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.

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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.”

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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

4-Guys Fire Trucks—Ridgefield (CT) Fire Department pumper-tanker. Spartan Gladiator cab and chassis; Cummins X15 565-hp engine; Hale Qmax-XS 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 2,500-gallon water tank; Harrison 10-kW generator; all stainless-steel body and subframe; 3,000-gallon dump tank; Zico dump tank rack. Dealer: Jon Cares, Granite Fire Apparatus Inc, Pelham, NH.

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According to a report from The Falmouth Enterprise, $870,000 was appropriated for a new fire engine and $100,000 for a reserve fire/rescue vehicle “suitable for service” for Falmouth (MA) Fire/Rescue (FFR) at the city’s town meeting.

In moving the amendment to request $100,000 for the reserve vehicle, Select Board member Douglas C. Brown noted that FFR does not currently have a backup fire engine. 

Paul Sellers, from FFR Precinct Six, said that having a backup engine is necessary in keeping its West Falmouth station open. He also said that purchasing another vehicle is paramount in trying to keep that station open until FFR has a combination West and North Falmouth station built, which is years away.

The board also voted down an amendment by J. Malcolm Donald, also from FFR Precinct Six, which called for striking the purchase of the new $870,000 fire engine until the West Falmouth fire station is staffed. The amendment failed by a vote of 12-193. 

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