At its meeting May 8, City Council approved the truck purchase and an ordinance increasing the maximum number of firefighter paramedics in the department from 20 to 23. 

Fire Chief Steve Rega explained that increasing the maximum number of paramedics allows for more staffing throughout the work day and more efficient response times.

He said the department has seen a 5 percent increase in EMS calls over the last year. This, in addition to a 24-hour care nursing home coming to the city in the next year, is why the ordinance was proposed.

The department received the military cargo truck and a 20-thousand dollar grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service.  

"We had to completely repaint the truck, add pumps and tanks. And all the firefighting equipment to it. And we're real proud of the product," Terry Moore, Redwater VFD, fire chief.

Now members of the community can enjoy numerous events in the historic building as the Engine House No. 5 Musuem takes visitors back in time before the 1900's and beyond.

Travel back in time to see how firefighters put out fires before the 20th century. Visitors can see items like uniforms, helmets, transportation, and equipment they used.

They host special events too to give visitors to give visitors an idea of what it was like before the 1900's. 

As the F-550 brush truck trailed behind a Marble Falls Area EMS unit on the way to the 2000 block of Colt Circle, a Hyundai passenger car pulled over in front of a home.

“We weren’t using lights and sirens,” said Marble Falls VFD Chief Michael Phillips. “The person driving that car pulled over for a moment.”

The EMS vehicle made it past the passenger car without incident.

Shortly thereafter, the motorist began to pull into traffic, apparently not noticing the approaching brush truck, Phillips continued.

“Her front fender was squished. She hit the basket on the brush truck,” he said. “The corner edge of the fire truck got scraped.