Apparatus Ideas Bob Vaccaro

Durham, North Carolina, was nicknamed the “Bull City” in the late 1800s when the Blackwell Tobacco Company named its product “Bull” Durham Tobacco. Durham is also famously known as the “City of Medicine,” with healthcare as a major industry, including more than 300 medical and health-related companies and medical practices.

Durham is home to several recognized educational institutions. Duke University and North Carolina Central University are central to Research Triangle Park, which encompasses 11 square miles with 2.37 million people and is devoted to research facilities. Durham itself has a population of 300,000.

Protecting all of this is the Durham (NC) Fire Department, a fully paid department with a staff of 400 firefighters. They operate out of 18 stations, with a 19th station opening sometime later this year. All frontline apparatus are manufactured by Sutphen and include 18 engines, four trucks, and one heavy rescue.

Captain Carl Hamlin, chairman of Durham’s apparatus committee, says that the department has had good luck with Sutphen through the years and stayed with the company for its fleet services division primarily. “They have commonality of parts and maintenance as well as making training for our firefighters a great deal easier,” he says. “No matter where a firefighter is stationed, he or she would be familiar with the vehicle’s operation.”

According to Hamlin, apparatus replacement is based on several factors, including miles, maintenance, parts, and general condition. Based on funding, the department tries to replace engines every 10 to 15 years and trucks every 15 to 20 years.

1 Durham’s Sutphen/SVI tandem axle walk-in rescue with two-door extended cab. (Photos courtesy of SVI Trucks.)

Recently, the apparatus committee decided to design and build a heavy rescue. “This new build was our first true heavy rescue,” says Hamlin. “Previously, four ladder trucks were used, so space was at a premium. They carried basic rescue tools only. A county fire department located on the southern edge of Durham merged with our city, and we gained a smaller rescue from them that we still use as a spare. Our chief back in 2018 came up with a basic rescue truck concept, and we began looking into designing a custom apparatus just for us and the special needs of our city.”

The department had a prebuild conference with Sutphen and SVI in 2022. “The new unit we designed would be able to carry more equipment, and it would make it more accessible for our firefighters,” says Hamlin. “We ordered the vehicle in 2023, and it took roughly a little over one year to build. In this day and age, we thought that was phenomenal.”

2 The rig’s Command Light light tower.

3 The body’s interior showing SCBA mounts and upper storage.

4 A large transverse compartment in the body with two slide-outs.

Sutphen/SVI Walk-in He

Tony Marrero – Tampa Bay Times

Tampa police on Tuesday arrested a man accused of stealing a fire engine parked outside St. Joseph’s Hospital and then crashing into an SUV while under the influence of alcohol.

Warren Scudder, 59, drove off in the Tampa Fire Rescue engine about 9:25 a.m. while firefighters were inside the hospital, according to the Tampa Police Department. Scudder then crashed into a Lexus SUV near the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and MacDill Avenue, police said.

Police caught up to Scudder in the 4100 block of Poplar Avenue about 15 minutes later, blocked the engine’s path and arrested him.

Scudder was booked into Hillsborough’s Orient Road Jail on charges of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, grand theft of emergency medical equipment, grand theft auto, leaving the scene of a crash with injury, driving under the influence (fourth or subsequent violation) and DUI with property damage. He was being held Tuesday without bond.

According to booking records, Scudder’s blood alcohol results came back at 0.197 and 0.177. Both results are more than twice the 0.08 at which a driver is presumed impaired under Florida law.

The driver of the Lexus complained of hip pain and was being evaluated by hospital staff.

A separate news release issued later by Tampa Fire Rescue said that the crew members on the engine had responded to a cardiac-related emergency, and the driver pulled into a designated parking area at the hospital and remained near the truck while other personnel went into the hospital to assist with the patient.

“Due to the severity of the medical emergency, the process required an extended period of time,” the release said. “The driver briefly stepped away from the vehicle to determine if additional assistance was needed. During that brief moment, the suspect entered the unattended fire engine and drove it off hospital property.”

The passenger side of the engine scraped the driver side of the Lexus, causing moderate damage to the SUV, according to a fire rescue spokesperson. A photo released by the fire rescue department shows what appears to be minor damage to the engine.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect first name for the suspect.

©2025 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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MLive.com Staff
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The following Michigan fire departments are the recipients of a 2024 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant: Midland Fire Department, Saginaw Fire Department, and Bay City Department of Public Safety.

The joint application replaces 120 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), with Midland receiving 36 SCBA, Saginaw receiving 41, and Bay City receiving 43.

The grant award totals $1,321,600 and includes a local share of $120,145, to be split among the three departments. The collaboration and partnership between the three departments to submit a joint application shows creativity in securing funding for the necessary replacement of firefighting equipment.

“Firefighters work tirelessly to protect our communities and property. It’s absolutely essential that they have the tools needed to stay safe when responding to an emergency. That’s why I worked to pass legislation to extend the critical grant programs that help our firefighters get the support they need,” said U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan. “I applaud the collaborative approach taken by Midland, Saginaw, and Bay City to receive this funding, which will help each department purchase equipment needed to do their jobs safely and effectively.”

The departments hope to have the new SCBA in service by summer of 2026.

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Lenexa (KS) staff presented a master plan for the future of city-owned property at 87th Street Parkway and Monrovia to the governing body during a Committee of the Whole meeting on Oct. 14, 2025, according to a press release.

Staff recommended a new-build concept for a 27,000-square-foot Fire Station 6 Headquarters on the east portion of the property, which is estimated to cost $27.7 million.

This municipal site near Interstate 35 was the former home of Lenexa’s City Hall, Police Department and Municipal Court, which have all been relocated to new facilities in recent years. After police and court functions moved to the Lenexa Justice Center in 2024, the City began to study options for redeveloping the campus to address other unmet needs.

Lenexa has long sought to add additional emergency response resources in the northeast part of the community. The city’s population and infill development have grown since Lenexa last added a fire station 15 years ago, with call volumes increasing by 45% in that timeframe. In particular, the northeast corridor has more mature and densely populated residential, commercial and medical use facilities that generate frequent calls for service.

A quick response is critical when responding to fires and medical emergencies. The Fire Department began temporarily stationing fire apparatus and firefighters at the old municipal complex site in 2020 to test response times. In 2023, the City of Lenexa placed a temporary structure on-site to house fire apparatus year-round. 

A permanent fire station would allow the Fire Department to meet or improve upon the National Fire Protection Association’s four-minute median travel time standard for first responders arriving on scene. The former City Hall municipal site provides an ideal location for fire services in the northeast corridor of Lenexa. Key factors include:

• Improved emergency response times and health outcomes in the northeast corridor of Lenexa.
• Capacity to house Fire Department administrative staff more efficiently in one location rather than spread out across multiple locations.
• Permanent home for the City’s Information Technology Department and equipment. 
• Space for a dedicated emergency operations center to help the City coordinate response and recovery efforts.
• Better distribution of resources to provide relief to the two other busiest fire stations in Lenexa.
• Preservation of a cell tower that houses critical local and regional public safety radio communications assets.
• Maintaining a strong public safety presence in this area of the city, which nearby residents desire.

The City hired Finkle + Williams architecture and design firm to develop a master plan for Fire Station 6. The proposed plan would feature three apparatus bays, a residential component for emergency responders, office space for the Fire Department command staff, training and prevention divisions, as well as permanent space for the Information Technology (IT) Department. 

The plan thoroughly evaluated the site and proposed three scenarios for how it could best be used: a new-build concept, a repurposed concept that uses some portion of existing structures, and a phased concept. All three scenarios orient the fire station so that apparatus respond directly onto Monrovia rather than 87th Street Parkway, which provides easy access north or south to a signalized intersection.

Henderson Engineers analyzed the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural systems of the

HOLDEN, Louisiana (Oct. 21, 2025) – Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (“KME”), a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc. and a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, is pleased to announce that CarCo Fire is now the authorized dealer for KME fire apparatus and equipment in Minnesota.

CarCo Fire, dedicated to fire truck sales and service, is a new division of CarCo Truck & Equipment, a family-owned auto group specializing in new and pre-owned truck sales, parts, service, heavy duty towing and repair. The company’s service technicians are supported by state- of-the-art equipment, tools and service management teams with $1,000,000 in parts inventory.

The company’s main location near St. Cloud in Rice, Minnesota is a 40,000 square-foot facility that features 20 service bays. The company also has an 8,000 square foot facility in Brainerd, MN for additional support.

“This partnership is an exciting step forward for CarCo Fire,” said Tom Friedrich, president of CarCo Fire. “With KME’s innovation and our focus on service, we look forward to supporting fire departments across Minnesota for years to come.”

“We are thrilled to work with CarCo Fire in the great state of Minnesota,” said Tim Besser, senior sales manager, KME. “The company brings a wealth of knowledge with their years of sales and service experience, and we look forward to working with them to grow the KME brand in this area.”

For more information on KME, visit kmefire.com; for more information on CarCo Fire, visit carcofire.com.

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About Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp.

KME, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc. (NYSE: REVG), has been in operation since 1946 and custom manufactures a wide range of fire apparatus for municipal, federal, and wildland/urban interface markets across the U.S. KME specializes in steel aerials with a ‘best in class’ steel structural safety factor of 2.5 to 1 and Severe Service^™ chassis with over a million miles of real

world testing at some of the largest fire departments in the U.S. KME is dedicated to engineering products that are tailored to meet the needs of each individual fire department.

About REV Group, Inc.

REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services, which serve a diversified customer base, primarily in the United States, through two segments: Specialty Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles. The Specialty Vehicles Segment provides customized vehicle solutions for applications, including essential needs for public services (ambulances and fire apparatus) and commercial infrastructure (terminal trucks and industrial sweepers). REV Group’s Recreational Vehicles Segment manufactures a variety of RVs from Class B vans to Class A motorhomes. REV Group’s portfolio is made up of well-established principal vehicle brands, including many of the most recognizable names within their industry. Several of REV Group’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. REV Group trades on the NYSE under the symbol REVG. Investors-REVG

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