LCRA, City of Cuero award $18,568 grant to Cuero Volunteer Fire Department

New breathing equipment will help protect firefighters responding to emergencies

NOV. 20, 2024

LCRA and City of Cuero representatives present an $18,568 grant to the Cuero Volunteer Fire Department for new specialized breathing equipment. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Jose Lopez, VFD firefighter; Rick Arnic, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Gilbert Esquivel, VFD second assistant chief; William “Bill” Matthys, Cuero mayor pro tem; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Mark Baros, VFD third assistant chief; Rhonda Stastny, City of Cuero grants and special projects director; and Matt Leal, VFD firefighter.
CUERO, Texas – The Cuero Volunteer Fire Department soon will acquire new specialized breathing equipment to help protect firefighters during emergency responses, thanks to an $18,568 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Cuero.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $4,642 in matching funds from the VFD, will enable the department to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus to replace the outdated air packs the department now owns.

“This equipment is what keeps our firefighters safe while they work to protect our community,” said Craig Oakes, VFD president and fire chief. “Our current breathing packs are nearing the end of their lifespans, and outdated equipment could fail, putting both firefighters and those we’re trying to save at risk. These new packs will provide increased air capacity, allowing us to operate longer during rescues and fires – and that time can be critical to saving lives.”

With the new equipment, firefighters will be better equipped to enter burning buildings to perform search and rescue operations.

“This grant allows us to provide the best emergency services to the residents of DeWitt County and surrounding areas without needing to divert funds from other critical resources,” Oakes said. “Thanks to this grant, we won’t need to delay our purchase of another brush truck, allowing us to better protect farmland and the rural area that we serve.”

The Cuero Volunteer Fire Department serves all of DeWitt County and surrounding areas.

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. The City of Cuero 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 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.

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Clara Tuma, Public Information Officer
512-578-3292
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