According to a report from The Times Herald, the city of Port Huron, Michigan, is taking its first steps in building a long-term plan regarding its three fire stations after years of debate. 

A study from Redstone Architects, Inc., was presented to the Port Huron city council Monday night that considered three options for the future of the city’s stations: The central station, located at 515 River Street; Station Three at 1914 Sanborn Street; and Station Four at 3114 24th Street. The options are as follows:

1. Option A: Renovating and expanding the three current stations.
2. Option B: Either renovating Station Three or building a new station on the site and establishing a new central station at White Park. 
3. Option C: Building a new station in the 2400 block of Pine Grove Avenue (this option was eliminated because response times wouldn’t meet industry standards).

Redstone Architects recommended that the city pursue Option 2 rather than renovating all three aging stations because it will better provide stability and a long-term plan for the fire department’s future.

With the second option, the new stations would feature “hot zones” for firefighters to change clothes and store potentially carcinogenic materials, segregated male and female accommodations, and increase space for current and future fire apparatus. The White Park facility would also feature a training tower and a smaller outbuilding for storing fire equipment. 

The post Port Huron (MI) Ponders Next Move with Aging Fire Stations appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

Arlington voters will decide in February whether the city fire department leaves the city to become part of the North County Regional Fire Authority. Ballots have been mailed for the Feb. 9 Special Election and will likely arrive soon for most voters. If approved, the measure would annex the Arlington Fire Department into the North County Regional Fire Authority, which currently covers Stanwood and some of the rural areas to the north and west of Arlington.
- PUB DATE: 1/26/2021 1:07:07 PM - SOURCE: North County Outlook

The San Antonio (TX) Fire Department has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Founded in 1854 and comprised of 20 volunteer firefighters on a bucket brigade, the department now capably protects more than 2 million San Antonians with modern-day equipment including their latest acquisition, a custom MedEvac® from Lenco Armored Vehicles. Combining tactical options, medical features fire response and off-road capability, the San Antonio Fire Department’s custom-tailored armored rescue and response vehicle meets the needs of this busy department, allowing firefighters to respond to missions in the urban, suburban and rural settings throughout their community.

“We got to know this agency and their needs over time,” said Lenny Light, vice president of sales at Lenco Armored Vehicles. “They’d stop by our booth each year at FDIC [Fire Department Instructors Conference] to meet with us and stay up to date on new vehicle equipment.” 

San Antonio’s MedEvac G3 includes a roof-mounted water monitor, low profile lighting, thermal camera, explosive gas detection system and more, making it a versatile addition capable of responding to varied emergency situations.

Built on a reinforced Ford F-550 chassis, the BearCat® MedEvac G3 is primarily sought-after by first responders and tactical EMS teams who utilize a Rescue Task Force.  It features onboard oxygen tanks, lighted workstation and ample storage for medical supplies including two litters. Utilizing the same body design, interior features and tactical options of Lenco’s base platform, but affording a higher ground clearance with off-road tires and suspension, the G3 allows teams to more readily respond to natural and man-made disasters, severe weather events or missions in rural settings.

To learn more about the BearCat® MedEvac G3 or Lenco’s trusted tactical armored security vehicles, visit LencoArmor.com.

The post San Antonio (TX) Fire Department Acquires Lenco MedEvac G3 appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

According to a report from KY3, Ozark (MO) Fire Protection District (OFPD) firefighters are temporarily moving its Fire Station 3 personnel over to Station 1 because an air quality test found unsafe levels of mold that could hurt OFPD firefighters’ health.

Fire Station 3 was built at the same time as two other fire stations back in the 1990s. Two of those three stations have since been demolished for mold or structural problems.

OFPD Chief Jarett Methany says his top priority is the safety of his firefighters. He said that he is closely monitoring response times now that the department has moved the firefighters about 11 minutes farther away from the southern area they cover.

Methany he impact it has on our citizens is a very hard call to make,” said Methany. We have to be very cognizant that our citizens have a very high expectation of the services we provide and we want to make sure we meet that 100 percent of the time. So that’s a hard call.”

The post Ozark (MO) Fire Protection District Closes Station Over Safety Concerns appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

All photos by Andrew Latreille

YWCA Pacific Spirit Terrace and the new Vancouver Fire Hall No. 5 in Vancouver, British Columbia, completed in December 2019 with a budget of $16 million, is the first fire hall in Vancouver collocated with housing and sets a precedent for future public building projects.

Located in Vancouver’s Killarney neighborhood, Vancouver Fire Hall No. 5 has served the Champlain Heights and East Fraser Lands communities since 1952. As the building reached the end of its service life both programmatically and seismically, the replacement of the hall was overdue and provides the community with an innovative, colocation facility which is the first of its kind in Canada, ready to serve the needs of residents safely and effectively.

Aiming for LEED Gold®, the new fire hall’s des