Firefighters go to training, get grant funding

Eleven firefighters from the Bullard Volunteer Fire Department recently attended the Capital Area Interagency Wildland Fire Academy held in Bastrop near Austin. Pictured are Jesse Crotty, Jason "Red" Hendrix, Jonathan "Snackpack" Fallwell, Gary Newburn, David Taylor, Keith Newburn, Brian Smith, Richard Smith; not pictured are: Justin Dominy, Gary Simmons, and Dustin Rounsavall.

Eleven firefighters from the Bullard Volunteer Fire Department recently attended the Capital Area Interagency Wildland Fire Academy held in Bastrop near Austin.

This is a bi-annual academy sponsored by the Texas Forest Service that teaches the latest and most up-to-date wildland firefighting techniques.

The Bullard Volunteers attended tractor plow safety courses, which teach them how to safely and effectively fight wildfires with tractors and heavy equipment. The department also got news it received grant from the state to replace the boat motor that was damaged in July.

"We've ordered the motor, we're just awaiting its delivery," Fire Chief Keith Newburn said. "We hope it comes any day."

Newburn said he wanted to thank everyone else in the community who helped with the boat replacement unit.

"We could have never made this happen without them," Newburn said.