Ben Wheeler Fire & Rescue

10/08/2026

Notice: Yes the burn ban was lifted and we know folks are eager to burn but the conditions are still not great. As of this post at 3 PM, there are three active grass fires in our county with units on scene. Please use caution and due care! Always have water nearby and ready to extinguish.

10/07/2026

Excellent opportunity!

Investing in Those Who Answer the Call

The people who protect our communities deserve opportunities to keep learning, growing, and leading. 🚒📚

The Arthur J. Glatfelter Fire & Emergency Services Scholarship Foundation is helping make those opportunities possible by providing scholarships to fire and emergency services professionals pursuing education, certifications, and professional development.

Scholarships are available for:

🔥 Fire Officer Levels I–IV — up to $500 per level
📜 NFPA Certifications — up to $500
🏅 CPSE Credentials — up to $500
🎓 Associate Degree — $500 per class
🎓 Bachelor’s Degree — $1,000 per class
🎓 Master’s Degree — $1,200 per class
🎓 PhD in Emergency Management or Fire Science — $1,500 per class

Whether you’re looking to advance your own career or know someone who deserves the opportunity, help spread the word!

📅 Applications are due December 12, 2026.

👉 Learn more, review eligibility requirements and apply online:
glatfelterscholarshipfoundation.org

Invest in your future. Strengthen your service. Keep answering the call. 🚒

10/05/2026

Burn Ban has been lifted. In Texas, all outdoor burning in unincorporated areas is regulated by
State Law. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
publishes these regulations in their “Outdoor Burning in Texas” guideline.
Outdoor Burning in Texas - rg-49.pdf

10/02/2026

UPDATE: Burn Ban Rescinded

🚨 RAIN OR SHINE… THE BURN BAN IS STILL IN EFFECT! 🚨

Yes, we got some much needed rain, but Van Zandt County is STILL under a burn ban! Please refrain from outdoor burning until the ban has officially been lifted.

🚩 Not sure if the burn ban is still active? Check our flagpole at the fire department! We fly a burn ban flag while the ban is in effect and will remove it once the ban has officially been lifted.

Until then, keep the matches put away! 🔥🚫

Thank you for helping us keep our community safe!

Ben Wheeler Fire Department 🚒

09/25/2026

Serving our community is just what we love to do!

The fire truck that comes when you call in most of Texas is driven by somebody who was asleep in their own bed four minutes ago. 🚒

The large majority of fire departments in this state are volunteer. Not paid, not on shift, not sitting at the station waiting. They are welders and teachers and nurses and guys who run a feed store, and they carry a pager or a phone that can go off in the middle of a shower, a birthday dinner, or a Tuesday at two in the morning. Then they drive to the station, pull gear that is still damp from the last call, and go.

They pay for a lot of it themselves, or the county pays what it can, or the community does it with a barbecue plate sale and a raffle. The trucks are often older than the people driving them. And the calls are not only fires. They are wrecks out on the highway at night, grass fires running with the wind, water rescues, and cardiac calls where the closest hospital is fifty minutes away and the volunteer EMT kneeling on the floor is the only medicine in the room.

The hard part nobody outside it talks about is that in a small town you know the address before you get there. 🙏 You know whose kitchen it is. You go anyway, and then you go back to work in the morning like it was nothing.

09/24/2026

Firefighting is a calling, but the things we see and carry can be hard to put down when the call is over.

On National Firefighter Su***de Awareness Day, I want every firefighter to hear this: you do not have to carry it alone. Reach out to someone you trust. Talk about the calls that stay with you, the stress, or the pain you’ve been holding in.

Speaking up does not make you weak. It gives someone the chance to stand beside you, just as you would stand beside them.

If you’re struggling, please reach out. If you’re worried about someone, check on them and keep checking. We need each other beyond the fireground. ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19USEw2SxR/

Today, we recognize National Firefighter Su***de Awareness Day.

Firefighters are trained to run toward what others run from. But the weight of the job doesn’t always stay at the station.

Today, we remember the firefighters we have lost to su***de, stand beside those who are struggling, and remind every firefighter that asking for help is a sign of strength.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out:

📞 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for free, confidential support available 24/7.

📱 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential, 24/7 support.

🧡 Warriors Heart: Private treatment built exclusively for the Warrior Class, including firefighters and other first responders struggling with addiction and co-occurring conditions such as PTSD. Call 855-610-1003 or visit warriorsheart.com.

To our firefighters: You spend your career showing up for others. You deserve people who will show up for you, too.

Your life matters.

***deAwarenessDay ***deAwareness

09/20/2026

The Ben Wheeler Fire Department would like to extend a huge thank you to Wesley Pruitt Wesley Pruitt Jr., Linden Steel and Andy Anderson for donating 10 cases of bottled water to our department and everyone who helped organize and deliver these donations to fire departments throughout Van Zandt County. Having plenty of water available is incredibly important for keeping our firefighters hydrated and safe, especially during long calls and hot Texas days.

Thank you for supporting our first responders and investing in the safety of our community. Your generosity is truly appreciated! 🚒💧❤️

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1dcLKMywWQ/

09/16/2026