By Brandi Makuski

The Hull Fire Department has upgraded its wildfire response capabilities with the addition of a new 2024 brush truck, replacing a decades-old military vehicle that department leaders say had become unreliable and obsolete.

The new 400-gallon brush truck was built by Midwest Fire and delivered on April 12 after being showcased at the FDIC International 2025 fire industry conference in Indianapolis. It replaces a 1963 military surplus 6×6 truck that had served the town for decades but was increasingly difficult to maintain.

“It was old,” said Hull Fire Chief Ken Sadogierski. “The tank leaked, it had a standard transmission—most of the younger folks don’t know how to drive one—and it only went 40 or 45 miles an hour. It was more of a hindrance.”

The new rig features a 400-gallon polypropylene tank with a lifetime warranty and includes 12 gallons of onboard foam capacity—marking the department’s first brush unit equipped with foam.

Built on a Ford F-550 Super Duty chassis, the truck is outfitted with super single tires and a suspension lift for improved off-road handling. It includes a Thunderstruck HD bumper with a center-mounted, joystick-controlled turret—believed to be the first of its kind in Portage County’s fleet across about a dozen departments.

The total cost of the truck was $253,547. The department secured a $239,640 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) through FEMA, with the town covering the remaining $13,907 through the fire department’s budget.

For more on this story, please go to spmetrowire.com.

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AgGeorgia Farm Credit awarded $53,800 in grant funding to 12 nonprofit organizations across Georgia through its Community Mission Fund in 2024. Launched in 2023, the grant program supports projects that promote the future of agriculture and enhance the quality of life in rural communities. A total of 48 applications were received, with grants of up to $5,000 awarded per project.

Among the 2024 recipients is the Teloga Volunteer Fire Department, which received funding to purchase specialized woodland firefighting equipment. This includes updated fire rakes, chainsaws, leaf blowers, and a gas detector—all essential tools for improving emergency response in rugged, rural terrain. The new equipment replaced outdated gear that had hindered operations, allowing for safer and more efficient firefighting efforts in high-pressure environments.

“The new tools will significantly enhance our ability to respond quickly and safely to wildland fires,” said Captain Joe Croy from the Teloga Volunteer Fire Department. “This grant allows us to better protect the citizens of Teloga and the surrounding departments from Chattooga and Walker County, ensuring our firefighters are better equipped and more secure on the job.”

Organizations that received 2024 Community Mission Fund grants include:

• Ben Hill County 4-H (Ben Hill County)
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County (Jackson County)
• Byromville Community Food Pantry (Dooly County)
• Comfort Farms (Baldwin County)
• C-Qul (Bibb County)
• Doc’s Healing Hives and Honey (Fannin County)
• Georgia Envirothon (Clarke County)
• Hero Agriculture (Gordon County)
• Hickory Log Personal Care Home (Bartow County)
• Sacred Roots Farm Inc (Hall County)
• Thomson Middle School FFA (Houston County) 
   

AgGeorgia is accepting applications for 2025 Community Mission Fund grants until June 30, 2025. Interested organizations can learn more and apply by visiting aggeorgia.com/community-mission-fund.

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A motorcyclist was killed after he collided with an FDNY truck responding to an emergency call in Brooklyn, cops said Monday.

The 30-year-old victim was riding west on Avenue U when he collided with the firetruck going south on Flatbush Ave. in Marine Park about 11:55 p.m. Sunday, police said.

The fire truck had its lights and sirens blaring, cops said.

Medics rushed the motorcyclist to Brookdale University Hospital but he could not be saved. Police have not yet released his name.

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The 49-year-old FDNY member driving the firetruck stayed at the scene. Cops are still investigating the crash.

©2025 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department were assisting a crash on Route 50 early Sunday, May 25, 2025, when a car rammed into one of its emergency vehicles, nbcwashington.com reported.

No one was seriously injured in the crash.

“A video (above) captured the moment that a vehicle struck PGFD’s Paramedic Engine 830 from Landover Hills,” Prince George’s County said in a Facebook post. “Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 a.m. Sunday on Route 50 at Veterans Highway.

“Please slow down and move over for emergency vehicles.”

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Douglas County officials this week showed off their newest tools for detecting and stamping out wildfires, including a firefighting helicopter and artificial intelligence-powered cameras.

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Commissioners in January inked a $1.5 million deal that included access to the helicopter, which can dump as much as 300 gallons of water at a time, according to a county news release.

The aircraft took flight Friday at a showcase organized by the county.

Commissioner Abe Laydon said in the release that Douglas County is now the only Colorado county with its own dedicated firefighting helicopter and crew on standby year-round.

The county also promoted cameras backed by Pano AI software, which have been credited with the timely discovery and containment of a wildfire sparked in the Bennett Mountain area above Strontia Springs Reservoir last year.

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“We’re not waiting for disaster to strike before we act,” Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said in the release. “We’re building a wildfire response system that uses every tool available to protect lives, property and our natural resources.”

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©2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at denverpost.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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