The 77th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2604 back in 2001, establishing the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program. The program assists volunteer fire departments with the purchase of equipment and training. The Texas A&M Forest Service conducted the first Funding Meeting for Fiscal Year 2026 on October 14, 2025. During this meeting, approximately $164 million in grants was awarded to Texas volunteer fire departments. All departments awarded a grant at this meeting have received official written notice of approval.
Approvals were emailed to each department on 10/14/25 with application statuses also updated in FireConnect. Follow up notifications will be mailed to non-responding departments on 11/03/25. Funding for fire and rescue equipment, personal protective equipment, training aids, and dry hydrants will be awarded on a rolling basis across the next several months.
Final Funding Approvals for McCulloch County:
Rochelle VFD – Large Brush Truck – $265,000
Voca VFD – Small Brush Truck – $165,000
