CLYDE, Texas — Eula Volunteer Fire Department received a $20,000 grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service
Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program. They used the grant to purchase a new slip-on unit and
mounted it onto a 5-ton Stewart Stephenson military truck.
A slip-on unit is a complete, self-contained firefighting apparatus designed for a pickup truck or custom-built vehicle
platform. It is intended to become a fast, initial-attack firefighting component used for wildland firefighting, structure
and automobile fires.
“The new slip-on unit has a 1,000-gallon poly water tank that will help increase our capacity when responding to
wildland fires,” said Eula VFD Assistant Chief Charlie Dawson. “Having a large volume of water will give the
firefighters increased firefighting ability by allowing them to shuttle water to the farms, ranches, and undeveloped
areas that do not have access to fire hydrants.”
The Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program, overseen by the USDA Forest Service, provides excess
military equipment to fire departments and emergency service providers. Launched in Texas in 2005, this program
has released over 500 retired military trucks to volunteer fire departments across the state to help them better protect
lives and property. Texas A&M Forest Service transports the vehicle from a military installation, performs necessary
repairs, and delivers it to the volunteer fire department at no cost to them.
Converting military vehicles into firefighting apparatus helps departments attain rugged trucks with maximum off-road
capability.
“The Stewart Stephenson is very tough and was built to maneuver the type of terrain that we have,” said Dawson. “It
has an automatic transmission that is beneficial when fighting a wildland fire for hours. We no longer have to keep a
foot on the clutch for long periods of time.”
The primary purpose of the truck will be wildland fires, but it can also be used for structure fires, and due to the height
of the truck will be valuable for high-water rescue.
Eula VFD Fire Chief Joe Arispe oversees the 18-member response team. The department was established in 1984 and
has a 140 square mile protection 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.