Cason VFD after side./Copyright 2016 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Cason Volunteer Fire Department recently received aid from two assistance programs administered by Texas A&M Forest Service. The department received an excess military vehicle, a Bowen-McLaughlin-York five-ton transport truck, from the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program.
A requirement of the program is that the department turn the military vehicle into a fire-fighting apparatus within 180 days of acquisition.
"We painted the truck and did some other repairs like moving the red line reel down behind the cab so a fire-fighter doesn't have to be on top of the truck to reach the line," said Jerry Ragsdell, Cason VFD Chief. "Being able to reach the line from the ground is a safety issue and safety is a priority with our department."
In addition to the military truck, the department also received a grant through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program. The grant was used to fund a slip-on unit for the back of the truck.
A slip-on unit is a complete, self-contained fire-fighting apparatus designed for a pick-up truck or custom-built vehicle platforms. It is intended to become a fast, initial attack fire-fighting component used for wildland fire-fighting, structure and automobile fires. The truck could also be utilized for high-water rescue when needed due to the height.