WASHINGTON VFD RECEIVES $19,740 GRANT FROM LCRA, BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC

Josh Blaschke November 21, 2018

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The Washington Texas Volunteer Fire Department will soon have a new generator, after receiving grant funds from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative.

(from left): Pamela Jo “PJ” Ellison, LCRA Board member; John Brieden, Washington County judge; Lori A. Berger, LCRA Board member; Robert Jensen, Washington Texas VFD captain; Kyle Merten, Bluebonnet community representative; Russell Borgstedte, VFD secretary; David Bledsoe, firefighter; Clyde Miller, VFD fire chief; Billy Jensen, VFD vice president; Ken Mutscher, Bluebonnet board member; and Robert Mikeska, Bluebonnet board member.

The community development grant worth $19,740, along with $4,935 in matching funds, will provide the fire department with a backup energy source to power a new 12,600-square-foot fire and EMS station.

Without the generator, firefighters would not be able to access or recharge life-saving equipment during a power outage.

The generator will also allow the department to act as an emergency staging area. Community members can come to the station to get emergency water, receive a warm meal, use showers and reach other emergency service groups, like the American Red Cross.

For the nearly 5,000 residents of Washington and surrounding areas, the generator assures that firefighters will have access to the tools they need in emergencies.

The community grant is one of a number of grants recently awarded through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted through next January. More information is available at www.lcra.org/cdpp.

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