Once again, the residents of Bandera County and its visitors demonstrated their abundant generosity during the Castle Lake Ranch Volunteer Fire Department’s Boot Drive last Labor Day weekend.
Residents who drove by the boot drive might have noticed the “new” used fire apparatus recently purchased by the CLRVFD.
Fire Chief Paul Miller says the department significantly advanced its ability to protect and serve with the purchase of a mini-pumper engine.
“This truck is specifically designed to handle the demands of structure fires and rescue operations. Its compact size is perfect for our rural service area, and in conjunction with our tender trucks, we now can put a lot of water where it is needed on a burning building,” he said.
The chief added the new apparatus has enough storage space to carry all the specialized equipment used on structure fires or at vehicle accident scenes.
“I would like to personally extend my thanks to all the volunteers and donors who helped make this new acquisition possible,” he said.
The CLRVFD provides protection for a 26.7 square mile area of Bandera County, serving a population in excess of 7,000 residents.
It is staffed by community minded and hard-working residents who donate their time and efforts to protect us all. You will see them doing their jobs at traffic accidents, EMS calls, structure and grass fires, as well as fundraising activities.
There are always people and organizations behind the scenes when organizing a boot drive.
Captain Donald Caldwell, who worked all weekend helping organize the volunteers, also commented, “I would like to thank The Cowboy Store. Without their generosity in allowing CLRVFD to use their parking lot, our job would’ve been much harder. The Cowboy Store has helped make this year a huge success in our boot drives.”
CLRVFD Board President Tracy Johnson said the group is incredibly fortunate to be part of such a remarkable community.
“The generosity shown by both residents and visitors to Bandera is truly humbling. Many may not realize that our boot drives are a crucial source of funding for CLRVFD,” said Johnson. “Our dedicated firefighters, board members, and volunteers endure the heat to connect with drivers and pedestrians who wish to support our department. The funds raised will enable us to continue equipping and training our team to fulfill our mission of safeguarding lives and property from wildland and structure fires.
“A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the volunteers who made this Labor Day boot drive a tremendous success, and to everyone who generously donated. Your support is deeply appreciated.'
