Gilchrist Fire Department disbands, donates equipment to Hamshire Fire Department

Hurricane Ike left homes and businesses devastated on the Bolivar Peninsula more than 5 months ago.

Now a volunteer fire department that has hardly anyone left to serve, is shutting down and giving its equipment to others who need it.

Former members of the Gilchrist Volunteer Fire Department brought in a fire truck and an ambulance today. They're not just new to the volunteers in Hamshire, the ambulance has only 3,000 miles on it and the truck is only about 4 years old.

The reason the Gilchrist Department is donating this equipment is because they disbanded Saturday, after more than 30 years of service on the Bolivar Peninsula.

The chief of the Hamshire Volunteer Fire Department says this is a big step up for them.  Their old truck is from 1975 and is not reliable.  The department is one of six volunteer departments serving people in rural Jefferson County where the population is growing.

He says the equipment will help them better serve the community.

Slay says this was bittersweet for the members from the Gilchrist department.

They also had a brush truck, that was given to the Galveston County.

The truck is ready to use as of tonight, and the ambulance should be in service by next week.