Thanks to community support and a cost share grant through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, Friberg-Cooper Volunteer Fire Department added a new water tender to their fleet.
“Our department did not have a water tender and had to depend on neighboring fire departments to shuttle water while on fire response,” said Friberg-Cooper VFD Fire Chief William Norris II. “Since 80 percent of our calls are for wildland fires it is a great benefit to our community for us to have immediate access to such a large quantity of water.”
This new water tender can draft water from a pond or stream and will carry a drop tank that will enable the tender to quickly empty its load and return to the fill site as soon as possible for more water.
“This shuttle process will allow firefighters to stay on the initial fire and possibly knock it down quicker and keep it from spreading,” said Norris.
The tender is in service and was recently used in mutual aid with Burkburnett VFD.
“Several fire departments including the Friberg-Cooper VFD responded to the recent 12-acre Elliot Lease Fire inside the City of Burkburnett,” said Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Fire Coordinator Regan Reser. “The new tender that they received will be very beneficial to the community and surrounding area as we move from winter fire season to our summer fire season, since it’s the only tender in that portion of Wichita County.”
Friberg-Cooper Volunteer Fire Department has been serving their community since 2006.
“We appreciate our community’s continued monetary support that not only allowed us to meet our cost share portion of the tender grant but helps us with our daily expenses,” said Norris. “We are also grateful for the grant programs through Texas A&M Forest Service that allows volunteer fire departments to increase their capacity to serve.”
Friberg-Cooper Volunteer Fire Department has open enrollment for anyone wishing to give back to the community by combatting fires, providing medical aid to those in need or in an auxiliary position.
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.