Alvord Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary

08/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who has donated to our FD!! We are at capacity for food and water. But monetary donations always help! Donations allow us to keep our gear and trucks in tip top shape!

08/27/2026

More great information from Texas A&M on livestock evac.
This goes a little more in depth compared to my post. These are the experts!!!!!!

If its not safe for you to stay it’s not safe for them. Do not wait for an emergency to plan and prepare for livestock evacuation.

Prepare a LIVESTOCK EVACUATION KIT:
🚨Vaccination and health records
🚨Proof of ownership
🚨Current medications and dosages.
🚨Necessary tack - Avoid ropes and halters made of nylon material that could melt during a fire’s extreme temperatures.
🚨Miscellaneous: Shavings, Pitchfork, Leather gloves etc.
🚨Plan for hay, grain, and water for three to seven days

Prepare IN CASE YOU ARE NOT HOME during an emergency; keep a clipboard of all important numbers for emergency responders or neighbors to help including:
🤳Veterinarian
🤳Local animal control agency
🤳Animal shelter or boarding facility
🤳Friends or relatives who would be willing to temporarily take care of your livestock

EVACUATING livestock:
➡Plan several routes to leave your property.
➡Plan multiple destinations that can accept your livestock.
➡Make sure your vehicle is set up to tow your livestock trailer.
➡Make sure your trailer is in road-worthy condition.
➡Practice loading your livestock in the trailer prior to evacuation.

Consider the following as IDENTIFICATION OPTIONS:
✅Use spray paint or a livestock crayon to write your name and phone number on the side of the animal.
✅Use clippers to shave your phone number into the animal’s coat.
✅Braid a temporary ID tag with pre-written contact info into the horse’s mane.
✅Attach a neck band or ear tag with contact information.
✅Attach a neck band or ear tag with contact information.

AS LAST RESORT, If relocation of livestock is not possible:
🚨Open gates to allow livestock to escape.
🚨Turn livestock out to a pasture that is grazed down, disked, or field that is a high moisture crop (irrigated).
🚨Close all gates behind livestock to prevent them re-entering an unsafe area.

For more information about Livestock Evacuations visit: https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/evacuation/

For resources regarding preventing and preparing for wildfires on your ranch or farm visit: https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/farm-ranch-prevention-and-preparedness/

Stay up to date by following Incident Information - Texas A&M Forest Service

Stay Aware. Stay Prepared. Stay Informed.

08/26/2026

Continuing on our post from yesterday since it seemed to provide a lot of helpful information.

What do I do if I don’t have time to evacuate my horses…….

This item pictured here is called a livestock paint stick or livestock paint marker. Always in bright colors. Doesn’t run, doesn’t wipe off easily and is easy to see from a distance(we use these to determine animals that may have had medication, etc.)! Buy yourself 1 or 2 and keep on hand!

Write your phone number on the side of your horse/donkey/mule/cow in large numbers! Remove all halters, fly masks, sheets, leg wraps etc. Fly masks, halters, sheets…. This will all melt in fire. Take photos of markings and turn them loose either in the pastures. Or load and go! We all don’t want to imagine our horses loose on roads. It’s terrifying. But a last resort is to turn them loose to give them the chance to get away. (This also goes for floods, hurricanes, etc as this is a waterproof product!)

Cattle-have records of brands, ear tags, etc. photos help a lot. If you have only moments to leave, you can always cut fences as a last resort. Cattle will find the hole in the fence.
If you have the means to move them. Have them up and ready when your at the set level of evac. Do not wait for the go command. You may only have minutes. This is the same for all livestock. Do not wait until you have a wildfire knocking on your door to teach them to load.

This is where you prepacked go bag comes into play. Keep all these documents there. Or even better scanned copies, photos, spread sheets saved on a flash drive(more than 1 preferably bc we all know they can fail)

What not to do-
Fight with animals that do not want to load. Once again your life matters the most. If they don’t want to load, follow steps above.
Do not write your phone number on hooves. Horses are flight animals. If they had to stay they will be nervous and possibly hard to approach. Walking around in the black will cover their feet in soot. Ever seen a fire fighter come off a grass fire? They will be covered! So will your animals. FF’s may not be able to see their hooves to get your information or it may burn off. And they may not be able to get close at all, but they can see the paint marker from a distance.
Do not leave anything on your animals that can melt or cause them to get hung up. Do not be tempted to leave fly masks on to keep debris out of their eyes.

Know who you can call to help evac. Do not wait until you need help. Make connections before you ever need it. Reach out and meet your neighbors!! And check on your neighbors! If they are elderly help them prepare!

Remember people, pets, livestock….

Please feel free to ask any questions! If you need help! Call me! I will come or I will get you help!

-Amanda Frye

08/26/2026

08/25/2026

I know everyone is nervous about all the wild fires not only here in Texas but across the nation. As many of yall know coley and I have given seminars on how to be prepared for the possible call to evacuate. When you’re told to go, you go.
Please get you a “go bag”. In the bag you will include the following:
House papers/deeds/insurance/ etc
Birth certificates for all household members
Social security cards
Passports
Registration papers for animals
Photos of home/pets/livestock(even better is a flash drive with all that information)
Copies of prescriptions
Copies or originals of Any other important documents you don’t want to loose.
Keep this packed at all times. Know where it is.

Know your evac routes. Know your town and alternate ways to get out. So many people move in and never drive around. When you are told to leave and you main route is cut off by flame, this is not the time to try and learn other ways around! Learn before

Be prepared to turn livestock loose. Photos of animals and records in your go bag will help identify. If you can’t get them out cut fences. Teach animals to load in trailers BEFORE. Don’t wait until you’re scared and nervous to start trying to teach them to load. If you don’t have a trailer, make contact with those that do so you know who to call.

Don’t try to grab everything from your home. Grab the necessities. Possessions can be replaced, lives can not.

I have so much more I can post. But these steps will make it easier if you get the call to “go now”.

Remember, people, pets, livestock. Plan now. Not when the call comes.

Coley and I teach off of the Ready, Set, Go program. I have attached the link here.

https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/elibrary-item/ready-set-go-your-personal-wildfire-action-plan/

-Amanda Frye
AVFD auxiliary Vice President

08/25/2026

If you are trying to figure out how you can help out your local fire departments here are some ideas.

Water
Gatorade(any sport/hydration drinks)
Gatorade G2
Hydration packets(liquid IV or SKYmd)
Chap stick
Visine (eye drops)
Safety sun glasses
Small jerky sticks
Cheese/peanut butter crackers
Rice crispy treats (small)
Granola bars
Bandannas
Baby wipes
Glasses cleaners
Any smaller packaged snacks like peanuts, protein bars, etc.

07/08/2026

So exciting!!! We can’t wait!

SO EXCITING!!!

01/24/2026

Once again several of your AVFD members have stayed at the station throughout the day, and will be staying over night again tonight. Remember we are a volunteer department and all these guys and ladies have families of their own. With road conditions like they are, they have chose to stay in town to try and help response times. Everyone stay home, stay safe.

01/24/2026

Several of your AVFD fire fighters and your wise county EMS are staying the night at the Alvord Fire station. Staying at the station helps lower response times since your FF will not be having to travel to the station on icy roads before they can respond. If you see them around town, you might give them a thank you!

12/16/2025

Santa is going group 2 tonight!!!! Here he comes!