Bullard volunteer fire department is doing their annual fundraiser and will be coming around to businesses and residents asking for donations for rescue tools and bins.

The fire department is asking for $30 donation from families or businesses. In return, those who donate will be taking family portraits again this year.

Before the Bullard Volunteer Fire Department received funding from a recent tax in Smith County, the department used the self-made, grassfire truck pictured on the left. After the tax, the Bullard VFD was able to purchase the truck on the right for brush fires. Not too long ago, Bullard volunteer firefighters would search a house the old-fashioned way - on their hands and knees. The Bullard Volunteer Fire department only had one thermal imaging camera. And if they had calls on more than one fire at the same time, one of the crews would be without a camera. This meant a firefighter would slowly crawl from one room to another in a burning building, while trying to find where the fire started or if people were trapped in the blaze. The oldfashioned way seemed archaic compared to the cameras. "It was like night and day," Bullard Volunteer Firefighter Gary Newburn said. "With the camera you can see everything just like daylight. But without it, you can have four or five foot of visibility or barely be able to see your hand in front of your face." But now with the tax revenues they can purchase more items and receive training. But they still lack tools needed to promote safety.