Fire officials are warning city leaders that supply chain challenges could delay the shipment of much needed replacement vehicles unless orders are placed well ahead of time, WAER.org reported.

The need to place an order so early creates some budget headaches for the city, the report said. Fire officials are asking the councilor’s permission at Monday’s meeting to issue $2.6 million in bonds for two fire engines, even though the rigs likely won’t be ready until 2025.

City fire and budget officials said chances are very slim that the orders will be filled early, forcing the city to issue bonds sooner than expected, according to the report. Councilors are expected to act on the fire department’s request during its Monday meeting.

The Mentor Fire Department recently added two engines to its current roster and is awaiting the delivery of a breathing apparatus/rehab truck, News-Herald.com reported.

Mentor 1157 is a heavy rescue/special services unit which officials noted is the only such vehicle in the region. In late 2019, the city was awarded a federal grant providing up to $545,454 toward the purchase of this vehicle with a city match of just over $54,000, according to the report.

The city also accepted delivery of Mentor 1133. The cost was $602,000 and was paid for from the Mentor fire levy, the report said.

A fire official said 1157 is equipped with special lighting, a breathing air cascade system, confined space rescue capabilities, heavy rescue equipment special torches and cutting equipment, concrete saws, jack hammers and special heavy-lifting equipment, ropes for high-angle recuses, winches for extrication and complex transportation accidents and an array of tools, according to the report.

A fire official said rescue fire engine 1133 was custom built by Sutphen Monarch, the report said. It is a 2,000-gallon-per-minute pumper with special rescue capabilities. It carries rescue tools, consisting of the new generation jaws of life which are light-weight battery-powered cutters and spreaders for motor vehicle and industrial accidents; has full fire-fighting capabilities; and will be staffed by paramedics and outfitted with state-of-the-art advance life support equipment making it a rescue/fire engine.

The department is also receiving a new breathing apparatus/rehab truck that will be used to fill air bottles and provide support services at fires and at other hazardous zones, the report said. This truck, which will replace a 1985 vehicle, cost $277,316 and was 100 percent covered by grant funding.

Grant County Fire District 7 received $20,000 toward a new fire truck Friday courtesy of Teck American Inc., ColumbiaBasinHerald.com reported.

The $20,000 will go towards GCFD7 replacing a Type 3 apparatus – also known as a wildland fire truck. The department lost one of its trucks in June while fighting a fire when the truck rolled with two personnel inside, the report said.

A fire official said the district has seen an increase in fires and that it needs apparatuses like the Type 3 truck because they can hold more water and can be outfitted to be operated by one person, which is crucial when staffing is as low as it is at GCFD7, the report said.

Replacement of a type 3 apparatus ranges from $80,000 to more than $200,000, depending on if the truck is new, used or built from acquired parts, according to the report.

Currently, GCFD7 is already working on replacing the truck. They bought a used chassis through a government surplus sale but still need to outfit it to the specifications necessary prior to putting it into service. Between the $20,000 and the money from the insurance on the rolled vehicle, the fire official said they believe it will cover the total cost for the replacement, the report said.

After keeping fire crews busy for nearly 14 hours, an industrial park fire in Sauget that filled the air with smoke is finally out. Fire crews cleared the scene just before 6:00 a.m. at the Eagle Industrial Park on Mississippi Avenue in Sauget. The Sauget Fire Chief, Roger Thornton, said some crews may return throughout the day to check on a few small hot spots.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTVI-TV FOX 2 St. Louis

World Heart Day is just a few days away, and in honor of that, one Houston firefighter is sharing his story of how his own fellow first responders came to his rescue when his heart nearly stopped. Being a firefighter is not an easy job. But for Engineer Operator Jason Belin, it’s a job he loves but nearly had to quit after he got quite the scare back in June.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHOU-TV CBS 11 Houston