The Spokane Fire Department’s overtime budget was already drawing scrutiny from elected officials. Then, a pandemic happened. The fire department is expected to close out 2020 about $3.5 million over its budget for overtime pay. It remains to be seen how much of the excess will be covered by state and federal pandemic assistance.
- PUB DATE: 1/29/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Spokesman-Review - Metered Site

The Alton Fire Department and EMS has the opportunity of expanding their current fire station, reports KTIV 4.

The addition would be 8,800 square feet and would house four new bays, a scrub room, a bunker gear room, a maintenance room, and a meeting and training facility area.

The preliminary budget cost is $2 million and would entail a bond election in mid-February.

The post Alton (IA) Fire Station In Need of Expansion appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

The city of Hattiesburg broke ground on a fire station last year and is making progress with construction, reports WDAM 7.

The station is just under 10,000 square feet total with office space, a kitchen, a common area and truck bays. There are two large bays for fire trucks and additional space for a battalion pickup truck.

The fire station is expected to be complete in late April or early May. 

The post Hattiesburg (MS) Fire Station Construction Underway appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

An Arizona firefighter recently hospitalized with COVID-19 received a visit from firefighters who used a fire truck to say hello, reports UPI.com.

Dan Volcko, a 20-year veteran of the Phoenix Fire Department, was exposed to COVID-19 on the job.

Volcko said his spirits were lifted one day by an unexpected visit.

The post Phoenix (AZ) Firefighters Use Fire Apparatus to Visit Hospitalized Colleague appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

DeKalb County officials are considering pursuing a USDA Rural Development Facility Grant to purchase a fire truck, reports WJLE.com.

The application is for $250,000 with a 45% local match of $112,500. Officials passed approval by a vote of 8 to 5. 

An official who voted in favor also expressed concern for committing more money toward the purchase of another fire truck when the commission only two months ago voted to spend $250,000 from the capital projects fund to buy two used trucks.

Fire Chief Donny Green believes it’s an opportunity to take advantage due to the aging fire trucks in the fleet. He said the average age of our whole fleet of fire trucks right now is about 21.5 years. 

The fire department has two homemade fire engines that didn’t pass fleet inspection. Green said he has looked all over the country for used fire trucks. He said that they have learned any truck newer than ten years old will cost the amount they would pay for a new fire truck in this grant for a used fire truck. 

 

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