After devastating flooding that struck Central Texas this summer, three Texas volunteer fire departments received donations of essential emergency response equipment through Texas A&M Forest Service’s Helping Hands Program, according to a press release. 

This program facilitated the donation of equipment to help expand and restore the emergency response capabilities of Hunt, Mountain Home, and Ingram volunteer fire departments, which experienced loss of equipment while responding to the flood.  

A fire apparatus was donated to Hunt Volunteer Fire Department by Jefferson County Emergency Services District Three. Hunt Volunteer Fire Department was an initial responder to the flooding and served as a central hub for volunteers and equipment throughout the response. During the flood, they lost two trucks. 

A fire apparatus, 17 air packs, and two rapid intervention team packs were donated to Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department by Fulshear Volunteer Fire Department. A water rescue boat was donated to the department by a private donor in New Mexico. The donated engine replaces an engine that was lost during the flood. The rescue boat is an addition to the department and will increase the capacity of its swift water rescue team. 

Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department was an initial responding agency to the flood, assisting in search and rescue operations. 

Personal protective equipment was donated to Ingram Volunteer Fire Department by Salado Volunteer Fire Department. The donated personal protective gear replaces their gear lost in the flood. Ingram Volunteer Fire Department was also an initial responding department to the flood, assisting in search and rescue operations. 

The donated equipment was presented to the volunteer fire departments Nov. 12. 

The Helping Hands program helps connect volunteer fire departments in need of equipment with equipment donated by other fire departments.  

This program is one of the agency’s several volunteer fire department assistant programs, which serve to strengthen local response capabilities and keep Texans safe. 

“Our mission is to give fire departments every possible advantage so they can protect lives and property,” said Jason Keiningham, Texas A&M Forest Service Capacity Building Department Head. “These departments are the backbone of their communities; they show up for people on what is often the worst day of their lives. By providing equipment and support we are helping to ensure they have the tools they need to do their job safely.”

The post Three VFDs Receive Donated Equipment After TX Floods  appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Larissa Babiak
Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Wash.)
(TNS)

Crews moved and packed heavy 5-gallon pails of toxic liquid foam Friday from a garage at Pasco Fire Department Station 82 near the Tri-Cities Airport.

It was the first step to get rid of firefighting foam containing toxic forever chemicals.

The Pasco Fire Department is the first to partner with the Washington Department of Ecology to participate in a collection and disposal program for the nasty stuff.

About 90 stations around the state have signed up for the Ecology program to remove about 40,000 gallons of foam.

Two other Tri-Cities area fire departments are disposing of their foam — Benton County Fire District 1 and the Richland Fire Department.

Fire departments in the Central Washington region have the second largest amount of the aqueous film-forming foam, also called AFFF, in the state, with 9,000 gallons.

The largest volumes are in the Puget Sound region.

AFFF foam is used to put out liquid-fueled fires like burning oil and gas. It smothers and cools aircraft fires at the airport.

But it’s also a highly concentrated source of PFAS.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are toxic, synthetic chemicals found in many consumer products around the world since 1950.

They are sometimes called forever chemicals because they may last as long in the environment.

They can contaminate groundwater and drinking water supply, even at small levels, thought there has been no trace of PFAS in Pasco’s water following tests in the last two years.

Removing the foam also benefits the health of firefighter, who are known to have higher levels of PFAS in their blood. They come into contact with many chemicals, Pasco Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Maier said. Ecology program eliminates toxic foam

A 2018 state law restricts the sale, manufacturing and use of AFFF for fire training. It hasn’t been sold in Washington for the last five years.

But it’s not yet banned.

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The Department of Ecology’s AFFF collection and disposal program helps local fire departments and first responder organizations like the Pasco Fire Department safely dispose of unused, unsafe foam.

Pasco stopped using AFFF about a year ago. It was taken out of use on trucks, which also have been deep cleaned to meet state requirements.

The FAA requires fire departments servicing airports to have firefighting foam. Alternatively, Pasco fire crews started using flourine-free foam, or F3 foam, a safer, PFAS-free option.

Around 140 gallons of liquid foam were picked up Friday by Clear Harbors waste management.

They will be transported to Spokane and then loaded onto a truck headed to Utah.

The barrels of foam will be incinerated at high temperatures and with the proper hold times and mixing rates to destroy PFAS.

The Department of Ecology has funding for the program through mid-2027.

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