May 17, 2016 – ABILENE, Texas – A new coat of paint and some feature conversions by the
Potosi Volunteer Fire Department has repurposed a two-and-a-half-ton military truck into a
new fire response vehicle.
The Potosi VFD repainted the 1994 Stewart Stevenson M1078 military cargo truck, then had
emergency lighting, warning equipment, radios, and extra maintenance equipment.
“We will be using this truck for wildland fires mostly,” Chief Aaron Maxwell of the Potosi VFD
said.
The VFD is also planning on using it for high-water rescues and as a reconnaissance truck.
“The supervisor can use it to scout out the fires and dispatch our other units,” Chief Maxwell
said. “There have been times when we needed a truck to respond as a maintenance vehicle to
change a flat or repair something on one of our other units. With it carrying extra maintenance
tools, it can be designated as that type of response vehicle as well.”
The DoD Firefighter Property Program, overseen by the USDA Forest Service, provides excess
military equipment to fire departments and emergency service providers. Launched in Texas in
2005, this program has released over 400 retired military trucks to VFDs across the state to help
better protect lives and property. Texas A&M Forest Service picks up the vehicle from a military
installation, performs necessary repairs, and delivers it to the volunteer fire department at no cost
to them.
To learn more about the fire department assistance programs offered by Texas A&M Forest
Service, visit http://texasfd.com.