The Boonsville/Balsora Volunteer Fire Department recently
received a $15,000 grant for rescue equipment, including new thermal imaging cameras, through Texas A&M
Forest Service’s Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
A first for the department, the decision to apply for the cost-share grant was based in part on a recent
firefighting experience with a mutual aid department.
“We recently were on a fire on the edge of our district. It was a grass fire that went right up to a mobile home
and was touching the under pending,” explained Boonsville/Balsora Chief Andrew Wood. “The other
department had a camera and it detected a hot spot in the mobile home. If we had left the scene not knowing
there was a hot spot then the story may have ended differently. This was influential in our decision to apply for
a grant to get a camera.”
The thermal cameras are valuable tools when attempting to locate hot spots, victims or downed fire fighters in
heavy smoke. They can also be helpful when attempting to locate ejected victims of auto accidents.
The Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program provides funding to rural VFDs for the acquisition of
firefighting vehicles, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing, dry-hydrants, computer systems and
firefighter training. It is a cost-share program funded by the Texas State Legislature.
Often, the fire departments rely on funds from the community to assist with their cost-share.
Boonsville/Balsora VFD holds an annual bar-b-que fundraiser complete with a live band, auction and a raffle
according to Chief Wood. This year the event is May 21st.”
The department also has open enrollment for those seeking to become volunteer fire fighters.
To learn more about this and other programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, visit texasfd.com.