March 24, 2017 — Milford, Texas — Milford Volunteer Fire Department has been serving their community
since 1898 during the time of the bucket brigade. They have always looked for ways to better serve their
community, and converting a military vehicle into a multipurpose firefighting machine adds greater capacity to
the department.
Milford VFD received an excess Stewart Stevenson 2.5-ton cargo truck through the Department of Defense
Firefighter Property Program is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and administered by Texas A&M Forest
Service.
“The volunteers did the conversion along with students from the Milford Agriculture class,” said Milford VFD
Fire Chief Mark Jackson. “The students were excited to contribute to the community and learn new skills while
helping with the truck transformation. The vehicle was painted a non-military color and reconfigured to
accommodate a new slip-on unit.”
The slip-on unit is a self-contained firefighting apparatus used as a fast attack piece of equipment. It was funded
with a $20,000 grant through Texas A&M Forest Service’s Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance
Program.
According to Jackson, the department’s protection area covers 54 square miles and consists of farmland,
wooded areas with rough terrain and a portion of Interstate 35.
“The truck will be used for wildland fires, high-water rescues, and traffic control for vehicle accidents on I-35,”
said Jackson. “The new slip-on unit has a 750-gallon water tank, so the truck can also transport water to the rural
areas that do not have access to a water supply in case of a structure fire or during mutual aid.”
Twelve volunteers serve the community of 1200 residents. The department has open enrollment for dedicated
volunteers that would like to contribute back to their community. Anyone wanting to apply may do so by
attending a meeting at the fire station on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 7 p.m.
Texas A&M Forest Service is committed to protecting lives and property through its various fire department
assistance programs. For more information on the programs offered, please visit http://texasfd.com.