SPRINGTOWN, Texas — La Junta Volunteer Fire Department recently received a $17,325 grant
from the Texas A&M Forest Service for a slip-on unit. This unit will replace a 13-year-old pump
previously built by the volunteers. It will include a 400-gallon water tank, a 10-gallon foam tank,
23hp pump, Class A foam system, 100-foot hose reel, storage compartments, and remote pump
controls. La Junta VFD worked in cooperation with Parker County ESD 1 to install the
equipment on a new truck chassis. The VFD handles between 900 and 1,000 calls for service
annually, with frequent wildland-urban interface challenges. This new equipment will assist in
quick response to mitigate wildfire threats in the La Junta community and Parker County.
Volunteer firefighters operate 85 percent of the fire departments in Texas. This year, TFS will
pass approximately $24.3 million along to VFDs across the state. The grants aid them in
purchasing equipment and obtaining vital firefighter training, giving them greater capabilities to
protect life and property in their communities.
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.