Edna, TX. New Pumper Truck Replaces the Old
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the town of Edna recently received a grant worth $49,850 and a loan of $170,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development to help purchase a new pumper truck for their Fire Department. The city also received $20,000 from the Kansas City Railroad and $10,000 from HEB.
Mr. Buster Chase, the town’s Fire Marshal, gave me an interview and an inside view of the new pumper truck. He himself applied for the grant that made purchasing the new truck possible.
Their previous truck, in need of constant, costly repairs, was built in 1983. It no longer met NFPA 1901 standards, and had a 400 gallon tank with a 750 gallon-per-minute pump. The newly purchased pumper truck, by comparison, carries 1,000 gallons and pumps 1,250 gallons of water per minute.
Everything on the truck is done electrically, such as the flood lights on top of the truck used when responding to a fire at night. These lights have a key pad, similar to the ones you would use for a remote control car, used to control the lights direction and brightness. In the old truck you had to set up poles into the ground, plug in the lights, and turn them on, and even then they wouldn’t get that much light. Finally, the new truck’s large cab will carry up to six people, compared with one person in the old truck. This makes transporting fire fighters to emergencies much easier.
The new truck is a great improvement in the fire department’s ability to provide fire protection and other forms of mutual aid to the citizens of Edna.
Reported by Candace Andel, Grade 11, Edna High School
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Posted:
03:05PM Apr 07, 2010
by Joshua Cohagen in USDA Recovery Act |
La Feria Industrial Development Corporation
The City of La Feria is a small rural town in Cameron County with a median household income of $24,700 and consistently high unemployment rates. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently awarded a revolving loan fund to help reverse long-term trends in poverty, population decline and job deterioration. These economic factors will be gradually reversed and replaced with opportunities for current and new residents.
Economic development resulting from this project will be sustainable over the long term because it will provide the foundation required by the La Feria Industrial Development Corporation to leverage the limited capital available to it into tangible, viable projects with immediate impact to the community. This project will increase the economic growth, employment, and prosperity in the City of La Feria, and is expected to save or create 30 jobs.
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Posted:
09:32AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Recovery Act |
Hidalgo Economic Development Corporation
The City of Hidalgo is a small rural town in Hidalgo County with a median household income of $19,500 and consistently high unemployment rates. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently awarded the City of Hidalgo a revolving loan fund to help to reverse the trends of long-term poverty, population decline and job deterioration. These economic factors will be gradually reversed and replaced with opportunities for current and new residents.
Economic development resulting from this project will be sustainable over the long term because it will provide the foundation required by the Hidalgo Economic Development Corporation to leverage the limited capital available to it into tangible, viable projects with immediate impact to the community. This project will increase the economic growth, employment, and prosperity in the City of Hidalgo, and is expected to save or create 30 jobs.
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Posted:
09:29AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Recovery Act |
Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation
The City of Port Isabel is a small rural town in Cameron County with a median household income of $25,000 and consistently high unemployment rates. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently awarded a loan to help to reverse the trends of long-term poverty, population decline and job deterioration.
These economic factors will be gradually reversed and replaced with opportunities for current and new residents. Economic development resulting from this project will be sustainable over the long term because it will provide the foundation required by the Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation to leverage the limited capital available to it into tangible, viable projects with immediate impact to the community. This project will increase the economic growth, employment, and prosperity in the City of Port Isabel, and is expected to save or create 30 jobs.
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Posted:
09:26AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Recovery Act |
The Development Corporation of Mercedes
The City of Mercedes is a small rural town in Hidalgo County. This South Texas County has a median household income of $23,000 and has had consistently high unemployment rates. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently awarded a revolving loan to help reverse the trends of long-term poverty, population decline and job deterioration. These economic factors will be gradually reversed and replaced with opportunities for current and new residents.
Economic development resulting from this project will be sustainable over the long term because it will provide the foundation required by the City of Mercedes to leverage the limited capital available to it into tangible, viable projects with immediate impact to the community. This project will increase economic growth, employment, and prosperity in the City of Mercedes, and is expected to save or create 30 jobs.
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Posted:
09:24AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Recovery Act |
City of Comanche
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development will assist the City of Comanche in the purchase of a new tractor and backhoe.
Currently both of these pieces of equipment being used have aged to the point where they require frequent repairs. The City uses the backhoe for water/sewer line repairs and to load gravel or perform other duties. The tractor is used for mowing around the City. The purchase of this equipment will allow the City, with a population of 4,482, to have reliable equipment.
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Posted:
09:19AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Recovery Act |
Fisher County Hospital District
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently awarded funding to Fisher County Hospital District. These projects will benefit a hospital that provides services to Northwest Texas.
Rural Development will assist the Fisher County Hospital District in the purchase and installation of a Green Energy Surge Protection & Energy Reducer (GESPER) system for the Hospital. The system will eliminate surges and spikes, protect equipment, prevent down-line lightening strikes, and eliminate harmful harmonic distortion. The system will also help the hospital reduce its energy consumption by 10% thus operating more efficiently. With the savings, the Hospital anticipates being able to increase staff numbers.
Rural Development will also assist the Fisher County Hospital District in the renovation and repairs of their Dietary Department. The project will repair the foundation in the kitchen area, update kitchen appliances, replace the flooring, texture and paint the walls in the kitchen and dining area, and replace furniture. The renovations will provide a safe environment to provide meals and snacks for patients, families, employees, physicians, assisted living residents, as well as individuals from the community.
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Posted:
09:14AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
City of Lamesa
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development will assist the City of Lamesa in the purchase of a siren system that will provide a coverage pattern for the entire City.
The system will consist of four large strategically located sirens and radio decoders to control the sirens. The sirens will serve as an early warning to protect the health and safety of the citizens of Lamesa when violent storms and potential tornadoes approach the City. This project will provide a vital emergency service to the 9,952 residents in the City of Lamesa.
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Posted:
09:07AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
Kountze Volunteer Fire Department
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development will assist Kountze Volunteer Fire Department in the purchase of a chassis for their fire truck and a generator to be housed at the fire station.
The City of Kountze is located in Hardin County, which suffered damage in both Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in September 2008; therefore a much needed generator will benefit the fire department as well and the community. This project will provide a vital emergency service to the 8,976 residents in the City of Kountze.
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Posted:
08:53AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
City of Hawk Cove
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development will assist the City of Hawk Cove in purchasing a Jeep for the City Police Department.
The 2009 Jeep Cherokee will be equipped with digital video and provide off road capabilities. It will replace their current police car which has high maintenance concerns. The Police Department is committed to maintaining a safe environment and protecting the 457 citizens of Hawk Cove.
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Posted:
08:50AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
City of Olney
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently awarded the City of Olney with funds to purchase a four door 4x4 truck with storage compartments. The truck will be equipped with a 5KW generator, 300 gallon water tank, radio, sirens and lights.
The fire department recently lost two fire trucks and their existing rescue vehicle. This truck will be a great asset to the fire department as they respond to approximately 30 wrecks per year. Volunteers have been using their personal vehicles to respond to emergency calls until the truck can be purchased. This project will provide a vital emergency service to the 3,396 residents of Olney.
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Posted:
08:46AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
Town of Springlake
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently provided funding to Springlake to purchase an emergency generator.
Currently, the town has no backup power source to utilize during a power outage. The purchase of a generator will allow the city to provide a power supply to run their water system in case of a power outage due to weather or other events. Since the town does not have an elevated water tower, if the power goes out, the connections would lose all water pressure within 30 minutes of the outage. This project will provide a vital emergency service to the 135 residents of Springlake.
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Posted:
08:32AM Jan 22, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
City of Olton
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently provided the city of Olton with funds to purchase emergency communications equipment. The City of Olton needs to replace current equipment that does not comply with Federal Narrow Band regulations.
The new equipment will improve the City’s emergency communications capabilities, which will better protect the citizens of Olton and bring them in compliance with Federal mandates. This project will provide a valuable emergency service to the population of 2,288.
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Posted:
02:56PM Jan 21, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
RPM Water Supply Corporation
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development will assist RPM Water Supply Corporation in making improvements to their water system which will provide reliable water to their connections which are in compliance with TCEQ requirements, as well as provide an accessible office building.
The project will include the addition of a SCADA system, construction of an elevated storage tank, transfer pumps, replacement of existing meters, and the construction of an office building and garage. This project will assist the 821 connections to the system.
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Posted:
02:51PM Jan 21, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
City of Winters
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, USDA Rural Development recently awarded the City of Winters with funds to replace old dilapidated lines within the City’s water distribution.
The existing system no longer provides adequate service to the residents. The improvements will provide connections with safe, reliable drinking water and the City will decrease their water loss by having new lines. This project will assist the 1,194 connections on the water system.
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Posted:
02:47PM Jan 21, 2010
by Gayle Cargo in USDA Web Site |
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Wednesday Apr 07, 2010
