LCRA, Bluebonnet Electric Co-op award $50,000 grant for emergency medical helipad in Austin County

Industry VFD will build a helipad to provide safe, dedicated landing zone for emergency transports

June 1, 2026

Key Takeaways

  • LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Co-op award a $50,000 grant to the Industry Volunteer Fire Department to construct a 60-by-60-foot concrete emergency helipad with LED lighting.
  • The dedicated helipad will provide a safe, standardized landing zone for air medical transport, reducing delays and risks associated with improvised landing sites.
  • The grant is one of 41 being awarded through LCRA’s Community Grants program through June. LCRA will accept applications in July for the next round of grants.
LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative representatives present a $50,000 grant to the Industry Volunteer Fire Department for a new helipad. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Grants program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Kyle Merten, Bluebonnet community representative, Brenham area; Mable Meyers, City of Industry mayor; Chasidy Nowicki, Bluebonnet intern; Caroline and Abigail Blanding and their mother, Melissa K. Blanding, LCRA Board member; Kevin Gross, VFD vice president; Byron Balke, Bluebonnet board assistant secretary/treasurer and director, District 6; Mary Rinn, VFD grant coordinator; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Stephen F. Cooper, LCRA Board chair; Ronnie Geistmann, VFD fire chief; Gregg Schubert, VFD president; Walter Morrow, Austin County EMS director; Sheila Raeke, VFD treasurer; Joan Buenger, City of Industry council member; Robert “Bobby” Rinn, Austin County commissioner, Precinct 2; and Kate Ramzinski, LCRA Regional Affairs representative.
INDUSTRY, Texas – The Industry Volunteer Fire Department soon will construct a lighted 60-by-60-foot concrete helipad for use in medical emergencies, thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative.

The LCRA Community Grant, along with $36,951 in matching funds from the VFD, will enable the fire department to build a dedicated landing zone for air medical helicopters, improving safety and reducing response times for critically ill and injured patients in northwest Austin County.

“This helipad will give us a safe, reliable landing zone for air medical transport right next to our fire and EMS station,” VFD President Gregg Schubert said. “Right now, we have to improvise landing areas in grassy or uneven terrain, which increases risk for patients and crews. Moving stretchers on uneven soil and rough terrain can be difficult, and soft or muddy ground can even cause equipment or the helicopter to become stuck. This project eliminates those hazards and improves safety for all.”

Schubert said the ability to quickly launch an air medical transport can significantly improve patient outcomes, particularly in rural areas.

“The Industry area is about an hour from a Level 2 trauma center in Katy and roughly 90 minutes from a Level 1 trauma center in Houston,” he said. “In emergencies like major trauma, heart attacks or strokes, those minutes matter. Air medical transport can cut those travel times nearly in half, which can reduce complications, improve survival rates and decrease the need for more invasive long-term care. This helipad helps ensure we can get patients to the right level of care as quickly and safely as possible.”

The department serves the city of Industry as well as communities in northwest Austin County including Star Hill, Nelsonville, New Bremen, Blue Hole, Welcome, Schoenau, Post Oak, Point and Rockhouse.

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.

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

Contact Info

Clara Tuma
512-578-3292
[email protected]
After hours: 512-944-6719

About LCRA

The Lower Colorado River Authority serves communities across Texas by managing the lower Colorado River, generating and transmitting wholesale electric power, providing clean water supplies, operating telecommunications infrastructure, and owning parks for outdoor recreation. LCRA delivers power, water and infrastructure that support the region’s growth and quality of life. 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. Created by the Texas Legislature in 1934, LCRA receives no state appropriations.