Powell Town VFD Launches Its Annual Fundraising Drive

Powell Town VFD has started its 2026 annual fundraising drive.  Letters will be arriving in mailboxes this week.  Powell Town volunteers are asking everyone receiving a letter to please take a moment to read the letter, and if they can, please donate.  Every donation no matter how large or how small is greatly appreciated.  

Powell Town VFD is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit charity, so donations are generally tax deductible.  Also starting in 2026, the tax laws changed so that even individuals and couples who do not itemize their deductions can still claim up to an additional $1,000 ($2,000 for married couples) for qualifying charitable cash contributions on top of the standard exemptions/deductions amount.  

Powell Town volunteers respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to (1) grass/woods fires, structure fires, and vehicle/equipment fires, (2) major and minor motor vehicle accidents; (3) medical emergencies for help with basic life support and lift assist with patients, and (4) managing landing zones for PHI life flight helicopters.  

Volunteers receive no pay for their service, but there are other routine operating costs that the department must raise funds to cover.  Chief Ken Lee said that with inflation and high fuel costs at the pumps, Powell Town needs the community’s support more than ever to help cover these costs.

The other major use of funds raised through donations is to purchase new and replacement equipment.  Chief Lee noted that significant progress has been made in up-dating equipment over the past two years.  Powell Town received multiple grant awards from the Texas A&M Forest Service including:  (1) $15,000 emergency repair grant to address an equipment failure on Powell Town’s primary brush truck; (2) $300,000 grant to replace the department water tender; (3) $25,000 grant to acquire new battery powered extrication tools; (4) a Stewart-Stevenson military truck and $25,000 for a skid for the military truck; and (5) a $45,000 grant to replace the skid on the department’s secondary brush truck.  As a result of these efforts, all Powell Town trucks now have new, more reliable and more powerful Honda-powered pumps with improved capabilities in volume and distance that water and foam can be sprayed on fires.  Standardization in design across the new equipment makes it easier for volunteers to learn to use and operate the equipment, and for Powell Town apparatuses to connect with other county fire department trucks as well.  

However, grants only cover 90-95% of the acquisition costs and not all equipment needed to outfit a truck can be included in the grant.  It has only been through the generosity of the community that all the improvements to date could be accomplished.

Chief Lee pointed out that Powell Town’s work is not done.  Looking ahead over the coming year, Chief Lee stated Powell Town’s oldest brush truck chassis has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced as soon as possible.  It is one of only 3 brush trucks staged and available for quick attack firefighting in South County.  It has nearly 300,000 miles, is requiring a lot of maintenance and repairs, and its reliability and safety have become significant issues.  Donations are desperately needed to replace this key piece of equipment.

Anyone wishing to become a volunteer with Powell Town or to donate can find more information at www.Powelltownvfd.org.