ROBY, Texas -– An $18,000 grant helped Roby Volunteer Fire Department feel more confident in fighting
fires.
The grant provided through the Texas A&M Forest Service Rural Fire Department Assistance Program
enabled Roby VFD to purchase a new skid unit, replacing an older unsafe model.
“We built our previous unit from an agricultural tank that made handling the truck difficult; it didn’t
compare to a factory-built unit, and now we can fight fires more safely,” said Keven Rivers, Roby VFD fire
marshal.
TFS strives to help increase the capacity of VFDs through this grant program. Local VFDs respond to 90
percent of wildfires in Texas, and are staffed primarily with volunteers who operate with little to no money.
“To help Roby outfit their truck with a new unit, is great. They will now have more versatility and can go
out to help on more fires both locally or in a mutual aid event,” said Charles Tice, TFS regional fire
coordinator.
The Roby VFD award is among the $12.8 million passed through TFS to Texas volunteer fire
departments each year.
To learn more about this program, visit http://texasfd.com.