MIDLAND, Texas — The Midland County Northeast Volunteer Fire Department have started a capital campaign to get themselves a new fire station.
Volunteer firefighters call this station home when it's time for them to do their job.
"We have about 28 firefighters, we all volunteer, everyone has a full time job," says Fire Chief, Jimmy Evans.
Whether they're here for station meetings or about to head out to a fire when duty calls.
"This building's been here since 1982, it was established in 1983," says Evans.
"We're starting a capital campaign now to raise money for a new fire station we outgrew this station many years ago. We have trucks that sit outside. We've got four of them that don't have a shelter from freezing temperatures," says Evans.
A new station means easier accessibility to more things.
"Chief Evans says," another reason for us getting a new station is for storage space, as you can see if this truck is trying to pull out and you're trying to put your gear on, it's not very safe."
They hope to raise 1.2 to 1.4 million for the station.
With the department being completely volunteer-based, help comes from those in the community.
"We are 100% non profit, nobody's paid here so we are depended on donations from the community," says Evans.
As for plans for their current station, the Fire Chief says, "this station will be used to work on trucks, storage and a supply station."
With a new station that'll eventually house all of their departmental needs and equipment better, firefighters can focus on the important tasks at hand...continuing to do their job.
"It's providing a service for a community, if we all do something for the community in some shape or form or fashion, then the community will succeed as a whole," says Evans.
The Midland County Volunteer Fire Department plans on having a cook-off on June 5th at the American Legion. For more information on the cook-off and how you can enter to compete, contact the department on their website.