November 14, 2016 — ELSA, Texas: A new coat of paint and feature conversions by the
Elsa Volunteer Fire Department has repurposed a two-and-a-half-ton military truck into a new
fire response vehicle.
The Elsa VFD received the military cargo truck through the Department of Defense Firefighter
Property Program. The program, in cooperation with Texas A&M Forest Service, sends retired
military vehicles to be repurposed by volunteer fire departments.
The 1998 Steward and Stevenson military cargo truck was stripped of its desert sand paint and
then outfitted with a 750-gallon water tank, pump, emergency lights, and a fresh coat of black
and red paint.
The truck has four-wheel drive, power steering, and an automatic transmission and is expected to
improve the safety and efficiency of the department.
The truck, known as Brush 4, will assist the department with its numerous wildland fire calls.
“This truck is a much-needed addition to the Rio Grande Valley,” said Texas A&M Forest
Service Regional Fire Coordinator Travis Pecht. “The truck will not be confined to the city limits
of Elsa. When called upon it will respond to rural Hidalgo County and neighboring fire
departments.”
The Department of Defense 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 them better protect lives and property. Texas A&M Forest
Service transports the vehicle from a military installation, performs necessary repairs, and
delivers it to the volunteer fire department at no cost to them.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, please visit
http://texasfd.com.