LCRA awards $14,847 grant to Ingram VFD to provide covered area for firetrucks, equipment

New shelter will help protect firefighting apparatus from the elements, capture rainwater for use in fighting fires

May 8, 2026

Key Takeaways

  • LCRA awards a $14,847 grant to the Ingram Volunteer Fire Department for a covered area behind the fire station to protect firetrucks and gear.
  • The new structure will protect firefighting apparatus and be outfitted with gutters to direct rainwater to the department’s retention tank.
  • 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 representatives present a $14,847 grant to the Ingram Volunteer Fire Department for a new metal building to house firefighting apparatus and equipment. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Grants program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Scrabble, VFD HRDD (human remains detection dog); Lauren Soules, VFD firefighter and canine handler; Guy “Bubba” Walters, Kerr County commissioner-elect, Precinct 4; Bryar Detimore, VFD firefighter; Kathy Simmons, Kerr County Emergency Services District #1 secretary; Tammy Landin, VFD lieutenant; Diana Baccus, VFD fire chief; Ray Lynch, VFD deputy fire chief; Jason Lynch, VFD assistant fire chief; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Jarrid Simpson, VFD firefighter; Karen Taylor, West Kerr Chamber of Commerce executive director; Melissa K. Blanding, LCRA Board member; and John Palacio, LCRA Regional Affairs representative.
INGRAM, Texas – The Ingram Volunteer Fire Department soon will install a metal building behind its fire station to safely store firetrucks and other equipment out of the weather, thanks to a $14,847 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The LCRA Community Grant, along with $6,363 in matching funds from the VFD, will provide a covered space for fire apparatus, equipment and supplies to prevent weather-related damage and deterioration and keep the equipment ready for action when needed.

“This grant from LCRA is a godsend,” said Diana Baccus, Ingram VFD fire chief. “This new structure will also be fitted with a gutter system to collect rain and feed water into our retention tank. We’ll be able to better protect our equipment and increase our water capacity to serve our community, and I see that as a wonderful thing.”

Baccus said the project will increase the quality and quantity of services the department is able to provide.

“Our vehicles and equipment will remain in better working condition if they’re properly sheltered,” Baccus said. “If our equipment is in better condition, we will be able to respond to emergencies more efficiently, and the extra storage area will also allow us to retain additional equipment and resources, which then expands our capacity to help our community.”

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 lcra.org/cdpp.

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.

Contact Info

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