Kent Bolinger and Jana Stout recently spent time cleaning a food truck after it delivered supplies to crews battling a grass fire. Both serve as top officers for the Red Helmets, a nonprofit organization that has provided refreshments to Fort Worth Fire Department responders for half a century.
Bolinger, who works as an air conditioning and heating installer, joined the group nearly 20 years ago and currently serves as its president. Stout, who works remotely in oncology research and development, has been vice president for a year and a half and has been active with the group for a decade. Both estimate they contribute between 800 and 900 volunteer hours each year.
Founded by the fire department in 1972, the Red Helmets operate as a tax-exempt nonprofit available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fire dispatchers notify the volunteers of calls, and the group responds to incidents rated as two-alarm fires or higher, as well as apartment and commercial fires.
They have also assisted during major events such as the 2021 Interstate 35 winter pileup and the 2024 explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel, where volunteers remained on scene for two and a half days. The organization provides snacks, beverages, and a space for first responders to rest and be monitored for health emergencies.
Bolinger noted that calls can vary in length, with some lasting only a few hours while others extend over days. He described a pattern where volunteers often receive multiple page notifications in quick succession, sometimes responding to one incident while returning from another. The group maintains approximately 20 active volunteers. Craig Trojacek of the Fort Worth Fire Department described the volunteers as aiming to please.
The Red Helmets operate out of a 2010 Chevy van known as the Red Helmet Canteen, which is based at the Fire Department’s Supply Building in south Fort Worth. The city owns the vehicle and reimburses the organization for food and beverage purchases, while volunteers cover costs such as insurance. Bolinger estimated response times from the depot to incident scenes at 30 to 40 minutes.
