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Posted: Jul 22, 2025

Wildland Engine Adds Versatility to FD Fleet

The Montague (TX) Fire Department is in an unusual situation as a dual fire department. It covers the one-square-mile city of Montague that has mostly residential and commercial structures protected by hydrants. The city furnishes the department’s station and equipment, as well as being contractually obligated to cover the Montague Fire Protection District of more than 100 square miles of rural ranch lands and farm lands with no hydrants.

Takeshi Murakami, Montague’s assistant chief and acting interim fire chief, says Montague has about 20 volunteer firefighters operating out of one station with three Type 1 engines, a 2002 E-ONE, a 2002 KME, and a 1992 Pierce; two 4,000-gallon water tenders that are pump-and-roll capable and have 500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pumps and front spray bars; three Type 3 wildland engines; a 2008 Ford F-350 light rescue truck; a 1997 Ford F-250 utility vehicle; and a 2022 Dodge RAM ¾-ton utility/rescue truck.

Montague replaced one of its Type 3 wildland engines with the Type 6 QTAC Super 6 engine.

“We didn’t need three Type 3 wildland engines, so we were looking for a rig with a little more versatility for our coverage area to replace one of them,” Murakami observes. “There’s a lot of volcanic rock and heavy clay-content mud in our rural coverage area, so we needed a vehicle that could handle those conditions, and we found that rig in the QTAC Super 6 wildland engine.”

Ken Weinreich, QTAC Fire and Rescue Apparatus’s marketing manager, says the Montague Super 6 wildland response engine is built on a Ford F-550 four-door cab and 4×4 chassis with Super Single wheels and tires, and is set up to carry four firefighters. Weinreich notes that the rig has a dual-stage WATERAX BB-4 pump powered by a Honda 20-horsepower (hp) engine that allows for pump-and-roll capability, and a 300-gallon PolyTough™ water tank. He says the water tank is part of the PolyTough body that is lightweight, corrosion-proof, durable to ensure longevity and resilience, and fitted to an aluminum subframe.

Murakami points out that the Montague Super 6 has two 15-gpm under-bumper ground sweeps, a jump line of 20 feet of 1½-hose in the front bumper for pump-and-roll operations, an electric hose reel with 100 feet of 1-inch booster line at the rear of the rig, and two 2½-inch discharges and one 1½-inch discharge at the rear.

He notes that the rig also carries four Ponderosa packs, each consisting of two 50-foot rolls of 1½-inch hose, two 100-foot rolls of 1-inch hose, and a T-valve connector. The rig has a remote controlled 9,000-pound Warn winch in the front bumper, two 3-inch hard suction lines, and six exterior compartments holding two self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) in brackets, a TNT Rescue Systems battery-powered combi hydraulic rescue tool, and various other fire suppression and rescue equipment.

Murakami says the Super 6 wildland engine has an FRC inView 360 camera system, as well as two Ford OEM cameras at the front and back of the rig. Lighting on the vehicle includes a Whelen LED emergency light package, a Whelen LED lightbar, and Whelen LED M6 scene lighting.

Posted: Jul 22, 2025

Brownsville (WI) FC Receives Donation for Equipment in Inaugural National Heroes Day

Donation honors volunteer service departments in recognition of National Heroes Day

SUN PRAIRIE, Wisconsin (July 21, 2024) – The Brownsville Fire Company received a $2,500 gift from Compeer Home in recognition of its department’s selfless service to others. The gift is in honor of National Heroes Day, founded in the aftermath of the Aurora, Colorado, theater shooting on July 20, 2012, to pay tribute to everyday heroes – from first responders to civilians who jump into action without regard to their own safety. Jenifer Oechsner, one of Brownsville’s volunteer emergency medical responders, nominated the department.

“When I go on a call, I’m never alone, and when I read about how Compeer Home was recognizing volunteers this Heroes Day, I wanted to give back to everybody,” Oechsner said. “We’re very appreciative of this gift. There are so many apparatus that we need and can’t afford. We’ll get on a call and think, ‘I wish we had this to help us.’ With this extra funding, we hope we can turn some of those wishes into realities.”

Volunteer fire, rescue, and ambulance departments are the backbone to keeping rural communities safe, yet they are often operating with limited resources. Compeer Home, a division of Compeer Financial, launched the National Heroes Day Giveaway this year to champion the vital role volunteer departments play across its 144-county territory in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“We believe strong rural communities aren’t just about where you live, they’re about the people who support and protect them,” said Chad McGlothlen, director of lending at Compeer Home. “This giveaway is a way to honor the first responders who make it possible for our clients and neighbors to live safely in the places they love.”

A winner was drawn from each state, with Southeast Livingston County Ambulance Service, Illinois, and St. Clair Fire Department, Minnesota, also receiving a $2,500 gift. There were 1,429 departments nominated.

“In rural communities, everyday heroes live alongside us – ready to answer a call for help at any hour, in any condition, sometimes in a family’s darkest times. Our volunteer first responders make rural communities a better and safer place to live. We are grateful to celebrate them, as they give of themselves in service to others. There are no bigger heroes than them,” said Karen Schieler, manager of corporate giving at Compeer Financial.

The Brownsville Fire Company, Inc., has been serving the Brownsville, Wisconsin, community since 1912. The department and its 34 first responders currently provide fire protection, fire prevention, and emergency medical services to the Village of Brownsville and the towns of Lomira, LeRoy, and Byron. Fire Chief Kelly Thomas said one of their greatest concerns is creating a pipeline of volunteers from the younger generation.

“Volunteerism is one of the toughest things right now; to get the younger population to volunteer,” he explained. “We’re retaining a lot of our seasoned volunteers, and we have some who are in their 70s. They’re still driving truck and operating machinery for us, and we cherish those people. Getting the young ones to volunteer for the department is a concern.”

Another challenge is providing the department with needed equipment and ensuring their facilities support a safe environment. The department does frequent fundraisers, and members like Oechsner actively search and apply for grants. In fact, they are in the midst of raising funds to construct a new fire station that complies with current regulations and standards.

“This gift means a lot to us. It helps me to not have to worry about where to find extra money if we need to dig a little deeper someplace. We plan to look over our budget for next year and hopefully put it toward one of the needs we identify,” Thomas said.

Wendy Kohrt, Compeer Home loan officer, was part of the che

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Posted: Jul 22, 2025

VIDEOS: 2025 PA Pump Primers Muster

Check out the sights and sounds of the 2025 Pennsylvania Pump Primers Antique Fire Apparatus Muster in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Held every July along the Susquehanna River, this event brings together more than 100 antique fire trucks for pumping demos, contests, and a huge flea market. The event is hosted by the Pennsylvania Pump Primers Association.

Videos via David Traifaros, drone video via Brantley Kaufmann.

Check out photos of the different fire apparatus at the event: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

The post VIDEOS: 2025 PA Pump Primers Muster appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Jul 21, 2025

St. Albert (Canada) Receives a Second Tower Fire Truck 

According to Raven Radio, St. Albert (Canada) Fire Services added a Pierce Ascendant ladder truck to its fleet. The apparatus includes a midmount 100-foot platform.  

The ladder truck is built on a Pierce Enforcer cab and chassis with a 510-hp PACCAR MX-13 engine. The fire apparatus has a Waterous with 2,000-gpm pump and carries 300 gallons of water. The overall length of the vehicle is 43 feet 1/4 inches long, and it can hold five firefighters.  

Chief Leigh Sawicki shares that this truck can get into tighter spaces that the department’s current truck cannot.   

The apparatus traveled from Wisconsin and made it to St. Albert’s in the beginning of May. Firefighters are training on it throughout the summer, and it should be ready for active duty in the early fall.  

For more information, visit https://www.piercemfg.com/customers/new-deliveries/st-albert-fire-services-aerial-43211 

The post St. Albert (Canada) Receives a Second Tower Fire Truck  appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Jul 21, 2025

The Apparatus Workshop: Weight

Fire apparatus weight is by no means a new topic, but the latest episode of *The Apparatus Workshop* podcast, hosted by Nick Wilbur and Win Slauch, pulls together fresh insights and lessons learned from years of field experience to emphasize why weight management remains critical for fire departments. From budgeting and chassis engineering to ride quality and safety, weight affects every element of apparatus performance. For those specifying new rigs or maintaining existing fleets, here are three essential takeaways from this comprehensive discussion.

Takeaways include:

  • Weight planning must start with the vehicle mission.
  • Annual weighing and weight management after delivery are non-negotiable.
  • Spec’ing apparatus with weight and staff realities in mind saves money and improves safety.

The discussion reveals why departments must start spec’ing apparatus with candid mission profiles and equipment placement plans, perform consistent annual weigh-ins, and realistically match vehicle design to staffing patterns.

The post The Apparatus Workshop: Weight appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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