Nick Hytrek
Sioux City Journal, Iowa
(TNS)
LE MARS, Iowa — As the city of Le Mars aims for increasing growth, the city’s fire department hopes to keep up.
That’s going to be hard to do with two fire stations filled to capacity and no room to expand, said Le Mars Fire-Rescue Department Chief David Schipper.
“Both our buildings weren’t set up for full-time staffing,” Schipper said. “We’re just completely out of space.”
Le Mars fire station bond issue
Dave Schipper, Le Mars Fire-Rescue chief, stands in an area where the department’s hazardous material trailer and firefighting foam is stored May 23 in the department’s station No. 2 in southwestern Le Mars. The department is seeking voter approval of a $16 million bond issue to build a new firehouse to replace station No. 2.{/p}
On Nov. 4, Le Mars voters will consider a $16 million bond issue to build a new firehouse Schipper said would enable his department to meet the needs of the growing city. The measure needs 60% approval to pass.
“This building will be built for the future,” Schipper said of the 25,400-square-foot structure proposed to be built on land the city bought in 2022 at a corner of 12th Street Southwest and Eighth Avenue Southwest
It also will be built for less than $16 million, he said. Anticipated donations could reduce the cost of construction into the $10-$12 million range, enabling the city to borrow less than the full amount proposed.
“If we don’t need to spend $16 million, we won’t. It’s not going to be that much. I won’t allow it to be that much,” Schipper said.
VIDEO: Fire chief tells need for new station
Dave Schipper, Chief of Le Mars Fire-Rescue, explains why the city needs to build a new, larger fire station. The fire department is asking voters to pass a bond issue to build a $12-$15 million firehouse.
If approved, the firehouse would replace Station No. 2, located at 25 12th St. SE on the former Westmar University campus.
Though it was built 20 years ago, Station No. 2 has no living quarters for full-time firefighters and no room for more trucks or apparatus. It’s landlocked and can’t be expanded.
All living quarters for the 12 full-time firefighters are located at the downtown fire station at 45 1st Ave. SW, a building that was never intended to be a fire hall, but has been renovated bit by bit over the years to add bedrooms wherever space permitted. It, too, is full, lacks additional room for equipment and does not have separate restrooms and locker rooms for male and female firefighters. Schipper said his department has equipment spread out in four locations. Its training room is not big enough to hold all full-time and 25 paid on-call volunteers, plus emergency medical staff members, so training exercises must take place off-site.
“We’re short on offices, short on bedrooms and have no room to add any more apparatus,” Schipper said. “We’ve made it work and made it work and now we’re at the point where we can’t make it work anymore.”
The new firehouse would become the headquarters with administrative offices, sufficient sleeping quarters and kitchen and laundry facilities, plus meeting rooms, training areas and a decontamination area. It also would have room for more trucks and equipment.
The department responds to 2,000 calls a year, an increase in the past 15 years, Schipper said, and the city has grown from 8,000 people when he was growing up to 14,000 during the daytime now. The department covers six communities — Le Mars, Oyens, Merrill, Seney, Struble and Brunsville — and 220 square miles.
“We need to keep up with development,” Schipper said. “It’s just time.”
Posted: Nov 1, 2025
Fort Worth (TX) Fire Department Engine 14 was struck by a truck while blocking a single car motor vehicle accident Friday night, Oct. 31, 2025, the department said in a Facebook post.
Here is the department’s report:
“Late last night, around 3:30am, Fort Worth Fire Department Engines 5 and 14 were dispatched to a single car motor vehicle accident at the 287 interchange southeast of Downtown. After initially not finding any accident, Engine 14 came upon it while circling back to return to the station. It was a single vehicle accident.
“The driver of Engine 14 parked the engine at a 45° angle to protect the scene downstream from the flow of traffic. Within just seconds of our last firefighter stepping off of the apparatus, Engine 14 was struck by a truck traveling northbound. There is absolutely no doubt that Engine 14 and the way it was parked to protect the incident scene saved the lives of our crew and the driver of the original crash.
“The driver of the initial dispatch was thankfully uninjured. The two occupants of the truck that hit Engine 14 were trapped and needed our crews on scene to extricate them from the vehicle. After being removed from the vehicle, they were transported to a local hospital. And, despite the dangerous situation, thankfully no firefighters were injured.
“We can’t stress enough how important it is to pay attention while driving. Do not text and drive. Do not drink and drive. Do not drive while impaired or distracted. You are putting not only your lives in jeopardy but the lives of others on the road AND our first responders. Although it was dark out, the lights from Engine 14 were illuminating the road. When you see emergency vehicle lights: SLOW DOWN and MOVE OVER. It’s not only the safest thing to do: it’s the law.
“We know how lucky our crews were last night. And we plead with the public to do their part in keeping each other safe on our roadways. Please… Stay safe.”
The post Fort Worth (TX) FD Engine Hit While Blocking Accident Scene appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.
Read more
- 2
- Article rating: No rating
Posted: Nov 1, 2025
Julia Cardi
The Detroit News
(TNS)
Farmington Hills has a revamped headquarters for its fire department, with a new emergency operations center to coordinate command during disasters both natural and man-made.
The project, which city officials celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, was funded by a $3 million state grant. Construction began in March and finished in September. Staff moved back into the headquarters on 31455 W. 11 Mile Rd. at the beginning of October.
“It’s a huge accomplishment, with getting something that we’ve always wished and dreamed for, and through the grant, we were able to make happen,” Fire Chief Jon Unruh said. “And it’s an incredible benefit for the citizens, from the standpoint that we can now work in a facility (to) manage incidents and manage natural and man-made disasters.”
Unruh said the department had outgrown the previous facility. The number of staff working in the headquarters has doubled from seven to now 14 since the facility was built in 1997. Some employees were sharing cubicles, he said, and the city was also using the previous emergency operations space as a warming and cooling center.
The renovations added more 3,000 square feet to the facility, including offices and the emergency operations center.
During construction, headquarters staff temporarily relocated to “The Hawk,” the city’s community center on 12 Mile. Farmington Hills has five fire stations, one of which operates out of the headquarters. Construction did not affect the fire station.
“This is a symbol of how Farmington Hills continues to evolve, while holding true to the legacy of service, preparedness and caring for our community,” Mayor Theresa Rich said.
The new emergency operations center features desk space and wall-mounted screens wrapping around the room that can display information such as data mapping around the city to aid in incident command. Unruh said weather disasters tend to make up most of the incidents that require the fire department’s coordinated response.
Farmington Hills now having its own permanent, dedicated emergency operations center is distinctive in Oakland County, Unruh said, noting most cities rely on the county’s command center.
“It’s truly an example of what can happen when local and state leaders work together for the community,” City Manager Gary Mekjian said Wednesday.
jcardi@detroitnews.com
©2025 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The post Read more
- 2
- Article rating: No rating
Posted: Nov 1, 2025
When specifying fire apparatus lighting, keep in mind three things: to and from scene, on scene, and maintenance longevity. (Photos courtesy of SoundOff Signal.)
In the realm of fire apparatus specification, one of the most important things to get right, yet one of the most difficult to understand sometimes, is lighting. Firefighters are well accustomed to understanding gallons per minute and pounds per square inch, but lux and lumens are not always terms easily understood, nor is understanding the nuances of getting a scene light, for example, to shine light where you think it will. Along the way there are numerous types of lights, among them silicone lighting, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) compliance, and writing the specs themselves. But, companies like SoundOff Signal offer support when specifying the lighting on your next rig.
SILICONE LIGHTING
SoundOff Signal designs, engineers, and assembles its lighting products in its Hudsonville, Michigan, headquarters. Among its product lines are its mpower® products. According to Damon Mirate, director of product management at SoundOff Signal, “The lenses of the mpower fascia, 4×2, 6×4, and 7×3 lights include an integrated seal. The light housing directly clamps the compressible lens to prevent moisture intrusion. Other brands require a sealing gasket in addition to the lens, which increases the number of surfaces needing to be sealed, allowing for more leak points.” Mirate adds that SoundOff Signal is the only fire light manufacturer that offers a full fire light line with silicone lenses, although other brands offer pieces of optical silicone within their light. “But, they do not offer all silicone lenses for the full product lineup of warning, scene, tail light, and turn signal lighting like we do,” he says.
mpower® silicone lenses include an integrated seal. The light housing directly clamps the compressible lens to prevent moisture intrusion.
Advantages of SILASTIC silicone include UV stability, which prevents the cracking and crazing that occurs with uncoated polycarbonate lenses. While UV causes polycarbonate to yellow, it causes silicone to become more clear.
SILASTIC silicone, by DOW, demonstrates 94% light transmission through the silicone material compared with 88% to 90% through polycarbonate material, according to a study DOW conducted on its SILASTIC silicone. This allows SoundOff Signal engineers
Read more
- 2
- Article rating: No rating