Texas Forest Service to send checks to fire departments that helped fight 2005-2006 wildfires.
According to a press release from the TFS, several Upshur county fire departments will receive checks for expenses they incurred assisting the service battle the wildfires of 2005-06.
Excerpt of the release:
Dec. 23, 2008 --COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Texas Forest Service is delivering a little holiday cheer to more than 900 Texas fire departments. Through a legislative grant, TFS is distributing $5.7 million to departments that helped fight wildfires during the 2005-06 wildfire season.
House Bill 15 of the 80th Texas Legislature provided funds to help pay for the cost of fighting wildfires statewide between Dec. 1, 2005, and Sept. 18, 2006. A portion of these funds were designated to help local fire departments recover some of the expenses incurred during that time period.
Upshur county fire departments receiving money include:
* Bettie VFD
* City of Big Sandy VFD
* Gilmer Fire Department
* Harmony VFD
* Ore City VFD
* Pleasant Grove VFD
* East Mountain VFD
* Ewell VFD
A listing of all departments receiving payments can be found at http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx?id=6366
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A house fire at 430 Montgomery Street draws the efforts of three Upshur County Fire Departments.
GILMER --- Engines and crews from the Gilmer Fire Department, as well as Harmony and East Mountain VFD's combined to fight an attic fire in the wood frame house owned by the Curington family this afternoon.
According to City Fire Marshall Mike Melton, the Gilmer Fire Department received the call at 12:58p.m., and arrived on the scene at 1:00.
Crews from all three departments were engaged by 2:00p.m., and the roof had been ventilated and the main pump on Gilmer's engine got into action.
As shaken family members and friends huddled together across the street, firemen pumped water at the flames through holes chopped in the roof gables.
Slowly, the thick smoke cleared, and by 2:30 p.m. the crews had turned their attention to pulling melted siding and tin roofing aside to attack smoldering hot spots that threatened to reignite.
By 3:00 p.m., things were controlled enough to allow firemen and investigators to enter the home, searching for items the family asked for, and beginning to determine the cause of the fire.
Stuart Curington confirmed none of the family had been injured, and Melton said no firefighters were hurt in the response.
Melton said the crews had cleared the scene by 3:22p.m.
And while the house did suffer obvious damage, a detached building connected to it by a breezeway appeared unscathed.
County Fire Marshall Paul Steelman declined to speculate on the cause, saying his investigation was just getting underway.
--- DeWayne Spell
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