McGregor VFD President Van Smith, says the truck and the additional $20,000 grant will be used for high water rescues and improving the department.
MCGREGOR, Texas — Texas A&M Forest Service awarded the McGregor Volunteer Fire Department a free military truck through the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program.
According to the fire department, the truck will help increase the department’s firefighting capacity and will be a dual-purpose vehicle.
The McGregor VFD also received a $20,000 grant through the Texas A&M Forest Service Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program to help with the transition.
According to the fire department, the money will be used to help with converting the trucks to the proper power needed to save lives in high-risk situations.
“The Firefighter Property Program issues excess military vehicles at no cost to the VFDs, said Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Fire Coordinator Matthew Schlaefer. “The departments convert the trucks to bolster their firefighting power, increasing their capacity to save life and property in their community and surrounding area.
McGregor VFD President Van Smith, says the truck will also be used for high water rescues.
“The primary mission of the truck will be for wildland firefighting with its 1,000-gallon water tank and bumpers sweeps but it can function as a rescue apparatus for high water rescues since we occasionally have to rescue people from flooded roads.”
The McGregor VFD says the excess military truck program is a benefit to many volunteer fire departments in Texas.