The family of Bill and Carol Olsen recently donated a 1924 American LaFrance fire engine to Birmingham at a city council meeting.

Birmingham Fire Chief Paul Wells and Bill Olsen shared the apparatus’ history at the meeting; see video of it below, starting around the 32-minute mark, to hear its incredible journey.

But, long story short: It was ordered in the summer of 1923 as the department wanted a truck capable of pumping water from a source to complement its fleet of strictly chemical trucks. Olsen’s grandfather, William, was the department chief at the time.

After years of service, the city auctioned off the truck in November 1960, and Olsen’s father, Merritt, bought it for $435. It’s been on family property ever since, Olsen says.

It was a family decision, Olsen says of the one-string-attached donation: The string being the family asked that if the department ever decides to get rid of it it’s first offered back to the Olsens.

The community will be able to see the truck at the Hometown Parade on May 15, and it will then be kept starting in early June at Station 2.

04.25.2022 City Commission Meeting from City of Birmingham on Vimeo.

The Palatine Fire Department plans to buy a new pumper after a recent traffic accident destroyed a reserve unit, reports journal-topics.com. Department officials are hoping for a Pierce Enforcer; previous estimates had the new apparatus costing $773,229.

The department’s 2006 Crimson Diamond was set for replacement in 2024, but a February crash expedited the process.

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FA reported in February that the engine turned on its side after a crash with a minivan. The department was en route to a different accident at the intersection of Quentin and Palatine Road around 9:30 a.m. on February 10 at the time. Though no serious injuries were reported.

Village council unanimously authorized the purchase on April 18.

The Palatine Fire Department received a call for a roll-over accident around 9:30 this morning at the intersection of Quentin and Palatine Rd! One of Palatine Engines collided with a mini van and flipped on it’s side! No injures were reported! #PalatineFireDepartment pic.twitter.com/5qiGocs3Qs

— Lieutenant/Coach ALEC LOWE (@LieutenantLowe) February 10, 2022

The West Fargo Fire Department is launching a new pumper and rescue unit to serve the community. The all-hazards pumper carries tools, a full complement of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommended hoses and a 750-gallon water tank to pump water on scenes of fires. The rescue unit is utilized for fire scene rehabilitation, air tank refills, heavy rescue, water rescue and hazmat operations.

The new pumper replaces an engine with 14 years of service. The new rescue unit replaces a unit with 20 years of service. The NFPA recommends that equipment this old is replaced with vehicles that have interior surface materials that can be decontaminated of carcinogens. Mitigating exposure to carcinogens is important because according to the Centers for Disease Control cancer is a leading cause of death among firefighters.

“The addition of this new pumper and rescue unit helps the department meet the NFPA recommendations to replace equipment,” said Dan Fuller, West Fargo Fire Department Chief. “This equipment will not only help keep our community safe, but also keeps our firefighters safe from cancer.”

Fifty percent of the equipment cost is receiving funding through a North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality grant. The goal of the grant is to replace older diesel vehicles with new, cleaner diesel vehicles. The grant money is a result of a settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice and Volkswagen over the company’s misrepresentation of diesel emissions for their products. Capital improvement sales tax will fund the remaining cost of the vehicles. 

Pontotoc officials unanimously approved a motion to hire JBHM Architects for drawings of a proposed new four-bay fire station, reports djournal.com.

Officials say the project is expected to cost between $1.5 million and $2 million; though the drawings will help tally the final bill.

Related: Pontotoc County (MS) Supervisors Approve Purchase of Two Fire Apparatus

The potential site for the facility is across the street from the police station at the corner of Reynolds and Columbia streets, the report says.

Pontotoc already has $750,000 in state funding approved, and it’s applied for an additional $1.5 million in community grant funding, the report notes.

The Bella Vista Fire Department will host an open house at its new Station 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 27. The station is located at 212 Glasgow Road in the Highlands.

WHAT:           Bella Vista Fire Department Station 3 open house

WHEN:           11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 27

WHERE:         Fire Station No. 3, 212 Glasgow Road, Bella Vista

The station was built with funds from a voter-approved bond issue, which was passed in March 2020, and replaced the former station in that area that has served the west side of the city since 1986.

The new station officially opened January 31, 2022, with a small uncoupling ceremony. The open house is a chance for residents and members of the public to see what their tax dollars have paid for and how their local fire and EMS department operates.

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Food will be provided thanks to a generous grant to the Fire Department and to Arvest Bank.