HOUSTON, Texas –– Southside Place Volunteer Fire Department now has a new brush truck
thanks to a $200,000 grant administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.
For Southside Place VFD, being nested within a small community makes funding for needed
equipment difficult to come by.
“TFS has been very helpful to us in attaining this equipment. It is quite expensive for a small
department like ours,” Fire Chief Michael Pack said.
The new brush truck replaced a 26-year-old truck that was unsafe for the volunteers.
“All the firefighters can now ride inside the truck instead of being in the open elements,” Pack
said. “The new truck has a larger water tank with computerized pumps, better warning lights
, and audible signals. It also drives easier and has auto transmission, power steering and power
brakes.”
The department serves about 50,000 people as well as offers mutual aid to two other
communities – Bellaire and West University Place.
Over 85 percent of fire departments in the state of Texas are either completely or mostly operated
by volunteers. TFS proudly partners with these departments to help them better protect lives and
property through grants for training, protective gear, rescue equipment, and trucks.
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.