LCRA, City of Brady award $24,159 grant to Brady Volunteer Fire Department
New enclosed trailer will improve response time, provide new mobile command post
May 29, 2025
LCRA and City of Brady representatives present a $24,159 grant to the Brady Volunteer Fire Department for a command center trailer. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Chris Stidham, VFD president and Brady Fire/EMS lieutenant; JT Owens, VFD fire chief and Brady municipal court judge; Craig Isbell, VFD firefighter/EMT; Laramie Moore, VFD firefighter; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; James Stewart, Brady city manager and VFD member; and John Palacio, LCRA Regional Affairs representative.
BRADY, Texas – The Brady Volunteer Fire Department soon will purchase an enclosed trailer to safely store and transport its utility task vehicle and support large-scale incident responses, thanks to a $24,159 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Brady.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $6,040 in matching funds from the VFD, will help the department acquire a fully outfitted trailer that will serve both as a mobile command post and secure UTV transport unit. The UTV is used for off-road firefighting and rescue operations throughout McCulloch County.
The department currently stores the UTV in an older city-owned vehicle bay and relies on a flatbed trailer to transport it during emergencies, requiring time-consuming loading and strapping before deployment. The new enclosed trailer will allow the vehicle to remain secured and ready to roll, reducing delays during critical responses.
Equipped with insulation, air conditioning and a dual-fuel generator, the trailer also will serve as a base of operations during large grass fires and long-duration events, giving responders a safer and more efficient working environment in remote areas.
“The new enclosed trailer will significantly improve how the fire department deploys its UTV and operates on scene during extended emergencies,” said Chris Stidham, president of the Brady Volunteer Fire Department. “It will allow our first responders to get their equipment to the scene more quickly and stay on-site longer, when needed, thanks to its ability to carry supplies and act as a command center.”
The Brady Volunteer Fire Department supports the full-time City of Brady Fire Department and plays a key role in rural fire protection and mutual aid across the region.
“We want to express our appreciation to LCRA and the City of Brady for their support of the Brady VFD,” Stidham said. “Their dedication to giving back to communities like Brady help departments like ours be better prepared to respond to emergencies in Central Texas.”
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. The City of Brady is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
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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