WALLER, Texas – Waller Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Service recently received a $200,000 grant to go toward the purchase of a tanker through Texas A&M Forest Service’s Rural VFD Assistance Program.
“We applied for this grant because we had two antique tankers that were originally old Ozarka Water trucks,” Captain Robert Ross said. “Originally paid for with funds we raised through the sale of barbecue sandwiches and other fundraisers, the trucks were converted to hold 1,200 gallons of water.”
“The new tanker holds 3,000 gallons of water, which serves as a significant asset to our department,” Ross said. “Though the City of Waller has hydrants for water supply within its city limits, we also serve a lot of farm and ranch land in our area.”
The tanker’s ability to carry large amounts of water gives the department the ability to respond to calls with the resources they need to adequately suppress fires.
“In addition to our service area, we provide mutual aid to areas including the Yogi Bear Campgrounds and Buc-ee’s on Highway 290. The tanker ensures us ample amounts of water for a wide variety of emergencies.
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.
“This program is a great one, especially for departments in rural areas like ours,” Ross said. “It gives us funds to get the right equipment to better serve our community.”
To learn more about this program, visit https://texasfd.com.
