A shot of Stamford (CT) Fire Department Rescue 1 during recent fire department dive team training.

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House Leader Jim Durkin, officials, members of the Western Springs (IL) Department of Fire and EMS, Village staff, and residents, recently gathered at Fire Station 1 to celebrate the arrival of a new fire engine.

The 2021 Pierce Saber Pumper replaces a 2001 Laverne engine, which served the Village for over 21 years. The new Engine #1711 was purchased at a cost of more than $500,000 using legislative appropriated grant funds from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

It was manufactured in Florida and recently arrived in Illinois. Fire Chief Mike Kelly described some of the features of the new engine, including onboard vehicle extrication equipment and the ability to pump up to 1500 gallons of water a minute.

Village President Alice Gallagher expressed appreciation to House Leader Durkin for his role in acquiring the newest addition to the Fire Department’s fleet. “It is unlikely we could have allocated the funds necessary for this public safety improvement without Leader Durkin’s strong support to secure the grant,” she said.

Leader Durkin began his remarks by lauding the Department of Fire & EMS. “First of all, I’d like to thank all of the men and women of the Department for their service to this Village” he said. He went on to describe his willingness to offer assistance to secure funding for the new fire engine.

The Department operates out of two fire stations in Western Springs, and Durkin noted the importance of both stations being fully equipped to respond to emergencies. The Department of Fire & EMS is staffed mostly by paid-on-call personnel along with full[1]time, contracted paramedics/firefighters, and seeks new recruits from within the community annually.

The Department’s fleet includes an engine, ladder truck, two ambulances and a command vehicle, in addition to the newly acquired Saber engine.

After 11 months and spending nearly a half million dollars, South Torch Lake (MI) Fire Department’s wrecked pumper is back in service, according to a report published by 9&10 News.

On August 11, 2021, the engine was on the way back from a call when it went off the road after it washed out during a rain storm, according to the report. With the engine out of service South Torch Lake experienced a change in the community’s insurance rating, increasing insurance rates for its residents, the report said.

Now that the $430,000 in repairs has been completed, the department has an engine and a tanker in service and is planning to have the Insurance Services Office (ISO) return for a new evaluation with the intent of getting a better insurance rating, according to the report.

City Councilors in Peoria (IL) approved $3.2 million in new apparatus sales, expecting to get the new rigs in 2024, according to a report published by the radio station WCBU.

The station reported that Interim Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger said the wait times for apparatus can be up to 27 months because of supply chain issues. The chief told councilors that by making a decision and commitment to buy the apparatus now, they will have time to raise and appropriate the funds by the time the apparatus is delivered, according to the station.

The apparatus that might be replaced include two aerials from 2001 and one from 1994, according to the radio station.

Almost immediately after it was put in service, the Diana (TX) Volunteer Fire Department used a new apparatus on three grass fires, according to a report published by The Gilmer Mirror.

The paper said the apparatus was purchased with funds from the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program. It is built on a Ford F-350 cab and chassis and is equipped with a slip-on unit that can hold 350 gallons of water and 5 gallons of foam.

Texas A&M Forest Service administers the  Rural VFD Assistance Program and is committed to protecting lives, property and natural resources. The  Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program is funded by the Texas Legislature and provides  cost-share funding to rural volunteer fire departments for the acquisition of firefighting vehicles, fire and  rescue equipment, protective clothing, dry hydrants, computer systems and firefighter training.