[Jedidah]

Laz, they do “pony up.”

We’re a big state with lots of rural communities, spread far apart, not necessarily even incorporated. No city taxes of funding.

As residents, those of us physically able to train and fight, do. Others hold fundraisers, give generously. When needed, these small departments all rush to help each other.

In a normal year, that’s enough.

This year is not normal. You just have no idea how bad it is.

It takes a lot of money to buy high-priced trucks and effective equipment. That’s where state and federal grant money comes in, generally for specific expenses.

I don’t think any volunteer department gets ongoing operational funding from the state.

[Rightly Biased]

Most of the trucks the VFD’s get are from larger cities that were “retired” vehicles

Many of the trucks are former military vehicles that are retro fitted with water tanks and brush guards.

Our VFD’s do so much and the communities in which they serve know it.

[Lazlo in PA]

That is the way we do it here in PA. All fundraising and my dept runs old, but well maintained equipment. Other states and municipalities have pay to play. That encourages donations.

As the article is written, Perry is staving these groups in TX of expected cash. I would rather see FEMA step in and treat this like any other natural disaster instead of having bloated fire depts sitting around waiting for this once in a couple generations disaster happening. I don’t see where Perry is at fault here.

[ExTxMarine]

In a normal year, that’s enough.
This year is not normal. You just have no idea how bad it is.
That is why this post is just BS! The inferrence that these budget cuts caused or exaserbated these wilfdires is NOT "vetting," it is throwing crap against a wall and hoping someone will call it ART!

That’s where state and federal grant money comes in, generally for specific expenses.
I agree, but when the money isn't there, it is NOT there. Currently, we do not have "extra" money, so we (the entire state) have to "make do" with the money available. That may mean, less training and more equipment purchases this year. Or, it may mean better maintenance on existing equipment. Or it might even mean more training on specific equipment or specific fire fighting techniques.

Just saying there were cuts and then leaving it like that caused or exaserbated these incidents is, well, incendiary! And it caused many Freepers to scrape the crap off the wall and toss it back at the poster!