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Posted: Jul 28, 2025

Montana Truck Works Keeps Dire Departments Rolling

Jack Underhill
Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, Mont.
(TNS)

Jul. 27—After retiring from the Kalispell Fire Department over a decade ago, KC Cox continues to serve not just the Flathead Valley’s fire departments, but fire crews across the West.

Cox owns Montana Truck Works LLC, an Evergreen-based company specializing in fire truck and emergency vehicle repair.

“I jokingly tell people I am 911 for 911. When chiefs have a bad day because their stuff’s not working, they call me,” Cox said.

Montana Truck Works serves Flathead Valley’s various firefighting agencies daily as well as apparatuses owned by state and federal agencies like Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

Montana Truck Works’ resume includes servicing fire engines, ladder trucks, brush trucks, tenders, command vehicles and special rescue trucks, and even a hovercraft at one point.

“If it says ‘fire’ on it, it usually finds its way here,” Cox said. The company also services ambulances and police cars.

Montana Truck Works holds 20 to 30 vehicles at a time, with the garage able to house up to eight vehicles. The company also buys old trucks, refurbishes them, and sells them to other fire departments.

Cox started the business in November 2015 after a back injury forced him to retire as a firefighter paramedic at the Kalispell Fire Department.

“I planned on retiring out of Kalispell, but not that soon,” he said.

Before graduating from high school, Cox got his start fighting fires in Yakima, Washington. Surrounded by mechanics growing up, Cox would also pick up technician skills here and there.

“[The fire department] would pull me off shift to go help in the shop and do work on that kind of stuff, like trucks and ambulances,” Cox said.

But after having to leave firefighting behind, Cox found a way to continue serving fire crews in a new capacity. “There’s a lot of gratification,” he said about his work.

Breaking through in such a niche business took years of attaining the specific certifications to operate on such complex and robust vehicles. Fire trucks are the most complicated vehicles on the road, he says.

“I’ve been all over the country working on fire trucks. I’m one of the six people in the world that have all certifications,” Cox said. “To my knowledge I am the only master [Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting] mechanic in the state of Montana.”

Cox isn’t wielding the wrench as much as he used to. The years of firefighting and hands-on work put a toll on his body.

Nowadays, he finds himself teaching and training employees and conversing with fire chiefs.

“Same thing as a firefighter. I run around and put out fires,” Cox laughed.

Cox’s team of 12 staff members has a combined 150 years of mechanical experience, many of them firefighters as well. He hopes to hire new staff to eventually open up a second shop elsewhere after relocating to a bigger space just last June.

“I figured I would fill this place up in five years, I’ve already outgrown this place. The growth is explosive,” he said.

When trucks can’t be brought to the shop, Montana Truck Works also offers on-the-road assistance through two service trucks that go to the fire departments.

Also skilled in fleet management, Cox works with fire chiefs on how they can get the best bang for their buck.

He recalled saving the Big Sky Fire Department millions of dollars. The department was eyeing a new ladder truck for $1.7 million that wouldn’t be

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Posted: Jul 27, 2025

Seven People Taken to Hospital After Fire Apparatus Collision in Wilkinsburg (PA)

Haley Daugherty
The Tribune-Review, Greensburg
(TNS)

Jul. 26—Several people were taken to the hospital after a collision between a vehicle and a fire engine in Wilkinsburg on Saturday morning.

According to Pittsburgh Public Safety, the crash occurred at the intersection of Graham Boulevard and William Penn Highway around 10:30 a.m.

The fire truck was responding to an emergency call in Wilkinsburg when the incident occurred, officials said.

Officials said four firefighters from Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Engine 19 were taken from to the hospital in stable condition and three people from the vehicle also were transported.

Haley Daugherty is a TribLive reporter covering local politics, feature stories and Allegheny County news. A native of Pittsburgh, she lived in Alabama for six years. She joined the Trib in 2022 after graduating from Chatham University. She can be reached at hdaugherty@triblive.com.

© 2025 The Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.). Visit www.triblive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post Seven People Taken to Hospital After Fire Apparatus Collision in Wilkinsburg (PA) appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Jul 26, 2025

High Point (NC) Fire Apparatus Strikes Parked Cars

The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
(TNS)

HIGH POINT — A High Point Fire Department fire truck ran off the road along Eastchester Drive and struck several cars in a parking area at Vann York Auto Group Friday afternoon.

No one was injured, the fire department reports.

At about 1:15 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to a building on fire. While en route, one of fire trucks was involved in a “significant vehicle accident,” the fire department says.

The fire truck was traveling west on Eastchester Drive when it encountered another vehicle in its lane of travel. The fire truck driver avoided contact with the vehicle but left the roadway, eventually stopping in the parking lot.

The fire truck struck vehicles in the Vann York GMC Chevrolet section of the car dealership.

The High Point Police Department is investigating the wreck.

© 2025 The High Point Enterprise (High Point, N.C.). Visit www.hpenews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post High Point (NC) Fire Apparatus Strikes Parked Cars appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Jul 26, 2025

Fire Apparatus of the Day: July 26, 2025

FORD—Fall River (MA) Fire Department brush truck. “Brush 1” Forestry Unit; 2024 Ford F-550 Bulldog 4×4; 225-gpm pump; 300-gallon water tank; placed in service as “Storm 1” during a recent heat wave to respond to minor calls and free up apparatus to respond to major calls. (Photos by Kenneth P. Leger)

PREVIOUS PHOTO OF THE DAY >>

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Posted: Jul 25, 2025

Fire Chief Considerations: Grant Writing Best Practices

The unprecedented increases of firefighting equipment, apparatus, and facilities costs over the past few years have challenged many fire chiefs to figure out new ways to acquire funding for vital resources.

Many municipal budgets throughout the United States haven’t kept up with the record inflation rates, and this is especially true in states that maintain property tax caps. Even fire departments that had proactively saved and contributed to dedicated equipment/apparatus funds have suddenly discovered their contributions no longer cover the escalated costs.

With the increased costs negatively affecting many fire departments’ budgets, many fire chiefs have turned to grant funding in an attempt to obtain funds for apparatus, equipment, and facilities. While most fire chiefs are familiar with the annual FEMA Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG), there are many other public and private sector grants that can also be used to offset costs. While grant application requirements can vary from program to program, familiarity with the following grant considerations can assist the fire chief in developing a successful grant proposal.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Given the detailed requirements of many grant programs, it is crucial that chiefs begin preparing for a grant opportunity as early as possible. Preparing for an eventual grant application well in advance gives the chief the chance to properly research and develop a comprehensive grant strategy that will be important when preparing to make a quality case for funding.

Many successful grant writers begin their preparation by constructing a timeline that includes time allocated to all of the crucial parts of the grant writing process from conducting research and collecting information through submitting the grant application. It is important to include time for key components of the grant process such as conducting proper research, developing a budget, obtaining approvals from applicable authorities, constructing the draft, and leaving time for reviewing and editing the application prior to submission. Each component should be assigned as generous an amount of time as possible, which will help when one or more components take longer than expected.

Developing a grant checklist can also be a useful tool for the fire chief. Constructing a checklist that includes all requirements of the local governance system as well as the requirements of the applicable grant will assist in ensuring all requirements have been fulfilled. Having a visual checklist can aid the fire chief in ensuring that progress is being made and that no required component is missed. Proactively developing a grant checklist not only helps keep the project on track but can also greatly reduce the stress that comes with last-minute submissions.

Diligently reviewing all grant documents is extremely important. You usually can gain a thorough understanding of the grant by reading the Notice of Funding documents. Thoroughly review these documents, make notes, and seek out answers to any questions that come up in their review. Far too often, grant applications fail because the applicants did not spend enough time researching the grant program requirements and priorities.

Additional best practices in the preparation and planning phase include the following:

  • Maintain a collection of commonly requested data and demographic information that are common among many grant programs.
  • Regularly examine and scrub your data collection process and datasets to ensure accuracy.
  • Plan to complete the grant application draft one week prior to the submission date. This will allow you to address any unforeseen concerns with the application.
  • Plan to submit the grant at least 24 hours before the deadline. This ensures that you can rectify any technical issues with the el
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