The Fort Smith Fire Department has been awarded nearly $700,000 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, marking the second time the department has received this competitive federal grant, the city said in a press release.

The grant funding will be used to replace the department’s self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which are reaching the end of their life cycle. These vital pieces of equipment protect firefighters by providing breathable air in hazardous environments.

“Our self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are reaching the end of their life cycle, so receiving this grant is a huge savings to the general fund and the citizens of Fort Smith,” said Chief Boyd Waters. “Currently, the cost of one air pack is around $12,000, and all our SCBA are due to be replaced within the next few years. Not only will this grant save the City of Fort Smith money, but it will also keep the fire department equipped with the most up-to-date gear, which will help keep everyone safer.”

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, administered by FEMA, provides direct financial support to fire departments and EMS organizations to help them obtain critical equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

Mayor George McGill congratulated the Fort Smith Fire Department on their continued success and said, “We are grateful to FEMA and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for awarding Fort Smith $700,000 to replace critical equipment. This investment ensures our firefighters have the tools they need to do their jobs safely and effectively, while protecting the people of Fort Smith. Our community is stronger and safer because of this support.”

The Fort Smith Fire Department continues to serve with professionalism, preparedness, and pride, ensuring that both its firefighters and the citizens of Fort Smith are protected by the highest standards of safety.

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By Adele Peters
Fast Company
Fast Company Magazine

On a recent weekday in Aspen, Colorado, Stu Landesberg stood with a group of firefighters on a mountainside and watched a drone take off and fly toward a simulated fire. The drone detected the “hotspot”—a pile of ice, since wildfire risk was too high that day for real flames—and then aimed and blasted it with fire suppressant.

The test flight was one of thousands that Landesberg’s startup, Seneca, has run while operating in stealth mode over the last several months. The company officially launched today, announcing that it has raised $60 million. It aims to reshape wildfire response—and help protect wildfire-prone communities in a way that hasn’t been possible until now.

“Once I started learning about this problem, I became obsessed with it”

For Landesberg, the startup represents an unexpected pivot. Since 2012, he’d led Grove, the consumer products company known for cutting plastic waste in packaging. But in late 2023, the company brought in a new CEO, former Amazon executive Jeff Yurcisin, to help it grow. Landesberg became chairman of the board, and started to think about what he wanted to take on next.

“I looked around at the problems that were enormous—planetary scale,” he says. That list included wildfires, a challenge that he was intimately familiar with as a Californian. As fires have dramatically increased in recent years, he lost fire insurance on his own house. His father-in-law’s house also went through a fire.

The wildfire crisis keeps growing. Fires are now burning eight times more land in the West each year than they did in the mid-1980s. In 2020 alone, 4.3 million acres burned in California, an area larger than the entire state of Connecticut and most of Rhode Island. Insurers are hiking rates in the state or pulling out of some areas completely; a state-run last-resort insurance plan is struggling.

“If you lose your fire insurance, you can’t get a mortgage,” Landesberg says. “And if you can’t get a mortgage, what is going to happen to the American West? If we want to continue living in the American West, we absolutely have to figure out a way to live there without our communities being at risk of burning down.”

It’s not just California. Texas experienced its largest fire in state history last year, covering a million acres. In the Great Plains, fires are happening more often than in the past, and covering more area. Places that previously weren’t as likely to burn, like Quebec and other parts of Canada, are increasingly catching fire. Last fall, as parts of the East Coast saw record drought, fires spread across New Jersey and Massachusetts. Globally, nearly a billion acres burned last year. Climate change will keep making the problem worse.

“Once I started learning about this problem, I became obsessed with it,” Landesberg says. More than 100 million Americans are living at risk of fire, he explains: “It’s one of those things that until you really study it, you don’t quite realize just how big the problem is. . . . It costs the U.S. economy something like a trillion dollars

For fire service professionals involved in purchasing and specifying fire apparatus, a new conference launched this fall to fill a gap in the industry’s continuing education. The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) is hosting the inaugural FAMA Apparatus Specification Symposium in Orlando, Florida. This event aims to deliver focused, practical training on the art and science of crafting apparatus specifications, a topic often overlooked amid the sales-driven trade shows full of shiny new trucks.

“When you think about how fire departments buy apparatus, especially larger departments purchasing every few years, writing a clean and precise spec is a high-stakes task,” says Jason Whitmire, FAMA vice president. “But for many smaller departments or those without large purchasing teams, the process can be daunting. Specs often contain outdated terminology or miss recent National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) changes, resulting in confusion and cost overruns.”

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FAMA recognized the increasing complexity of fire apparatus specifications—made all the more challenging by rising truck prices, extended lead times, and new technologies—and sought to create a platform to help agencies get it right upfront. “Our goal is to marry the technology experts, fire apparatus manufacturers, and fire service spec writers into one learning environment,” Whitmire explains.

No apparatus can displayed at the event, and no hard sales pitches are allowed. The emphasis is on understanding current technology advancements and the precise language needed to write specifications.

This might seem counterintuitive for an event about apparatus specification, but it’s deliberate. “Fire shows like FDIC are fantastic for seeing trucks, gear, and products all in one place. But, this event is completely different,” Whitmire says. “We’re focusing solely on the educational side of specs—the nuts and bolts of what to include, how to phrase it, and how to ensure your spec is technically sound and vendor-neutral.”

Removing the distraction of truck displays keeps attendees focused on what really matters for procurement officers tasked with bidding and acceptance—the exact written requirements. The goal is to give them the tools to write specs that prevent surprises during fabrication and keep costs more manageable.

The conference spans two full days of sessions featuring presentations from industry engineers, vendors, and experienced spec writers. Topics include warning light technology, cab design insights, 2027 emissions changes, and multiplexing and electronics, among others.

Each presentation is structured to focus on technology and best practices rather than product promotion. Two competitors often present together, providing balanced viewpoints and holding each other accountable for accuracy.

While the main focus is on writing specifications, the conference also covers the purchasing process including preconstruction meetings, final inspections, and how many factory visits to schedule. Whitmire notes that with current lead times extending to three-plus years, getting specs right at the start is more critical than ever. So, the symposium arms attendees with the knowledge to draft specs that reduce ambiguity and better reflect the realities of modern apparatus production.

Unlike typic

During this episode of Talking Trucks, the conversation between Chris Mc Loone and Ricky Riley focused on whether or not there has been a shift toward building more practical fire apparatus in recent years, even before the current apparatus purchasing atmosphere.

Mc Loone and Riley discussed an ongoing movement away from building trucks to do all things but to be designed for their mission and the operational realities of individual departments. Riley emphasized the importance of defining a fire truck’s mission upfront before deciding on features, capacities, and configurations—building vehicles that meet real-world needs rather than aesthetic preferences or trends driven by big-city departments with vastly different operational terrains. This means considering factors like staffing levels, geographic response areas, and the specific types of calls a department handles daily.

Riley explained that one of the reasons for this shift is apparatus purchasing committee makeup. He noted a generational shift where apparatus committees now often include younger firefighters rather than just senior officials or administrative staff who may not ride the trucks. This change has a direct impact on specifying apparatus that will actually meet the end users’ needs.

The conversation also touched on embracing new technologies.

Brought to you by our friends at Rescue Intellitech and TheFireStore.

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APPARATUS: THE SHOPS

For fire departments across the country, one of the most difficult and often debated decisions is whether to continue repairing aging fire apparatus or to invest in replacements.

With budgets tight, demands high, and safety always the top priority, this choice can’t be made lightly. Knowing when to say “enough” to ongoing repairs and “yes” to new equipment is a key component of effective fleet management.

THE TRUE COST OF REPAIR

It’s common for departments to try and squeeze a few extra years out of an aging engine or ladder truck. On the surface, it might seem more cost-effective to keep repairing a vehicle that’s already paid off. However, the true cost of repair goes beyond the invoice from the maintenance shop.

Downtime is one of the most underestimated expenses. When a frontline unit is out of service—whether for days, weeks, or in extreme cases months—it forces the department to rely on reserve units, mutual aid, or delayed response. This can negatively impact service delivery and increase risk to both firefighters and the public.

Frequent breakdowns also contribute to operational fatigue. Crews lose confidence in unreliable equipment, which can affect morale and increase the stress of already difficult situations.

LIFE CYCLE CONSIDERATIONS

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that frontline apparatus be replaced after 15 years and reserve apparatus after 25 years. While some departments successfully stretch these numbers depending on call volume, it often comes with a trade-off in safety and performance.

Departments should be tracking the life cycle of each vehicle in their fleets, not just by years but by usage metrics—miles driven, engine hours, pump hours, and total repair costs. A good rule of thumb is this: If a vehicle’s annual repair costs exceed 10% of the cost of a new vehicle, it’s time to consider replacement.

SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

Modern apparatus are built to higher safety and emissions standards. Older vehicles may lack rollover protection, air bags, electronic stability control, and clean diesel technology. This makes them more dangerous for crews and less environmentally responsible.

In addition, departments that want to remain compliant with NFPA standards or ISO rating criteria may find that maintaining outdated equipment works against them during audits or recertifications.

WHAT CAN BE FIXED AND WHAT SHOULDN’T

Not every repair signals the end of a truck’s useful life. Components like pumps, electrical systems, warning lights, and body panels can usually be serviced or replaced effectively. However, when repairs begin to affect core systems—frame integrity, suspension, drivetrain components, or the aerial structure—it may be a warning sign that you’re investing in a losing battle.

1 Replacing a fire truck is a major investment but, when made at the right time, it protects lives, improves service, and saves money in the long run. (Photo courtesy of author.)

Rust, especially in critical frame or suspension areas, can be a death sentence for older vehicles. That is one reason you should insist on some type of frame protection. Personally, I believe galvanized frame rails are superior. Similarly, persistent electrical issues in older wiring harnesses often become timeconsuming and costly to troubleshoot.

Another factor is parts availability. As manufacturers change pl