When Vic Leatzow moved to the Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980s, firefighting wasn’t on his radar. Three decades and thousands of calls later, Leatzow, 56, is retiring Thursday from Cowlitz Fire District No. 5 after 30 years at the department, 18 as chief. For someone who didn’t plan on joining the fire service — and who had never been to Kalama before buying a house there — Leatzow has become a well-known and respected leader in the community and the fire district.
- PUB DATE: 3/30/2022 5:00:00 PM - SOURCE: The Daily News - Metered Site

The renovation of seven fire stations throughout the city as well as the construction of a new Wheeling Fire Department headquarters at 17th and Wood streets highlight a $66 million community improvement project, reports theintelligencer.net.

The new 26,000-square-foot facility will be the department’s main station, it will house ambulances and the pumper and ladder trucks. It will also feature offices and a training facility, the report says.

Officials say the fire HQ construction work is currently out to bid, with bid openings set for April 16. The money is coming in part from $29 million in pandemic relief and $28 million in still-available ARPA funds.

Other projects include citywide water and sewer investments, new neighborhood dog parks and other recreational facilities, the demolition of dilapidated structures throughout the city, slip repairs, police upgrades, a sidewalk-repair project, and other paving projects, according to the report.

Officials seek public input on how to spend federal funds received as a result of the American Rescue Plan Act. Citizens can share their thoughts by filling out a survey on the City's website at https://t.co/PihLmuC44C. The survey can be accessed until April 30. pic.twitter.com/ljDAS7OzlM

— City of Wheeling, WV (@CityofWheeling) March 21, 2022

The Watertown Fire Department’s rescue truck has been put back in service, reports NNY360.com.

Last month, FA reported that city council reversed a decision of the previous administration to take the apparatus off the road.

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Fire officials say the new version, a department Ford F-550 pickup, was ready to go Monday morning.

The previous council took the truck off the road in January 2021 and sold it for $25,900, which was a controversial decision. In addition, Watertown is purchasing $36,545 worth of extrication equipment for the rescue, the report says.