The Bangs Volunteer Fire Department will use a $22,249 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority to purchase six sets of bunker gear, the protective clothing firefighters wear to shield themselves from heat, flames and other firefighting hazards, as well as an automated external defibrillator (AED).

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $5,916 in matching funds from the Bangs VFD, will significantly improve the department’s ability to provide fire protection and life-saving services to the rural community.

“The bunker gear will replace outdated equipment, allowing us to send more firefighters to respond to burning structures and vehicles safely,” said Gregg Cassady, Bangs VFD captain and EMT-B. “We received five new sets last year, but we still have 11 members working with older gear. This grant will allow us to continue to advance our response capabilities.”

The department also will purchase a new AED to replace units that have become difficult to maintain due to supply issues.

“We’ve been waiting for over a year for new batteries, and the current ones will expire soon,” Cassady said. “This is our first major equipment upgrade in more than eight years, and it is crucial for our safety and response capabilities, especially in a rural area like ours.”

This equipment update comes at a vital time, as the existing gear is reaching the end of its usable life and the risk of wildfires in the region has increased.

The Bangs VFD serves Brown County and provides assistance in Coleman, Callahan, Eastland, McCulloch, Comanche, Mills and San Saba counties.  

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.