An early morning house fire on Saturday required three additional calls for backup, north of Mint Valley Elementary School in Longview. A pet cat died, but no people were injured, reports the Longview Fire Department, after firefighters battled a blaze at 11 Curtis Lane for about an hour before the fire was considered under control.
- PUB DATE: 8/6/2022 9:15:00 AM - SOURCE: The Daily News - Metered Site

The drive of a vintage fire truck got confused about the end of a parade route in Illinois and ended up driving across stateliness into Wisconsin with members of a band on top, according to a report published by Fox6 Now.

The report said members of the band who had just performed in the parade could not get the driver of the truck’s attention as after he missed the turn for the end of the parade and ended up heading north on State Highway Route 31. The truck ended up in Pleasant Prairie (WI) where it was stopped by police after motorists reported the unusual activity.

The people on the truck said they were members of the Sinful Saints Band from Chrystal Lake (IL), according to the report who said all members of the band were taken to the police station and given refreshments while awaiting alternative transportation from the parade vehicle.

The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital for observations of a medical condition, according to the report.

In a Facebook post, the Pleasant Prairie Police said alcohol was not a factor in the incident.

After destroying 14 structures Thursday, the Adams County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) said the Lind Fire is now fully contained. ACSO said the firefighter who was airlifted to Spokane is now home with his family and recovering. Local crews are mopping up and monitoring hot spots. In a statewide briefing, Washington Department of Natural Resource (DNR) officials said the Lind Fire is not yet contained but is "looking really good.
- PUB DATE: 8/5/2022 10:57:00 AM - SOURCE: KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

According to a report from CBS3, to offset some of the damage done by massive flooding that has stuck eastern Kentucky, multiple fire companies in Pennsylvania are rushing to distribute items such as bottled water to eastern Kentucky, which has recently been ravaged by deadly floods and has damaged water systems and the availability of clean drinking water is scarce.

To make matters worse, forecasters warn that more rain is coming to the region. As a result, Pennsylvania’s Bucks County Fire Department is helping first responders in Kentucky. The effort started Sunday afternoon from a Facebook post showing several Kentucky firehouses impacted by the floods.

At the Ottsville Fire Department station, dozens of local firefighters and volunteers are packing equipment to send to their fellow Kentucky brothers and sisters.

Palisades Regional Fire Rescue Chief William Shick said that fire gear, self-contained breathing apparatus, hand tools, hose, and a pallet of boots are being sent to those in need.

Shick sent out a call out for fire and rescue gear donations after seeing photos of flooded Kentucky fire stations on Facebook.

Four days later, Pennsylvania fire companies from Bucks, Montgomery, and Lehigh Counties as well as some departments from New Jersey have donated more than $500,000 worth of supplies.

In total, four trucks were scheduled to leave early Friday morning to drive 10 hours to Kentucky to personally deliver all collected supplies. The chief says right after the supplies are unloaded, they will immediately head back, with possibilities of a second trip in the offing.

The town of Wolfeboro (NH) recently entertained a request from apparatus manufacturer Seagrave Fire Apparatus for additional funding to complete delivery of a fire truck for the community.

A YouTube video from the town’s Board of Selectmen captured the interaction. Dennis Warren, director of national sales at Seagrave Fire Apparatus, appeared before the board on July 20 to discuss issues impacting the manufacturer’s delivery of the fire truck. Warren cited supply chain issues and skyrocketing costs of various apparatus components as reasons for asking the town for more funding.

Warren used the term “commercially impractical,” saying that Seagrave faced a loss of more than $226,000 were they to deliver the rig without receiving additional funds from the town.

“If we build your truck, and there’s 50 other trucks that’s on this list…that’s up and down the coast here and out in the Midwest and out on the West Coast,” Warren told officials. “If we build those trucks we likely by the end of the year are going to go out of business. It’s just that simple because we cannot we cannot give away or pay the additional $250,000 to build the truck.”

Supply chain issues have been cited recently in other complications regarding apparatus purchases around the country.

• Valdosta (GA) Fire Department Purchases Demo Truck to Avoid Supply Chain Issues
• Supply Chain Uncertainties Causes Wiscasset (ME) to Delay Fire Tanker Purchase
• Supply Chain Shortage Affecting Shreveport (LA) Fire Department

At an August 3 selectmen’s meeting, Town Manager James Pineo said he had been in touch with Wolfeboro legal counsel and discussed their options. He said the town could take the money out of the capital reserve account or hold a special meeting to ask voters if they wanted to pay the difference.

Ultimately, however, Pineo said a decision to challenge Seagrave has been made.

“With some discussion with legal counsel, we have sent a letter to Seagrave telling them to deliver the truck for the contracted price or we’ll see you in court,” Pineo said during the August 3 meeting. “That’s where that lies. We’ll see what happens from that point.”