LCRA awards $4,730 grant to Berclair VFD for new protective equipment
New wildland gear will help first responders combat fires across Goliad County and beyond
APRIL 30, 2025
GOLIAD COUNTY, Texas – The Berclair Volunteer Fire Department soon will be able to purchase 13 new sets of personal protective equipment, thanks to a $4,730 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant will enable the department to replace its outdated wildland firefighting gear, significantly improving safety for its volunteer firefighters.
“As an entity that was formed about two years ago, much of our current equipment was handed down from other programs,” said Robert Zavesky, fire chief of Berclair Volunteer Fire Department. “While we’re extremely grateful for those donations, the gear is worn out and no longer up to code.”
He said the new safety gear is vital to protecting the community and firefighters.
“A couple of months ago, we were fighting a 200-acre grass fire but had to attack it from a distance because it wasn’t safe to approach the head of the fire in old, worn equipment,” he said. “With this new gear, our volunteer firefighters will be able to safely combat fires more effectively and efficiently.
Zavesky said without the grant, the department would have had to rely on local fundraising efforts that could have taken months or even years.
“This is only the second grant our department has ever received, and it’s a huge help,” Zavesky said. “As a small, rural volunteer fire department, we rely heavily on local fundraising efforts to keep things running. Receiving this support from LCRA means a lot – it helps us protect our firefighters immediately and, in turn, the communities we serve.”
In addition to serving Goliad County, the Berclair VFD responds to fires in neighboring communities including Beeville, Goliad, Schroeder, Ander, Weesatche, Fannin and Refugio.
The community grant is one of 45 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. 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.
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