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Bluebonnet and LCRA representatives present a $24,500 grant to the South Lee County Volunteer Fire Department for a 6x6 semi-tractor truck. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Dustin Schneider, VFD secretary; Mark Fears and Ethan Miertschin, VFD firefighters; Sherry Murphy, Bluebonnet's Giddings-area community representative; Delvin Boriack, VFD firefighter; Russell Jurk, Bluebonnet director; Kaleb Oltmann, VFD firefighter; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA board member; Cole Mertink, VFD firefighter; Kyle Jenke, VFD fire chief; Curtis Oltmann, VFD firefighter; Michael Krause, VFD treasurer; Matthew L. “Matt” Arthur, LCRA board member; and Kate Ramzinski, LCRA regional affairs representative.
The South Lee County Volunteer Fire Department will soon purchase a 6x6 semi-tractor truck to provide a more reliable way for firefighters to access difficult terrain and respond to water rescues and other emergencies, thanks to a $24,500 grant from Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and the Lower Colorado River Authority.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $10,500 in matching funds from the VFD, will enable the department to replace its 32-year-old former military truck with a newer vehicle that will be more reliable and efficient. Repairs on the old truck require expensive and custom-made parts that can keep the vehicle out of service for long periods of time.
“The truck we’re purchasing will be able to hold a lot more water than what our current capabilities are,” Kyle Jenke said, the department's fire chief. “Now that we’ve been expanding the area we’re serving, it’s important that we’re able to carry the water needed to put out some of the bigger fires.”
The department serves South Lee County, and responds to calls in Lee, Fayette and Bastrop counties through mutual aid agreements. It also recently joined the newly formed Lee County Task Force and responds to calls in parts of Burleson and Washington counties.
“The newer truck will be able to handle rougher terrain, so we can get into the tighter areas where a normal brush truck wouldn’t be able to reach,” Jenke said. “We’ve had to do it a number of times already, so we know how important it is for the truck to be able to handle a lot. This upgrade will also make it much easier for us to get any needed repairs done so we don’t have to spend as much money out of pocket.”
The extra wheels on the truck provide additional traction and can be used to respond to fires and emergency rescues, as well as help retrieve other vehicles that become stuck in the mud.
The community grant is one of three grants recently awarded by Bluebonnet and LCRA through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. Bluebonnet is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. More information is available here
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative will send lineworker interns, journeymen, judges and a barbecue team to compete in the annual Texas Lineman’s Rodeo, set for July 19 at Nolte Island Recreation Area near Seguin.
This rodeo is not for cattle and cowboys. Lineworkers compete against others from electric utilities across the state in intense, timed challenges that showcase skills they perform every day, such as climbing utility poles, repairing power lines and fixing equipment.
One of the most challenging events is the pole-top rescue. Competitors must simulate saving an injured lineworker, using a human-sized mannequin. These events test their precision, speed and safety under pressure.
Bluebonnet’s teams will be joined by families and guests to support the event.
The competition takes place in a field near the Guadalupe River, with de-energized utility poles set up for the events, and is open to the public.
Come cheer on Bluebonnet’s team members or follow their progress on Bluebonnet’s social media pages throughout the day.
For more details, visit tlra.org.
