County asks Texas House for rural fire study

Young County Commissioners voted to ask the Texas House of Representatives to study rural firefighting and technical rescue capabilities in the upcoming legislative session.

“The ability of small communities to support our fire rescue services is getting harder,” Graham City Manager Eric Garretty told the Commissioners.

“Is the level of service in rural Texas less than in urbanized areas -- and is that what we want for the State of Texas?”

“We’ve all seen it ranchers and farmers standing outside a smoking slag of a house because we simply couldn’t get enough water and resources to it,” he said.

Judge Win Graham proposed sending a resolution asking for the study. “We are not asking for more money yet,” he said. “We want an examination of the current funding, equipment, training, etcetera.”

The Commissioners approved the resolution unanimously.

The County also voted to purchase a new fire engine that will be used countywide as part of an interlocal agreement with the City of Graham for fire suppression.

The City will own and maintain the new engine but the County would have control of it, Mr. Garretty said.