PRAIRIE HILL, MEYERSVILLE VFDs RECEIVE GRANTS THROUGH LCRA, BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC
Two Washington County volunteer fire departments will be able to purchase new tools and equipment thanks to grant funding from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative.
representative, Brenham area; Robert Mikeska,
Bluebonnet board secretary/treasurer and director,
District 7; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board
member; Doyle Dahmann, VFD fire chief; Douglas
Zwiener, VFD deputy fire chief and chief financial
officer; Ron Arnold, VFD firefighter; and Kate
Ramzinski, LCRA Regional Affairs representative.
(courtesy LCRA)
The Prairie Hill Volunteer Fire Department is receiving a $23,819 grant through the LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Using the grant along with $5,955 in matching funds, the fire department will purchase its first set of battery-operated vehicle extrication tools, allowing firefighters to reach people trapped in vehicles more quickly and efficiently.
The Meyersville Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded $18,123 in grant funding. The department will use the grant and $5,036 in matching funds to install a new generator at its fire station, enabling the department to serve as a temporary shelter and help keep communication systems online during power outages.
representative, Brenham area; Robert Mikeska,
Bluebonnet board secretary/treasurer and director,
District 7; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board
member; Josh Roman, VFD treasurer and firefighter;
John Burleson III, VFD fire chief; and Kate Ramzinski,
LCRA Regional Affairs representative.
(courtesy LCRA)
Prairie Hill Deputy Fire Chief and Chief Financial Officer Doug Zwiener says this is a project the department has been working toward for several years. He says while the department has been fortunate to rely on the Brenham Fire Department for extrication tools, having its own equipment will mean faster and more effective responses to emergencies.
Meyersville Fire Chief John Burleson III says the addition of the generator means the department can continue responding to fires, accidents and other emergencies in the county without interruption, even if the power goes out. He says it also allows the station to serve as a place of refuge to residents, offering them safety and comfort when it is needed most.
The two community grants are among 37 recently awarded through the Community Development Partnership Program. The program assists volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January at https://lcra.org/cdpp.