A Columbia (SC) firefighter has been issued a traffic ticket after the pumper he was driving hit a car in July, killing the driver and injuring her passenger, postandcourier.com reported.

Bryan Richardson, an engineer with the fire department, was charged Oct. 28, 2025, with driving at a speed greater than is reasonable under conditions, according to Richland County court records, the report said.

The pumper and a Nissan Sentra collided on July 12, 2025. The pumper was traveling 69 mph in a 40 mph speed limit zone and against the flow of traffic on Two Notch Road, according to a South Carolina Highway Patrol investigation.

The car driver, Carolyn “Cee Cee” Collins, 64, died at the scene, according to the report. Her passenger, Leitha Williams, was taken to a hospital with suspected serious injuries.

The crash occurred while Richardson and four other firefighters were responding to a structure fire, with emergency lights and sirens activated, in northeast Columbia, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol investigation.

At the time of the accident, the Columbia Fire Department made the following post on Facebook:

“Our department and its members are mourning with the community following a deadly collision yesterday that involved one of our fire trucks.

“The collision occurred Saturday evening on Two Notch Road near Decker Boulevard. At the time of the crash the fire truck involved was responding to what was a 2-Alarm structure fire involving multiple homes. While going towards the scene the fire truck was involved in a collision with another vehicle.

“As a result of the crash one person in the other vehicle was killed and a second person in the car was injured. The four firefighters riding in the fire truck were taken to the hospital to be assessed for injuries. Since that time all have been released and are back home recovering.

“At this time the South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the collision and the Richland County Coroners Office is also involved. Our department will also conduct an internal investigation on the accident, which is standard procedure following any collision involving our fire trucks.

“Our hearts go out to all who were involved in this terrible accident. At this time we ask the community for its prayers and support for the family and loved ones of the deceased, our firefighters who were involved in the crash, our department and its members and all who have been affected by this tragedy.”

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MECHANICSBURG, Pennsylvania (Nov. 12, 2025) – Pennsylvania American Water announced that it awarded $132,000 in grants to 204 fire and rescue organizations in 32 counties through its 2025 annual Firefighting Support Grant Program.

Since launching the grant program in 2009, Pennsylvania American Water has contributed more than $1 million to help hundreds of local fire departments purchase emergency gear, life-saving equipment, training materials and essential firefighting apparatus.

View a list of all 2025 grant recipients here.

“Water systems and fire departments work collaboratively to deliver community fire protection, and we are proud to support the dedicated men and women who serve our local fire departments,” said Pennsylvania American Water Vice President of Operations Jim Runzer. “For more than 15 years, we’ve offered this grant program as a token of our partnership and our thanks.”

Pennsylvania American Water’s Firefighting Support Grants provide financial assistance to fire and emergency organizations serving communities in the company’s designated service areas. Grants can be used to purchase personal protective gear, communications equipment, firefighting tools, water handling equipment, training and related activities/materials used to support community fire protection.

“The Pennsylvania American Water Firefighting Support Grant Program allows our organization to continue developing the resources needed to serve our community more effectively,” said Daniel Hallowich, deputy chief for the Scranton Fire Department, one of this year’s grant recipients. “This support directly enhances our programs and services, creating lasting and positive impacts for our community.”

“Pennsylvania American Water’s Firefighting Support Grant Program provides crucial support to volunteer organizations like ours, so we can purchase essential tools and replace personal protective equipment to ensure our firefighters remain properly protected,” said Brendan Miller, president of the Brentwood Volunteer Fire Company, another 2025 grant recipient. “Upgrades made possible through this grant help strengthen our operational safety, readiness, and overall emergency response capabilities.” 

This year’s grant total of $131,000 is an increase from $125,000 in 2024 and $85,000 in 2023, demonstrating the company’s continued strong support of, and collaboration with, local fire departments.

About American Water 
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s 6,700 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.  

About Pennsylvania American Water
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.4 million people.  

The post PA American Water Awards More Than $130K

Horton Emergency Vehicles, a brand of REV Group Inc., and a leader in ambulance safety, is expanding its manufacturing footprint in Grove City, OH, with the $2.6M purchase of an adjacent building.

This new 20,000-square foot building will focus on final assembly and the delivery processes and is expected to reduce delivery times and enhance customer experience. In addition, the property will help open extra space in the current assembly operations and offers additional parking for employees and in-process ambulances. Located at 3873 Gantz Road, the Horton team expects to be operating in the facility in early 2026.

“We were delighted when a property adjacent to Horton’s assembly plant became available and REV Group was able to move quickly and allocate the capital expenditure,” said Mike Albers, vice president and general manager, Horton Emergency Vehicles. “This expansion allows us to provide additional space for our employees to manufacture and deliver our high-quality Horton ambulances to our dealers and customers quicker, which helps to protect their people and communities.”

Horton settled in Grove City, OH in 1994, and its current facility and offices are located at 3800 McDowell Road. With over 100,000 square feet, the facility has been designed specifically for manufacturing high quality, custom-designed emergency medical vehicles and is equipped with advanced engineering and computer-technology support for manufacturing as well as customer service.

Since 1968, Horton has manufactured emergency vehicles and currently designs and builds Type 1, Type 3 and Critical Care Transport units for fire departments and hospitals, serving a nationwide market. Horton is known for employing rigorous testing and an emphasis on safety, quality, and customization.

Find out more information, visit www.hortonambulance.com.

About Horton Emergency Vehicles

Founded in 1968, Horton Emergency Vehicles, a division of Halcore Group, Inc., is a REV Group company.  Horton^® ambulances are among the industry’s most technically innovative and customized ambulances and are synonymous with high quality. The exclusive Horton Occupant Protection System (HOPS) keeps the ambulance crew safe while working in the patient compartment. With a manufacturing facility in Grove City, Ohio, Horton ambulances have Strength & Safety in Every Detail^™.

About REV Group, Inc.

REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services, which serve a diversified customer base, primarily in the United States, through two segments: Specialty Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles. The Specialty Vehicles Segment provides customized vehicle solutions for applications, including essential needs for public services (ambulances and fire apparatus) and commercial infrastructure (terminal trucks and industrial sweepers). REV Group’s Recreational Vehicles Segment manufactures a variety of RVs from Class B vans to Class A motorhomes. REV Group’s portfolio is made up of well-established principal vehicle brands, including many of the most recognizable names within their industry. Several of REV Group’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. REV Group trades on the NYSE under the symbol REVG. Investors-REVG

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APPLETON, Wisconsin (Nov. 13, 2025) – Oshkosh Airport Products, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) business, announced six new Striker^® Volterra™ 6×6 Electric Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles are officially in service at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). This milestone highlights DFW’s position as one of the first airports in the nation to adopt electric drive ARFF technology, while advancing its mission to support high-performance, sustainable operations.

The new Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles were sold through Siddons-Martin Emergency Group and represent a significant step in DFW’s broader plan to replace its legacy fleet with a modern, electrified response system. By late 2025, DFW will be the largest Striker Volterra Electric ARFF fleet operator in the U.S.

“Enhancing performance by reducing response times is the key driver of transitioning to these new vehicles,” said Daniel White, Chief of DFW Fire-Rescue. “The Striker Volterra vehicles are faster and more agile than our current fleet. Because they are also safe for our firefighters and conscious for the environment, this investment represents a rare win-win-win, delivering operational benefits while ensuring the safety of our responders and the community we serve.”

The Striker Volterra Electric 6×6 ARFF features a proprietary Oshkosh electric powertrain paired with an electro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission. This allows the vehicle to operate in electric mode with zero emissions during station entry, standby, and low-speed operations, significantly reducing firefighter exposure to diesel exhaust. When full power is needed, the integrated system draws on both the battery and internal combustion engine to deliver best-in-

class acceleration and uninterrupted pump performance, without any additional operator intervention.

Key performance features include:

• Acceleration from 0–50 mph (0–80 kph) in under 21 seconds – a 28 percent improvement over standard diesel models when fully loaded
• TAK-4^® all-wheel independent suspension for exceptional control and ride quality
• 3,000-gallon (11,356-liter) water tank
• 420-gallon (1,590-liter) foam tank
• 2,000 gpm (7,570 lpm) water pump
• 500 lb. (250 kg) dry chemical powder system
• Electronic foam proportioning system with Oshkosh ECO-EFP™ foam testing system

The addition of the Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles also supports DFW’s transition to fluorine-free firefighting foam in line with FAA guidance and the industry’s move away from PFAS-based agents. This ensures a consistent and environmentally responsible response capability across the airport’s ARFF fleet.

“Our commitment goes far beyond delivering a vehicle,” said Travis Ownby, sales specialist with Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. “It’s about helping departments like DFW Fire-Rescue lead the way in operational excellence and sustainability. We’re proud to support their mission with the Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles.”

To support long-term electric vehicle integration, DFW has modernized its ARFF stations with 480-volt charging infrastructure to meet evolving power demands. All Striker Volterra Electric ARFF vehicles are equipped with onboard chargers, and the airport’s infrastructure improvements ensure adaptability well into the future.

DFW Fire-Rescue is responsible for protecting nearly 90 million passengers annually and is globally recognized for its leadership in aircraft fire response, firefighter trai

In the realm of public safety, where rapid technological advancements constantly redefine the parameters of service and rescue, the echoes of the past may provide a grounding perspective. Fire service members with decades of experience reflect on times when equipment and techniques were starkly different.

Veteran firefighters recall tales from the “old-timers” days when crew members clung to the tailboard and sat exposed without radios or headphones. The crew members traversed freezing temperatures and sunburn. It was a time when diamond plate engine covers, with small doors to check the engine fluids, could serve to thaw a firefighter’s hands or provide a checkered burn to an unsuspecting forearm during the searing heat of summer. It was a period when only the captain had a radio, and deployment of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) was delayed as harnesses, cylinders, and face pieces were stored in cumbersome boxes in high side apparatus compartments.

These stories, while reminiscent of a simpler time, underscore the profound transformation the fire service has undergone—from the days of bucket brigades and horse-drawn hose carts to the “modern era” of internal combustion engines and aerial ladders. Today, the industry stands on the cusp of another monumental shift with the advent of electric fire and rescue apparatus and the near-term potential for entirely autonomous apparatus response.

One Northern California fire agency, with more than a century of history, has been an early adopter for decades. The Cosumnes (CA) Fire Department (CFD) pioneered in many ways, from embracing the county’s inaugural emergency medical technicians and integrating advanced medical procedures to transporting paramedics and fielding automated external defibrillators. This was accomplished over decades. Initially, it was an all-volunteer agency, but the dedicated teams paid it forward, enhancing their operational capabilities while setting benchmarks for innovation in fire and first response services. The narrative of the CFD’s journey serves as a contemporary model—a blend of tradition, innovation, and practical adaptation, including research and development opportunities like supporting AUDREY, the artificial intelligence (AI) enabled system funded by the Department of Homeland Security- Science and Technology (DHS-S/T) and built for first responders by NASA JPL.

JAWS OF LIFE: REVOLUTIONIZING RESCUE OPERATIONS

Firefighters who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s first saw rescue tools used while watching a weekend stock car race. The fire department members in Elk Grove, California, had a HURST Jaws of Life® tool by 1974. It was bulky, heavy, hard to start in the cold, and VERY rugged and practical. With interstate and state highways running through the district, there was plenty of need for them. As technology progressed, so did the capabilities of this crucial rescue tool. For more than five decades, this tool has been a staple in the rolling rescue toolboxes of fire departments worldwide, including the CFD, which has continuously modernized its equipment to include the latest advancements.

1 The CFD was established with the 2006 merger of the Elk Grove (CA) Fire Department, established in 1893 with a single hose cart, and the Galt (CA) Fire Protection District, established in 1921 with an annual budget of ~$1,000 for the first year. The Marty Fischlin Fleet Maintenance Facility gallery displays many apparatus that have served the community over the past 130 years. (Photos courtesy of author.)

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