Northborough is one step closer to getting a new fire station after a Town Meeting Monday, Oct. 7, communityadvocate.com reported.

After presentations and debate, an article authorizing the appropriation of $41.3 million was approved by a vote of 431 to 144, the report said. 

With this vote, the project will be on the ballot on Nov. 5 for a debt exclusion vote. 

The appropriation of $41.4 million is before the estimated $1.9 million in energy rebates, according to the report. Within the appropriation, the department is projecting a budget of $33.4 million for construction; $905,000 for furnishings, fixtures and equipment; $6.8 million for fees and expenses; and $3.7 million for contingency. 

The current station, which was designed in 1974 when there were two people on duty, has physical limitations, the report said. There are two bedrooms and no separation by gender. The kitchen isn’t large; vehicles have gotten bigger; and one room houses the gym, training room, storage room and meeting room, according to the report.

The first floor of the new station would be 21,500 gross square feet and support a “clean station” concept, and the second floor would be 9,350 gross square feet, the report said.

For more information, please go to the Northborough Fire Station Project.

Talking maintenance might have been a better title for this episode since Chris Mc Loone and Ricky Riley tackle issues like shop labor, standardizing fleets, the importance of fleet representation on fire apparatus purchasing committees and more.

PRESS RELEASE

BAKERSFIELD, California — The Kern County Fire Department announced Monday, Oct. 7 the delivery of a new Pierce Enforcer pumper to Station 66, located on Landco Drive in Bakersfield.

This is the latest addition to the KCFD’s fleet, replacing an engine that has faithfully responded out of the Landco fire station for 19 years. The new engine will serve and provide emergency services to a critical and diverse area. This response area includes neighborhoods, commercial stores and hotels, oil refineries, chemical storage and mixing facilities, railroads, freeways, the Kern River and much more. 

Kern County District 3 Supervisor, Jeff Flores, attended the delivery of the new pumper. His support was felt as he engaged with the Station 66 firefighters and was shown the exciting new equipment on board the state-of-the-art workhorse. 

This new pumper has been designed to equip the department in its mission to provide safe, efficient and excellent “all-risk” emergency services to its communities. Today, it begins a long lifetime of assisting firefighters in the protection of Kern County.

Specifications

Chassis	Enforcer™
Body	Pumper
Actual Overall Height	10′ 2″
Engine	Cummins X12
Horsepower	500 hp
Front Suspension	Leaf
Rear Suspension	Spring
Electrical System	Hard Wired
Foam System	Foam Pro
Pump	Pierce PUC™ Midship
Pump GPM	1500 gpm
Tank	Foam Water
Tank Size	750 gallons

TAFT, California — The Kern County Fire Department announced Sept. 25 the placement of a new Pierce Enforcer fire engine into service at Station 21, located in Taft, California. This state-of-the-art fire engine is the latest addition to the department’s fleet of advanced firefighting apparatus, ensuring that the hardworking citizens of Taft are well-protected for years to come.

Taft, a city rich in history and known for its unwavering community spirit and American pride, will benefit from the enhanced capabilities that this new apparatus provides. Station 21, which serves the city of Taft, recently received a new Pierce fire truck, and the addition of this Pierce Enforcer further strengthens the station’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies.

The Pierce Enforcer is equipped with the latest technology, designed to improve firefighter safety, efficiency, and operational readiness. This modern fire engine is tailored to meet the unique challenges of the region, including its rugged terrain and diverse emergency needs.

“The Kern County Fire Department is committed to serving the people of Taft with excellence,” said Fire Chief Aaron Duncan. “This new Pierce Enforcer is a testament to our ongoing efforts to provide the best possib

PRESS RELEASE

Eastpointe Fire and Rescue recently donated an aerial ladder truck to Macomb Community College’s (MCC) Public Service Institute to enhance the training of Macomb fire academy cadets.

“The donated truck enables us to be self-sufficient, improves cadet training by conducting aerial exercises previously impossible without loaned equipment and allows us to conduct drills that require two trucks to complete,” said Michael Lopez, director, Public Safety Institute.  “These exercises are important to prepare our students for what they will encounter once on the job.”

“The fire department was extremely pleased that the Eastpointe City Council approved the measure to be able to donate the ladder truck to Macomb Community College,“ said Eastpointe Fire Chief Brian Marquardt. ”Over the last 26 years, this apparatus has served the residents of the city by responding to all of the structure fires in Eastpointe, as well as responding to the surrounding communities for Auto Aid and Mutual-Aid. Eastpointe firefighters current and past, have responded to many fires in this ladder truck and we look forward to knowing that the new firefighters in the Academy will be trained on that same piece of equipment.”

The truck will be used for advanced fire suppression training, which is not possible with current equipment.

The 1998 Sutphen 100-foot aerial ladder truck was recently significantly upgraded by Eastpointe Fire and Rescue, and has passed all necessary inspections, including ladder testing.

The estimated cost to purchase a new ladder truck is in excess of $2 million and can be a two-year process.

Eastpointe recently accepted delivery of a new aerial ladder truck that they put into service, which enabled donation of the used truck to Macomb Community College. “Eastpointe Fire has always been a supportive friend to the Macomb Public Service Institute,” said James O. Sawyer IV, president, Macomb Community College. “We are grateful for the impact their donation will have on the training of future firefighters.

Through its Public Service Institute, MCC offers a fire academy to prepare individuals for certification as a firefighter as well as advanced education to support working professionals throughout their career. Macomb’s Public Service Institute trains those who keep the community safe, offering police, fire and health and safety training.

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The Summers County Fire Department in Hinton, West Virginia will donate a pumper to the Southside Volunteer Fire Department in Erwin, Tennessee, Summers County said in a Facebook post recently.

Southside VFD lost a fire apparatus trying to help its community during flooding from Hurricane Helene. Summers County volunteers elected to donate one of their engines as a replacement so Southside can continue to keep its community safe.

Engine 1 (pictured above) will be going to Southside and it’s new home, hopefully, within the next two weeks. The department decided Engine 1, which was to be retired from the fleet in 2025, would do more good in Southside than if it stayed in Summers County.

Summers County Chief Jeffries has been in contact with Chief Hilemon from Southside who also stated they could use donations for Gatorade, soda, snacks, cleaning materials, etc., while their crews are working. Summers County will be accepting donations of these items until the crew delivers the truck.

If anyone would like to donate please message the Summers County Fire Department on Facebook so it can be arranged for a drop off at Station 1. This is a group effort. Other local emergency departments and fire stations are involved with Summers County.

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