Four people were hospitalized early Wednesday after an Apopka Fire Department ambulance collided with a pickup truck in Orange County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 6 a.m. at the intersection of Orange Blossom Trail and SR-414, temporarily shutting down traffic, ClickOrlando reports.

FHP said the ambulance was heading southbound on Orange Blossom Trail with its lights and sirens activated when it struck the right side of a Ford pickup truck that was entering the intersection from the westbound SR-414 exit ramp on a green light. The impact caused the truck to overturn and collide with a third vehicle.

The conditions of those hospitalized have not been released.

Visit ClickOrlando for more.

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The search for Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Chief Michael Phillips is now in its fourth day, as crews continue to look for the last known missing person in Burnet County (TX) following severe flash flooding, cbsaustin.com reported.

Phillips was responding to an emergency call early Saturday morning, July 5, when floodwaters from Cow Creek swept him and his vehicle away, a sheriff’s official said.

The search area includes FM 1174 and Cow Creek, where Phillips was last seen. His vehicle was discovered two miles downstream from this location, the report said.

Phillips has been a member of the Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years.

Burnet County Sheriff’s investigators have assured that the search efforts remain ongoing, with all agencies committed to finding Chief Phillips.

“At this time, we simply do not have the words to express our deep gratitude for the outpouring of support and resources we’ve received during the ongoing search for Chief Phillips,” Marble Falls Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post July 8.

“Engine 5522 has been placed in front of our station for those who wish to pay their respects. Your kindness and solidarity mean more than we can ever say. This is truly a nightmare, and we remain hopeful for closure in the near future.

“We will continue the search for Chief Phillips with unwavering determination. Please keep us in your thoughts, and we will share any updates as soon as we are able.”

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The Waukee (IA) Fire Department announced recently it has a crew and administrative staff operating out of new Station 92, its second station, which is located at 815 NW 20th Street.

The fire department will share the space with the police department in the $43.5 million, more than 90,000-square-foot new public safety building. The facility includes separate wings for fire and police, shared training areas, and a larger gym, addressing previous space constraints, desmoinesregister.com reported.

Waukee Fire Department continues to run a fire truck and an ambulance from Station 91 at 1300 SE LA Grant Parkway. With the growth of the city, the fire department has expanded to ensure that the citizens of Waukee continue to have prompt and high-quality emergency services.

“Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing everyone at Station 92 for our Public Safety Day on August 5th,” the department said in a Facebook post.

The department also has a new E-ONE engine in the works due for delivery in August.

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Joey Oliver
mlive.com
(TNS)

BAY CITY, MI – The city took steps toward repairing a closed fire station on the west side of the Saginaw River.

Commissioners approved a $43,060 professional services agreement Monday, July 7, with Redstone Architects, Inc. of Bingham Farms, Michigan, to determine the scope of work required to reopen the currently defunct Fire Station 5.

The agreement calls on the company to make recommendations and develop plans for the work, and provide estimated costs as needed within 120 days.

The measure passed as part of the consent agenda. There was no discussion.

Redstone has worked on fire stations across Michigan, from municipalities such as Cedar Springs, Monroe and Novi. It was also the group contracted to construct the Genesee County Juvenile Justice Center.

The commission previously passed a resolution to seek bids for potential repairs to Fire Station 5, located at 1209 E. Smith St. In April, a request for proposals was issued to determine the scope of needed work.

By the end of May, the city received four proposals—from Redstone Architects Inc., WTA Architects (Saginaw), Veridus Advisors (Byron Center), and Hobbs + Black (Lansing). Interviews with the firms were held on June 9 and 13. According to city officials, the evaluation focused on each firm’s understanding of project requirements, key personnel, relevant experience, and proposed compensation.

Redstone Architects Inc. received the highest score and has been recommended for the project by city staff.

Fire Station 5, originally built in 1965, was closed on July 15, 2024. Its closure left the city with two fire stations on the east side of the river and one on the west. City officials cited the building’s deteriorating condition and budget constraints as reasons for the closure.

According to Bay City Public Safety Director Caleb Rowell, necessary high- and medium-priority repairs would cost approximately $386,318. Reopening the station would also require an estimated $1.6 million in staffing for the first year, with costs rising to around $2 million by the third year.

Due to limited resources, the city must prioritize which maintenance projects to address. Other fire stations also face infrastructure issues, including one with PFAS contamination. Fire Station 5 has historically had the lowest call volume among the city’s fire facilities, a factor that influenced the decision-making.

High-priority repairs for Station 5 include roof replacement, asbestos abatement, mold and mildew removal, and plumbing upgrades. Medium-priority work includes concrete repairs and carpet removal.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Jackie Martin
The News Herald, Southgate, Mich.
(TNS)

It was a day many had been waiting for, and it brought out a number of local officials to celebrate the occasion.

The Taylor Fire Department has officially rededicated Fire Station No. 2.

A recent rededication ceremony marked a new beginning for the department’s service and completes a $2M project renovating two of the three Taylor fire stations over the past year.

Fire Station No. 2, the larger of the two, is located at 25303 Ecorse Road.

Mayor Tim Woolley was among a large group attending the grand re-opening.

He was joined by Fire Chief Stephen Portis and Deputy Chief Al Young, along with Gerald Thomas and Rhonda Danaj who represented the Taylor Tax Increment Finance Authority.

TIFA was a major driving force behind the project. Also in attendance at the ribbon cutting were firefighters and other city employees.

Portis has been working on this plan since 1990.

He remembers Station No. 3 on Eureka Road opened when he started.

Station No. 2 had opened about eight years before.

At that time, Station 3 was the bigger and newer one. Station No. 2 was the smaller, older and homier one.

“Eventually, Fire Station 2 was expanded and is now the bigger of the two,” Portis said. “The good thing is that with all of these new renovations, which were badly needed, you are just proud to see the growth within the overall department. Unlike other professions, firefighters live and work in their stations.

“They dispatch from their buildings, but they eat and sleep there, too. It’s really important that they have a quality building in which to work. It helps put them in the proper frame of mind.

The fire chief said now that the renovations to Stations No. 2 and 3 are done, the focus will shift to the midtown station at 23345 Goddard Road.

“Renovations will not be as vast as these were, but we’ll need to look at some new flooring and paint,” he said. “It’s very important to stay ahead of these types of maintenance issues.”

© 2025 The News Herald, Southgate, Mich.. Visit www.thenewsherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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