VIDEO/PHOTOS: Firefighters were able to return a woman's American flag from her apartment after losing her home to a 4-alarm fire in Myrtle Beach Wednesday morning. The flag was all she had left. It was emotional devastation for firefighters, and the people who stood watching the fire destroy their homes.
- PUB DATE: 6/3/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPDE-TV ABC 15 Florence

Team Rubicon (TR), a veteran-led non-profit disaster response organization, is deploying 40 veterans and volunteers to Malden and Pine Creek to help with fire-mitigation ahead of the 2021 fire season. The group is responding to calls for help from Whitman County officials to remove thousands of dead trees left in the wake of last years devastating fire.
- PUB DATE: 6/3/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

The Palm Coast Fire Department hosted a ceremony in which they dedicated a new ladder truck in memory of Marine Sergeant Zachary J. Walters, reports FlaglerLive.com.

The city posted to Facebook, “The Fire Department took delivery of a 2021- E-One Cyclone 100’ Ladder Truck earlier this year. The Ladder Truck will be placed into front line service offering additional fire protection for all of Flagler County. Sgt. Walters was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Marine Expeditionary Force based out of Camp Lejeune. Sgt. Walters and a fellow marine were killed on June 8, 2010 while on patrol in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

He was a graduate of Flagler Palm Coast (FPC) High School, Class of 2005.Zachary got his start in the Junior ROTC Program while at FPC. The day after graduation, at age 19, he joined the Marine. He was laid to rest with full military honors at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery.Firefighter-Paramedic Christopher Strozier, who is a Navy Veteran, proposed to dedication idea. Strozier stated, “We often forget why we have the rights and freedoms we do. Dedicating the fire engine to the memory of a Gold Star Family is a small way to show our appreciation for what they have sacrificed.

The Fire Department plans to dedicate a Fire Engine annually to a local Gold Star Recipient. Sergeant Walters’ mother, Regina Walters, and grandmother, Lorie Minor, were on hand to unveil the Ladder Truck’s dedication.”

Greenville has restored its first fire truck, a 1948 Ford dubbed Grandma, reports NBC 26.

The fire department posted to Facebook, “We’re excited to announce that Grandma, Greenville’s first fire engine, is back from being restored at Fabel Repair & Collision Center. And boy did they do an excellent job! Their technicians repaired mechanical and electrical issues to ensure she is safe to drive for years to come, and then their body shop went to work on repairing body damage and giving her a beautiful paint job. There were many more things they worked on but the list is too long to put here. A huge thanks goes to their team for the pride and expertise they put into this special project. The engine was delivered to our station last Tuesday to an audience of current fire & first responders and retired members who rode this truck back when it was in active service. It was special to share that moment with them and to hear stories of them fighting fires with that truck back in the day. We’re glad she’s been restored in time for our 50th anniversary which will be in 2022.”

Bowling Green Fire Department announced a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of their fire station, reports WBKO.

The fire department posted to Facebook, “This will take place in front of Station 7 which is located at 385 Lovers Lane! Come out and celebrate with us! There will be an open house which will include station tours after the closing remarks of the ribbon cutting ceremony! We look forward to seeing you there!”

The station will house one fire engine and three to four crew members. The fire station garage doors are in a tri-fold style, and open from side to side instead of up and down. This will allow doors to open quicker and have less of a chance of malfunctioning.