The Johannesburg (South Africa) Development Agency (JDA) is implementing a new fire station with the Department of Public Safety, Emergency Management Services (EMS) in Marshalltown.

The JDA started the new Central Fire Station project in May 2021 to set the standard for future fire stations.

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The new Central Fire Station is a modern space and is intended to cater for the current and envisaged demands for the community in the inner city of Johannesburg. It will provide a speedy response to fire or rescue incidents that occur in the inner city’s high-rise buildings.

Construction is at 30% completion and, once completed, the facility will have a contemporary design, incorporating soft and hard roofs, with durable clay face brick and minimal plastered feature walls.

The Firefighters/EMT crews for Central Fire Station are currently housed at Fairview Fire Station to ensure that there is no disruption of service for inner city residents.

The building is one level, except for a few areas that extend to the first floor, and a six-story training tower. The facility will be low-maintenance and sustainable, and a landmark of modern design to the surrounding community.

Other features of the fire station include:

• a BE Safe center – (Basic Emergency Safety and Fire Education Centre intended to be used as a tool in the education regarding fire safety and general safety principles)

• an administration block and ablution facilities

• bays for fire trucks

• a lifting tank for training how to draft water

• a swimming pool

• recreational area for the staff with braai facilities

• car parking

• a gymnasium

• a six-story training tower located independently outside the main building and will serve as a beacon for the fire station and training academy.

“Some of the project milestones achieved for this facility, since the start of construction, include the relocation of vehicle pound, township establishment approval, the completion of the lifting tank and the completion of the attenuation pond,” said Cllr Belinda Echeozonjoku, the MMC for Development Planning.

The new central fire station will provide access to employment opportunities for local emerging contractors, sourced from the local and adjacent communities in Johannesburg.

A total of nine Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are currently employed on the project. The project is on track to reach the 30% local spend as per the City’s policies. The JDA has also made use of an independent SMME mentor to assist, develop and mentor the SMMEs, with the aim of assisting with Construction Industry Development Board upgrades upon completion of the project.

Continuing the partnership between the two jurisdictions of Clearcreek Township and the City of Springboro, the Board of Trustees and City Council have agreed to amend a decades old Coterminous Agreement to continue to share property tax revenues to finance a new Fire Station within the City of Springboro.

The Clearcreek Fire District serves both Clearcreek Township and City of Springboro residents, where data has shown the need to construct a new fire station within the City limits to better service the northern portions of the City. The City Council has recognized this need and has agreed to assist with the financing of the new fire station to support the safety service needs of its citizens in this area of town.

The City has agreed to purchase land for the new fire station and to redirect and appropriate inside millage funds granted back to the City from the Township for this endeavor.

“Providing safety service is of the utmost importance, and one of the basic tenants for why local government exists,” said Chris Pozzuto, City Manager. “Partnering with the township to assist them with constructing a new fire station to service city residents makes perfect sense to help continue and enhance the excellent fire and EMS service the fire district provides.”

“We’re so fortunate to have such great partners in the City of Springboro with whom to work on needs such as this fire station,” said Matt Clark, Clearcreek Twp. administrator. “It’s through this uncommon collaboration between our two jurisdictions that we can achieve far more together than either community could alone.”

Once a property is identified and purchased, the Fire District will begin immediately designing and constructing the new fire station. The hope is to have construction underway in late 2022 with operations beginning when completed.

By Alan M. Petrillo

Mallory Safety and Supply in Longview (WA), and particularly its fire division manager, have built a better mousetrap, so to speak, when it comes to the body of a Type 6 wildland firefighting truck.

Mike Beutler, Mallory’s fire division manager and chief at the volunteer Wahkiakum County (WA) Fire District #1, says that he conceived of a vehicle that was safer for firefighters while responding, returning, and on the scene. “The vehicle’s low-profile body is made up of modular boxes that can be configured in different formats to meet a fire department’s needs,” Beutler says. “This body design lowers the deck height six inches below a standard flatbed deck, and 11 inches lower than a deck with under-body hose storage.”

Beutler says the Mallory prototype is on a 2020 Dodge D-5500 crew cab 4X4 diesel-powered chassis with a 60-inch cab-to-axle length. The unit has a Mallory/Pro Tech low-profile modular body spring-mounted to the frame rails, and with all aluminum construction using huck bolt fasteners. The rig has a Liquid Spring suspension package on both front and rear axles, and Mallory roll-out, drop-down equipment baskets.

The Mallory Type 6 demo has a four-stage wildland pump powered by a Kubota 24-horsepower (hp) diesel engine with 330-gallon polypropylene water tan, an eight-gallon low-mount foam cell and a Waterous Fire Troll Foam System, Beutler points out. “The vehicle has dual LOFA Industries engine control panels,” he says, “an engine throttle with in-cab control, all welded stainless-steel pumping, FRD water and foam level gauges, and a FRC mini gauge in the cab.”

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Posted: Mar 24, 2022

Photo of the Day: March 24, 2022

Darley—Mountain Lake Fire Company, Belvidere, NJ, CAFS pumper. Vision poly body; Spartan Metro Star cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; Darley LDMBC 1,500-gpm pump; ProPoly™ body and 800-gallon polypropylene water tank; 25-gallon foam cell; FoamPro Class A foam system; AutoCAFS compressed air foam system; enclosed Vision pump panel. Dealer: Neal Brooks, Darley Company, Braceville, IL.

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