The Douglassville Volunteer Fire Department received a $10,900 grant from the Texas Forest Service for the purchase of a new slip-in hose and pump unit to fight wildland fires. The unit was placed into service after the unit on Brush 2 failed.

“When our pump broke, we just didn't have the funds available to purchase a replacement pump,” says Chief Lee Wellborn. “The unit is really old and has served us well, but it was just plum worn out. So just like a lot of small town volunteer fire departments, we had to seek funds to get a replacement pump system.”

Wellborn had tasked Ed Keeser, the grant coordinator, with the job of securing a grant for the purchase of a new unit.

“We have had good results from the grants Ed has applied for and received,” Wellborn says. “So far grant programs have provided us with firefighter video training program, firefighter insurance, new pagers, a positive-pressure fan, a portable folding water tank, a computer, new fire hose, and most recently this tank and pump unit.”

An application was submitted to the Texas Forest Service Rural Fire Defense Assistance Program, which makes funds available to Texas volunteer fire departments.

“The cost of providing fire protection to a small community is rising yearly,” says Wellborn, “and in order to meet those costs we have had to look to various grant programs for help. To ask our community to support this fire department 100% is asking a lot. We can count on our community to support us, but with the rising cost of firefighter training, fire equipment and fuel, it is just is too high to ask our or any community to support 100%. So we go after grants.

“I urge any volunteer fire department to go after any grant they can to get what they need to protect their communities, and if you get turned down find out what you did wrong and go after it again. We received great support from the TFS personnel who administer the program. These folks will bend over backwards to help a volunteer fire department secure a grant from the TFS, because they believe in helping Texas volunteer firefighters. But the first step is for the department to decide what they need and then find a program that can help them fill that need.”

After the department was awarded the grant, David Evans with Wildfire Truck & Equipment Sales of Arlington, Texas, was contacted about constructing the unit. Jeff Bickham, the department's secretary, and Keeser went to Arlington to inspect other units in production and to finalize plans for the unit. With the specifications in hand, an agreement was worked out and construction was started. When the unit was finished a few weeks later, Keeser drove the truck to Arlington to have the unit installed.

After arriving back at the fire station, the new truck received its first call to action when the Redhill Volunteer Fire Department requested assistance on a grass-and-woods fire in their community. The truck did what it was supposed to do.

“All of this is being done to protect the firefighters of this department and the citizens of this community and those travelers who pass through this part of East Texas,” says Wellborn.