LCRA awards $16,720 grant to Doss Volunteer Fire Department

New firefighting gear will replace worn, damaged personal protective equipment

Dec. 2, 2022

LCRA representatives present a $16,720 grant to the Doss Volunteer Fire Department for 20 new sets of personal protective equipment. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are: Brett Fraley and Kurt Geistweidt, VFD members; Gerald Bratton, secretary; Mark Geistweidt, fire chief; Joe Schaefer, VFD member; Carol Freeman, LCRA Board member; Danny Reeh, president; Michael L. “Mike” Allen, LCRA Board member; Gary Brodbeck, treasurer; Wade Geistweidt, VFD member; and Brian Sattler, vice president. Pictured in the back row, from left to right, are: Adam Geistweidt, Betty Hahn and Preston Studer, VFD members; Evan Tune, captain; Travis Reeh, VFD member; and Steve Dyer, LCRA Regional Affairs representative.

GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas – The Doss Volunteer Fire Department will be able to replace 20 sets of worn and damaged wildland fire gear thanks to help from a $16,720 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $4,180 in matching funds from Doss VFD, will pay for new, properly fitting gear volunteer firefighters need to provide fire protection to the community.

“We have a strong membership with 26 active volunteers and another 12 reservists,” said Doss VFD President Danny Reeh. “It’s great to have members, but we need to have the gear to properly take care of them. Our current wildland fire personal protective equipment is old, and it has become really difficult to provide new members with properly sized gear.”

The Doss VFD members respond to wildland fires, structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, EMS calls and other incidents in the Doss community, as well as provide mutual aid to other fire departments in Gillespie County, including Stonewall, Fredericksburg and Harper. Because of its proximity to the county line, Doss VFD members also receive calls for assistance in Mason County.

The department’s calls have increased as the area’s population has grown.

While Doss VFD enjoys a lot of support from the community, Reeh said the department would not be able to buy enough gear to keep up with the needs of their volunteers without additional funding.

“We are very fortunate to have so much community support and to receive grants like these to help outfit our members properly for fire response and protect them while they are out serving the community,” Reeh said. “Without this additional funding, we would only be able to buy a couple of sets of personal protective equipment a year, which would never allow us to catch up to the number of volunteers we have.”

The community grant is one of 46 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

Media Contact
Clara Tuma
512–578–3292
clara.tuma@lcra.org