The city of Venice (FL) celebrated the opening of the Old Betsy Museum at 343 Nassau Street Street (next to the Venice Museum & Archives) Thursday, June 5, 2025, the Venice Fire Rescue said in a Facebook post.

Old Betsy is a 1926 American LaFrance that became Venice’s first engine after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) purchased her from the city of Moore Haven (FL). She retired from active service in 1959 and has since appeared in parades and public events.

Cared for by Earl and Karen Midlam, Old Betsy takes up permanent residence in her new museum home. You can still expect special appearances for extraordinary milestones.

“A huge thank you to the more than 130 community members who donated more than $218,000 to support Old Betsy’s preservation and her display museum,” the post said. “We heard stories of Old Betsy’s firefighting days, her wild ride over the Skyway Bridge (without brakes!), chauffeuring Venice High champions and their trophies, and the meaningful role she’s played in this community for decades.”

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The Jacksonville Fire Department recently announced the arrival of a new Type 3 Wildland Engine, awarded through the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal. The Oregon State Fire Marshal Engine Program has helped modernize and boost Oregon’s firefighting capabilities by purchasing and strategically deploying apparatus throughout the state.

Funding of the program was made possible through Senate Bill 762. The apparatus are tailored for wildland-urban interface scenarios and can support local response efforts as well as facilitating regional mutual aid needs.

“We are thankful for the capabilities this engine provides to our local communities and plan to put it into service in the coming months,” the post said.

Learn more about the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Engine Program.

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The Milton Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) recently received a new Pierce pumper and Advanced Life Support equipment, the department said in a Facebook post.

The brand new Engine 406 was delivered May 30 and over the next couple of weeks the department will work to get this truck in service.

MVFD also recently announced the delivery of three brand new Stryker Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and a brand new Lifepak 15 Monitor.

These items were purchased through opioid funds awarded to the city for public safety organizations, the post said. This equipment will allow us to increase our Advanced Life Support capabilities to Engine 404 as well as Utility 415 and also update the AEDs on the rest of the fleet.

“This is HUGE for MVFD and our community,” the post said. “Thank you to the City of Milton and City Council for approving the use of funds!”

The post Milton (WV) VFD Receives New Engine and Life-Saving Equipment appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Taylor Inman
Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, Mont.
(TNS)

Jun. 7—Bigfork Fire Department is putting a 20-year bond for up to $15 million before voters this fall for a new fire station and upgrades to its current facilities, according to the department’s Public Information Officer Al Benitez.

The Bigfork Fire Department Board of Trustees voted last week to put the bond and a mill levy before voters in a Sept. 9 special election to address infrastructure and staffing deficiencies.

The proposed permanent mill levy would raise $1.2 million the first year, which will go toward staff, operations, training and equipment, Benitez said.

Calculating the annual tax increases for these proposals has been more difficult than in recent years because of revisions to property tax laws by the Montana Legislature, Benitez said. Multiple bills targeting property tax relief were signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte this spring, including SB 542, which taxes second homes and short-term rentals at a higher rate.

Homestead qualified residences, which are primary homes, will be taxed at a marginal rate due to these changes. If a primary home is valued at $600,000, the first $50,000 of that will be taxed at 0.76%, the value between $50,001 and $500,000 will be taxed at 0.95% and the remaining value will be taxed at 1.15%. In addition to these changes, there will be a $400 rebate the first year

New tax assessment values are scheduled to be released by the Montana Department of Revenue in early August, but the ballots will have been certified before that announcement and therefore won’t include concrete figures on annual tax increases, according to a document outlining tax increase estimates from the fire department.

In working with Flathead County, the fire department’s bond counsel and bond underwriter, Benitez said they calculated conservative estimates.

The estimates only look at homes that qualify as homestead-qualified properties.

If the proposed mill levy passes, the owner of a home with a market value of $300,000 can expect an annual tax increase of $74.73. Owners of homes valued at $600,000 can expect an annual tax increase of $157.47, according to Benitez.

If the bond measure passes, the owner of a home valued at $300,000 will see an annual tax increase of $75.61. Owners of homes valued at $600,000 will see an annual tax increase of $159.31.

The mill levy will appear on the 2025-2026 tax rolls, and the bond will appear on the 2026-2027 tax rolls, if the measures pass.

Benitez said the department will continue to give updates about the proposals as they get more information.

“It’s a conservative estimate. We believe the number probably will be a little bit lower, but to give an idea … There are 17 different classes of property in Montana, each one is going to have their own tax calculation,” Benitez said.

In a release detailing the proposals, Bigfork Fire Department officials said they are experiencing increased calls for service while grappling with aging buildings, outdated equipment and limited staff.

If approved, the bond will fund a new fire district headquarters and Station 31 on 8.65 acres owned by the fire district, designed to serve Bigfork for the next 50 years. It will also pay for repairs and upgrades to Station 32 and Station 33 facilities.

The mill levy would support the hiring of additional firefighters (increasing the on-duty staff from three to up to five per shift), improve firefighter pay to attract and retain skilled personnel, purchasing of additional safety gear and equipment for new and current firefighters, as well as provide enhanced training, including specialized certifications.

The mill levy would also ensure con

The Cumberland County commissioners cleared the way Thursday for the Department of Public Safety to buy pagers for local emergency medical services.

The pagers will be used to transition EMS companies countywide to the paging system that will be in place once the P25 radio project is implemented, said Claudia Garner, deputy director of administration for the department.

Cumberland County plans to borrow $15 million for P25 radio project

Cumberland County commissioners last week authorized staff to borrow about $15 million to complete the P25 radio project.

Currently, the county uses an L3 Harris Open Sky system for its emergency calls. Work is underway to switch to a P25 system using a Motorola-based platform.

The commissioners approved a department capital project request to buy pagers for staff members and for each EMS company for a total amount not to exceed $75,000.

The allotment for each company will be based on 2024 call volumes with a minimum of four pagers per company, Garner said.

Partnership award

In related business, civilian and military leaders from Carlisle Barracks presented a 2024 Army Community Partnership Award to Public Safety during a commissioners’ meeting Thursday.

The department is one of seven recipients worldwide to receive a 2024 award under the national program that recognizes collaboration between Army installations and their surrounding communities, according to a county press release.

Cumberland County commissioners approve purchase of replacement mobile communications unit

County commissioners last week approved replacing the current unit, which is about 27 years old, said Bob Shively, department director.

“This award is a testament to the strength of our relationship with the military community at the [Barracks and] U.S. Army War College,” said Robert Shively, department director. “Together we are committed to building a safer, more resilient region through open communication, mutual support and coordinated emergency response.”

Firefighters on post routinely respond to emergency calls outside the installation to assist local first-responders, said Lt. Col. Priscella Nohle, garrison commander. “We’re grateful for the partnership. We stay trained. We stay ready. We stay responsive.”

Since its launch in 2016, the program has recognized 66 partnerships to go beyond traditional collaboration.

Big Spring grant

The commissioners also authorized the county Conservation District to apply for a $260,000 Growing Greener Plus grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The grant would be used to support a restoration project on the Big Spring Creek that will focus on stream bank and wetland rehabilitation, said Brooke Weary, a watershed specialist.

Ridge Road repair work could begin next spring in Mount Holly Springs

The timing of drainage repairs to Ridge Road in Mount Holly Springs hinges on a commitment letter from a state agency and the signatures of seven landowners.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will handle project design and construction oversight while the West Pennsylvania Conservancy will handle payments to the contractor, she told the commissioners.

The Big Spring Watersh