LCRA awards $13,440 grant to Cisco Fire Department

Department will replace 15 sets of aging and damaged wildland firefighting gear

Oct. 26, 2023

CISCO, Texas – The City of Cisco Fire Department will purchase 15 sets of wildland firefighting gear, thanks to a $13,440 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $3,360 in matching funds from the department, will replace firefighting gear that is 15 to 20 years old.

“Our gear is past its life, and some of it has rips and tears that aren’t reparable anymore,” said Fire Chief Walter Fairbanks. “We have a contingency fund, but we didn’t have enough for the full cost of replacing the failing gear.”

The grant will allow the department to provide new coats and pants for all personnel, including both paid and volunteer members.

“We responded to 77 grass fires and 212 motor vehicle accidents in the past year,” Fairbanks said. “This new, dual-purpose gear can handle both wildland fires and vehicle rescues.”

The department serves 250 square miles of Eastland County, including the City of Cisco.

Fairbanks said the new gear will be put to good use as firefighters respond to the growing number of calls.

“People are continually building new houses outside of town,” Fairbanks said. “Our call volume over the last five years has increased by 40%.”

The community grant is one of 45 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.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. 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.

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