Manasquan, NJ—P.L. Custom Body and Equipment Co., Inc. (PLCB) has added Vander Molen Fire Apparatus Sales and Service (VMFire) to its growing family of distributors. VMFire will be providing sales and service to emergency services providers in the central and northeastern part of New York. In addition to providing sales and service for both PL Custom Emergency Vehicles and Rescue 1 vehicles, VMFire will be able to provide remounting and specialty conversions through PLCB as well.

Chad Newsome, national sales manager for PLCB, is very pleased to have VMFire as part of the PLCB family. “VMFire Equipment, a dealership that is focused on service and shares our family-run business values, is a strong addition to our dealer network and one that will greatly benefit customers in this region. VMFire will be handling the following counties for us in New York State: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Tioga, Tompkins, Warren, and Washington counties. On behalf of all of us here in Manasquan, we wish to express our thanks to VMFire Equipment, Inc. for joining our team!”

VMFire is currently a dealer for Sutphen Corporation and Fort Garry Fire Trucks. What began in 2004 as a single-salesman operation has grown into the full service organization it is known for today. Phil Vander Molen, president of VMFire, was introduced to Sutphen Fire Apparatus while in the role of committee co-chair for the DeWitt (NY) Fire District. Phil was a full-time English Teacher at the time, has spent 25 years as a volunteer firefighter, and now serves as fire commissioner for Dewitt Fire District. VMFire incorporated in 2005 and began building a sales and service team over the ensuing years. Successful sales and service relationships led to expanding the service and sales departments to seven vehicles and two maintenance trailers. In 2016, VMFire undertook the next step in growth by purchasing three acres of land to design and build its new 9,000-square-foot service and sales facility building. This new facility is equipped with the latest service capabilities to better support our customers. Vander Molen says, “VMFire looks to 2018 as a new phase in our growth process. To better serve emergency service providers, we welcome the addition of the PL Custom Emergency Vehicles and Rescue 1 product lines to our sales and service family. This growth is a natural fit for both our customers’ needs and our organizational plans”.

P.L. Custom Body and Equipment Co., Inc. has been in business since 1946 and owned by the Smock family since 1970. The company employs 175 people at its Manasquan, New Jersey, plant and sells through a network of 17 independent dealers covering 28 states, the District of Columbia, and also distributes their Rescue 1 product in Canada. PL Custom Emergency Vehicle and Rescue 1 are the man

APPLETON, WI—Pierce Manufacturing announced that Commercial Truck Equipment Corporation is expanding its territory to include the Canadian province of Ontario. Commercial Truck Equipment also serves the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as well as Nunavut, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

“We’re thrilled to announce that Commercial Truck Equipment is expanding its Pierce territory to include the province of Ontario,” said Mike Dufrane, vice president of sales for Pierce Manufacturing. “Commercial Truck Equipment is one of the most respected full-service dealerships in all of Canada, and we are excited to provide a new level of service and support to our customers in Ontario.” Commercial operates a 12-bay service facility in Woodstock, Ontario.

Since 2011, Commercial Truck Equipment has been an authorized Pierce service provider in Western Canada. “Over the course of 70 years, we have built and expanded our business by meeting the needs of our customers,” said Morgan MacKay, general manager of Commercial Truck Equipment Corporation. “We are very excited to serve Pierce customers in Ontario, and have the resources and an expert team in place to deliver ‘best in class’ product knowledge, technical expertise, and customer support.”

About Commercial Truck Equipment
Founded in 1947 in Vancouver, BC, Commercial Truck Equipment Corporation is Western Canada’s largest supplier of truck equipment, with an impressive history of growth, and an unmatched level of customer service and support. Its product expertise includes truck cranes, recovery vehicles, utility trucks, dump and gravel trucks, as well as truck hydraulic systems, truck parts and service. The company’s full-service branches and mobile support across Canada have the parts inventory, and technical and engineering expertise to meet the needs of its customers. Visit www.comtruck.ca for more information.

For more information, visit www.piercemfg.com.

It was a seemingly normal day last April as Frank Inman helped his daughter, her husband and other family members move items at a Redmond storage unit. After some family members departed from the third-floor unit, Inman and his daughter, Jessica, were momentarily left alone. Jessica Inman said her father asked her to “hold on one second” before he collapsed.
- PUB DATE: 1/3/2018 1:55:05 AM - SOURCE: Redmond Reporter

A Wamego firefighter has died after suffering serious injuries from a fall. According to the Wamego Fire Department, John Randle and the Wamego Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 4:50 a.m. on Monday. After the fire was put out, he was severely hurt from a fall while “returning a fire apparatus to service.
- PUB DATE: 1/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KSNT-TV Topeka

Bluefield, Virginia is mourning the loss of its fire chief. Fire Chief Jim Hardy passed away the evening of Sun, Dec. 31st, 2017. Officials in the city of Bluefield said Hardy died of natural causes. Hardy was an active members of the fire department for over 65 years. Mayor of Bluefield, Virginia, Don Harris said Hardy dedicated his life to the fire service and his legacy will live on.
- PUB DATE: 1/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WVNS TV