In Rick Perry's Texas, Firefighters Forced To Pay For Gear, Engine Fuel

In Rick Perry's Texas, Firefighters Forced To Pay For Gear, Engine Fuel

WASHINGTON -- In Texas, firefighters aren't just battling the wild fires raging around Austin and Houston. The state's first responders have also had to deal with budget cuts affecting everything from fuel purchases to hoses and oxygen tanks.

In some cases, fire officials say, firefighters have had to pay out of pocket for basic necessities like proper protective gear and fuel to get them to the scene. One fire department that battled the blazes in Bastrop County had to pay for a hose, recalledBastrop City Fire Chief Henry Perry, speaking to The Huffington Post during a break from working the wild fires.