WACO, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Waco Volunteer Fire Department received a donation of more than 2,000 cans of drinking water on Monday.
The donation comes from Anheuser-Busch and the National Volunteer Fire Council and is meant to be used during long incidents or natural disasters like wildfires.
The department, which consists of about 25 volunteers, received 98 cases of canned water, totaling 2,352 cans.
"That’s super helpful to us. It keeps our trucks stocked with water so when we go out on calls, or we have hot days like today, we can stay hydrated," Waco firefighter Timothy Schlomann said.
Waco Fire also recently received new life-saving equipment through a grant from the Kentucky Fire Commission.
The department received a new battery-operated vehicle extraction tool, a new defibrillator and a gas monitor.
The donation and grant come as volunteer fire departments across the country struggle to retain volunteers and sustain themselves financially.
"Money from the community has been in fluctuation and so when we don’t get that money, it’s hard to even keep our doors open right now," Schlomann said.
To continue supporting the Waco Volunteer Fire Department, the department asks that you call or message them on Facebook to learn how you can help.
