– Nueces County ESD #2 recently received a $100,000 small brush truck grant through
Texas A&M Forest Service’s Rural VFD Assistance Program.
“We had two small brush trucks since the early 2000s, but within a short period of time one’s engine stopped
working and the other blew a transmission,” Fire Chief Everett Dale Scott said. “Aside from lacking the funds
to fix the vehicles, both were out of date and in need of replacement.”
According to Scott, the new truck has many improvements in the way of firefighter safety.
“Updates in technology allow us the ability to stay inside the cab when addressing select emergencies,” Scott
said. “The new truck has front and rear cameras and a bumper monitor to help ensure the safety of our
firefighters.”
The department puts value in the truck’s ability to serve them in a variety of circumstances.
“The truck can effectively cross rough terrain which will help tremendously with fires in sand dune areas,”
Scott said. “Brush fires are our primary calls but it can also be used in a variety of emergencies including high
water rescues and automobile fires.”
The truck accommodates a 400-gallon tank for water and a 10-gallon tank for foam. This expands the fire
suppression capabilities of the department, which serves 80 square miles and 45,000 people.
“Nueces County ESD #2 is very involved in mutual aid and so the new truck will be a great benefit for the
entire Nueces county,” Craig Olson, regional fire coordinator for Texas A&M Forest Service said.
In Texas, more than 85 percent of fire departments are entirely or primarily run through the goodwill of
volunteers. TFS grants upwards of $12.8 million to volunteer fire departments spanning the state each year,
assisting them in the securing of new and up-to-date equipment to enhance their capability to protect lives
and property.
“This program is outstanding,” Scott said. “The application was so simple and the grant provided us a truck
that is an integral part of our fleet.”
To learn more about this program visit texasfd.com.