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Volunteer fire departments urge bigger county support as equipment and training costs rise
Summary
Precinct volunteer fire departments told Brazos County commissioners they need sustained or increased outside-agency funding to cover rising insurance, training and equipment costs, citing expensive radios, new bunker-gear requirements and recruitment challenges.
Representatives from Brazos County volunteer fire departments told the commissioners’ court on May 20 that the $39,000 allocation the court provided last year should be maintained or increased to help cover escalating insurance, equipment and training costs.
Joe Don Warren, speaking for Precinct 4 and on behalf of multiple chiefs, summarized uses of the funds — annual insurance premiums, firefighter training and purchasing protective equipment. Warren pointed to recent price increases for radios and trucks and said recruiting and certifying volunteers has become more time-consuming and expensive: "When you add all the numbers up... that's 19,000 to help train, certify firefighters, provide the necessary equipment to do their job," he said, describing a narrow leftover balance after insurance and equipment costs.
Presenters described a new state inspection mandate that will require two annual gear-cleaning inspections and could force departments to buy second sets of bunker gear; they also reported a recent quote of about $11,000 per handheld radio. Commissioners suggested exploring grant-writing assistance and potential county property or shared space to reduce rent burdens for volunteer-staffed organizations.
No formal change to the funding level was decided at the workshop; commissioners signaled sympathy for recruitment and equipment needs and indicated the matter will be folded into broader budget discussions.
