Volunteers train - often at their own expense - at schools and seminars conducted by Texas A&M University. At some of these schools, AVFD personnel are the instructors. Skills are maintained by continuing education classes and competitions against other departments.

The Fire Department is funded by donations, fund-raisers, and contract operations with municipalities and neighboring counties. The fish-fry, pancake supper and steak dinner are mainstays on the community calendar.

The Fire Department is housed in a 6-bay facility on Mesquite St. in the central business district. The latest equipment was rolled out as the center piece of a pancake breakfast in the fall of 1999. This new equipment is usually parked along side the Suburban that makes first-aid runs to vehicle accidents on the interstate highway. The other pumpers help to fill the hall with equipment that sees a lot of duty during range fire season.

Each volunteer is now fitted with a pager, so we don't hear the old siren as often as we used to. Dispatch is handled through the 9-1-1 operator in Weatherford. As the area grows in population and new neighborhoods are built, the volunteers update maps to ensure that they know where to go when a call comes in.

Persons interested in working with the Aledo Volunteer Fire Deparment should contact City Hall. The Fire Chief will be happy to talk with anyone who would like to participate.