PRAIRE HILL, Texas –
Texas’ Prairie Hill – Rocky Hill Volunteer Fire Department recently acquired an excess Stewart Stevenson military truck through the Defense Department’s Firefighter Property Program.
The program is a partnership between the Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services and the U.S. Forest Service. The two agencies work to get excess military equipment into the hands of firefighters in rural communities.
“Our service area is about 65 square miles, which includes rural areas that can sometimes be difficult to reach,” said Prairie Hill – Rocky Hill VFD Fire Chief Doyle Dahmann. “This rugged truck has high ground clearance, 4-wheel drive and will be able to get into areas our other trucks can’t.”
Dahmann said that a 400-gallon water tank was added to the former military truck and that it will carry a cache of wildland tools and is ready for response to grass fires, highwater rescue and search and rescue.
“One of the stipulations for receiving this truck was to paint it a nonmilitary color. Thanks to community support, we were able to meet that condition, plus add emergency lighting and radios. We appreciate the community’s response to fundraisers that help us throughout the year,” said Dahmann.
“Volunteer firefighters play a large and prominent role in providing fire protection for rural areas and they are doing so without many of the resources of larger agencies,” said Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Fire Coordinator Justin Graf. “Purchasing and maintaining equipment are huge challenges for rural fire departments. I am proud to see Prairie Hill – Rocky Hill VFD protect and serve their community. They are good people doing a great service for their community.”
Prairie Hill – Rocky Hill Volunteer Fire Department has been offering fire service since 1959.