The U.S. Fire Administration has announced the official on-duty death of Lieutenant Neil B. Cope, 46, of the North Belle Vernon Volunteer Fire Department on July 16, 2019.

The North Belle Vernon Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched at 0132hrs to assist on a mutual aid residential fire. Lieutenant Cope was part of the engine crew assigned to staging in full PPE and SCBA with masks doffed. After approximately 45 minutes the crew was released by command and cleared the scene. After returning to his residence, Lieutenant Cope spoke to his wife at 0730hrs via phone. His wife then attempted to call him multiple times during the day without success.  At approximately 1600hrs his wife came home and found him not breathing and cold to the touch on the floor of the bedroom. EMS was called and Lieutenant Cope was pronounced deceased at home.  The cause and nature of death are under investigation.

Tribute is being paid to Lieutenant Cope at http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/firefighter-fatalities/

To date, 27 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2019.  Year-to-date and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/ff_fatality_reports.html

Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.

APPLETON, WI—Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced that its 2019 Road Rally has set off for the second wave of events taking place along the East Coast and throughout the Midwest. The Road Rally offers a hands-on and immersive experience for members of the fire service. On Monday, July 15, the Road Rally stopped in Allentown, Pennsylvania, near the headquarters of authorized Pierce dealer, Glick Fire Equipment, and will continue to 12 additional locations throughout July and August 2019. Like the first wave of events, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in educational Q&A sessions with Pierce product experts and Pierce dealer representatives, as well as view and test drive all apparatus featured in the Road Rally.  

“Over the past month, the Road Rally stopped in eight locations throughout the Southeast with 75 attendees or more taking part in each event,” said Jim Johnson, president of Pierce Manufacturing. “Some attendees visit the event in the closest geographic location to their department, and others have traveled a significant distance to accommodate work schedule demands. We’ve heard a lot of positive feedback about the opportunity the Road Rally presents to gain knowledge and hands-on experience with apparatus that offer features to best suit the needs of a community.” 

The nine fire trucks included in Pierce’s Road Rally include: 

• Arrow XT™ 100’ Ascendant® Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower
• Enforcer™ 107’ Ascendant® Heavy-Duty Single Axle Aerial Ladder with PUC™ Pump
• Enforcer™ 107’ Ascendant® Heavy-Duty Tandem Axle Aerial Ladder
• Impel® 110’ Ascendant® Heavy-Duty Single Axle Aerial Platform
• Enforcer™  75’ Aluminum Aerial Ladder
• Velocity® 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Platform
• Enforcer™  PUC Pumper
• Saber® Pumper with Ford Power Stroke® Turbo Diesel Power Train
• CRU-22 Critical Response Unit

In addition to taking part in the hands-on operation of apparatus, Road Rally attendees can learn more about the extensive customizations available on Pierce fire trucks from chassis to pump panels, electrical systems to TAK-4® suspension, and more. The events are designed to allow fire department representatives to view, operate, and ask questions about products that will best serve their community’s unique needs. 

“We were happy to partner with Ten-8 Fire Equipment to provide accommodations at our department in McDonough, Georgia, for one of Pierce’s Road Rally events,” said Mark Henley, Lieutenant at Henry County Fire Department. “As we wait for our grant to come through, we were able to show our commissioner first-hand the superior maneuverability of the 100’ Ascendant Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower, how it will meet our gallons-per-minute flow requirements, as well as the features that will address many other critical needs of the area we serve.” 

Over t

City officials will explore a potential lease with the Port of Port Angeles for a joint emergency operations center and 9-1-1 dispatch center near William R. Fairchild Memorial Airport. The Port Angeles City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday to authorize City Manager Nathan West to “begin the process of exploring a lease agreement” for the port’s 1010 Building as a home for a new Clallam County EOC to be co-located with Peninsula Communications, or PenCom.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2019 4:45:12 AM - SOURCE: Port Angeles Peninsula Daily News - Metered Site

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the commonwealth flags in Westmoreland County to be lowered to half-staff to honor a firefighter who died hours after returning from a call. North Belle Vernon volunteer fireman Neil Cope, 46, died Tuesday after assisting Rostraver firefighters at a house fire. “We were there probably an hour, an hour and fifteen minutes and they controlled the flames.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPXI-TV NBC 11 Pittsburgh

Who was it that said “Girls just wanna have fun?” Albany Fire Department Apparatus Engineer Operator/Driver Christy Bengis, an 18-year AFD veteran who is one of two females to serve in that capacity, put that notion to rest when she became the first female firefighter in the department to lead an entire engine company for a 24-hour shift Wednesday.
- PUB DATE: 7/19/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Albany Herald