June 30, 2016 — HOLLY LAKE RANCH, Texas — A $218,000 grant from Texas A&M Forest Service’s
Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program has enabled the Holly Lake Volunteer Fire Department to
purchase a new brush truck to help cover nearly 60 square miles of response area.
The new truck has a 1,000-gallon water tank and a 30-gallon compressed air foam system tank. The foam
system allows firefighters to fight more fire with less water.
“Our area is a very rural, wildland urban interface community where the roads can be very narrow and the
driveways long,” explained Holly Lake VFD Chief Joe Cirasola. “This type of terrain makes it difficult for the
large trucks to maneuver, but this newer model truck has a lower profile and shorter length that allows us to get
into that type of area.”
This is Holly Lake VFDs second truck through Texas A&M Forest Service assistance programs. They received
a tender approximately 12 years ago.
“We also take advantage of the training grants and wildland protection gear [that TFS offers,]” said Cirasola.
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 the Texas State Legislature and administered
by Texas A&M Forest Service. This 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.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit http://texasfd.com.