(Photos) Texas Forest Service To Present New Engines To 8 FD's

[x635 4,066]

(PRESS RELEASE) Scroll down for photos

TEXAS FOREST SERVICE TO PRESENT NEW ENGINES TO 8 FIRE DEPARTMENTS

Feb. 10, 2011 — SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) will deliver on Tuesday, Feb. 15 more than $800,000 worth of equipment to eight fire departments as part of a grant program administered through Texas Forest Service. The awarding of this equipment is the first of its kind and is part of a long-term strategic plan to develop TIFMAS resources around the state.

A brief ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. at Siddons Fire Apparatus in San Antonio, where the Type VI engines were built. Big Spring, Brownwood, Georgetown, Lewisville, Mission, Nacogdoches, Flower Mound and Cedar Hill Fire Departments are the recipients of the trucks, which cost about $100,000 each.

The TIFMAS grant program was created in the 2009 Legislature under Senate Bill 1011 and is maintained by Texas Forest Service. The TIFMAS grant program is a collaborative effort of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, State Firemen’s and Fire Marshal’s Association, Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, Texas Commission on Fire Protection and Texas Forest Service.

TIFMAS, under the direction of Texas Forest Service and the TIFMAS state coordinator, offers training, equipment and vehicle grants, credentialing standards and mobilization systems to make statewide use of local resources. The program was first mobilized during Hurricane Ike to provide an organized response strategy for the needed resources. Since its inception, TIFMAS has mobilized both resources and personnel for three significant state events including Hurricane Ike, 2009 winter wildfires and Hurricane Alex.

TIFMAS will deliver eight more Type VI Units in late March in addition to providing training and safety equipment to fire departments across the state. TIFMAS will continue to strategically award vehicles annually across the state based on the TIFMAS acquisition schedule.

“This is a really unique and mutually beneficial program, and Texas Forest Service is proud to be a part of it,” said Assistant Chief Regional Fire Coordinator Steve Pollock.

Texas Forest Service Website: http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/default.aspx

Georgetown, TX (in Central TX, just outside of Austin in Williamson County) and down the road from me:

2011 Ford F-550 Super Duty 4x4/Siddons Skeeter

http://www.facebook.com/skeeterbrushtruck

[x635 4,066]

This brush truck, along with all 7 of it's twins, are already on their second deployment since delivery fighting wildfires in Western Texas. I caught one of them on CNN.