Maddie Pfeifer

Albany Democrat-Herald, Ore.

(MCT)

Oct. 12—The demolition started with a scavenger hunt of sorts, according to Lt. Erin Nunes.

Lebanon firefighters searched to find some buried treasure in their old station. Firefighter trading cards stashed in the walls of the kitchen were the prize.

Nunes said firefighters hid the cards years ago, and finding them where they left them was pretty special.

What came next was heavy duty construction equipment.

After numerous delays, contractors finally knocked down Station 31, built in the 1970s, to make way for the new facility, which voters opted to fund back in 2019.

“Everyone is excited about the new station coming,” Nunes said. “The lifespan of a fire station is around 40 years, so it’s time for a new one.”

Construction delays

The hope is the station and adjacent office building will be completed by late 2023 or early 2024, according to Lebanon Fire District Chief Joseph Rodondi.

The station was originally scheduled for demolition in the summer of 2021, but rising costs of building materials delayed the project.

“COVID impacted supply chain and the availability of products,” Rodondi said. “It led to an unstable market.”

Project managers paused the multimillion-dollar plans until market conditions stabilized. While lumber prices have dropped since then, inflation is still a problem, officials said.

Making progress

In 2019, voters approved a 26-year, $16 million bond that would fund the building of the new station. At the time, the district estimated the project would cost $13.6 million.

Now visible progress is being made on the project promised to Lebanon community members three years ago.

“For a lot of us, it’s a sigh of relief,” Rodondi said. “We made it through the economic storm. It’s becoming very real.”

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, Rodondi, Nunes and other Lebanon fire personnel watched as crews knocked down the building so well-known to local firefighters.

Nunes, who has been with the agency for 15 years, said every Lebanon firefighter ends up stationed at Station 31 at some point in the career. The Fire District has one other staffed station and three volunteer-based stations.

A sentimental station

To commemorate the end of an era, crews had a pizza party and played laser tag during their last shift at Station 31. That family atmosphere is what Nunes remembers most about the station.

“We would invite our families to the station on holidays we were working,” Nunes said. “My kids opened presents on Christmas and had egg hunts during Easter.”

Although the old station holds fond memories, the new one will serve Lebanon for years to come.

Improvements for the future

Rodondi said the new layout and construction will better utilize the whole property and will have room to grow. The old station had received more than 10 additions and expansions over its lifetime.

The new facility will add firefighter bunks and office space for administrators. The layout will also be more functional, with

A fire truck was involved in a crash late Monday night in downtown St. Paul, KSTP.com reported.

The wreck between the fire truck and a car occurred at 12^th Street and Cedar Avenue around 11 p.m., the report said.

According to the St. Paul Police Department, the driver of the car was transported to Regions Hospital with minor injuries. No firefighters were hurt in the crash, according to police.

OCALA, FL – Oct. 14, 2022 – E-ONE^®, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc., is pleased to announce the delivery of two E-ONE HP 95 Mid-Mount Platforms to the Phoenix Fire Department in Arizona. The apparatus were purchased through E-ONE Dealer H&E Equipment.

These two platforms are part of an eight-unit order that includes a total of five platforms and three E-ONE HR 100 single axle ladder trucks.

The Phoenix Fire Department will use these platforms as first-in vehicles. These are replacement trucks that have been updated with more ground ladders, more compartment space, upgraded air conditioning technology and more to meet current operational requirements.

Key features of the HP 95 Mid-Mount Platforms include:

• E-ONE Typhoon^® cab with 12” vista roof and severe duty interior
• AAP 120v shoreline powered air conditioning and HEPA Filtration system inside cab
• Integral torque box frame with a Cummins 605 HP X15 engine and Allison EVS4000P transmission
• Crisscross underslung forward outriggers with 18’ spread and H-style rear outriggers with only 11’-2” spread
• Automatic levelling system for outriggers
• Extruded aluminum aerial with 2.5 to 1 structural safety factor
• Advanced Aerial Control System with color displays featuring mission specific screens
• Akron StreamMaster II AVM monitor with (2) 2.5” discharges for standpipe operations
• 3 custom storage boxes on outside of platform for hose and miscellaneous equipment
• Parapet ladder system on front of platform with 16’ Duo-Safety ladder inside aerial fly
• Extruded aluminum body with over 300 cubic feet of compartmentation
• Shortened rear body to reduce tail swing
• Wide ladder tunnel with 166’ of Duo-Safety ground ladders with pike pole and back board storage

Phoenix Fire Department will use the three HR 100 single axle ladder trucks to better serve its growing community, providing greater maneuverability for tight areas in the city, added aerial response for mid-rises, more space for equipment and less maintenance costs. The two single axle ladder trucks in service have already proven this to be true.

“It’s exciting to see Phoenix add these two HP 95 Mid-Mounts to their growing fleet of E-ONE^® aerials,” said Joe Hedges, E-ONE aerial product manager. “The platforms feature our new chassis and outrigger design with a single set of crisscross underslung outriggers below the turntable and narrow H-style jacks placed directly behind the rear axle for improved departure angle. The forward outriggers include outboard stab jacks to provide outstanding levelling capability.” 

“We chose E-ONE because of their excellent customer service and personalized attention to the high standards the Phoenix Fire Department adheres to for our apparatus,” said Michael Schamadan, Phoenix Deputy Chief / Shift Commander. “Their design team was innovative and efficient, and the communication was great from design, prebuild, mid build and final delivery. Working with E-ONE and their local dealer was a great success.”

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About E-ONE, Inc.

E-ONE is a leading fire apparatus manufacturer, making emergency vehicles, rescue trucks, aerial fire trucks, rescue pumpers and custom fire apparatus, and has produced more than 28,000 vehicles delivered around the world. Headquartered in Ocala, Florida, E-ONE is an industry leader in product innovations, new technologies and exceeding customer expectations. E-ONE is owned by the REV Group (NYSE: REVG).

A 46-year-old man crashed into a fire station in Tumalo (OR) late Wednesday night while driving under the influence of intoxicants, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, KPTV.com reported.

Just before 11:30 p.m., Jamie Frank Slagter was driving a 2003 Ford Explorer when he lost control and crashed into the Tumalo Fire Station at 64725 Cook Avenue, the report said. Bend Fire & Rescue said three firefighters were on-duty and in the station at the time of the crash.

No injuries were reported to any of the on-duty firefighters, according to the report.

Deputies arrived to the scene and determined Slagter had been driving while under the influence of intoxicants, the report said. Slagter was issued a criminal citation for DUII and first-degree criminal mischief, the report said.

The vehicle caused significant damage to the exterior wall of the fire station and intruded into the building three-to-four feet, according to the report. Damage to the building is estimated to be in the $100,000 to $150,000 range. The fire chief and fire marshal evaluated the damage Thursday morning and determined the building was structurally sound.

Firefighters spent Thursday cleaning up the debris from the crash. The fire station will remain open and fully staffed.