San Angelo Business Owner Donates $350K for New Fire Truck

SAN ANGELO, TX – Lone Star Beef Owner John Cross donated $350,000 to the San Angelo Fire Department (SAFD) to help pay for a new fire engine. The City Council passed a resolution to accept the donation at its meeting on June 2.

Cross heard about the department’s request for a new fire engine at a recent City Council meeting.

“Lone Star Beef and its 760 employees, managers, and cleanup crew, are pleased to be able to assist in the purchase of the new ladder firetruck for the San Angelo Fire Department,” the company stated in a release.

The total cost to replace the 25-year-old ladder truck, which recently failed the non-destructive testing, is estimated to be just over $697,000. The National Fire Protection Agency recommends Aerial Apparatus 25 years and older to be retired and replaced. The new fire engine will be purchased from Siddons Martin Emergency Group, LLC.

Fire Chief Brian Dunn expressed his gratitude to Lone Star Beef during today’s meeting. “On behalf of the San Angelo Fire Department and the City of San Angelo, I’d certainly like to thank Lone Star Beef and their employees for their substantial donation," Dunn said.

The majority of the funds for this purchase were already available in the department's capital improvement budget. That account balance is $552,904.13. The remaining $197,095.87 was requested from reserve funds as an advance on the FY 2021 capital improvement budget. This amount was to be reimbursed to the reserve fund in 2021.  However, with the generous donation from Lone Star Beef, SAFD’s 2021 budget will remain intact, allowing them the opportunity to purchase future engines in accordance with their replacement schedule.

“The City of San Angelo is incredibly grateful for the generous donation from Lone Star Beef,” Mayor Brenda Gunter said. “It’s companies like these that make our community unique. The support we receive from our local businesses sets us apart. We are so lucky and thankful for that support.”