Menu

Welcome

The Finest Supporting the Bravest!

The purpose of the Fire Mechanics Section is to promote standardization of fire apparatus and equipment preventative maintenance, improve safety standards and practices, promote workshops, conferences, and seminars related to the purposes of this Section, and to promote cost savings through standardization of building and equipment purchasing and maintenance.

RECENT FIRE MECHANIC NEWS

Posted: Apr 2, 2023

Revere (MA) Council Approves Additional Funding for New Point of Pines Fire Station

PRESS RELEASE

Due to the recent growth of the city and the need for additional services for the Point of Pines, Oak Island and beach front communities, the Point of Pines Fire Station underwent a feasibility study to determine if continued full-time use of the station could commence with improvement of the existing building or replacement of the building was necessary to meet modern fire and EMS services, according to the city of Revere. In addition, the city emergency services are in need of a training center, and the Point of Pines community is in need of a voting center and a gathering point for other such community activities.

Based on the results of the feasibility study, the consultants determined the modern needs for fire and EMS services had rendered the existing building cost prohibitive for repairs and upgrades. Therefore, design services were procured for the replacement of the fire station to include modern fire and EMS services, a training center for the city emergency services, and provide the Point of Pines a community room for voting, meetings, and community activities.

Please refer to the additional information herein for details and progress of the station development.

Timeline

As of March 2023, this is the timeline of the Point of Pines Fire Station Project:

  • May 2019 – A feasibility study was completed
  • July 2019 – Bond for construction was issued
  • July 2020 – OPM (Project Manager) contracted
  • November 2020 – Architect selected and contracted (Winter Street Architects)
  • June 2020 – Schematic Design Completed
  • July 2021 – Existing firehouse was demolished
  • September 2021 – Design Development
  • October 2021 – 65% construction documents completed
  • December 2021 – City is notified that due to the land transfer it is required to submit a MEPA filing
  • February 2022 – Construction documents 100% completed
  • February 2022 – MEPA EENF and EIR Filing submitted
  • April 2022 – EENF Decision for Single EIR submitted
  • May 2022 – Construction plans redesigned with enhanced flood resiliency considerations to exceed flood plain elevation considerations
  • June 2022 – Single EIR submitted to MEPA, including a redesign of plans for increased resiliency for flood considerations
  • July 11, 2022– The Revere Conservation Commission issued its approval of the project with conditions.
  • July 22, 2022- The MA DEP issued a notice of appeal and assumed jurisdiction over the project.
  • August 1, 2022- We received the approved MEPA certificate for the Single Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) that was submitted on June 15, 2022.
  • August 11, 2022- The MA DEP has scheduled a meeting and a site visit @ the Point of Pines site on Thursday August 18th @ 1PM to address their concerns.
  • August 18, 2022- MA DEP did a site survey/walkthrough of the construction site with representatives from the mayor’s office, state delegation, local elected officials, as well as several residents from the Point of Pines. The DEP reviewed the floodplain maps and firehouse layout and listened to the concerns of all the stakeholders. The DEP will follow up with their ruling within a month.
  • August 24, 2022– The MA DEP withdrew their a
Read more
Posted: Apr 2, 2023

Hinesburg (VT) to Consider Options for New Fire Station, Town Hall

Hinesburg has needed a new fire station for more than a decade, and in late 2021, the roof of the town hall began to leak, mychamplainvalley.com reported.

On Wednesday, town officials heard from a Colchester architecture firm about replacement or renovation of both facilities, the report said.

The fire hall is structurally sound. However, the architects have found that the fire station doesn’t have enough space to house their vehicles and equipment, according to the report. It also doesn’t have a decontamination space to prevent potentially harmful substances from following firefighters home.

The architects presented two ideas for a new fire station. The first option is a two-story fire hall located behind the current fire station on Route 116, which would be demolished. This option would cost just over $9.4 million, the report said.

Option two is a one-story fire hall on Mechanicsville Road, costing anywhere from $9 million to $9.3 million, the report said.

A city official said the select board and the public will have a chance to receive another presentation on the the town hall project. The two options would involve renovating, and adding to, the existing building. One option would cost $3.4 million; the other would cost $6 million, according to the report.

Read more
Posted: Apr 1, 2023

Potential New $1.9M Strong City (KS) Fire Station Would Increase Space by 3,200 Square Feet

Shayla Gaulding
The Emporia Gazette
(TNS)

Apr. 1—County commissioners continued discussions into a new fire station in Strong City at their meeting Friday morning.

The county commission is debating moving forward with a Community Development Block Grant application for funding for the new station.

“That existing facility is just no longer adequate for the needs of the fire department and so what we need is something that can meet the needs and storage of the apparatus required,” Clint Hibbs with BG Consultants explained.

Hibbs added that the decision was made to not attempt to expand the current site, as the building, owned by the City of Strong City, sits next to the splash pad and park.

“It would conflict with the safety of the general public,” he said.

A new location at the intersection of Cottonwood and 8th streets has been identified, though no final decisions have been made. Hibbs said the new $1.9 million station would increase the fire department’s space by around 3,200 square feet. The facility would have eight bays for the fire department to back into and pull out of, as well as a training facility, bathrooms, decontamination space, storage and space for EMS vehicles.

A public hearing is scheduled for April 5 at 7 p.m. at Swope Park community building for community questions and input.

Ranson Financial Municipal Consultant Rose Mary Saunders said she is looking into other sources of funding through the Emporia Community Foundation, private foundations, community service tax credits and more.

“By the time that this project is awarded, that amount of funding that would need to go in for general obligation bonds [will be] down,” Saunders said.

The county commission will make a decision on whether to move forward with applying for the May 10 round of CDBG funding at its April 10 meeting, after public opinion and more research can be gathered. Saunders said another round of funding is likely to come through within the next year.

“If we decide not to do this, this is not something we can put off for another five years,” Commissioner Matt Miller said.

Greg Davis with the fire department said in the meantime, they are looking into getting a fence to block the fire department from the splash pad/park area.

In further business, commissioners signed law enforcement contracts with the City of Strong City and the City of Cottonwood Falls. The individual cities have already signed the contracts.

Sheriff Jacob Welsh said he has been working with both cities on contracts to help enforce violations that state statute cannot cover.

“I can enforce speed on city streets but I cannot enforce code violations. I cannot enforce dangerous structures, animals at large, because I am not a police officer of that municipality,” Welsh said. “… Something happens in the city, obviously we are going to respond. That’s what we do, life safety first.”

Welsh added that this service would not increase the tax burden on the entire county population.

Instead, both cities will pay $1,000 a month to the county, with funds going toward law enforcement purposes.

“This is an additional service upon what we are being asked to do,” he said.

Per the contracts, Welsh said, the city will investigate code violations and in the event they cannot get compliance, the sheriff will step in.

“The biggest one is really animals,” Welsh said. “The City of Strong City built a kennel so if we come across an animal at large in the middle of the night, we can put it in Strong City’s kennel — they are good with that w

Read more
Posted: Apr 1, 2023

Semi Slams into Fire Truck, Patrol Car Near Catoosa (OK)

A semi slammed into an Oklahoma Highway Patrol car and a Catoosa (OK) fire truck Friday afternoon, March 31, 2023, near Catoosa. (Catoosa Police Department)

One person was hurt after a semi-truck slammed into a fire truck and an Oklahoma Highway Patrol cruiser near Catoosa (OK) Friday afternoon, fox23.com reported.

Crews with Catoosa Fire and an OHP trooper were responding to a rollover crash near Highway 412 and the Creek Turnpike, the report said. A semi-truck then crashed into both responding vehicles.

The driver of the semi was hurt, firefighters and the trooper were able to move out of the way in time, the report said.

Read more
RSS
123468910Last

Theme picker

Upcoming Events

Theme picker

Sponsors

Fire Mechanics Section Board

Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Chair

Elliot Courage
North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
Read more

Vice Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Vice Chair

Mike Smith 
Pierce County Fire District #5
Read more

Secretary

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Secretary

Greg Bach
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue
Read more

Director #1

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #1

Doug Jones
South Kitsap Fire & Rescue
Read more

Director #2

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #2

Paul Spencer 
Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC
Read more

Director #3

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #3

Jim Morris
Mountain View Fire Department
Read more

Director #4

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #4

Arnie Kuchta

Clark County Fire District 6

Read more

Director #6

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #6

Brett Annear
Kitsap County Fire District 18
Read more

Director #5

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #5

Jay Jacks
Camano Island Fire & Rescue
Read more

Legislative Representative

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Legislative Representative

TBD
TBD
Read more

Immediate Past Chair

Posted: Oct 20, 2015

Immediate Past Chair

Brian Fortner
Graham Fire & Rescue

Read more
RSS

Theme picker

2020 CAR SHOW