Ponder Volunteer Fire Department

10/17/2026

**Leadership is not about reaching a point where you know everything. It is about recognizing that there is always more to learn, more room to grow, and more opportunities to better serve those who depend on us.**

I want to take a moment to recognize and congratulate Ponder Fire Department Assistant Chief John Hester on two significant professional accomplishments!

Chief Hester recently completed the **Texas Fire Chiefs Association's Chief Officer program**, earning the designation of **Certified Fire Executive (CFE)**. Just a few short weeks earlier, he also completed the **TEEX Fire Service Chief Executive Officer (FSCEO)** program.

These are tremendous accomplishments that reflect his dedication, commitment, and willingness to continually invest in himself as a leader.

As Fire Chief, I cannot express enough how proud I am of John and the work he has put into his professional development. I have always believed that when we invest in ourselves, we are ultimately investing in our people, our organization, and the communities we serve. I am excited to see how the knowledge, relationships, and experiences he has gained will continue to strengthen our department.

One of the greatest privileges of leadership is watching those around you grow and succeed. It is even more rewarding when that growth comes from someone who demonstrates a genuine commitment to making the fire service better, not just within our own department, but through collaboration with other agencies and fire service professionals.

I was certainly disappointed that I couldn't be in San Marcos to celebrate this latest graduation with you, John, but please know how incredibly proud I am of you and everything you have accomplished this year!

**No matter how much experience we gain or how far we advance in our careers, we should never stop learning, growing, or challenging ourselves to be better.**

Congratulations, Chief Hester! Thank you for your dedication to our department, your fellow firefighters, and the future of the fire service.

**Teamwork + Dedication = Results!**

10/10/2026

🌶️🔥 Please join us for the 1st Annual Ponder Volunteer Fire Department Chili Cook-Off! 🔥🌶️

Come out Tuesday, November 3rd, from 5:00–6:30 PM for a night of great food, friendly competition, and community support! Whether you’re bringing your best chili or coming to taste and judge, we’d love to see you there!

Contest Entry: $25
Eat & Judge: $5

Bring your appetite, invite your friends and family, and help us make our first chili cook-off a success!

Scan the QR code on the flyer to register. We can’t wait to see y’all there!

10/08/2026

On October 5th, we proudly recognized Coleton Spann for his almost 17 years of dedicated service to our organization and community.

Over the years, you’ve put countless hours, knowledge, skill, and energy into building our fleet, maintaining our apparatus, and keeping our trucks going. Your behind-the-scenes work has played a huge part in keeping our department ready to respond when our community needs us most.

We are honored to recognize your dedication by promoting you to Lifetime Member status. This is a well-deserved recognition of the time, effort, and heart you have invested in our organization.

Thank you, Coleton, for nearly 17 years of service and for everything you’ve done to keep our fleet rolling. Congratulations on becoming a Lifetime Member! 🚒👏

10/07/2026

One year ago, we took a major step forward by hiring our first full-time members. What started as a vision to strengthen our department and better serve our community has grown into something we’re incredibly proud of.

Over the past year, our members have worked hard, answered the call, and dedicated countless hours to protecting and serving the people who call this community home.
We’re proud of how far we’ve come, grateful for the support we’ve received, and excited for what the future holds.

One year down. Many more to go.
Thank you to our community for trusting us to serve. ❤️🚒

10/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out for our 2nd Annual National Night Out this evening!

The purpose of National Night Out is to strengthen relationships, build community, and bring neighbors and first responders together—and that’s exactly what Ponder is all about.

PVFD and PPD are proud to serve this community and grateful for everyone who helped make tonight a great event. Thank you for coming out, visiting with us and our brothers in blue, and continuing to make Ponder such a special place to call home! 🚒❤️

10/06/2026

We hope to see you soon!

🚒 Join us for National Night Out! Come hang out with your neighbors and your local firefighters on October 6th at 6:00 PM at the Ponder Volunteer Fire Department! We’ll have hot dogs, chips, and soda provided. Bring the family, come meet your local first responders, and enjoy a fun evening with the Ponder community! We can’t wait to see you! 🚒

09/30/2026

🚒 Join us for National Night Out! Come hang out with your neighbors and your local firefighters on October 6th at 6:00 PM at the Ponder Volunteer Fire Department! We’ll have hot dogs, chips, and soda provided. Bring the family, come meet your local first responders, and enjoy a fun evening with the Ponder community! We can’t wait to see you! 🚒

08/31/2026

🌟 Member of the Week 🌟

This week, we are proud to recognize Devyn Healy as our Member of the Week!
Devyn joined the Ponder Volunteer Fire Department in 2023 and has quickly become a dependable and hardworking member of our team. Since joining the department, he has consistently shown a strong commitment to learning, improving his skills, and serving the citizens of Ponder with professionalism and pride.

One of Devyn's biggest accomplishments has been the dedication he's shown toward advancing his fire service career. He has worked exceptionally hard to earn his SFFMA Firefighter I and Firefighter II certifications, taking an important step toward becoming a fully certified firefighter. His determination, willingness to learn, and commitment to his training reflect the type of firefighter he strives to be.

Whether responding to emergency calls, taking part in training, or assisting around the station, Devyn consistently steps up without hesitation and is always ready to help wherever he is needed. His upbeat attitude, strong work ethic, and commitment to the department have earned him the respect of his fellow members and made him a valued part of the PVFD family.

Devyn's commitment to continuing his education and developing his skills is an excellent example of the dedication required in the fire service. We are proud of everything he has accomplished so far and look forward to watching him continue to grow as a firefighter and leader within our department.

What motivated you to work toward earning your SFFMA Firefighter I & II certifications?
To be a part of something bigger than myself, and I love this job and the family I have come to know

What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Ponder Volunteer Fire Department?
I enjoy the camaraderie and the sense of family we have here

What are your future goals in the fire service now that you've earned your Firefighter I & II certifications?
I plan to get my EMT and to hopefully join the department in a full-time position, then to have a long and dedicated career in the fire service

Congratulations, Devyn, on being selected as this week's Member of the Week! Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and commitment to serving the Ponder Volunteer Fire Department and the community we are proud to protect. We can't wait to see what you accomplish next!

08/25/2026

We have cases of drinking water available at the Ponder Fire Station, and a drive-through water distribution site is also available at Ponder Junior High for anyone in our community who may need it.

The Town of Ponder Public Works team, along with their contractors, is working diligently to restore the water system to normal operations. Once the system is fully back online, additional testing and required procedures will be completed to ensure the water is safe for drinking.

These safeguards are in place for situations just like this, and our Town staff takes that responsibility seriously. Their focus is not only on restoring service, but doing so in a manner that protects the health and safety of our community.

Please keep our Public Works crews, contractors, Town staff, and community leadership in your thoughts as they work through this issue. We also ask everyone to extend them patience and grace as they continue working to get things back to normal.

Situations like this are certainly inconvenient, but we are fortunate to have dedicated people working hard behind the scenes for our community.

If you need drinking water, please stop by the fire station or use the drive-through distribution site at Ponder Junior High.

If you are in dire need of drinking water or are unable to come pick it up yourself, please reach out to the Ponder Fire Station or Ponder Police Department. We will work together to make sure water can get to those who truly need assistance.

Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and for continuing to look out for one another. This is what community is all about.

God bless our great little town!

08/25/2026

Denton County has issued a burn ban! Please be careful!