The City of Greenfield (MA) has been awarded nearly $1 million through a federal grant to help construct a new fire station for the Greenfield Fire Department, WWLP.com reported.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded $987,000 for the city to build a new fire station. The money will also be used for emergency medical services, healthcare related audio/video equipment and a generator, the report said.

The construction of a new fire station is expected to cost approximately $21.7 million. The city expects to break ground for the new fire station, located on Main Street near Coombs Avenue, this fall. The station will become the new headquarters in late 2023, the report said.

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The Alpharetta (GA) City Council recently approved a $272,872 contract with Purvis Systems to replace and upgrade the city’s fire station alerting system, AJC.com reported.

By replacing the current alerting hardware in all six fire stations, the city anticipates reduced response times, human error and firefighter PTSD attributed to auditory startle response, the report said.

The new system is an IP-based alerting solution designed to automate the notification process. Using a combination of visual and auditory alerts, information is received in a consistent voice and order of information that reduces initial confusion and inherently reduces en route times, according to the report.

The city’s current alerting system has been in place since its original construction. In the case of Fire Station 83 and 84, it is more than 30 years old. This existing system utilizes a system of amplifiers, PA speakers, and electromechanical relays to active lights and buzzers. The current speakers are significantly reduced in audio quality due to age and technology.

The Sharon (PA) Fire Department has received nearly $1 million to buy new personal protective equipment for its firefighters and to increase staff, according to a report published by The Herald.

According to the report $769,320 was awarded to Sharon through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant to buy gear and another grant through another related program of $199,285.71 for firefighter staffing.

Sharon officials plan to work with the firefighters’ union on how the staffing grant money should be used, according to the report.

The Cleon Township (MI) Fire Department is planning to build a new $1.1 million fire station and a township hall for the community, according to a report published by the Manistee News Advocate.

The current facility is structurally unsound and too small for all the town’s needs, according to the report, that added officials hope the new station will be a recruiting tool for more volunteers.

To help pay for the new facility, the Manistee County commissioners approved the expenditure of $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds with other funds coming from taxes, a fire department reserve account, money from Cleon Township, according to the report, that also added the fire department hopes to get a $650,000 federal rural development loan.

The new station, which will take about nine months to complete, is expected to have space for township hall operations, secure voting equipment storage and garage space for seven emergency vehicles as well as a locker room, shower and a fire station office, according to the report.

The building will also have space dedicated for fire department activities which is hoped will be attractive to recruit new members, according to the report.

As firefighters took a break from fighting the Palisades Park fire west of Spokane, their vehicles were broken into at an area hotel and items were stolen, according to a report published by The Spokesman-Review.

According to the report, a chainsaw and various tools were taken from a fire truck belonging to the Washington State Department of Natural resources and another engine from a west side fire district.

The vehicles were parked in a hotel parking lot when they were broken into overnight as the firefighters slept, according to the report.

The thefts were reported, the vehicles were repaired and put back in service and the incident remains under investigation, according to the report.