107-520: Port Aransas ( / ə ˈ r æ n z ə s / ə- RAN -zəs ) is a city in Nueces County, Texas , United States. This city is 180 miles southeast of San Antonio . The population was 2,904 at the 2020 census . Port Aransas is the only established town on Mustang Island . It is located north of Padre Island and is one of the longest barrier islands along the Texas coast. Corpus Christi Bay ,
214-525: A 5 + 1 ⁄ 4 -acre boat basin. During World War II, an artillery gun turret was erected by the United States Army and maintained throughout the war, on a high dune just off Cotter St. across from the UT campus, and is now part of the UT properties. It was placed to protect the pass from sightings of German U-boats. Blackouts were called on all the island during nighttime hours, no fires on
321-411: A Voluntary Fire Service ( Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna ) under proper law. Such volunteer fire services may receive financial assistance from the government for the equipment and staff training. In certain areas of Poland, almost every village has a volunteer fire service, because members enjoy high respect in their community. Volunteer fire services are fully integrated with the emergency system. Any call to
428-437: A fire siren . Average response times are longer than with full-time services because the members must come from different distances to the station or to the incident. Such departments often have a fixed number of firefighters on staff at any given point in time, which sometimes equals the minimal numbers recommended. Some states allow the use of Length of Service Award Programs (LOSAPS) to provide these volunteer departments with
535-658: A Farley boat. Today, Farley boat planters are located all over the city of Port Aransas, celebrating the history and importance of the Farley boat along the Gulf Coast. Port Aransas suffered major damage as a result of the landfall of Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, with wind speeds of 132 mph (212 km/h, 59 m/s) being recorded. Port Aransas has now become a fishing, beach, and resort village, with summer populations sometimes swelling to 60,000 or more, as well as
642-540: A college spring-break destination. Every year in April, Port Aransas hosts an event called Sand Fest , which brings thousands of people to Port Aransas to watch sculptors build elaborate sand castles. The event has food vendors, shopping, and live music, as well. All of the money raised from the event goes to the community and local schools. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has
749-416: A dock that stretched from the boathouse into the channel. The boats were hauled onto rails, and pushed into the boathouse when not in use. The small fleet of boats included a 16-foot (4.9 m) skiff, a 24-foot (7.3 m) surf boat, a 26-foot (7.9 m) whale boat, and a 27-foot (8.2 m) whale boat for rough surf . Designated keeper in charge of the 8th District Life Saving Station on Mustang Island
856-401: A driver bought a ticket, loaded the vehicle onto a flatbed or train, and used the wooden planks inside the rails when the train was not on a scheduled run. With the advent of the toll road, drivers could simply pay a toll and drive on a wooded plank structure built next to the rail tracks. After the railroad closed in 1947, it was used only to transport automobiles until 1960, when the state built
963-466: A family was $ 41,066. Males had a median income of $ 31,571 versus $ 22,324 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 17,036. About 14.70% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.00% of those under age 18 and 15.80% of those age 65 or over. In the 2000 U.S. Census , a portion of San Patricio was indicated as being in Nueces County. As of
1070-462: A fleet of four ships east to west around the Gulf Coast exploring and mapping five passes along the Texas coastline, including what is known today as Aransas Pass . In 1720, French explorer Pierre-Jean de Béranger was commissioned to explore St. Bernard Bay " Matagorda Bay " to establish a colony for France along its shores. Jean took an old Spanish ship that had been captured in Florida during
1177-534: A full-time department. Unlike the United States where volunteer fire companies may operate independently of local government with limited tax base support, or as semi-private organizations, in Canada volunteer fire departments are normally operated by municipalities or by counties. Provinces establish standards of equipment and training that volunteer departments must meet. Chile is one of the few countries in
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#17327875899361284-400: A green or blue light without a siren. The use of such equipment varies from fire district to fire district based on the need for fast response, the distance that members live from the fire station, the size and amount of other traffic in the fire district as well as local and state law. Some departments restrict or prohibit the use of such emergency lights, even when allowed by state law, due to
1391-470: A high bow to fight the choppy waves. The Farley boats were also designed with low cabins that allowed fishing in every direction. In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Port Aransas and while Congress was debating his Judiciary Reorganization Bill of 1937 , he fished for tarpon. He hired Barney Farley , the famous fishing guide and brother of Fred Farley. The president brought his own 35-foot (11 m) fishing boat and Barney Farley agreed to take
1498-589: A modern road to Harbor Island from Corpus Christi and the ferry landing. Today the Port Aransas Ferry System provides free transportation service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service connects Mustang Island and Port Aransas with the mainland of Aransas Pass. The number of boats in service at any one time depends on demand. Three boats carry 20 regular passenger vehicles, and five new larger ferries carry 28 passenger vehicles each trip. During peak hours, some travelers may need to wait while
1605-526: A plan to excavate a channel through the island. To complete the venture, Ropes founded the Port Ropes Company . Mr. Ropes paid $ 25,000 for Mustang Island and purchased a dredge to dig the channel. In June 1890, Mr. Ropes launched the project to build a channel across the island to give the port of Corpus Christi a direct connection with the deep water of the Gulf of Mexico. By the end of 1891, however,
1712-471: A plurality of 48.6% to 47.1%, or 1,568 votes, the closest race since 1956. In 2020, Trump won the county again, this time with a slight majority and 2.9% margin, or 3,692 votes, over Joe Biden . Democratic strength is concentrated within the inland portion of the county, with particular strengths in center portion of Corpus Christi whereas neighborhoods that are predominately Hispanic and the city of Robstown . Republicans performed well in areas particularly in
1819-485: A specified amount of in-house training. During this time, often called the probationary period, the recruit is known as a probationary firefighter , or 'probie'. Once the probationary period is completed, the member is eligible to become a fully qualified firefighter. In the United States, the Department of Labor classifies volunteer firefighters as firefighters that receive no compensation or nominal fees up to 20% of
1926-751: A staple, especially sport fishing for spotted seatrout and redfish . Some 600+ species of saltwater fish are thought to inhabit the waters off Port Aransas. The fishing industry is still lively in the city, though local battles exist between the Recreational Fishing Alliance and the Coastal Conservation Association. Tourism is the largest section of the economy. The beach at Port Aransas draws thousands of visitors each weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day . Nueces County, Texas Nueces County ( / nj u ˈ eɪ s ɪ s / new- AY -siss )
2033-452: A tool to assist in recruiting and retaining members. LOSAPS are simple programs that can be implemented with minimal taxpayer expense. Some volunteer fire departments allow the use of courtesy lights or emergency lights and sirens by their members. In most states that allow both lights and sirens, this is a red light and siren that gives the responding member the same privileges as other emergency vehicles. In other jurisdictions, this may be
2140-561: A total area of 12.1 square miles (31 km), of which 3.3 square miles (8.5 km) (27.01%) are covered by water. Port Aransas is located at 27°49′39″N 97°4′20″W / 27.82750°N 97.07222°W / 27.82750; -97.07222 (27.827373, –97.072205). Port Aransas experiences a humid subtropical climate, enjoying similar temperatures to those of other Gulf Coast regions, such as Deep South Texas and South Florida. The area experiences an average annual rainfall of 35.55 inches (903 mm), with prevailing winds out of
2247-620: Is a volunteer and community-based fire and emergency services organization that is made up of around 61,000 members. Of these members, some 59,000 are volunteers. Their roles range from fire, rescue, HAZMAT, to non-operational support roles. In Western Australia, fire fighting is organized by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) together with Local Councils. DFES operates the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service Brigades (VFRS) and some Bush Fire Service Brigades (BFS), while
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#17327875899362354-597: Is funded as a federal agency by the federal government of Germany. 99.7755% of the members volunteer their time. Depending upon the location and availability of other services, a VFD may be responsible for controlling structure fires as well as forest fires . Because it may be the only emergency services department for some distance, a rural VFD may also include community first responders , emergency medical technicians , Hazardous Materials Response, and other specially qualified rescue personnel. Law enforcement officers may also be trained in these related duties and overlap with
2461-520: Is located in the U.S. state of Texas . As of the 2020 census , the population was 353,178, making it the 16th-most populous county in the state . The county seat is Corpus Christi . The county was formed in 1846 from portions of San Patricio County and organized the following year. It is named for the Nueces River , which marks the county's northwestern boundary with San Patricio County before emptying into its mouth at Nueces Bay north of
2568-478: Is no particular format for the VFD open house. It can be formal or informal. The goal is to get public involvement in the VFD efforts. It is recommended that the open house should include demonstrations of equipment and show and tell . This allows the public to understand how the volunteers are organized in their local community and it is used as a public relations tool. The combination of demonstrations and drills allows
2675-480: Is supposedly marked by a Spanish silver dagger . The dagger is believed to be laid on its side with a silver spike driven through the hilt, securing the location. The first recorded permanent settler in Port Aransas was Capt. Robert Ainsworth Mercer of Lancaster , England . He established a sheep and cattle ranch known as El Mar Rancho in 1853 or 1855. Herds of wild mustangs rambled over plush rangelands of
2782-493: The 1990 U.S. Census , the 2010 U.S. Census , and the 2020 U.S. Census , that particular area is indicated as being in San Patricio County. School districts: Del Mar College is the designated community college for all of Nueces County. Historically, Nueces County leaned Democratic in presidential elections, though in recent years has narrowly voted Republican . Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 became
2889-741: The Brotherhood of Blackheads , the first organization of volunteer firemen in 1862, also being the first such organization in Imperial Russia . Volunteer fire organizations existed throughout all political systems in Estonia since then, although the cause saw significant setbacks in the political purges following Soviet occupation . Volunteer fire brigades were the backbone of the rescue services before re-independence, owning around 3/4ths of rescue equipment, personnel, and also handling around 3/4ths of all fires, primarily in rural areas. In 2010,
2996-826: The Confederate Army with beef, salt, seafood, and cotton supplies for the troops fighting the North, and the Union was bent on stopping those shipments. Around November 1861, as expected, the Union Navy started a campaign of coastal blockade . Then, Marines off the Navy vessel USS Afton surged ashore on San Jose Island and leveled the small town of Aransas, burning most of the houses, structures, warehouses, piers, docks, and wharf sometime in February 1862. The small town
3103-634: The Gulf of Mexico , the Lydia Ann Ship Channel, and the Corpus Christi Ship Channel make up the surrounding waters. The Karankawa Indians were living a nomadic existence in the region when Spaniards , led by Alonso Álvarez de Pineda , probed the coast in 1519. Governor Francisco de Garay of Jamaica had commissioned him to explore the Gulf Coast from Florida to Vera Cruz . In the summer of 1519, Piñeda, took
3210-605: The Israel Fire and Rescue Services . Adult volunteers work either out of the fire stations, in the same vehicles as the paid firefighters or in independent units that operate out of their own fire truck. Young volunteers (ages 15–18) work only out of the stations. The Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) in the Republic of Ireland is a branch of Civil Defence Ireland . The service is usually only called upon for flooding incidents, emergency water supply and large-scale incidents where
3317-610: The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS) and Fire and Rescue NSW . Fire and Rescue NSW has firefighting and rescue responsibilities for the major cities, metropolitan areas, and several other towns in NSW. It also has the responsibility for all land-based HAZMAT incidents as well as inland waterway-based HAZMAT incidents. The NSWRFS is the volunteer firefighting service in NSW and consists of over 70,000 volunteers and has responsibility for over 90% of
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3424-591: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service , Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service , where they only get paid their retainer fee, but are not paid for attending incidents The only autonomous volunteer fire service is the Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade , which is contracted to provide operations for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service . Other voluntary fire brigades existed in
3531-742: The South Australian Country Fire Service (SACFS). The SACFS is staffed by approximately 13,500 volunteer firefighters and around 120 paid employees. Volunteer fire departments ( Freiwillige Feuerwehr ) provide the majority (97% of all German firefighters) of Austria's and Germany's civil protection services , alongside other volunteer organizations like the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) , voluntary ambulance services and emergency medical or rescue services like German Red Cross or Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe . In most rural fire departments,
3638-583: The Texas Department of Transportation . In 1935, Dr. E. J. Lund , a zoologist from the University of Texas , traveled to Port Aransas to investigate a massive fish kill. He constructed a small, rough lumber, one-room shack on the old Corps of Engineers dock. Dr. Lund recognized the value of the local environment and the need for public education about the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico and gradually rekindled interest in marine science at
3745-502: The fire station when their services are needed. They are also expected to attend other non-emergency duties as well (training, fundraising, equipment maintenance, etc.). Volunteer firefighters contrast with paid firefighters who work full or part-time and receive a salary. Some volunteer firefighters may be part of a combination fire department that employs both full-time and volunteer firefighters. On-call firefighters who receive some pay for their work are known as call firefighters in
3852-403: The increased risk of traffic accidents involving volunteers responding in emergency mode. In some states, volunteer firefighters and EMTs are eligible to receive specialty license plates for personal vehicles that identify them as trained emergency services personnel. Operational volunteer fire department members receive some form of training, either in a formal or informal setting, depending on
3959-406: The 110,365 households, 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.80% were married couples living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were not families. About 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size
4066-541: The Confederates once again maintained a battery on Mustang Island; later in the month, they pushed Union forces off St. Joseph's Island. But their victory would not be long lived as the Union comprehended the significance of the pass, and in November, federal troops under T. C. G. Robinson came back and regained control of the island. The Tarpon Inn was built in 1886 with surplus lumber from Civil War barracks. It
4173-527: The Firefighting law. It is a union of all voluntary fire brigades, all voluntary industrial fire brigades and their fire brigades, which are organized at the municipal, inter-municipal and regional level. The Firefighting Association of Slovenia was founded in 1949 in Ljubljana, as the successor to all previous associations of fire brigade organizations. Since then, it has been performing the duties of
4280-807: The Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY), which provides information, education, and training for the volunteer fire and emergency medical services throughout New York State . Volunteer firefighters go through some or all of the same training that career personnel do, although the training varies among jurisdictions. When volunteers join a department, they often enroll in firefighting classes and other certifications that teach them how to become volunteer firefighters. Examples of these certifications include Firefighter I, Firefighter II, S-130/S-190 , Emergency Medical Responder , and Emergency Medical Technician . Some departments also require recruits to complete
4387-497: The Philippines began during the 1960s, a time when fires were a frequent occurrence. Member proficiency for these services has improved since the 1960s due to self-education, training, and experience. The State Fire Service ( Polish : Państwowa Straż Pożarna ) is a professional firefighting service that covers the whole territory from their stations in cities and towns. In rural areas, however, local inhabitants may create
Port Aransas, Texas - Misplaced Pages Continue
4494-532: The Tarpon Inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was recognized as a Texas Historic Landmark. Elihu Harrison Ropes , while visiting Galveston Island in 1887, saw the possibility of the development of a deep-water port on the Texas coast, and looked to Corpus Christi as the state's first much-needed deep-vessel port of call. After exploring Mustang Island, Ropes proclaimed
4601-438: The U.S. Navy on the problem of fouling on ships' bottoms. With the end of the war, development of the institute resumed. Lund purchased and donated 12 acres (49,000 m). The old Army Corps of Engineers building, constructed in 1890 and veteran of several hurricanes, was included. This building is still there today and serves as a dormitory where students relax on an old-fashioned porch and watch ships and dolphins almost at
4708-617: The United States, and retained firefighters in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The earliest firefighting organizations were made up of volunteers. The first large organized force of firefighters was the Corps of Vigiles , established in ancient Rome in 6 AD. The first volunteer fire department in Argentina was Bomberos Voluntarios de La Boca (La Boca Volunteer Firemen) founded on June 2, 1884, by Italian immigrant Tomas Liberti in
4815-483: The VFD. The VFD may also have duties as the local fire inspectors , arson investigators , and as fire safety and prevention education, in addition to being the local civil defense or disaster relief liaison. A volunteer fire department is normally reached the same way as other emergency services, such as by calling 9-1-1 or 1-1-2 . A central dispatcher then calls out the VFD, often through equipment such as pagers , radios , phone apps, or loud signals, such as
4922-450: The bar. The crewmates were all rescued, but the ship and its cargo went to the bottom of the sea. New bricks arrived in 1856, soon followed by the lantern room that would be set on top, and lastly a fourth order Fresnel lens . Also, a lighthouse keeper's dwelling, a small storage room, and docks were needed. The construction was complete by mid-1857 and the light guided ships through the pass later that year. The Lydia Ann Channel Lighthouse
5029-434: The beach or car lights, and house windows could not show light and had to be covered with heavy curtains, blankets, or wood. In the early 20th century, tarpon fishing began to attract anglers and tourists from across America to Port Aransas. Because of the choppy waters around Port Aransas, though, access to the Gulf Coast was restricted. The boats of the day were not designed to handle the rough Gulf Coast waters and storms in
5136-639: The city emerged when people realized the very frequent incidents of fire, especially structure fire because houses are traditionally made out of wood. Due to high temperatures near the equator, fire incidents are common; thus, many people started or joined volunteer fire brigades to assist the existing government fire brigade (the Dinas Pemadam Kebakaran ). These volunteer fire brigades are paid Rp 0.000,- but in some cases, some people give them money for charitable reasons. In Israel , volunteer firefighters function alongside paid firefighters in
5243-524: The city of Kingston Ontario (population 130,000), of the ten stations operated by the Kingston Fire and Rescue Service, three are staffed with career firefighters, two are composite and five are wholly volunteer. There are an estimated 127,000 volunteer firefighters across the country. Most urban and larger fire services began as volunteer service and evolved into full-time members. Volunteer departments are necessary for areas that cannot afford to staff
5350-412: The city was $ 39,432, and for a family was $ 46,719. Males had a median income of $ 28,000 versus $ 22,393 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 23,681. About 7.1% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.4% of those under 18 and 3.5% of those 65 or over. Around 1900, the village was doing big business in sea turtle export. Fishing has always been
5457-506: The city was 93.92% White, 0.42% African American, 1.25% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 2.20% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.08% of the population. Of the 1,542 households, 22.6% had children under 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were not families. About 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who
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#17327875899365564-613: The compensation a full-time firefighter would receive in the same capacity. The DOL allows volunteer firefighters to receive benefits such as worker's compensation, health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, pension plans, length of service awards, and property tax relief. DOL-defined volunteer firefighters may be paid nominal fees on a per-call basis, per-shift basis, or various service requirements, but they may not be compensated based on productivity or with an hourly wage. The terms 'part paid' and 'paid on-call' refer to firefighters who are receiving some compensation, but less than
5671-516: The compensation a full-time firefighter would receive. The terms may refer to volunteer firefighters who do not qualify as volunteers under the United States Department of Labor. These individuals may also volunteer time for training, public education, fund-raising, and other non-emergency department-related activities. In late 19th and early 20th century American slang, volunteer firefighters were referred to as ' vamps ', although
5778-417: The county and onto ranches, before returning west to Laredo . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 1,166 square miles (3,020 km ), of which 838 square miles (2,170 km ) are land and 327 square miles (850 km ) (28%) are covered by water. It borders the Gulf of Mexico . As of the census of 2000, 313,645 people, 110,365 households, and 79,683 families resided in
5885-433: The county. The population density was 375 people per square mile (145 people/km ). The 123,041 housing units averaged 147 units per square mile (57/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 72.03% White, 4.24% African American, 0.64% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 18.74% from other races, and 3.13% from two or more races. About 55.78% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of
5992-555: The doorstep on the Aransas Pass. In 1946, the first permanent marine laboratory was established in Port Aransas, Texas. Two frame buildings were constructed, which still serve as the cafeteria and a dormitory, and a full-time staff was in residence. A laboratory was built on the pier in 1948 and major expansion of physical facilities took place in the 1970s with the acquisition of 49 acres (200,000 m) of land, additional laboratories, dormitory, apartments, maintenance complex, and
6099-441: The early 1820s, the Gulf Coast was a haunt of pirate ships searching for riches. Capt. Jean Lafitte and his buccaneers spent time on the Texas coast; Galveston owed its start to him, and Mustang Island was one of his favorite haunts. Capt. Jean Lafitte used Mustang Island as a place to make camp, and according to legend, a place to hide his treasure. Local lore tells of pirate treasure buried in Port Aransas. The treasure chest
6206-481: The early 20th century wiped out the existing charter fleet. To meet the needs of anglers coming from across the country to fish for tarpon, the Farley family began building the Farley boat . In 1915, Charles Frederick ("Fred") Farley and his son established Farley and Son, Boat Builders , in Port Aransas. The Farley boats were designed to meet the needs of anglers and fishing guides. They were designed with low sides and
6313-411: The ferry makes the trip across the channel. A 24-hour radio message (AM 530) provides information about ferry regulations and can be used for live broadcasts for emergency situations. A maximum vehicle height of 13 feet 6 inches is allowed. A maximum vehicle width of 96 inches is allowed. The maximum weight limit is 80,000 pounds. Peak months include June, July, and August. The ferry system is maintained by
6420-546: The fire emergency number is routed to the nearest state fire service station, which first deploys the nearest volunteer fire service, followed by the State Fire Service. The Firefighting Association of Slovenia is an independent, non-profitable, humanitarian, non-political and the highest form of association of voluntary fire brigades and their associations. It operates on the basis of the Associations law and
6527-491: The firefighters are volunteers. In Indonesia , the city with the largest number of volunteer fire brigades is in Banjarmasin , South Kalimantan province. The city is also sometimes nicknamed " Kota seribu pemadam kebakaran " (The city with a thousand fire brigades). Water access is also relatively easy as rivers are easily founded at the city to be the source of water for fire fighting. The need for more fire brigades in
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#17327875899366634-486: The firefighting in the countryside mostly depends on volunteer fire departments, nearly always with a contract with the regional emergency authorities (or, formerly and in Åland , the municipality). There are also volunteer fire departments in cities, but they have a minor role. There are also junior firefighters in the volunteer fire departments. They are usually 10–17 years old but some fire departments also have "early juniors" that are 7–9 years old. In France , 80% of
6741-492: The firehouse, and possibly also covers insurance, worker's compensation, and other post-injury or retirement benefits. A VFD (or its governing entity) may also contract with other nearby departments to cover each other in a mutual aid (or automatic aid) pact as a means of assisting each other with equipment and manpower as necessary. The material and extraordinary training of the Federal Agency for technical Relief(THW)
6848-488: The first Republican candidate to carry the county. Prior to that year, the only times Nueces County did not vote for the national Democratic candidate was in its first presidential election in 1848 for Whig Zachary Taylor , and in 1860, supporting Southern Democratic John C. Breckinridge . Since Eisenhower's election, the only other Republicans to carry the county in the 20th century were Richard Nixon in 1972 and Ronald Reagan in 1984 . So far, Bill Clinton remains
6955-559: The inn to resemble the old barracks. When the Tarpon Inn was rebuilt in 1923, many of the new pilings were placed in concrete, with the ends extending up through the entire structure and into the attic. Because the Tarpon Inn was built with impressive reinforcements and a protected shelter, it has housed many residents during storms and has served as headquarters for the Red Cross , the Salvation Army , and military units. Two of
7062-528: The island when Mercer first settled there. By 1854, the Texas Senate sanctioned a seven-mile (11 km) channel from Corpus Christi to the Aransas Pass bar to better serve the Port of Corpus Christi. Also in the 1850s, a regular steamship service route for cargo and passengers was established between New Orleans and Mustang Island. As the pass was brought into permanence, local pilots were needed to guide
7169-407: The islands rather than be under the rule of the North. United States Navy vessels under J. W. Kittredge (before he was captured) besieged the coast, using St. Joseph's Island and the few remaining structures on it as a depot to store captured cotton. On Christmas Day of 1862, a move was made by Confederate General John B. Magruder , who authorized a detachment of troops to commence the ruination of
7276-452: The land area in NSW. Although most of this is bush and grassland, the NSWRFS also serves smaller and regional communities that are not covered by Fire and Rescue NSW. In Victoria, there are three main fire fighting organizations, Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board ( MFB ), Country Fire Authority ( CFA ) and The Department of Environment, Water, Land, and Planning ( DEWLP ). The CFA
7383-403: The last Democratic candidate to win Nueces County, having done so in 1996 . Since 2000, Nueces County has voted for every Republican presidential candidate, with only George W. Bush in 2004 having carried it by a double digit margin, and his 56.8% of the vote is also the highest for any Republican in the county's history. In 2016 , Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the county with
7490-575: The lighthouse and hidden in the marshlands behind the structure. This lighthouse was of utmost importance because it controlled the night-time pass. Whoever governed the light beacon regulated the night-time passageway. Without that light, the Union ships could only traverse the treacherous pass in the daytime, limiting Union ship movement in the blockade of the coastline. The harbors in the Corpus Christi , Rockport -St. Marys, Copano Bay area and Mustang and San Jose Islands were all supplying
7597-400: The lighthouse tower. Gunpowder kegs were clustered inside the tower and lit, resulting in the damaging of 20–25 feet of brickwork, the glass housing case, and the round stairwell. The next significant stage in the war for this arena was on May 3, 1863, when Capt. Edwin E. Hobby 's Confederate company assaulted the Union garrison set to protect the lighthouse and killed 20 soldiers. On May 8,
7704-493: The nation's volunteer fire brigades were united under an umbrella organization, the Rescue Union (Estonian: Päästeliit), also including chimney sweeping, water rescue and similar organizations. In 2021, there were 117 volunteer fire brigades (comprising 62% of all fire brigades) with a total of 2 319 volunteer firemen (comprising around half of Estonian rescue personnel). Volunteer fire brigades are placed in rural areas or
7811-471: The neighborhood of La Boca , Buenos Aires . June 2 is the Day of Volunteer Firefighters. The Argentina Federation of Volunteer Firefighters was founded in 1954. In 2018, 80% of the country is covered by volunteers. Throughout Australia, there are many volunteer firefighting agencies that are set up by individual states or territories. New South Wales is serviced by two statutory firefighting authorities. These are
7918-420: The origin of this is obscure. A VFD may be financially supported by taxes raised in a city, town, county, fire district, or other governmental entity, as well as corporate and other private donations, federal grants, and other assistance from auxiliary members, or firefighters' associations. With these funds, the VFD acquires and operates the firefighting apparatus, equips and trains the firefighters, maintains
8025-799: The past, but no others have existed since the disbanding of the Auxiliary Fire Service in 1968. According to the National Fire Protection Association , 54 percent of firefighters in the United States are volunteers. The Volunteer Firefighter Alliance represents Volunteer Firefighters across the U.S. The National Volunteer Fire Council represents fire and emergency services on a national level, providing advocacy, information, resources, and programs to support volunteer first responders. The NVFC includes 49 state-based firefighter associations, such as
8132-415: The plan failed to increase the depth of the channel. Another plan was put into action, calling for the blasting of the channel with thousands of pounds of dynamite, but this also failed. The newest jetties, and shallow draft would have to stay as they were for the time being. In 1896, the name was changed to Tarpon because of the abundant game fish that filled the waters around it. The population at that time
8239-582: The port of Corpus Christi. Nueces County is part of the Corpus Christi metropolitan statistical area . The Indian tribes that lived in and raided the county were the Lipan Apache , Karankawa , Coahuiltecan , Kickapoo , and the Seminole . The final recorded Indian raid in the county happened in April of 1878, when Lipan Apache, Kickapoo, Seminole, Mexicans , and a white man briefly entered
8346-440: The president out on the boat. After an unsuccessful outing, Barney Farley convinced the president to fish from a Farley boat, but his nephew, Don Farley, would take him. Though he had a successful outing, Don said, "I can't believe he caught so many because of the secret service running around on boats in the water." The president caught so many tarpon that he returned to Port Aransas later that year to again fish with Barney Farley on
8453-494: The project was terminated due to many problems. In 1888, the town's first official post office was established under the name Ropesville. This first official name of what is now Port Aransas did not last for long. In 1890, the Aransas Pass & Harbor Company , under government contracts, launched a plan to deepen the channel through the pass and over the sandbar. The plan called for the construction of two new jetties, but
8560-481: The rapid availability of some of the department's fire apparatus, with the remaining apparatus staffed and brought to the scene of the emergency by volunteers as soon as they arrive at the department. Larger cities, typically those with 100,000 inhabitants or more, will operate fire departments staffed entirely by career firefighters. However, they also typically have several volunteer fire departments, who are called upon in case of larger emergencies. Municipalities are
8667-759: The recruit to wear special gear or markings (such as a red helmet in some departments) to denote their ranking. Some departments allow (or even require) new recruits to ride along on fire apparatus as observers before undergoing the rigors of further fire training. Firefighters typically progress through formal Fire Fighter I and Fire Fighter II training in accordance with national standards. Specialty training can include wildland firefighting, technical rescue, swift water rescue, hazardous materials response, vehicle extrication, FAST team , fire instructor, fire officer, and others. A VFD may hold an "open house" at their station. The event serves many purposes including demonstration, training, drill, fundraising, and recruitment. There
8774-944: The remainder of the Bush Fire Service Brigades is trained by DFES, but operated and administered by the Council of the associated area. VFRS Brigades are generally more involved in Structural Fire fighting, Asset Protection, and Road Crash Rescue depending on their location, whereas the BFS Brigades are generally more involved in Wildfire Fighting. In Western Australia, there is an estimated 31,000 BFS Members among 585 Brigades, and 2,000 VFRS Members among 88 Brigades. In South Australia, there are two legislated fire fighting organizations. The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (SAMFS) and
8881-793: The resources of front-line fire brigades are stretched. In Nicaragua , there are three different groups of firefighters, one commanded by the Direccion General de Bomberos 18 fire station, which has government support; the second is commanded by the Federación de Cuerpos de Bomberos de Nicaragua Benemeritos 8 fire station; the third is commanded by the Asociacion civil Cuerpo de BOMBEROS Voluntarios de Nicaragua 24 fire station. Peru's bomberos are all unpaid volunteers that extinguish fires, clear up hazardous materials, provide aid and assistance during natural disasters, and transport
8988-431: The right to build a new south "Nelson" jetty and to unite the "Haupt jetty" to St. Joseph Island that same year. The 1916 Texas Hurricane destroyed Port Aransas except for a few buildings. The docks, wharf, and warehouses were now on the mainland, and the island was flooded and infested with rattlesnakes. The destruction of the 1916 Texas hurricane did not discourage the people of Port Aransas for very long. The Tarpon Inn
9095-450: The satellite areas of cities and towns. On smaller islands such as Naissaar or Abruka , the volunteer fire brigades are the only rescue brigades. In a few cases, volunteer brigades are attached to national ones. Due to being placed in primarily rural areas, they are often the first to arrive at the scene. Volunteer organizations are funded through support via the national or local municipal budget, companies and donations. In Finland ,
9202-511: The ships safely across the bar. For this, permanent structures were required to house the pilots, including docks, a lighthouse, storage, jetties, and a general store. In 1850, the United States Life-Saving Service built the 8th District United States Life Saving Station in Port Aransas. The station was built for the aid and rescue of shipwrecked mariners and was manned by full-time crews. The Life Saving Station
9309-427: The sick to hospitals, in a 150-year tradition. Citizens apply to enter a training program they must pay for with their own money. During training sessions, they are taught how to put out fires, provide first aid, and use specialized equipment. Upon successful completion of the program, they enter a probation period where they have to prove they are capable of dealing with real-life emergencies. Volunteer fire services in
9416-437: The southeast from the Gulf of Mexico. As of the 2020 United States census , 2,904 people, 1,982 households, and 1,314 families resided in the city. As of the census of 2000, 3,370 people, 1,542 households, and 993 families were residing in the city. The population density was 382.5 inhabitants per square mile (147.7/km). The 3,794 housing units had an average density of 430.6 per square mile (166.3/km). The racial makeup of
9523-582: The staff consists only of volunteers. The members of these departments are usually on-call 24/7 and working in other professions. The alarm can be performed by different alarm systems, such as by sirens or pager sometimes combined with an app on the mobile phone. In Germany, the alarm via radio pager is on the frequencies of the BOS radio. In Austria, the fire departments have their own frequencies. In medium-sized cities and communities, fire departments will often be partially staffed by career firefighters. They ensure
9630-601: The state and regulatory authority. The level and type of basic and specialty training vary across the country. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has several published standards for firefighter qualifications and training, including Standard for Fire Service Professional Qualifications Accreditation and Certification Systems, and Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications. These standards apply to both volunteer and career firefighters. New members are referred to as "recruits," "rookies," "probies" (short for "probationary"), or even "red hats" in some departments that require
9737-523: The suburbs of the city, North Padre Island and Port Aransas . 27°44′N 97°31′W / 27.74°N 97.52°W / 27.74; -97.52 Volunteer fire department A volunteer fire department ( VFD ) is a fire department of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction. Volunteer and retained (on-call) firefighters are expected to be on call to respond to emergency calls for long periods of time, and are summoned to
9844-435: The support of volunteer fire departments. Additional funding may include, for example, contributions from support organizations, donations made in fundraising, or income from various events. While wholly volunteer fire departments are mostly found in rural and remote areas of Canada, "composite" departments composed of both career and volunteer or "call" firefighters can be found in more urbanized municipalities. For example, in
9951-578: The umbrella fire organization in the Republic of Slovenia and has been a member of CTIF since 1992. There are over 165000 members in 1341 volunteer fire brigades. In the United Kingdom , it is standard for smaller, rural stations to be staffed by retained firefighters , part-time firefighters who are paid for attending incidents and for spending long periods of time on-call known as a retainer fee. A few fire services have volunteer units, including
10058-409: The university. In 1941, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute was formed with Dr. Lund as the first director. Research began in the old pier building with one of the first projects being on the distribution, life history, and abundance of marine fishes of Texas, by Dr. Lund and Dr. Gordon Gunter , who was Lund's student and later followed Lund as director. Gunter also undertook a study for
10165-497: The walls of the Tarpon Inn are covered with tarpon scales. Each of the scales has the signature and hometown of the angler who caught the tarpon and the length, weight, and date of the catch. Some of the people who have stayed at the Tarpon Inn include: President Franklin D. Roosevelt , who fished there in 1937; Duncan Hines , who spent his honeymoon there; Hedy Lamarr ; Victor McLaglen ; Aimee Semple McPherson ; Clyde Beatty ; Bob Lilly ; and physicist Edward Teller . In 1979,
10272-547: The war with Spain, christened it St. Joseph , and his travels resulted in the rediscovery of the Aransas Pass. In 1739, Governor Prudencio de Orobio y Basterra named the pass Aránzazu Pass on his map of 1739, because it served the Aránzazu fort. The name was altered to Aransas on the map of a Captain Monroe of the ship Amos Wright in 1833. Port Aransas was a location of pirates in the early 19th century. From about 1800 to
10379-593: The world in which all firefighters are unpaid. The local fire departments are part of the National Board of Firefighters ( Junta Nacional de Bomberos ). There are 1,768 volunteer fire departments in Croatia, as well as 33 units of what is officially called "volunteer fire department in economy". Some Croatian volunteer fire departments include: The first volunteer fire team in Estonia was created in 1788 by
10486-401: Was 3.30. In the county, the age distribution was 28.40% under the age of 18, 10.50% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 35,959, and for
10593-413: Was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.64. In the city, the age distribution was 18.9% under 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.4 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 106.6 males. The median income for a household in
10700-611: Was John G. Mercer. Mercer was also one of the local bar pilots, and was appointed sometime in September 1880. After the announcement of a regular steamship service route between New Orleans and Port Aransas, the United States Congress commissioned $ 12,500 for the construction of the Aransas Pass Lighthouse . Haggling over the lighthouse's specifications mired down the process and another survey
10807-479: Was about 250. The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 called for the elimination of the old Mansfield Jetty "south jetty". The project was finished by 1911; while this was still going on, and after several private and government endeavors failed to produce a deep-water pass between Mustang and St. Joseph islands, the United States Army Corps of Engineers took over the project in 1907, and was granted
10914-777: Was administered by the United States Revenue Marine (later renamed the United States Revenue Cutter Service ) and was run with a volunteer crew, much like a volunteer fire department . About 1.5 acres (6,100 m) of land were bought from the State of Texas for $ 750.00 by the federal government and the Life Saving Station was built on the same site that the United States Coast Guard station stands on today. The Life Saving Station included
11021-526: Was all but wiped out, but remnants of it can still be found today. Jurisdiction of the lighthouse traded back and forth between the Confederate and Union detachments throughout the war. Though Lt. J. W. Kittredge attempted the expropriation of Corpus Christi from the Southern forces, Maj. Alfred M. Hobby and troops sent the Union ships sailing away. By early that summer, Southern civilians had forsaken
11128-470: Was built to house workers building the south jetty (known then as the Mansfield Jetty). In 1886, when the jetty was finished, the structure was converted into a hotel and called the Tarpon Inn. It was opened by Frank Stephenson and sold to Mary Hatfield and her son, Ed Cotter in 1897. After the 1919 hurricane destroyed the main structure, the inn was sold again in 1923 to James M. Ellis, who rebuilt
11235-631: Was deactivated in 1952 after a major channel shift left the station a mile from the channel entrance. To better mark Aransas Pass, a new light was established in 1952 at the Port Aransas Coast Guard Station , and the Aransas Pass Lighthouse was deactivated, just a few years shy of a century of service. Around the start of the American Civil War , the lens was taken out of the lantern room of
11342-400: Was done. Meanwhile, the pass slowly moved south, as currents deposited sand on its north bank at the south end of Saint Joseph Island. It was then advised that a lightship be used to mark the pass. More surveying was done, more talk ensued, and then a proposition was accepted to erect a screw-pile lighthouse of brick. In December 1855, the ship transporting the bricks struck, and then stuck, on
11449-405: Was rebuilt and the docks, wharves, and warehouses were replaced. After the city was rebuilt, it became a destination for anglers, tourists, surfers, and vacationers. A United States Census taken in 1925 showed 250 people living on the island, and a population of 300 by 1931. A toll road was opened in 1931 between the town of Aransas Pass and the ferry landing of Port Aransas. Before the toll road,
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