Major grant totaling $164 million will benefit rural fire departments in Texas

“Anytime you can get better stuff, then it just protects your people better,” Mineola Fire Marshal David Madsen.

MINEOLA, Texas — Rural fire departments in East Texas are getting a boost from the Texas A&M Forest Service thanks to a $164 million grant.

The grant comes courtesy of the forest service’s Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.

Mineola Volunteer Fire Department in Wood County is receiving $165,000.

“Anytime you can get better stuff, then it just protects your people better,” Mineola Fire Marshal David Madsen said.

The money the department is receiving will be used on a small brush truck, which Madsen said will help combat wildfires.

“It’s made to go off-road,” he said. “It’s made for maneuverability to get into smaller areas.”

Madsen said given the grass fire conditions in East Texas, all rural departments need to have adequate equipment to address wildfires.

“Here in East Texas, we’ve got a lot of open pasture,” Madsen said. “(We’ve got) hay meadows and farmland, so were prone to it.”

The Mineola Volunteer Fire Department will be replacing one of the department’s older brush trucks from 2004. 

“Every department that has applied for one of these grants in the last several years is very grateful,” Madsen said.

In East Texas, smaller volunteer fire departments are often the first line of defense when it comes to containing fires that could potentially get out of hand.

Madsen is grateful the state is paying attention to their needs.

“The state depends on these smaller departments,” he said.