Dracut Fire Chief Richard Patterson is pleased to announce that the Dracut Fire Department is one of over 300 fire departments across the state to have been awarded a grant as part of the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2023 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program, according to a press release.

The $25,000 grant awarded to the Dracut Fire Department will be used to purchase an ice rescue rapid deployment craft, life safety ropes, and rescue equipment, and to replace well-used and outdated hose lines.

The program provides local fire departments with a variety of equipment that makes the dangerous job of firefighting safer. This is the third year that funding has been awarded for this purpose as part of a five-year, $25 million bond bill filed by the Administration to support firefighter safety and health in the coming years.

Fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply to this program for 121 different types of eligible equipment, including ballistic protective clothing, thermal protective clothing, gear washers and dryers, thermal imaging cameras, assorted hand tools and extrication equipment, communications resources, hazardous gas meters, fitness equipment and more. 

“Every time a firefighter goes to work, they could be asked to rescue a child from a burning building, clean up a spill of hazardous materials, treat a patient with a contagious medical condition, or rush into a hostile event to rescue and treat victims,” said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “This program is absolutely vital to helping fire departments prepare for the vast array of hazards they face today and making sure that firefighters go home safe after every call.”

A complete list of the awards by department can be found here.

(Valparaiso, Indiana) – Fire departments around the globe are looking for solutions to combat the increasing frequency of electric vehicle fires. TFT is introducing a tool to help in that fight.

EV Emergency Response Guides all recommend using large amounts of water to cool and mitigate an EV fire. The new Transformer EV Nozzle System deploys in 60 seconds to deliver up to 150 GPM (570 LPM) to the underside of an EV where the battery, and risk of thermal runaway, is located.

TFT’s new Transformer EV kit is a new version of the most customizable specialty nozzle on the market. It only includes the components necessary for EV fires and is simple and quick to deploy. The nozzle breaks down into 5 smaller parts stored in a canvas bag (included) so it takes up very little room on the truck.

The fully assembled nozzle gives firefighters over 7′ (2 m) of distance from the nozzle head, helping them stay safe on scene while delivering the water necessary. Just connect to a fire hose and it’s ready to go without extra equipment or air tanks.

For more information, contact your local TFT dealer or go to Task Force Tips – TRANSFORMER Nozzle Systems (tft.com)                                                                                               

###

About Task Force Tips:

Task Force Tips (TFT) is a leading manufacturer of live saving equipment for fire and rescue departments around the globe. Based in Valparaiso, Indiana, our mission is focused on saving lives and protecting property. More info at tft.com.

Sioux City Fire Rescue showed off four new 2022 Rosenbauer Pumper Engines at Station 1 during a press conference Friday, SiouxCityJournal.com reported.

The engines cost the city $2.1 million and are expected to be in frontline service for 20 years, the report said.

The engines replace four older engines — 1, 3, 5 and 6, which will be put in reserve status, according to the report. The previous reserve engines, 50,70 and 80 will go to city auction.

An Indiana truck driver has been charged after his rig struck a PennDOT pickup truck and a fire vehicle at the scene of an accident Thursday on I-80 in Northumberland County, PennLive.com reported.

Karanjeet Singh, 28, of Noblesville, was charged with driving too fast for conditions, state police said Friday. The investigation is continuing, they said.

No one was injured in the accident that occurred about 12:45 p.m. Thursday in the eastbound lanes of I-80 in Turbot Township, the report said.

Volunteers with the Turbot Township (PA) Fire Company took to Facebook to remind motorists to be aware of the Steer Clear law.

Construction began recently on Traer Fire’s new building in the empty lot located directly east of the main station at 648 Second Street, TimesRepublican.com reported. Updates were provided at the December 5 Traer City Council meeting.

The new 50’x 88′, six-bay building is being constructed next to the fire station in order to house the department’s biggest trucks including its new aerial truck, while the main building will continue to be used for training, storage, meetings, kitchen and bathroom facilities, and more, the report said.

In the summer, the city earmarked roughly $240,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the project with the fire department further dedicating both city and rural set-aside funds plus some fundraising to the project’s finances, according to the report.

The hope is that the building will be done before winter sets in completely, the report said.