01/31/2026
On January 20, 2026, officials ceremoniously broke ground for the new Texas A&M Forest Service facility in Fredericksburg, Texas.
Joined by community partners, City of Fredericksburg, TX - Local Government, Fredericksburg/Gillespie County - TX Emergency Management, Gillespie County Airport leadership, and local emergency responders, Master of Ceremonies Randall Fuchs, Task Force Coordinator and long-time Texas A&M Forest Service employee, welcomed and thanked the many individuals who were instrumental in making this project a reality.
“This facility represents more than a building—it represents preparedness, collaboration, and a commitment to serving our community now and in the future,” said Fuchs.
This new Texas A&M Forest Service building will strengthen wildfire response capabilities, enhance aviation operations, and support land stewardship efforts.
With this groundbreaking, Texas A&M Forest Service continues the support and protection of Texans, their lands, and the state’s natural resources across Central Texas.
Speakers included:
Donnie Schuch, former County Commissioner
Mark Stroeher, former County Judge
Roger Hansen, former Gillespie County Airport manager
Al Davis, Director, Texas A&M Forest Service
Jacob Donellan, Division Director-Field Operations, Texas A&M Forest Service
Daniel Jones, Gillespie County Judge
Paul Hannamann, former incident response department head, Texas A&M Forest Service, and current airport advisory board member
Tony Lombardi, Gillespie County Airport Manager
