“It’s a long time coming”: Marlin VFD buys brand new fire engine for the first time in department history
Community support and state funding help secure $402,000 pumper tanker after decade-long wait
MARLIN, Texas (KWTX) - On Saturday the Marlin Volunteer Fire Department hosted a community push-in ceremony for their first brand new fire engine in the department’s history.
The $402,000 engine was bought thanks to state grant funding and support from their local emergency services district.
Fire Chief James Adams says they went through the application process more than 10 years ago, making this a significant moment for the department.
“It was very emotional for a lot of us to receive something like this cause it’s a long time coming,” Adams said.
Grant funding and timing
The department first applied for a grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service over a decade ago. After years of waiting, Governor Greg Abbott announced this year he would be releasing additional funds to help fire departments across the state.
“With that being said, they were gonna release funds for us to get every big item on the list that we had in for the longest,” Assistant Fire Chief Mike Bethke said.
Getting approved this month for a $300,000 grant from Texas A&M Forest Service to use on a new engine.
Bethke, knowing that wait times for fire engines currently range from 18 to 24 months, began making calls the same day he learned they got the grant.
“I just so happened to call Midwest Fire and they had a truck that was in production and nobody had spoken for it yet,” Bethke shared.
Bethke explaining that if he had waited any longer they would have missed their opportunity to buy that truck.
“We had a quick meeting the next day and he said ‘I had four other people call me after you did that day,” he recalled.
Local funding fills gap
However, even with the grant money they were still $102,000 short of the total cost, approaching their Emergency Services District in Falls County.
ESD #1 President Bill Range says when they heard about their situation the board quickly decided to cover the rest.
“It wasn’t exactly something we could defer to a later time cause they had to make it good or essentially lose the deal,” Range explained.
Signing the Marlin VFD a $102,000 check that night. “I think it took me less than 30 seconds to sign the check,” Range said.
New capabilities
The new vehicle, designated as Tanker 11, is a pumper tanker that can hold 3,000 gallons of water. Bethke says this addresses a longstanding challenge for the department.
“Marlin has always had water problems of course so anytime we get anything that’ll hold water helps,” Bethke explained.
After making the journey down from Minnesota, Tanker 11 is finally in Marlin. Dozens of residents came out Saturday to help push it into it’s new home.
Range says what’s so exciting for them is knowing this engine will serve the community long after today.
“This vehicle here is going to serve Falls county for many years to come,” Range said.
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