Wednesday, September 28th- TVFD members were stationed all-day and all-night at Cleveland EMS headquarters to lead in out-of-town EMS companies on calls on the Prairie.
At app. 18:30, Tarkington firefighters were dispatched to mutual aid the Liberty County Wildland Task Force on a forest fire on SH146 app. five miles north of SH105. TVFD responded with Booster 55 with two firefighters and Booster 53 with two firefighters.
At app. 20:30, TVFD was dispatched to mutual aid Cleveland VFD with a structure fire. TVFD responded with Booster 55 with two firefighters from the fire on SH146. TVFD was disregarded prior to going on location.
Tuesday, September 27th- Tarkington firefighters spent the day aiding in Hurricane Rita recovery efforts by assisting in passing out ice and water at Hi-Way Tabernacle and by driving around the Prairie informing residents using the PA systems on the trucks.
Monday, September 26th- At app. 05:00, TVFD was again dispatched to mutual aid Cleveland VFD with a house fire on Park Lane. TVFD responded with Engine 54 with five firefighters.
Sunday, September 25th- At app. 21:00, TVFD was dispatched to mutual aid Cleveland VFD with a house fire on Park Lane. TVFD responded with Engine 54 with five firefighters and Booster 55 with two firefighters.
At app. 22:00, as TVFD was leaving the scene of the house fire, Cleveland VFD was dispatched to set up a LZ for LifeFlight at the Cleveland Regional Medical Center helipad. Since all Cleveland units were tied up on the house fire, CVFD requested that TVFD respond to the call with Engine 54 with five firefighters and Booster 55 with two firefighters.
At app. 22:30, TVFD was dispatched to mutual aid Shepherd VFD with a structure fire off of US59 north of Cleveland. TVFD responded with Unit 505 and Booster 55 with a total of five firefighters.
Saturday, September 24th- As soon as was safe following the hurricane, Tarkington firefighters were out clearing the roadways of debris and checking on houses that had sustained damage from falling trees. At app. 14:00, TVFD was dispatched to inform the residents living in the Trinity River valley (the "bottoms") that there was a mandatory evacuation. Various apparatus went into Sam Houston Lake Estates, Cypress Lakes, lower Macedonia, and other communities to carry out this task.
Friday, September 23rd- At app. 00:15, TVFD was called to CR2176 for a brush fire. TVFD responded with Booster 55 with two firefighters.
TVFD spent another eventful day preparing for the onslaught of Hurricane Rita. Though the bumper-to-bumper traffic had abated, Tarkington firefighters still responded to over a dozen calls related to the evacuation.
Thursday, September 22nd- Tarkington firefighters have been swamped responding to calls. Since 04:00, TVFD has responded to app. 25 calls, most related to the evacuation for Hurricane Rita.
At app. 15:50, Tarkington firefighters were dispatched to a small grass fire on SH321, just south of SH105. TVFD responded with Booster 55 with two firefighters.
At app. 21:15, TVFD was dispatched to a woods fire on CR2176. TVFD responded with Booster 55 with two firefighters and Engine 54 with three firefighters.
Wednesday, September 21st- With the initial evacuation for Hurricane Rita, TVFD has responded to several MVAs during the day. Traffic on SH321 was backed up at one time over 15 miles outside of Cleveland.
Tuesday, September 20th- At app. 17:00, Tarkington VFD was dispatched to an MVA on FM787 at The Shade Grocery. TVFD responded with Unit 502, Engine 54 with three firefighters, and Rescue 51 with two firefighters.
At app. 18:45, Tarkington First Responders were called to assist City of Cleveland EMS on a call in Sam Houston Lake Estates. TVFD responded with Rescue 51 with two firefighters.
At app. 20:45, TVFD was dispatched to a motorcycle accident on CR2176. TVFD responded with Unit 502, Engine 54 with five firefighters, Rescue 51 with two firefighters, and Booster 55 with two firefighters to find two people, a male and a female, injured. The female's injuries were severe enough to require transport by helicopter, so a LZ for PHI SkyMed was set up at the Tarkington ISD practice field by TVFD.
Monday, September 19th- Tarkington firefighters started the day early when they were called to assist Cleveland VFD with a house fire on Gulf Road off of FM1010 at app. 06:00. TVFD responded with Engine 54 with three firefighters.
At app. 9:45, Tarkington First Responders were dispatched to a CPR in progress call on CR2236. TVFD responded with Rescue 51 with two firefighters.
At app. 15:45, TVFD was again called to assist Cleveland with a large forest fire in the Pine Knob subdivision off of Fostoria Tram Road. TVFD responded with Booster 55 with two firefighters and Booster 53 with two firefighters. Bear Creek VFD, Splendora VFD, and the Texas Forestry Service also responded to the call.
Sunday, September 18th- At app. 19:15, Tarkington VFD was dispatched to a report of a motorcycle versus pickup accident on SH105 at CR 2235. TVFD responded with Engine 54 with three firefighters, Unit 502, and Rescue 51 with two firefighters.
At app, 22:15, Tarkington firefighters were called to another MVA on CR2252. TVFD responded with Engine 54 with four firefighters, Unit 502, and Unit 516. All Tarkington units were disregarded prior to arriving on location.
Saturday, September 17th- At app. 17:00 Tarkington First Responders were dispatched to assist City of Cleveland EMS with a cancer patient on CR2250. TVFD responded with Rescue 51 with one firefighter.
At app. 18:30, TVFD was dispatched to a report of a MVA on FM787 just east of FM223. TVFD responded with Unit 516, Rescue 51 with two firefighters, and Booster 55 with two firefighters.
As Booster 55 was headed into Cleveland to re-fuel at 20:00 following the previous call, Cleveland VFD was dispatched to a MVA on SH321 near the American Legion. Booster 55 responded to this call, assisting CVFD with traffic control.
Friday, September 16th- Tarkington First Responders were called to assist City of Cleveland EMS #523 on CR2252 at app. 6:30. TVFD responded with Rescue 51 with two firefighters.
At app. 10:30, TVFD was dispatched to the scene of an airplane accident off of CR301N. The plane was found in heavy brush several miles off of the CR301N. This plane is believed to have went down the night before, sending a distress signal that sent Cleveland VFD scrambling to Cleveland Municipal Airport at app. 21:00 on 9/15. The crash site was several miles from the airport and was un-locatable until daylight. TVFD responded with Booster 55 with two firefighters. Tarkington firefighters, along with Cleveland firefighters, extricated the three victims from the wreck. More information about the accident can be found on Houston Chronicle, Channel 2 News, Channel 11 News, and Channel 13 News.