According to a report from The Morning Call, despite Hellertown, Pennsylvania’s, Dewey Fire Company (DFC) #1 taking delivery of its new state-of-the-art quint truck on June 1, paperwork problems sidelined the $1 million firetruck that had been serving the area for several weeks.

The DFC’s new quint features a 111-foot aerial ladder and 500-gallon water tank and is now the department’s largest piece of equipment, said DFC Chief Matt Simkovic.

However, issues with getting the vehicle’s title and registration prevented PFC members from deploying it to responses or even training on it on the street.

Last week, DFC finally received the documents from PennDOT. An official with state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton said that the process should have taken 2-3 weeks.

Last week, Simkovich said that DFC firefighters could place the quint in service as early as this week, although most likely, it will not be done until the end of August, depending on how soon the firefighters are versed in using the truck. Training with and supplying the quint began last week, he said.

Borough Manager Cathy Hartranft said the issues stemmed from a delay in dealing with information provided to the state. She said the borough used a private notary service to handle the documents, but when the situation suffered a delay, she contacted Boscola’s office for assistance. Boscola’s staff learned from PennDOT that the application for the vehicle documents was rejected twice and returned to the notary, 412 Auto Tags & Notary.

Owner Yolanda Pinto, who took over the business July 1, said there was an additional problem regarding the borough’s tax exempt status that PennDOT questioned.

Officials with PennDOT did not respond to requests for comment.

Simkovic said the new truck might have helped in responding to a rubbish fire June 20 outside the Dollar General store on Main Street that extended into the building. Although Simkovich also said that missing this additional apparatus did not make a “significant difference” in handling that or other recent responses.

A Lawnsdale firefighter faces vehicular homicide charges in a January crash in which a fire truck collided with a car, killing two people inside.

The accident happened while Lawnsdale firefighters were responding to Magnolia on a mutual aid call.

Police say the fire truck crossed over a yellow line to get around cars stopped at a red light at the corner of Warwick Road and White Horse Pike. The truck then proceeded through a red light at the intersection and collided with a Nissan Sentra carrying two people. Both were killed.

On Friday, the Camden County prosecutor’s office announced John Gibson, 29, of Lawnside, NJ, was charged with two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide in the incident.

A man was hit by a fire truck during a parade in Mount Carmel (PA) on Saturday afternoon and the incident was live streamed on the Northumberland County Fire & Rescue Department’s Facebook page, according to a report published by WOLF 56 News.

The parade was being held as part of Mount Carmel’s Block Party, according to the report. As the parade stepped off, it appears from the video that the unidentified man was hit from behind at a slow speed, the report said.

Firefighters in the truck and other bystanders rush to aid the man who had fallen in the road but about five minutes after the impact, the man is can be seen walking away from the scene, unaided, apparently continuing on his selected route.

The incident was ruled an accident, according to the report.

Third and final entry period will open September 1

Congratulations to Rich Crown, a lieutenant at the East Carnegie Volunteer Fire Department (Pittsburgh, PA), for winning a personalized MSA Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet. Crown is the second winner to receive a helmet from MSA Safety in 2022 through the MSA Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet Giveaway, a program in partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).

The jet-style design of the Cairns XF1 Fire Helmet reduces snag hazards, provides a personalized fit, and houses its own integrated light module. Plus, the soft goods are removable, washable, and replaceable, helping firefighters align with cancer awareness programs.

The third and final entry period will open September 1. One volunteer firefighter who is an NVFC member will be awarded one helmet via random selection. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site and newsletter for details. Learn more about the helmet and giveaway at www.nvfc.org/helmet.

About MSA
At MSA, our business is safety. Our commitment to developing innovative safety solutions is founded on one singular and unchanging mission: “that men and women may work in safety, and that they, their families and their communities may live in health throughout the world.” Our core fire service products include the revolutionary G1 SCBA, Connected Firefighter Platform, powered by LUNAR™ Connected Device, Cairns® fire helmets, Globe® turnout gear and boots, Altair® portable gas detection instruments, and Evolution® TICs. For more information, visit MSAfire.com.

About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical resources, programs, education, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org.

The construction of a new fire station on Hollywood Road in Atlanta (GA) will soon resume, improving response times and safety for local residents seeking emergency services, according to a press release from Invest Atlanta.

The Invest Atlanta Board approved a $5.1 million grant from the Perry Bolton Tax Allocation District (TAD) to complete the construction of the new facility known as Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department (AFRD) Fire Station #22.

The 17,000-square-foot building will replace the original 1938 fire station at 817 Hollywood Road, which was outdated and out of service. The new facility, located at 855 Hollywood Road, will house administrative offices, a living dormitory and storage spaces for AFRD personnel, tools, equipment and fire apparatus.

The project was previously awarded a $1 million Perry Bolton TAD grant in 2019. Construction began in early 2021 but was halted because of challenges with the general contractor and an inability to acquire critical materials. The City of Atlanta retained a new general contractor and revised the total project cost to include an additional interior buildout and equipment covered by the approved new grant funding.