The annual Redwater Volunteer Fire Department auction and dinner is Saturday, Oct. 22. The meals are available in small, medium and large plates. See a list of some of the auction items below and get to know your local VFD. They fight fires, save lives and just rescued a puppy from a deep hole but there is so much more to a volunteer fire department.

Dinner will begin at 4:30PM and includes brisket, chicken, sausage, potato salad, coleslaw, beans, corn, bread, drinks, and desserts followed by the live auction starting at 6PM. The silent auction will run throughout event.

“Our department goes out on calls for fires, wrecks and medical calls,” said Fire Chief Alton Wheat. “Any kind of emergency like a gas leak, lost child or any missing persons, literally a cat in a tree or anything anyone calls for we go and help. The department has 23 volunteers and we are always looking for more. We help with training. You can volunteer as young as 14 to be in the cadet program but to drive the fire trucks to calls you must be 21. The department responds to approximately 30 to 40 calls a month.”

Some of the members of the fire department are also EMTs. Volunteers use their own gas to report to the fire department to get ready to go out on a call. The RVFD has one fire engine, two brush trucks, one rescue truck, and one large water tender which transports water to fire locations.

Just before publishing this story, Wheat called to say, "My guys just went out on a call to rescue a puppy that had fallen into a hole that was around 20 feet deep and only two to three feet wide." He said the puppy was safe now.

The dinner is at at the Redwater Middle School Cafeteria in Maud, Texas. Each plate comes with two sides, bread, drink and a dessert.

  • Small Plate (One Meat) – $9
  • Medium Plate (Two Meats) – $11
  • Large Plate (Three Meats) $15

Auction items include a Yeti Hopper, custom fire pit, custom metal fire ring, bar top table and chairs, gift bags and gift cards from local merchants for: Oil changes, baked goods, gift baskets, gym membership, hair products, food certificates, jewelry, games, massages, car wash, photography packages, entertainment tickets, wines and many more items.

"All funds raised at this event go toward various pieces of equipment that we need and to maintain the equipment that we have now. It costs around $2,000 to outfit one fireman," said Wheat.

For more information about this event or to find out how to become a volunteer visit Redwater Volunteer Fire Department website or their Facebook page. The cadet program is for Redwater students ages 14 to 18 who must maintain good grades to qualify.

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