial to volunteer fire departments.”
Texas A&M Forest Service is committed to protecting lives and property through various fire department assistance programs. The Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program launched in Texas in 2005, is one such program and has released over 800 retired military trucks to Volunteer Fire Departments across the state. The Agency transports the vehicle from a military installation, performs necessary repairs and delivers it to the volunteer fire department at no cost to them. The USDA Forest Service oversees the program nationwide and is the supplier of the excess military equipment to fire departments and emergency service providers.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.