The fire truck is one of 4 new fire trucks purchased for $499,965 under the current county SPLOST fund.

Douglas County, GA– Chief Roderick Jolivette, along with Douglas County Fire and EMS Division, will commemorate the arrival of their new 2021 Sutphen Custom Severe Duty Monarch Pumper with a Wet Down Ceremony on Friday, November 19, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. 

“I am excited my district will be the first to kick off the ceremonial tradition,” said Commissioner Tarenia Carthan, District 3 Commissioner. “Chief Jolivette and I look forward to welcoming the Fire Department, Officials, residents, and guests to celebrate the progress of Public Safety in my district and the community at large.”

A Wet Down Ceremony is a long-standing tradition where firefighters commission a new fire truck by spraying it with water, drying it, and then pushing it into its new home, a bay at the fire station. The historical ceremony represents when firefighters had to wet down the horses used to pull fire engines and push the steam fire engines back into the fire station bay. 

The ceremony will begin at Chapel Hill Middle School and conclude at Fire Station #5 at 3901 Chapel Hill Road, Douglasville, GA 30135.

For more information contact, Phyllis Banks, Douglas County Public Information Officer at (678) 702-6979 or email at pbanks@douglascountyga.gov.

The Zoneton (KY) Fire Protection District is gearing up for its 24th annual Fire Santa Experience.

Each holiday season, the district transforms one of its ladder trucks into a Santa truck for its 11-day Christmas tour through town.

The district says on Facebook that a “Reveal Event” is set for December 1.

“We will be monitoring the Covid situation and tailor the event appropriately. More information as we get closer. This will be for everyone to get a ‘first look’ and have extended time to take family pictures.”

Each day’s festivities are planned to start at 6 p.m.

“In reality, we get held up getting folks organized, fixing lights that quit working, and so on. So it could be 6:15 or so.”

Updates can be found on the district’s Facebook page here.

A house fire in the 500 block of North 6th Avenue early Wednesday morning, injured one person, and caused an estimated $100,000 in damages. Yakima Fire Department (YFD) firefighters were called to the scene at 2:06 am Wednesday. They arrived to find a house fully engulfed by fire. Crews went to work to try and save the single-family home.
- PUB DATE: 11/18/2021 6:46:59 AM - SOURCE: KATS-FM 94.5 Yakima

Constantine Village (MI) officials recently reviewed a report by structural engineers on damage to the fire station, as requested by department officials, reports sturgisjournal.com.

The station, which is 84 years old, has significant vertical cracking on the north and south walls, a corner of an east wall, and significant deterioration of a steel lintels of the four supporting doors firetrucks exit, the report says.

The report recommends providing temporary support of the roof framing and above the lintels at the east wall, replacing steel lintels above overhead doors, repairing masonry, and replacing the roof.

Officials say that the station roof, which is 30-35 years old, leaks extensively and needs to be replaced at upwards of $69,000.

One location for a potential new station would be a D&S grocery/gas station building the village owns, as it boasts more space for training, storage, offices, and possible a community room.

A Fire Authority would need to be formed if the department decides to ask for a fire/public safety millage for funds, the report says.

Steal Squad 90 once, shame on me. Steal it three times in two days…

The Tolar (TX) Volunteer Fire Department knows that mantra all too well, after its Squad 90 was taken for a joyride thrice in a span of 48 hours, reports hcnews.com.

Nineteen-year-old Granbury man Ethan Mac Dobelbower was arrested around 7 p.m. Tuesday and charged with seven felony counts in connection with the theft, officials say. Bail has not yet been set, and he will be arraigned later today, Thursday.

The charges include: three counts of burglary of a building (state jail felony); three counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (state jail felony); and one count of theft (second-degree felony). The report notes that there was no forced entry, and the theft charge applies to the fact that he did not return the truck the third time.

Police officials say Dobelbower broke into the station without permission and took a rescue truck for a drive three different times on Monday and Tuesday; the third time he left the apparatus at Tolar Elementary School, where it—along with the suspect nearby—was found.

Dobelbower has no affiliation with the fire department, and his motive remains unclear, according to the report.

Squad 90 has approximately $300,000 worth of equipment on board, the report says. However, no damage to the apparatus or its equipment has been detected.