The Lower Colorado River Authority Community Grants organization and the Bandera Electric Co-op presented a check for $25,000 to Bandera Fire and Rescue.
According to the press release LCRA sent out, the local first responders will now be able to purchase new respirators, masks and air cylinders.
Romain “Frenchy” Cotet spotted the grant information in an edition of the Bandera Bulletin.
Soon after, he applied for the grant with his wife, Tiffany’s help, and the full support of the fire department.
The grant could not have come at a better time for the department, as their current respirators are no longer approved for use.
“We desperately need this new equipment, because even the SCBAs of our surrounding departments are different sizes than the ones we currently have, so we’re not able to use their equipment at a large fire if we needed to,” said Brad Cummings, fire chief. “That’s very limiting to our department. It prevents us from being able to provide the most effective fire and rescue operations.”
Bandera Fire and Rescue, being a volunteer organization, relies heavily on the community for financial means to purchase the necessary equipment to operate.
“We still have a lot of work to do, but because of this grant we’re going to be able to replace one truck’s worth of SCBAs,” Cummings said.
The LCRA grant is awarded twice a year in an effort to give back to the community, according to their press release. The next round of applications will be open in January.
“I appreciate the LCRA so much for providing the funding for Bandera Fire and Rescue to obtain very needed SCBAs that allow us the opportunity to fight fires in our community,” Cotet said. “Without grants, our fire department would not be able to operate.”
For more information on grants from LCRA, visit: www.lcra.org.
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