LCRA, Bluebonnet Electric Co-op award $27,690 grant for helicopter landing pad

Delhi VFD to add much-needed permanent helipad for medical transports

Nov. 6, 2025

CALDWELL COUNTY, Texas – The Delhi Volunteer Fire Department soon will construct a concrete helicopter landing pad adjacent to the fire station near Rosanky, thanks to a $27,690 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative.

The community grant, along with $7,386 in matching funds from the VFD, will pay for a 40’x40’ helipad to provide transport helicopters with a safe, permanent landing location with aviation lighting.

“We average about one air transport every eight weeks, and a lot of those transports are happening at night,” said Danney Rodgers, fire chief. “Our department services a pretty remote and rural side of Caldwell County, and we’re often responding to situations that require emergency transport via helicopter. With a growing population in the Delhi VFD service area and no additional trauma centers being constructed in proximity, the landing pad is a needed addition to enhance the safety of our community.”

The new landing pad will enable the department to make arrangements for air transport providers in advance, and emergency responders will have a flat, level walkway from the parking area to the landing pad, providing a safer transfer to the helicopter.

Rodgers said current conditions are less than ideal for emergency evacuations.

“Recently we had a landing that ended up being aborted due to poor ground conditions and another that was severely delayed due to lack of suitable clearance,” he said. “The permanent concrete landing will greatly improve response times for patients, regardless of weather or time of day.”

The Delhi VFD serves eastern Caldwell County.

This is one of 41 grants awarded recently through LCRA Community Grants. These grants are awarded twice a year as part of LCRA’s effort to give back to communities in its wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the Community Grants program.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA

The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.

About Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is one of the largest electric cooperatives in Texas and has been serving its members since 1939. Bluebonnet serves more than 143,000 meters and owns and maintains 12,700 miles of power lines, located across more than 3,800 square miles within 14 Central Texas counties. Bluebonnet’s service area stretches from Travis County to Washington County, and from Milam County to Gonzales County. For more information about Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, go to bluebonnet.coop and follow the co-op on Facebook and X/Twitter.

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