Left to right: Henry Barber, Calhoun County Director of EMS; Assistant Chief of Seadrift VFD, Frank Gerking; Fire Chief Peter DeForest; Eric Skach, General Manager, Seadrift Coke; Seadrift Mayor Elmer DeForest; Calhoun County Judge Mike Pfeifer. Kneeling: Jay Cuellar, Safety Superindent, Seadrift Coke and County Commissioner Kenneth Finster

The Seadrift Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) recently completed work on a new rescue truck with the help of several local entities. The truck chassis is a 2004 Chevrolet that was previously used by Calhoun County EMS. The rescue box was given to the City of Seadrift by the City of Port Lavaca in 1994. The frame of the chassis was shortened and the rescue box mounted by Seadrift Assistant Fire Chief Frank Gerking Jr with the assistance of Calhoun County Precinct 4 employees and Precinct 4 Commissioner Kenny Finster. The completed truck was painted by Port Lavaca Collision Center in Port Lavaca and the striping was done by Eclipse Tinting & Auto Glass in Port Lavaca.

Money for the project came from Calhoun County: $7,000 and a donation from Seadrift Coke: $2,500. The $7,000 from Calhoun County was previously earmarked for a 2011 Grant match for a new rescue truck that Seadrift VFD applied for but was turned down. Among the equipment to be carried on the truck is a new jaws-of-life rescue cutter funded by a 2012 Dow Seadrift Operations Community Grant.

Fire Chief Peter DeForest, December 4, 2012