Extra cash means new digs.
The Cisco Fire Department has received the last of its new equipment thanks to a state grant from the Texas Forest Service.
Cisco Fire Chief Walter Fairbanks gladly accepted more than $23,000 for the new gear.
"Any time we can save money is great. I mean we're always scraping the bottom of the barrel," he said.
The new uniforms will replace the out dated ones that were soon about to hit their 10-year mark.
Texas law doesn't allow firefighters to wear gear that's older than that.
All of the apparel is fit for any type of situation- from wild fires to traffic accidents.
They also received other tools that needed replacement.
"We were using a set of 'Jaws of Life' that was from 1988, that's how old the tools were," said Fairbanks.
Some of the materials purchased through the grant include a set of helmets with integrated eye shields to protect from debris and flashlights, so that firefighters can maneuver in even the darkest or smokiest of situations.
"When its one hundred degrees out, one hundred and ten degrees out here in Texas our guys are able to do a rescue in lighter weight gear to reduce the heat exhaustion," said Fairbanks.
The volunteer based fire department rely on grants like this one to help sustain the hundreds of thousands of dollars in yearly costs for updates and maintenance.
They plan to donate all of the old gear to other fire stations and other organizations that are in need.
Now that they've got they're new gear, Fairbanks says they'll be more than ready for the upcoming fire season.
The Cisco Fire Department has received the last of its new equipment thanks to a state grant from the Texas Forest Service.
Cisco Fire Chief Walter Fairbanks gladly accepted more than $23,000 for the new gear.
"Any time we can save money is great. I mean we're always scraping the bottom of the barrel," he said.
The new uniforms will replace the out dated ones that were soon about to hit their 10-year mark.
Texas law doesn't allow firefighters to wear gear that's older than that.
All of the apparel is fit for any type of situation- from wild fires to traffic accidents.
They also received other tools that needed replacement.
"We were using a set of 'Jaws of Life' that was from 1988, that's how old the tools were," said Fairbanks.
Some of the materials purchased through the grant include a set of helmets with integrated eye shields to protect from debris and flashlights, so that firefighters can maneuver in even the darkest or smokiest of situations.
"When its one hundred degrees out, one hundred and ten degrees out here in Texas our guys are able to do a rescue in lighter weight gear to reduce the heat exhaustion," said Fairbanks.
The volunteer based fire department rely on grants like this one to help sustain the hundreds of thousands of dollars in yearly costs for updates and maintenance.
They plan to donate all of the old gear to other fire stations and other organizations that are in need.
Now that they've got they're new gear, Fairbanks says they'll be more than ready for the upcoming fire season.
