PLEAK, Texas –– Texas A&M Forest Service awarded a $200,000 grant to Pleak VFF Association for a
tanker through the Rural VFD Assistance Program.
“The new tanker will replace a vehicle that had been out of service for about a year and a half because it
was no longer operational or road worthy,” Day Crew Firefighter Jordan Blegan said. “Serving a growing
area, we needed to be able to keep up with the growth with a fully operational vehicle.”
According to Blegan, the vehicle is not only set up as a tanker but also constructed to include a pumper
capabilities in order to accommodate carrying up to 2,000 gallons of water.
The VFF covers 16 square miles with approximately 3,000 people and two large construction companies.
“It can draft from a creek, a swimming pool, or a pond if needed,” Blegan said. “In addition, the tanker is
equipped with rescue, extrication tools and can be used for EMS calls and car fires.”
Over 85 percent of fire departments in the state of Texas are either completely or mostly operated by
volunteers. TFS passes approximately $12.8 million along to volunteer fire departments across the state
every year, helping them purchase equipment to better protect lives and property.
“If it wasn’t for TFS, VFDs wouldn’t be able to grow with their community,” Blegan said. “They are an
an integral part of our survival.”
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.