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Posted: May 22, 2025

New Renderings Show the Vision for Green Bay (WI)’s Fire Station/Apartment Complex Project

The city of Green Bay, Wisconsin’s vision for a fire station/apartment complex combo has its first renderings, fox11online.com reported.

General Capital Group, from Milwaukee, was selected out of 11 developers that vied for the project, the report said.

The three-story fire station will combine operations from the now-shuttered 100-year-old Fire Station 1 on Washington Street and 88-year-old Fire Station 3 on Shawano Avenue.

The 93 apartment units will be one to three bedrooms. Eight units will be for people making 30% of the area median income (AMI), which is $62,546, according to the most recent census data, according to the report. 73 units will be 60% of the AMI and 12 units will be 80% of the AMI.

The apartments part of the development is expected to cost $25.2 million. The city is hoping to keep the fire station price to about $15 million.

The hope is to break ground before the end of the year, the report said.

The post New Renderings Show the Vision for Green Bay (WI)’s Fire Station/Apartment Complex Project appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: May 22, 2025

South Metro (CO) Fire Rescue Adds Four New Engines

South Metro Fire Rescue announced on social media recently the addition of four new engines to its frontline fleet, now assigned to Stations 19, 22, 31, and 11. These new units replace aging apparatus, two that were 25-years-old and one that was 23-years-old, as part of the long-term fleet replacement strategy. This investment ensures the personnel have reliable, modern tools to safely and effectively serve the communities.

Each new engine supports the department’s commitment to operational readiness and responsible fleet management. The apparatus replacement schedule is structured to maintain both performance and fiscal stewardship: Engines serve 17 years total (12 years frontline, five years reserve); aerial units serve 15 years (10 frontline, five reserve); and medic units serve 10 years (seven frontline, two-three reserve). Reserve units remain an essential part of the fleet, and often are assigned to higher-call-volume stations, meaning they sometimes see even more use in their final years than during their frontline service.

At Station 31, the new engine replaces a 25-year-old reserve unit. While SMFR’s older apparatus remain safe and well-maintained, advancements in technology, safety, and reliability make newer engines significantly more capable. Just as most people experience greater comfort and dependability in newer vehicles, modern fire apparatus support a firefighters’ performance, safety, and long-term wellness. This ensures the highest level of service to the public.

This delivery was especially meaningful at Station 31, where Engineer Chris Jenkins had the honor of placing the new Engine 31 into service—his third engine during his nearly 30-year career. He also played a key role in developing the engine specifications, ensuring the apparatus meets the real-world needs of the crews. The previous 2013 Engine 31 now enters reserve status, continuing to serve as a backup unit.

These four new engines, ordered in 2022, are the result of careful planning and a commitment to continuous improvement. South Metro Fire Rescue takes great pride in being a responsible steward of the fleet. These apparatus are more than vehicles, they are lifelines for the firefighters who rely on them to protect communities every day.

The post South Metro (CO) Fire Rescue Adds Four New Engines appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: May 21, 2025

Funeral Services Set for Baltimore City Firefighter Who Died After Medical Emergency

Todd Karpovich
Baltimore Sun
(TNS)

Funeral services for Baltimore City firefighter Lt. Mark Dranbauer Jr. will be held Saturday, according to the Baltimore City Fire Department.

Dranbauer, 44, “suffered a medical emergency” from atop a ladder — about 40 to 50 feet off the ground — while responding to a fire in the 200 block of West Saratoga Street on May 12. Dranbauer fell backward on the ladder and was later taken to Shock Trauma, where he was initially listed in critical condition. Officials have not said what the medical emergency was.

Dranbauer, a 23-year veteran of the department, was later put on life support. He was removed from life support on May 18 and, after donating his organs, Dranbauer was taken from Shock Trauma to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to the Baltimore Fire Officers IAFF Local 964. A lineup for honors was held at Poppleton Avenue near Shock Trauma.

The Baltimore City Fire Department announced a viewing for Dranbauer will be held Friday at Schimunek Funeral Home in Bel Air from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. The funeral service is being held the following day at Mountain Christian Church in Joppa at 11 a.m.

The department said that Dranbauer served “with courage, honor, and unwavering commitment” on Engine Company 5, which is based at the Roman A. Kaminski Fire Station in Southeast Baltimore.

Dranbauer’s “leadership, compassion, and dedication to his fellow firefighters and the community will never be forgotten,” the department said.

Earlier that week on May 16, Charles Mudra, a 17-year department veteran, died after he “suffered a catastrophic medical emergency” during a skills assessment at the BCFD’s training academy, the department said in a statement. He was immediately given life support measures on-scene before being transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:42 a.m., according to the department.

Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich.

©2025 Baltimore Sun. Visit baltimoresun.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post Funeral Services Set for Baltimore City Firefighter Who Died After Medical Emergency appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: May 21, 2025

Extrication Expert Dave Dalrymple Passes

The extrication world has lost a giant. David Dalrymple, longtime FDIC instructor, Fire Engineering author, Fire Engineering Books DVD author, and Training Minutes video host, has passed away from complications from pneumonia. He was 60.

Dalrymple was a rescue consultant/educator for RoadwayRescue LLC, teaching extrication to responders throughout the United States and internationally. He had been involved with emergency services for 40 years and has been teaching transportation rescue topics for more than 27 years. In 2007, he received the Harvey Grant award for excellence in rescue education. He was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers task force on hybrids and electric vehicles for first and second responders and the former education chair for TERC-US, a group tasked with providing educational guidance and assessment for extrication challenges in the United States. He was certified as an international level extrication assessor and was a member of the International Council on Motorsport Sciences. He developed the Rally Safety educational program series that is partnered with the SFI Foundation. He published articles on transportation rescue topics on a local, regional, national, and international level.

Dalrymple was featured in the Fire & Safety Journal Americas 2025 Special Influencers Edition (January 2025 issue), where he said, “We need to ‘learn to read’ crashed vehicles better. We must be smarter and understand how crashes injure occupants.” He was very humbled to receive the honor, he said.

Battalion Chief (Ret.) Leigh Hollins, Cedar Hammock (FL) Fire Rescue, a fellow extrication instructor at FDIC, said, “Dave Dalrymple (Double D as I affectionately called him) had a huge impact on the fire rescue service. Dave’s knowledge in the field of vehicle extrication, hybrid vehicles, and new vehicle technology was matched by very few people. Dave shared this knowledge through his teachings, writings, and videos that enhanced the knowledge of thousands of responders. Having taught with Dave in the past, I had a first-hand look at his expertise in the discipline of vehicle extrication. His leadership and work through RoadwayRescue LLC & TERC (Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee) has changed the way vehicle extrication is performed. Double D definitely had the ‘Pass It On’ mentality, and his participation and knowledge will be sorely missed.”

Captain Todd Taylor, Wayne Township (IN) Fire Department, said, “Dave dedicated his life to vehicle rescue. It didn’t matter what type of vehicle it was, raising or passenger cars, he wanted to know how to rescue someone from it. Dave shared so much. He will be missed by all.”

Jason Defosse, Rescue Specialist/FDIC Lead Instructor, Defosse Extrication & Consulting Inc.: “Dave’s knowledge and passion for education, specifically on extrication, has impacted thousands of first responders around the world, including myself, and was inspired by his teachings. His desire to always be a subject matter expert in his work through Fire Engineering and FDIC must be recognized, as we are all students of Dave’s. I took my first class with him back in 2010 as a student, and I attended his lecture. His easygoing demeanor made him very approachable. I remember him telling me, specifically when performing extrication evolutions, the importance of peeling and peeking because it’s not what you see–it’s what you don’t see that can get you into trouble. If I was to even try to summarize some of Dave’s work, I would say that he was a constant educator and, in the spirit of rescue, sincerely tried to help those who help others.”

MORE DAVE DALRYMPLE

Posted: May 21, 2025

Texas Department Adds 3,000-Gallon Pumper-Tanker to Fleet

Apparatus Ideas Bob Vaccaro

BOB VACCARO

The Refugio (TX) Volunteer Fire Department is located approximately 50 miles northeast of Corpus Christi. The response area is mostly rural and covers a great distance, according to Chief Ronnie Williams.

“Our response area covers a small populated area but, overall, it is roughly 374 square miles of rural land. The area contains oil fields and a great deal of family-owned land areas. There are no fire hydrants, so we have to bring our own water supply for firefighting,” he says.

The department has 34 volunteer firefighters who not only respond to its own alarms but provide mutual aid to neighboring communities as well. Its response district has Interstate 69 running through it, where it responds to numerous vehicle collisions. It also has the mainline of the Union Pacific Railroad, which has one train per hour running through the area. “This alone gives our department exposure to possible hazmat situations,” says Williams. “When we began designing this new apparatus, we had several goals in mind. We would be replacing two previous vehicles—a 1976, which carried 200 gallons, and a 1980, which carried 1,300 gallons of water. These two pieces of apparatus were getting old and were giving us maintenance issues, so it was time for them to be replaced.”

Williams said the new vehicle had to be able to handle hazmat, heavy rescue, and general firefighting responses. It needed to carry a FOLD-A-TANK 3,500-gallon portable tank and have larger compartments not only for current equipment but for future equipment additions as well. The department also increased the vent size to offload water at a faster rate. “We hired and worked with a fire protection consultant on the specs, which was a great help to us,” says Williams. “To begin the bidding process, the department sent out RFPs to five fire apparatus manufacturers, and four ultimately bid on the truck that met our specs.”

The rear of the rig

1 The Refugio Fire Department’s pumper-tanker is built on a Kenworth T880 chassis with body by US Fire Apparatus. (Photos courtesy of US Fire Apparatus.)

The officer’s side

2 The rear of the rig with the Newton swivel dump valve.

The department wanted either a Kenworth or a Peterbilt chassis that would hold the weight of the water, carry all its equipment, and not be top heavy. This new apparatus would roll second due and be responsible for supplying water to the first-due engines.

The apparatus committee consisted of two captains and one chief, who traveled to the US Fire Apparatus factory for the preconstruction meeting. It also did a virtual midpoint inspection, with the final inspection being done on site. “We were really impressed with their operation,” says Williams. “The workmanship and final product met all of our expectations. The vehicle works flawlessly.”

The department went with an aluminum body that it felt would hold up well. It carries normal engine company tools and fittings as well as forcible entry tools and extriction tools. Williams says the larger compartments provide the department with much more room for equipment storage.

The driver’s side

3

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