BUFFALO GAP – Generally, 10 years is the lifespan for a firefighter’s bunker gear. After that, the protective, heavy garments worn as a building is burning all around them, is considered expired.
“We got all of this bunker gear through a FEMA grant,” said Derrick Sowell, the chief of the Buffalo Gap Volunteer Fire Department. “They're more than 10 years old to be honest with you.
"They're closer to 15.”
A complete new set — that’s pants, jacket, boots, helmets, everything except the Self Contained Breathing Apparatus or SCBA — runs $7,500. Multiply that by 26, and you’ll find yourself passing the quarter-million dollar mark faster than a Big Country brushfire.
Sure, those grants are still available, but there’s a catch.
“We have to compete with every fire department throughout the nation,” Sowell said.
But if there’s one thing people can get behind, it’s supporting their local firehouse. Sowell said a grant from the Community Foundation of Abilene gave their plan a big boost, as did their own savings.
All they need is one more boost to put them over the top. On Saturday, BGVFD hopes to fill the boot completely with their first-ever Fish Fry fundraiser.
“We're really hoping that this is going to kind of push us over the edge so we can place an order,” Sowell said. “We've already contacted a vendor and they've given us a quote.”
Once they have cash in hand, the vendor will come out and measure each firefighter for their custom-fitted bunker gear package.
Work clothes
How often do the protective garments get used in a small department like this?
“Last week, we went to two structure fires, so we wore it twice,” Sowell said. “Matter of fact, mine's kind of hanging up drying out after the rainstorm on Saturday.”
Along with the bunker gear, Sowell said they also hope to secure wildland fire gear as well. That’s a lighter garment, still fire resistant but better suited for tackling grass fires.
“The structural bunker gear, has more layers in it. It has an outer shell, a moisture barrier and a thermal barrier,” Sowell explained. “The wildland gear is material that won't burn, and it's made out of Nomex and doesn't have the thermal barrier in it like what your structural bunker gear has.”
When it’s 110 degrees outside and you’ve got to fight a grass fire, it’s that wildland gear you want to be wearing.
As far as larger equipment, Sowell said they are hoping to add another brush truck this summer to their small fleet. But like the bunker gear, it takes money.
“It'll probably have to be another fundraiser, as well,” he said. “Unfortunately, we just don't have the budget to go buy everything that we would like to have.”
It’s the same calculation you might make around the kitchen table once a month — needs versus wants.
“The bunker gear, it's kind of a necessity that we have to have,” Sowell said. “Some of the newer trucks we would love to have. We're just not in the position to jump right out and get them right now.”
Something for Everyone
With that in mind, there’s going to be more to spend money on at this fish fry than catfish, chicken nuggets and Salty Roan desserts. A number of items have been provided to the fire department for auction, including a 1953 Model 70 Winchester rifle.
“It’s actually a collector's item,” Sowell said. “We're gonna have a few bounce houses for the kids, and of course, we're gonna have our trucks there to show the public what we have and what we're trying to achieve.”
Sowell hopes that if people can’t make it to their fundraiser that they at least consider supporting their own local volunteer department.
“Any amount of help whatsoever, it's not just Buffalo Gap that struggles with money,” he said. “It's every volunteer fire department.”
Folks interested in lending a hand at the department are always welcome. But if you’re not up to physically fighting fires, there’s always plenty of other work that still needs doing.
“Everybody thinks you either have to be fighting fires or making medical calls, there's so much more that needs to be done with a volunteer department,” Sowell said. “There’s fundraisers. There’s still paperwork.
“There’s always stuff to do at a volunteer fire department.”
If you go:
The Buffalo Gap Volunteer Fire Department’s fish fry will be 5-8 p.m. Saturday at the Buffalo Gap Community Center, 1142 Williams St.
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at a variety of Buffalo Gap merchants, as well as in Abilene at Jackson Bros. Feed & Seed, 3813 S. Treadaway Blvd.
Admission is $20 each, $5 for ages 4-10 and free for 4 and under.
Those who purchase admission before Saturday will receive a free raffle ticket.
Visit the Buffalo Gap Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page for more information.
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