RIO HONDO — The city has gifted the Arroyo City Volunteer Fire Department with a Ford 550 firefighting brush truck.
The mayor and city commissioners presented the donation of the off road truck at the Rio Hondo City Commission meeting on Jan. 8.
“The city of Rio Hondo is proud to donate a firefighting vehicle to the Arroyo City Volunteer Fire Department,” Rio Hondo Mayor Gus Olivares said. “We hope that the brush truck provides Arroyo City Volunteer Fire Department with much-needed support in their efforts to keep our friends and neighbors safe.”
Olivares said the city of Rio Hondo has been extremely fortunate to have obtained new equipment and hopes to continue to help its neighboring communities and protect the residents of Cameron County.
The Ford F550 crew cab brush truck has the capability of carrying 650 gallons of water.
“We received a grant last year for a new brush truck,” said William Bilokury, Rio Hondo emergency management administrating chief. “We retired the old one and put the new one in service.”
Rio Hondo received a large brush truck from the Texas Forest Service.
Bilokury said the Arroyo City fire department did not have a brush truck.
He said the brush truck allows firefighters the ability to get into a lot of areas to fight fires.
“They were very excited to receive the gift,” Bilokury said. “It’s not brand new but it will definitely service them well.”
