Pennsylvania State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Representative John Galloway (D-140) announced $1 million in state funds from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) for the renovation of Falls Township Fire Company No. 1.

“I’d like to thank Governor Wolf for supporting my request to dedicate RACP funds for the Falls Township Fire Company No, 1 project, which will provide the fire company with an improved facility to better serve the residents of Falls Township in emergencies,” said Sen. Santarsiero.  “I am incredibly grateful for the time and service of the volunteer firefighters who serve our community, and I enthusiastically supported the fire company’s application to ensure the company has an upgraded space.”

The project will include a large-scale renovation of the existing firehouse, originally constructed in 1958. The funds will be used to help with demolition, the renovation of the existing structure, the construction of an addition to the building and a new building façade. Improvements will include areas for apparatus bays, administration space and storage, along with upgrading sleeping areas, showers, workout areas for physical fitness, radio communications, technology upgrades, training room and kitchen and day room area improvements, which are essential to attract and retain members now and into the future.

“Our firefighters put their lives on the line for our community on a daily basis, but for too long in Falls Township they have not had an adequate facility to work from,” said Rep. John Galloway. “I’m pleased these funds will be used to upgrade the existing firehouse and add a new addition to the property, which will make it easier for the firefighters to do serve the community.”

“As we move towards our 100^th year of operation, the current firehouse needs updating,” said Falls Township Fire Company President Michael McClellan Jr. “In order to serve Falls Township, investments are needed to update our facility with the modern amenities required to provide Fire Protection in the 21^st Century. The upgrades will benefit our greatest assets, our members. Falls Township and the areas we respond to with our Lower Bucks Mutual Aid Partners, will benefit exponentially with the investment made by this grant.”

RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. RACP projects are state-funded projects that cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs. 

To learn more about RACP projects and grants, visit the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget website. 

Firefighters in Pawnee County (OK) said most of the equipment they use is at least 30 years old, and in need of updating, News9.com reported. The newest model truck is from 2006, with the rest of the equipment being at least 30 years old, a fire official said.

The North 48 Fire Department is a volunteer fire department covering the eastern half of Pawnee County. The department is hoping voters will pass the upcoming sales tax issue on the November ballot.

All 12 fire departments in Pawnee County would split the money evenly, the report said.

The fire official said if the sales tax vote passes, not only would it help keep people safer with better equipment, it could also help with the county’s insurance rating, according to the report.

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners is considering a contract that could bring a new fire station for the Sutallee community, TribuneLedgerNews.com reported.

The board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a $6.2 million construction agreement with Cooper and Company General Contractors, Inc., with a 10% county-controlled contingency of $621,000, for the construction of a new Sutallee Fire Station 13, according to county documents.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services is requesting to replace the existing Station 13 off Knox Highway, which was originally a house that volunteers converted to a station and was not designed to house firefighters 24 hours a day, the report said.

Construction on Cascade Township (MI)’s new fire station is set to begin this week, GRBJ.com reported.

Cascade Township is scheduled to host a ground breaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 2, to kick off the renovation project for its new Fire Station 1 at 2865 Thornhills Avenue SE, the report said.

The $10.9 million renovation has been in the works since 2018 and is the largest capital investment project in Cascade’s history, according to the township. The new station is expected to open in fall 2023, the report said.

This month, we asked Advisory Board Members Bill Adams and Ricky Riley: “Should National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, mandate the amount and type of ancillary equipment fire apparatus should carry?”

Bill Adams

My answer is NO. NFPA 1901, Chapter 1 Administration, sentence 1.1* states: “Scope. This standard defines the requirements for new automotive fire apparatus and trailers designed to be used under emergency conditions to transport personnel and equipment and to support the suppression of fires and mitigation of other hazardous situations.”

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines scope as an intention and a range of operation. Sans the descriptive and moderating adjectives, I interpret NFPA 1901 defining its scope solely as the requirements for a vehicle (or trailer) to transport personnel and equipment. That’s it. It says nothing about ancillary equipment that must or should be carried. It is my opinion that requirements beyond describing the actual vehicle to move people and/or equipment exceed the boundaries of NFPA 1901’s own definition and the intent of the document.

There is no disparaging the objective of any NFPA standard in providing safe environments for firefighters when performing their duties. NFPA 1901 has self-described that environment as the vehicle “to get them there.” What they’ve brought with them and what they do after they get there are not 1901’s responsibility. Over the years, it appears 1901 has self-adopted criteria that is beyond its scope—including ancillary equipment—without any appreciable pushback from the fire service.

Liability

NFPA 1901 is a nationwide voluntary consensus standard that is not legally binding unless formally adopted by a political subdivision. There are statements within it that, if not followed, might put the fire department or its authority having jurisdiction in legal jeopardy.

Could fire departments be liable if “something bad happens” that can be attributed to not carrying a piece of ancillary equipment that NFPA 1901 mandates, suggests, recommends, or says a purchaser “ought to” consider carrying? Ask your attorney if contributory negligence is applicable.

American Fire Service

The NFPA’s Web site¹ points out that 82% (24,220) of the 29,537 fire departments in the United States in 2019 were volunteer. Career departments maintain their own individualities, albeit within the constraints of political overseers. Volunteers’ autonomy can be and usually is much more liberal.

A standardized fire truck may not be suitable to fit the needs of every career and volunteer department in the country. It’s equally so for a single list of even minimum ancillary equipment NFPA 1901 wants each rig to carry. I venture many departments would like to say, “Let NFPA 1901 describe a rig to get us there safely, and we’ll decide what to bring and how to use it.”

America’s fire service is not nationalized, meaning the federal government does not own, control, or pay for it. It is federalized, meaning control rests with the local jurisdictions that own and pay for it. The local jurisdictions should decide what to purchase.

Important: Some apparatus and ancillary equipment may be voluntarily subject to the requirements of regionalized entities including governmental agencies and local organizations. An example: “If you want to participate in our mutual-aid group, here are the rules you must comply with, which include minimum apparatus and ancillary equipment requirements.” That is 100% justifiable.

Civil Defense

In the 1950s, both the American