PORT ISABEL, Texas – For Port Isabel Volunteer Fire Department, a new tanker from the Texas A&M
Forest Service was necessary to help serve certain portions of the district that do not have access to fire
hydrants.
The fire department struggled to serve some unincorporated areas of the city that had been experiencing
a lot of grass and brush fires. A $200,000 grant from TFS helped purchase a brand new tanker to provide
a reliable water source for these situations, according to Port Isabel Fire Marshal Rodrigo Garcia.
“The new truck will serve as a tanker but also a pumper and rescue truck,” Garcia said. “It has rescue
equipment and will be able to serve as a two-in-one pumper and rescue truck. It will increase efficiency
because before, when situations like this arose, we would have to send two trucks; now, we can just send
one.”
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.
“This program is excellent,” Garcia said. “It’s a great helping hand for small departments that don’t have
funds to replace or add equipment to their supply. It’s just outstanding.”
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.