Sisterdale Volunteer Fire Department

09/03/2026

Five calls. One day.

Yesterday started at 12:10 PM with a request for mutual aid on a brush fire near RR 1376 and RR 1888.

Before the day was over, Sisterdale VFD would be dispatched to five incidents — three mutual-aid calls, a medical call and an unattended campfire in our district.

Six Sisterdale volunteers worked the mutual-aid response, with additional personnel back at the station ready to cover calls as they came in. Throughout the day, our crews assisted with fire attack, water supply, mop-up and aerial support with the drone.

And we were far from alone.

Yesterday’s fires brought firefighters, dispatchers, emergency-management personnel and support crews from across the area together for hours of work in the heat.

There were too many crews involved to attempt a list without risking leaving someone out — but every one of them mattered.

So to every crew and every person who spent part of yesterday answering those calls: we saw you, we appreciate you, and we were glad to work alongside you.

By the end of the day, everyone was hot, tired and ready to call it a day.

We have a community that trusts us to answer when they need us, and mutual-aid partners who trust us to answer when they need us, too.

We’re proud to be your fire department. And we’re grateful for the trust you place in us. 🤍

Sisterdale Fire•Rescue

09/02/2026

Some days, taking care of the crew looks like this. 🥪🍪❤️

Sisterdale VFD has been out on multiple incidents today, and by this evening, we had some hungry volunteers who needed to eat.

So we called Jersey Mike's Subs in Boerne.

Jason, the manager, told us he was glad we called. He and his crew jumped in, helped us put together 24 mini subs and cookies at a generous discount, and made sure to thank our crew for their service before we left.

That interaction stuck with us.

Because this wasn’t a planned sponsorship or a formal donation. It was simply a local business being given an opportunity to help — and genuinely being happy to do it.

Jason, thank you for taking care of us today. And to the Jersey Mike’s crew who helped get everything together, thank you, too.

Twenty-four subs, a whole bunch of cookies, and dinner is headed to the crew.

Exactly where it needs to be. ❤️

08/31/2026

There are weeks when you look at the map a little differently.

You see the little fire icons scattered across Texas. You read names of towns you’ve driven through. You see acres and containment numbers and wind forecasts.

But after a while, you stop seeing numbers.

Because every one of those fires is burning somewhere somebody calls home.

There are fence lines in those acres. Cattle. Barns. Back roads. Houses. Families watching the horizon.

And somewhere nearby, there’s probably a little fire station a whole lot like ours.

Trucks in the bay. Gear where it belongs. Volunteers going about their regular lives until a pager changes the plans.

That’s the part of the map we think about.

So this Sunday, our thoughts are with the communities across Texas watching smoke on their horizon — and with the firefighters working to keep those little shapes on a map from becoming something much bigger.

08/29/2026

The fire service lost one of its own yesterday.

Our thoughts are with the family, friends and fellow firefighters of Chief Edgar James Sample, and with all those who had the privilege of serving alongside him.

Rest easy, Chief. We’ll take it from here. 🤍

Sending prayers to the family and friends of a long time friend to many of us here at Shavano Park Fire Department. Retired Battalion Chief James Sample passed away the other day. He was a true firefighter who was always there to help out on the job or off. You will be missed friend.

08/28/2026

Putting the drone in the air takes a little more than pushing the “up” button. 😏

Last night’s training was all about what happens before it ever leaves the ground.

We pulled out everything that goes with us on a deployment, walked through how it gets loaded and set up, and learned how the rest of us can help our pilot on scene — including working as a spotter while the drone is in the air.

And because there’s only so much you can learn by watching, a few of us got a little hands-on time with the controls too.

Just another Wednesday night at the station, learning how all the pieces come together.

08/27/2026

Well… this wasn’t exactly what we bought the drone for. 🐄

But when a local rancher asked for help locating 21 missing cattle along a heavily wooded stretch of river yesterday, up it went.

Using both thermal and standard cameras, our drone team searched roughly 1.35 miles of river and 0.2 square miles of surrounding terrain — including areas that would have taken considerably longer to cover from the ground.

By the time we landed, 18 of the 21 cattle had been located, and the remaining search area had been narrowed to roughly 0.05 square miles for the property owner.

No fire. No flashing lights.

Just a neighbor who needed a hand — and another reminder that sometimes serving this community looks a little different than people might expect.

08/26/2026

UPDATE: THEY DID IT! ❤️🧊

Bergheim VFD officially reached their goal for a new ice machine — and y’all helped.

We saw their fundraiser, gave it a little push, and somehow watched that push make it all the way to Tennessee. ❤️

To everyone who donated, shared, or helped spread the word: thank you.

Congrats, Bergheim VFD — we’re glad we could help. 🚒🧊

We need 100 of our people to give $25 today. That’s it.

Our neighbors at Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department need $5,000 to replace their ice machine, and we’d love to help get them halfway there.

100 people × $25 = $2,500.

For responding crews, ice is more than cold drinks. In the Texas heat, it helps keep water cold, stock coolers and support crews working fires, medical calls and extended incidents.

Bergheim has kept their machine going for years, but it’s finally reached the point where repairing it no longer makes financial sense.

Bergheim VFD is one of our neighboring departments. They answer calls alongside us, support our department, and have been awfully good to Sisterdale over the years. So when they need a hand, we want to help.

If 100 of our people can spare $25 today, together we’ll put $2,500 toward their new ice machine. Halfway there. Just like that.

If you’ve got $25, you can help right now. 👇

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LMSGR7P3RTEFU

We’ll drop Bergheim VFD’s original post in the comments for anyone who wants to read more.

08/26/2026

You see our faces. You see the trucks, the training, the calls, the fundraisers.

What you don’t always get to see are the people and businesses helping make it all possible.

Some sponsor our events. Some donate to our raffles. Some support us throughout the year. And some simply step in when there’s a need and ask how they can help.

All of it matters.

Their support helps keep our volunteers trained, equipped, and ready to serve — and gives this department the ability to keep showing up for the community that depends on us.

There are far too many people behind Sisterdale VFD to fit into one thank-you post.

So, we’re gonna take our time, starting with these four.

Thank you for believing in this department, for supporting our volunteers, and for continuing to stand behind us.

This department is stronger because people like you choose to stand behind it ❤️



Nature's Presence
Alamo Area Fire Photography, LLC
Lipstick & Locks
Laura Avery, Pampered Chef

08/25/2026