LULING, Texas – A $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Luling will help the Luling Volunteer Fire Department purchase a standby generator and new self-contained breathing apparatuses.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $44,897 in matching funds, will replace a 25-year-old generator and five 16-year-old self-contained breathing apparatuses and accessories that do not meet current National Fire Protection Association standards. The grant will also be used to install seats to accommodate the new breathing equipment on a brush truck.
“Without the grant, the fire department would not be able to purchase this much-needed equipment,” Fire Chief Tom Harmon said. “We’ve wanted to replace the generator for the last five years because it leaks oil and you cannot find the parts to repair it.
“The fire station is manned 24 hours a day and it’s essential they have power,” he said. “Without it we can’t open the doors to get the trucks out, the radio system won’t work to communicate and you lose all ability to function at the station.”
Luling VFD serves the City of Luling, 81 square miles in the neighboring communities of Stairtown and McNeil, and rural areas within Caldwell, Gonzales and Guadalupe counties. The department is staffed with eight full-time, on-call personnel and 27 volunteer personnel.
“We’ve experienced a lot of growth in our coverage area and the call volume we received has picked up because of it,” Harmon said. “The money we’re getting to fix up the brush truck with the breathing apparatuses and accessories will be a great benefit. After the upgrade, it will replace an older model truck we’ve been using.
“It’s wonderful to get this type of help and it’s greatly appreciated,” he said.
The community grant is one of 25 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. The City of Luling is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.
Media Contact
Clara Tuma
512–578–3292
clara.tuma@lcra.org
