Firefighters in need of bottled water, sports drinks
Donations of bottled water and sports drinks can be dropped off at the Marble Falls Fire Rescue station, 700 Avenue N. Staff photo
Marble Falls Fire Rescue needs more bottled water and sports drinks to keep firefighters hydrated during current extreme fire weather conditions.
“With the extreme drought and all the brush fires popping up around us, we are trying to be prepared for deployment and make sure that we have adequate water for hydration,” said Marble Falls Fire Marshal Tommy Crane. “We have a lot of other firefighters, federal and state, staged around here, and we make sure those guys are supplied as well.”
First United Methodist Church of Marble Falls put out a call this week to its congregation to bring drinks to the church at 1101 Bluebonnet Drive or drop them off at the fire station at 700 Avenue N in Marble Falls.
Crane said the church called to ask about the need for water and sports drinks at just the right time.
“Our supplies are dwindled down,” he said. “We can buy water, but some of these rural fire departments can’t, and we help them out, too.”
Marble Falls crews assisted on a recent major fire in Blanco County while also staying busy putting out small fires sparked by dragging chains or overheating brakes on trailers due to speeding.
“We have firefighters on extra duty,” Crane continued. “We have an extra guy staffed from noon to 8 p.m., which is the peak time for wildfires. We are called out a lot for fires popping up along the access roads and the side of the highways. We are also called out for mutual aid (to help other fire departments). We help our neighbors, they help us.”
One way, you can help is to bring cases of water and/or sports drinks to either the Methodist church or the fire station.