Rio Bravo Volunteer Fire Department officials expressed gratitude and excitement for being awarded a $190,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security. The funds will be used for the purchase of a new, fully-equipped fire truck. The grant announcement was made today by Congressman Henry Cuellar.

“We are extremely grateful for this grant, and we have been counting on this fire truck—the first of its kind here—for a long time now,” said Fire Chief Javier Estrada. “In our rural community, the distance between hydrants has made our job a challenge. With this truck, though, we can now transport 1,500 gallons of water and not have to find the nearest hydrant.”

The fire truck that will be purchased with the awarded funds will improve the response time to the scene of a rescue, as well as allow firefighters to efficiently manage multiple scenes at the same time with different firefighting/rescue vehicles.

“I applaud the efforts of the Rio Bravo Volunteer Fire Department and congratulate them on receiving this grant,” said Congressman Cuellar, who is the Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response. “I know the strong impact that volunteer fire departments have on rural areas, and I commend them for everything they are doing to secure the safety of their community’s residents.”

“We thank Congressman Henry Cuellar for all his efforts in this area,” said Mr. Estrada. “He knows the needs of this community. The people of Rio Bravo can rest assured that the brave firefighters are capable and equipped to respond to emergencies.”

The Assistance to Firefighters Grants program provides funding to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of the departments and non-affiliated emergency medical services organizations. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program will help enhance first responders’ ability to protect the health and safety of citizens in Lytle and the San Antonio area. Since 2004, AFG has provided a total of almost $2.2 billion to first-responder organizations for the purchase of equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip.

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