Alliance Bank in Sulphur Springs
Texas A&M Forest Service Awards $15.7 Million in Grants to Volunteer Fire Departments
Nov01

Texas A&M Forest Service Awards $15.7 Million in Grants to Volunteer Fire Departments

October 31, 2023 – COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M Forest Service awarded 260 rural volunteer fire departments with more than $15.7 million in assistance grants last week through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Grant Program. “Our agency is very thankful to state leadership for allowing us the opportunity to assist volunteer fire departments in Texas,” said Jason Keiningham, Texas A&M Forest Service...

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New, Refurbished Gear & Equipment Available To Volunteer Fire Departments
Sep12

New, Refurbished Gear & Equipment Available To Volunteer Fire Departments

Hopkins County reimburses the volunteer fire departments for their vehicle insurance and fuel costs, provides workers comp if a member is injured on a call and provides them with monthly stipends. The VFDs are dependent on community donations to pay for upkeep, maintenance, protective gear and equipment, and operations. Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley pointed out that the county’s 11 volunteer fire departments haven’t had the...

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Scrap Metal Collected At 3 Precinct Barns Will Benefit Volunteer Fire Departments
Jan25

Scrap Metal Collected At 3 Precinct Barns Will Benefit Volunteer Fire Departments

Local residents who want to help raise funds for the county’s volunteer fire departments can do so while tidying up a bit at home, according to Hopkins County commissioners. Hopkins County seal Precinct 2, 3 and 4 Commissioners accept at their respective precinct barns scrap metal; all funds raised from cashing in the scrap metal will be divided evenly among the volunteer fire departments in the county, the commissioners...

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Merger of Two Volunteer Fire Departments, Fundraising for New NH-SS Substation
Dec12

Merger of Two Volunteer Fire Departments, Fundraising for New NH-SS Substation

NH-SS VFD Chief Bobby Harris Earlier in 2019, the North Hopkins Volunteer Fire Department led by Chief Bobby Harris and the South Sulphur Volunteer Fire Department led by Chief Jim Rich merged into one department. It is now called the North Hopkins-South Sulphur Volunteer Fire Department. NH-SS VFD serves the fire region stretching from Hwy 11 West northward and northeasterly all the way to Hatchetville Road, east of Hwy. 19 North. A...

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Volunteer Fire Departments Receive Funding For Truck Tires
Nov10

Volunteer Fire Departments Receive Funding For Truck Tires

Funds From Scrap Metal Deposited At Precinct Barns Benefits County’s 11 VFDs The 11 county volunteer fire departments received funding for tires for their apparatus this week from Hopkins County Commissioners. Each department received $2,000 to apply toward tire purchases at the county rate from an area vendor, thanks to scrap metal turned in by each commissioners. The county commissioners previously agreed to further help the...

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Grant Program Offers Boost As Rural Fire Departments Battle Recruitment Challenges
Jul20

Grant Program Offers Boost As Rural Fire Departments Battle Recruitment Challenges

Grant program offers boost as rural fire departments battle recruitment challenges The US Forest Service is providing grants to help rural volunteer fire departments across the country. The Texas A&M Forest Service is helping to get information out to those departments to help the small departments use the funds to provide services to the small communities. The Plantersville-Stoneham Volunteer Fire Department sits across from the...

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Hopkins County Commissioners Court, Fire Department Observe Fire Prevention Week
Oct10

Hopkins County Commissioners Court, Fire Department Observe Fire Prevention Week

Residents Reminded To Change Batteries In Smoke Detectors, Have A Fire Escape Plan Hopkins County Commissioners Court and Hopkins County Fire Department are joining agencies across the country in observing Oct. 9-15, 2022, as Fire Prevention Week, and encourage others to do the same. Hopkins County firefighters and commissioners standby as Judge Robert Newsom reads a proclamation officially recognizing the observance of Fire...

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PACE Program, Acceptance Of Assistance To Firefighters Grant Tabled
Sep26

PACE Program, Acceptance Of Assistance To Firefighters Grant Tabled

Hopkins County Commissioners Court on Monday tabled two items related to a proposed loan program and determined to wait until a future meeting to officially consider accepting a grant to benefit local fire departments. PACE Program The first person to complete the new public forum form to speak during the commissioners court meeting was Doug Taylor, regarding a request made to the court to allow for a PACE program in Hopkins County....

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Special Court, Plat, Fire Department Donations, Easement, Bridge Improvements Discussed
Jul12

Special Court, Plat, Fire Department Donations, Easement, Bridge Improvements Discussed

A special court, final plat, fire department donations, road easement and bridge improvements were discussed and approved by Hopkins County Commissioners Court Monday morning. Easement Jason Lacomfora asked the county to grant an easement for property located on Airline Drive, located just west of Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport. He noted that he’d first contacted city staff about obtaining the easement. He said he was advised...

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New Local Health Authority Takes Office, Reorganization Of Fire Department Announced
Apr11

New Local Health Authority Takes Office, Reorganization Of Fire Department Announced

A new Local Health Authority took office, reorganization of the county fire department and a shared grant with the city for equipment were announced, consolidated voting for May 24 election and an asset disposal was approved by Hopkins County Commissioners Court Monday morning. Local Health Authority The Commissioners Court at their last meeting recognized Dr. IL Balkcom IV for his 25 years of service to Hopkins County as the Local...

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