An uptick in capsized or stranded boaters at Lake Junaluska has prompted the Waynesville (NC) Fire Department to add a motorized swiftwater rescue boat to its arsenal, TheMountaineer.com reported.

Until now, Waynesville firefighters responding to water rescues at the lake have had to commandeer boats on the fly, even borrowing boats from fishermen, the report said.

The inflatable swiftwater rescue boat outfitted with a motor is the only one of its kind in the county, which will allow Waynesville firefighters to aid neighboring communities along the Pigeon River, according to the report.

A handful of other fire departments — including those in Canton, Bethel and Clyde where the Pigeon flows through their jurisdiction — have inflatable whitewater rafts designed for moving water. Waynesville’s differs by having a rigid bottom and motor, the report said.

Lyndeborough (NH) bought a used fire pumper to replace its 1994 pumper ahead of schedule, after a major mechanical issue took it out of service, LedgerTranscript.com reported.

On October 26, Select Board members approved the use of excess funds from this year’s operating budget to replace the pumper, the report said.

A town official said the issue with the pumper truck was brought to the board’s attention a few weeks ago, and consisted of a major pump failure. Estimates to fix the issue ranged from $18,000 to $25,000, according to the report. The truck, built in 1994, was scheduled to be replaced in 2024. Such an expensive repair would have been a significant investment, the report said.

The Charleston City Council unanimously approved a $780,630 purchase for a new fire engine for the 2024-25 fiscal year on Tuesday, DailyEasternNews.com reported.

The engine will replace one from 2001, which is due to be replaced in the fiscal year 2024-25, but the council has been advised to make the purchase now to prevent further cost inflation, the report said.

The council unanimously approved a $228,894 purchase for a new ambulance for the fire department as well. The new ambulance, expected to be delivered during the 2023-24 fiscal year, is to replace a current ambulance from 2013 with over 180,000 miles, according to the report.

Pictou County District RCMP is investigating after approximately $35,000 worth of equipment was stolen from a volunteer fire department in Barney’s River, including essential tools to save lives, CA.News.Yahoo.com reported.

On Sunday, police responded to a call of a break-in believed to have taken place between 11 p.m. AT on Oct. 26 and 11 p.m. AT on Oct. 30 at the Barney’s River Volunteer Fire Department, the report said.

A set of extrication cutters, a Hurst electric ram, a Stihl power saw and a Milwaukee reciprocating saw were among the pieces stolen, the report said.

Those specialized items are used to extricate victims from car collisions or to gain entry to buildings.

Apparatus ideas BOB VACCARO

The Maugansville (MD) Goodwill Volunteer Fire Company was formed in the late 1920s. It started operation with a 1928 Ford Model AA truck with a front-mounted pump.

Bob Vaccaro

Later, it operated with a 1980 GMC step van for rescue operations, which was replaced in 1999 with a Pierce Arrow walk-around rescue with a 16-foot box.

The fire company’s first-due response area consists of 25 square miles that has a railroad line, an airport, an interstate, feed mills, warehousing for Amazon and other businesses, farms, and single-family dwellings. The department is also second due for Hagerstown, MD; Greencastle, PA; and a mountainous region in the area.

Maugansville Chief Mark Miller says the latest squad apparatus took about five years from inception to delivery.

“Prior to my becoming fire chief, the past chief and apparatus committee presented a squad specification to our membership,” Miller says. “Then, when I became chief, we met with the various fire apparatus builders just to research what was out there. We then made changes and presented them to our membership.”

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1 A compartment for a battery-powered tool.

4 Guys/Mack Rescue Mack Granite cab and chassis Cummins L9 380-hp engine 25-foot walk-in body Whelen lighting Onan 30-kW PTO generator Winch receivers left, right, and rear Automatic snow chains on rear axle Mansaver bar over rear opening Pull-out absorbing material hopper in driver’s rear wheel well SCBA bottle compartments in rear wheel wells High-angle rescue tie-off points high on body sides Rear traffic control light Roto-Ray warning light Rear camera system Will-Burt Night Scan PowerLite light tower Two electric rewind reels for 150 feet of utility air hose Electric rewind reel for 250 feet of electric cord

The first consi

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