LCRA awards $4,938 grant to Ander-Weser Volunteer Fire Department
Fire suppression equipment will aid in responding to electric vehicle fires
NOV. 20, 2024
The Community Development Partnership Program grant will enable the fire department to purchase emergency equipment including an electric vehicle fire suppression blanket, an under-vehicle hose nozzle, an emergency stop plug and wheel chocks for stabilization.
Joel Kordik, VFD training coordinator, said the department’s approach to responding to incidents has expanded as the number of electric vehicles in the community has increased.
“The tactics used on a traditional vehicle do not work on an electric vehicle,” Kordik said. “There is a higher level of danger when responding to incidents involving an EV. This grant is providing our organization with the equipment to quickly and safely mitigate many of those dangers.”
Assistant Fire Chief Justin Stauss said the new equipment will supplement the department’s emergency tools to help ensure firefighters can respond quickly and effectively to accidents involving all kinds of vehicles.
“When vehicles are involved in an accident, it is crucial to immobilize and then stabilize that vehicle before any rescue takes place,” Stauss said. “In the case that an electric vehicle is involved in an accident, the plug-in tool used with the wheel chocks works by effectively locking the power source down and shutting off power to the drive motors and keeping the wheels from turning should the vehicle enter a neutral gear.”
The Ander-Weser department will be the first VFD in Goliad County to have the new specialized tools.
“Volunteer fire departments are the backbone of many communities, and we work tirelessly to tackle financial challenges daily,” said Mark Jacobs, VFD president. “This grant will be used to protect not only our community, but the drivers and passengers of thousands of electric vehicles that travel through Goliad County.”
Sarah Stauss, VFD treasurer, said the department relies on grants from outside organizations like LCRA to purchase equipment that is essential in keeping the community safe.
“Most of our funding goes directly toward the operational costs of fighting fires and maintaining our equipment,” she said. “We cannot provide or expand on the services we offer without sponsors and grants. We thank LCRA for its contribution to the community and supporting our mission of protecting our first responders and community.”
The community grant is one of 37 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps 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. 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 in January 2025. 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.
Social Media