Hooks VFD christens new engine
By Kenny Mitchell
The citizens of Hooks can call themselves a little safer as the Hooks Volunteer Fire Department has recently put a brand new fire truck into service and it is already being used to serve the people in the community.
Before making its journey to its new forever home in Hooks, the new truck was displayed by the company who built it for thousands to see the innovative truck design.
Hooks VFD Engine 1 was officially put into service on the morning of July 23 and has already seen active duty on a structure fire within the city. This past weekend Engine 1 had its first official showing in the community as firefighters Michael Price and Melanie Tucker took it out to be a part of the Operation Christmas Car Show hosted by Myrtle Springs Baptist Church where it won Top 30 in the 1980 & Newer category.
The Hooks VFD and Fire Chief Brandon Whitehurst have noted that the new engine represents a major investment in the safety of Hooks citizens and its firefighters.
Engine 1 came to the city at a cost of $478,000 with approximately $400,000 of that total coming through grant funds, most notably from the Texas A&M Forest Service Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program. The department notes that it was this grant funding and the support of everyone who contributed to this project from planning to delivery that made it possible to put Engine 1 into service.
Engine 1 will enhance the department’s ability to protect lives and property for many years to come, providing improved reliability, capability, and safety for both the community and the firefighters who serve it.
The department calls Engine 1 a major step forward. It will help improve firefighter safety, strengthen their emergency response, and better prepare the department to serve Hooks and the surrounding area for years to come.
At the Monday, August 17 meeting of the Hooks City Council, city leaders lauded the efforts of Chief Whitehurst and his department and presented the Fire Chief with a plaque acknowledging not only the efforts he put into obtaining the new fire truck, but his strong leadership of the department since 2019. The city leaders noted that over the course of his tenure as Hooks Fire Chief Whitehurst has been instrumental in the city and department receiving close to $1 Million in grant funds.
Chief Whitehurst said of the accolades, “I could not have done this alone. It took the efforts and backing of both my family, the guys at the firehouse and the city to make all of this happen. It has definitely been a team effort.”
In other business at Monday’s council meeting, city leaders heard from four different individuals during the public forum with each person taking their time to talk about the dangers of bringing an AI data center into the city. The city leaders also took action in executive session to suspend current Police Chief Johnny Millwood.
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