Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) shared in a press release on August 27 the delivery of new PFAS-free gear, making it the first the department has received. MFES is set to obtain over 430 sets of PFAS-free gear by the end of this year.

MFES shared with Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment that the department worked with its Joint Health and Safety Committee to select this gear. “Our shared goal was to acquire bunker gear that is PFAS-free while meeting or exceeding the performance standards of our current gear. There was no room for compromise on performance.”

MFES has been closely monitoring the market for high-performing, PFAS-free bunker gear. The department shared that it engaged with vendors, reviewed feedback from early adopters, and waited for market testing before making their decision.

Ultimately, MFES decided to proceed with PPE Solutions, with whom it currently has a contract.

This company supplies bunker gear manufactured by the LION Group, which MFES says met its “stringent requirements for NFPA certification, safety, performance, and PFAS-free composition.”

LION began to transition to PFAS-free outer shell and thermal liners at the end of 2021. It is currently working with suppliers to introduce new barrier material without intentionally adding PFAS.

MFES confirmed that it is committed to procuring gear that contains no intentionally added PFAS, provided that the performance of the gear is equal to or better than existing products.

Old gear that has reached end-of-life (10 years) will be decommissioned.

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Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM), a global manufacturer of high-quality fire retardant and firefighting foam concentrates, announced the signing of a transformative five-year agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new contract marks a major advancement in the nation’s wildfire response capabilities while delivering over $150 million in total savings to the federal government and taxpayers.

This multi-year contract brings unprecedented stability to the nation’s aerial firefighting infrastructure, while expanding Perimeter’s role in aerial firefighting operations. It includes a full conversion to Perimeter’s powder retardant technology, significant upgrades to air tanker base capacity and capabilities, and a transition to Perimeter full-service operations at most or all federal tanker bases. These enhancements will streamline logistics, increase capacity, and strengthen support for fire crews and communities on the front lines, to match the demands of today’s wildfire environment.

Under the agreement, 100% of Perimeter’s retardant for federal use will be manufactured in the United States. Combined with an increased commitment to sourcing domestic raw materials, the contract reinforces Perimeter’s support for American manufacturing, supply chain diversification, and national resilience. The USDA will receive the lowest pricing Perimeter offers.  Together, the benefits of the contract are a result of operational efficiencies and long-term investment in U.S.-based infrastructure by Perimeter Solutions.

“This is more than a business agreement, it’s a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to American firefighters, American communities, and American industry,” said Haitham Khouri, Chief Executive Officer of Perimeter Solutions. “Together with the USDA, we’re building a stronger, more agile system to meet the demands of increasingly complex fire seasons.”

“This contract is a tremendous win for America’s taxpayers, our rural communities, and the brave men and women who fight wildfires every day,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The partnership also includes a joint initiative to modernize the federal fire retardant specification and qualification process, ensuring future products meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability.

With this agreement, Perimeter and the USDA are setting a new standard for operational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and public service in the wildfire management space – made in America, for America.

About Perimeter Solutions

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM) is a premier global solutions provider, producing high-quality firefighting products and specialty products. The company develops products that impact critically important issues of life – issues where there often is no room for error and the job doesn’t offer second chances.

The Fire Safety segment is a formulator and manufacturer of fire management products that help our customers combat various types of fires, including wildland, structural, flammable liquids and other types of fires. Our Fire Safety segment also offers specialized equipment and services, typically in conjunction with our fire management products to support our customers’ firefighting operations. The segment is built on the premise of superior technology, exceptional responsiveness to our customers’ needs, and a “never-fail” service network.

The Specialty Products segment includes operations that develop, produce and market products for non-fire safety markets. The Company’s largest end market application for our Specialty Products segment is Phosphorus Pentasulfide (“P2S5”) based lubricant additives. The Specialty Products se

Christopher Buchanan
Los Angeles Times
(TNS)

While attempting to transport a car crash victim to a hospital on Wednesday morning, a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance was struck by another vehicle, authorities said.

When a battalion chief arrived at the scene to investigate the crash, they were involved in another collision at the same intersection.

The first collision occurred at 9:06 a.m. in Reseda, when a Fire Department rescue ambulance transporting a patient from an earlier accident collided with a light gray sedan on Vanowen Street and Lindley Avenue, a spokesperson for the department said.

A battalion chief then arrived to investigate the crash along with Los Angeles Police Department officials at 9:46 a.m. and collided with a vehicle in the same intersection, according to the department. No Fire Department personnel were injured in either collision, the spokesperson said.

The patient in the ambulance bore the sole injury in the plague of crashes, but the injuries were minor, officials said.

The investigation into both collisions will be conducted by police and fire officials. An LAPD spokesperson said authorities have yet to determine the causes of the back-to-back collisions.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Jeremy Boyer
syracuse.com
(TNS)

Syracuse, N.Y. — A developer’s plan to convert a shuttered fire station on Syracuse’s Near East Side into a ground-level restaurant with four apartments above can move forward.

The Syracuse Common Council on Monday authorized the sale of the former Syracuse Fire Department Station 7 to JF Real Estate for $900,000. The company responded to a request for proposals the city issued in February seeking redevelopment of the former station at 1039 E. Fayette St., which closed in 2013 during former Mayor Stephanie Miner’s administration.

JF has proposed a $2.5 million project. When Mayor Ben Walsh’s administration first requested the council’s approval in June, the council said they wanted to ensure the city had a viable path to building a new fire station in that area in the future. The Near East Side has experienced significant residential growth with the construction of several massive student rental apartment buildings in recent years.

Fire Chief Michael Monds has said the city owns some parcels on University Avenue between East Fayette and Erie Boulevard that could work as a future station site. The old Station 7, built more than 70 years ago, is no longer feasible as a structure to house fire engines.

Councilors also wanted to make sure that residents of the neighboring Welch Terrace apartments were comfortable with the project, Councilor Pat Hogan said Monday. City officials have recently met with the residents and they are on board.

The Walsh administration has touted the project as a good fit for the redevelopment of the corridor between downtown and the University Hill area as the Interstate 81 viaduct comes down.

Closing on the sale of Station 7 will take about nine to 12 months, with construction taking about a year to complete, city officials have said.

City reporter Jeremy Boyer can be reached at jboyer@syracuse.com, (315) 657-5673, Twitter or Facebook.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit syracuse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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The cost of fire apparatus has risen significantly in recent years because of a combination of material price volatility, evolving regulations, increased demand, and the complexity of custom-built vehicles. Understanding these underlying factors can help address the confusion and misinformation about pricing that is circulating in the media and can provide important context to better address today’s pricing challenges through collaborative solutions.

MATERIALS

In most fire apparatus procurements, the purchase price is set at contract award and must account for expected input costs over the manufacturing window, which can be affected by the market conditions for labor and materials at the time of order.

Historically, labor and material costs have risen at stable rates that manufacturers could estimate with a reasonable degree of confidence. Recently, however, labor and material prices have been impacted by a confluence of factors, including the Pandemic, inflation, and tariffs, which make it difficult for apparatus manufacturers and component suppliers to reliably project future costs.

Material costing started to impact fire apparatus and component manufacturers in 2018 when tariffs on steel and aluminum were first introduced. The shortage of microchips needed to manufacture vehicles that followed in 2022 further drove up costs and slowed production lines dramatically.

In the case of aluminum—a major material used for apparatus manufacturing—Graph 1 shows that the price has risen from $1.18/pound in January 2024, to $1.41/pound in January 2025, and up to $1.72/pound in June 2025, reflecting an increase of 19.5% over the initial 12 months and more than 45% over the 18-month period. This rapid rise in aluminum pricing represented at the far right of Graph 1 is largely a result of recently announced aluminum tariffs, and the full impact of this increase has not yet worked its way into the market. The United States produces less than 1% of the primary aluminum produced worldwide, so it relies on imports, which means the tariffs will continue to influence aluminum costs.

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• Fire Apparatus Purchasing in 2025
• Understanding Today’s Fire Apparatus Lead Times

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Steel is the other commonly used material for manufacturing fire apparatus and components, and the United States imports approximately 25% of the steel used here. Tariffs on steel also add to manufacturing costs.

REGULATION

The most recent round of EPA regulations mandated changes to engines manufactured after January 1, 2027. These changes had impacts to not only fire apparatus design, but also pricing. Truck manufacturers had to take into account the additional costs of not only the new engine, but also the engineering costs associated with modifying truck chassis and bodies to accommodate the new engine designs and syste