ROBINSON, Texas (KXXV) — Robinson Fire Department has added new vehicles and essential safety equipment to its fleet, as the department works to keep pace with a significant rise in emergency calls.
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Fire Chief Stephen Sullivan said the department has seen a sharp increase in demand this year.
"Just overall, this year we have seen to date a 38% increase from where we are this time last year. Every day we're seeing more calls overlap, so we're trying to do more with the funding we have."
Within the past 5 months, the department added a new brush truck, UTV, and personal protective equipment, all funded through a grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service.
"It's part of a larger grant. Our funding through the Texas legislature that provided overdue funding for several fire departments across the entire state, allowing us to kind of catch up on some needed equipment," Sullivan said.
The department also added a new $2 million ladder truck earlier this year, funded by taxpayer money. The truck is designed to tackle house fires, commercial buildings, industrial sites, and hard-to-reach areas.
Sullivan said the new equipment is about protecting the community as wildfires continue to threaten the region.
"There are houses threatened every day by these fires, and we want to make sure that we have the right tools and equipment to get to our citizens quickly so that we can stop and protect their property as much as possible."
The new equipment has already been put to use beyond Robinson's borders.
"The UTV responded to multiple calls here in Robinson, but has also gone out to what became the Hydra Fire between Clifton and Meridian, and then just last week it was out in Bruceville-Eddy on a fire that burned over 180 acres," Sullivan said.
While the new ladder truck has not yet been needed for a structure fire — responding so far only to help pull a car out of a ditch — Sullivan said he is glad crews have it ready to go.
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