Area VFD receive drinking water contribution

The first responders of Falls County received an outstanding donation from esteemed beer company Anheuser-Busch on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Representatives from volunteer fire departments around the county gathered to receive their share.

Rosebud Volunteer Fire Department member, Jay Shults, requested water through the company’s emergency drinking water program for the Rosebud Volunteer Fire Department and on behalf of the other entities in the county.

“I applied about two months ago,” he told reporters that morning.

Many confused looks were given by passersby, who seemed to question why there was a Bud Light truck outside of the Rosebud VFD.

It became clear that it looked like the department was receiving a large shipment of beer, the scenario becoming the running joke of the morning.

A whopping 10 and a half cases were granted, the most distribution driver, Doni Burton, had ever delivered. 

“I’ve never seen this many going to one place,” he explained. “At least in the area we cover here.”

He was astounded realizing that nearly 25,000 cans had been donated to the area.

Every year the company sets aside their beer-producing ideologies to can safe and drinkable water to distribute during times of disaster. 

In 2019, AB donated 1.6 million cans of water to nearly 300 volunteer fire departments across the country to support the efforts of first responders. 

Shults told The Rosebud News that he knew immediately that if the application was granted that he planned to donate to all of the surrounding communities’ VFDs on behalf of the Rosebud VFD. 

“I told them that I was going to give some to all of the departments around here,” he remarked.

Departments receiving one full pallet, a total of 2,352 cans each, were Golinda VFD, Lott VFD, Chilton VFD, City of Marlin FD, Marlin VFD, Westphalia VFD, Reagan VFD, and the Falls County Sheriff Department. Rosebud VFD will keep two pallets, but is donating the extra half of a pallet to AMR EMS Services.

“I know it will be needed,” Shults mentioned. “It’ll be used when we’re all out on fires; there’s never too much.”