Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced an award of $81,000 for the Lytle Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) to increase firefighter safety measures. Through a cost-sharing arrangement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided $73,637 in federal funding, with the Lytle VFD contributing an additional $7,363. These funds will allow Lytle VFD to utilize much needed dual-bandwidth communications devices in order to increase the safety of its firefighters and the local community.

In addition to the $81,000 award, the City of Lytle and Lytle VFD have voluntarily committed an additional $9,629 for this project, totaling $90,629 for enhanced departmental communications. This will help further ensure the effectiveness of Lytle firefighters, and the safety of the community they serve. 

“Every day, the men and women of the Lytle Volunteer Fire Department perform selfless acts of courage to protect and serve our community,” Congressman Cuellar said. “These funds will help keep our community safe by providing appropriate equipment to personnel, thereby better serving our ever growing population and their needs. I thank the Lytle Volunteer Fire Department, the City of Lytle, and Bexar County ESD #5 for their diligent efforts in securing this funding.”

Impact on Lytle

The Lytle Volunteer Fire Department services three counties in South Texas, including Atascosa, Bexar, and Medina. With these new communications devices, Lytle VFD firefighters can travel to address cross-county emergencies, without undue risks to their lives. These funds will aid firefighters when needing to make changes in emergency bandwidths between counties, avoiding communication and coordination issues.

Specifically, the fire station will acquire 17 hand held (on-person) and five mobile (in-truck) radios. These radios can function on two different emergency communication bandwidths: VHS and 7-800 MHz. This dual functionality will increase safety and efficiency in all departmental emergency operations.

“The purchase of the radios will bring state of the art equipment to our department,” said Lytle VFD Fire Chief Matthew Dear. “These radios are not used by any other fire department in our area. The radios will increase the safety for our firefighters and are just as important as the personal protective gear they wear when they enter burning buildings. We will no longer have to carry multiple radios as the new radios are basically two radios in one.”

Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Services

Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) is a federal funding initiative designed to strengthen the nation’s overall preparedness and ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards. AFG provides grants to first-responder organizations in order to obtain much needed emergency response equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles, and 

Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and the City of Lytle present a $81,000 check to Lytle Volunteer Fire Department on Monday.