The Oakland (CA) Fire Department’s application for a FEMA Port Security Grant was successful, and the department will be awarded $825,000 to purchase an Emergency Response Vessel, which will reside in the Oakland estuary adjacent to Station 2 in Jack London Square.

The new fireboat will be used in conjunction with the department’s existing water rescue boat, Marine 1, and will be fully equipped. Its predecessor was decommissioned in 2003.

“We’re cognizant of the budgetary limitations that exist in Oakland and how that has impeded this department’s ability to repair and replace outdated infrastructure and apparatus in a timely manner,” Chief Reginald Freeman said in a press release. “I am thrilled that these grant funds will enable us to respond to incidents at the Port of Oakland more effectively, while also making sure we’re equipped to continue protecting life and property along Oakland’s vibrant waterfront.

“External funds like these play a critical role in augmenting our operational capacity, and I applaud and appreciate everyone who had a hand in making this grant application successful. While the application process may be challenging and competitive, the outcome has made our department stronger and the city more resilient.”

More details—including when the department can put into service the new apparatus—will be provided in the future.

Providence (RI) unveiled a fleet of six new fire apparatus on Friday, part of an order of 11 new trucks the city ordered, according to a report published by The Providence Journal.

The city used federal grant money to purchase all the apparatus which normally occurs at intervals rather than a large purchase of 11 like this latest acquisition, the paper reported.

Providence got $750,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to purchase a new special hazards truck and another $921,363 was used to purchase a new aerial apparatus which is still in production, according to the newspaper.

The city borrowed about $5.4 million, with interest to purchase the other apparatus on a leasing arrangement, the newspaper reported.

When this latest apparatus purchasing concludes, the city will have in service, the new special hazards truck, four new engines, one new tower ladder, another ladder and a new rescue truck, according to the newspaper.

No serious injuries were reported after a fire engine rolled over while fighting the Cedar Creek Fire in Wenatchee, WA, recently, according to a report published by KHQ6.

Two firefighters were evaluated for injuries and the crash is under investigation, according to the television station.

DAYTON, OH – LION First Responder PPE, Inc., the largest family-owned manufacturer of first responder protective equipment (PPE) in the United States and Tersus Solutions, founded in 2009 in Denver, CO, with the mission of creating world-class CO2 textile cleantech, have entered into a strategic partnership to open the first fully-verified Independent Service Provider (ISP) to offer CO2 Cleaning to the fire service from its Denver, CO facility with plans for expansion in the near future.

Beginning in November 2021, RedZone™ CO2 Cleaning powered by Tersus Solutions’ Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Contaminant Cleaning Technology will be exclusively available through LION TotalCare®, LION’s fully-verified ISP. The opening of this LION/Tersus facility marks the first fully-verified ISP in North America verified to meet all NFPA 1851 requirements around advanced cleaning, advanced inspections, gear repairs and now CO2 cleaning. CO2 cleaning technology raises the bar for first responder gear cleaning. Infrequent, conventional water-based cleaning of fire PPE is limited in its ability to remove a large percentage of carcinogenic contaminants that can become trapped in protective fabrics. Using RedZone™ CO2 Cleaning processes and equipment, more than 95% of carcinogenic poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other contaminants are removed from gear in contrast to the 50% removal threshold that is specified in the current NFPA 1851 Standard using traditional water cleaning methods.

“Just as LION’s RedZone™ particulate blocking turnout gear set a new bar for particulate protection, we can now offer this breakthrough technology that offers unparalleled cleaning for all brands of turnout gear as well as other PPE such as hoods and gloves,” says Mark Smith, President of LION Americas. “LION is proud to offer another innovation to the fire service that goes well beyond the minimum standards that are currently in place.”

“We are proud to partner with LION TotalCare® to make effective cleaning more accessible to the fire service industry,” said Jake Jackson, CEO of Tersus Solutions. “In addition to keeping first responders safe, we are also excited to share how RedZone™ CO2 Cleaning can keep their gear fit for duty and in action for a longer period of time.”

For more information on RedZone™ CO2 Cleaning and this partnership, please visit the LION booth (#1322) at FDIC International in Indianapolis, IN, August 5-7.

A man was arrested after he allegedly broke into a Tulsa (OK) fire station and tried to steal a ladder truck, according to a report published by FOX 23.

The television station reported the man allegedly broke glass in a bay door to gain entry and was found in the front seat of the aerial with the engine running.

Firefighters physically removed the man from the truck as it appeared he was attempting to drive the truck through the bay door, the television station reported. Firefighters held the man down until police arrived. He was charged with burglary, attempted auto theft and damaging property, the station reported.