The Spring Grove Fire Department recently received new cutters, spreaders, a ram and a stabilization kit thanks to funds from The Corner Store. “It’s been a long time since we got new jaws – probably about 20 years,” Fire Chief Trent Turner said. “It’s a very nice update and addition to the fleet of tools that we have now.” The tools are Genesis brand, carefully chosen by the department after looking at four different tool companies. The cutter can cut through high-strength steel that is common on newer models of vehicles. The tools are battery operated. Along with those tools, the fire department also received a new brush truck, which is currently being outfitted with tires and decals.

Purchased from emergency goods supplier NAFECO of Decatur, Alabama, the trucks, a pumper and a tanker, possess similar accessories already used by other SVFD vehicles and are designed to meet Insurance Service Office rating standards. SVFD Fire Chief Cecil Rogers said funding for the trucks was made possible because of a 2012 vote by Lee County residents to increase the annual fire fee rate from $25 to $50. Accompanied by the fire department’s ISO rating upgrade from a 9/10 to 5/5x, which went into effect last September, Rogers said the improvements will not only increase safety for Salem residents, but benefit them economically, too.

The fire truck is equipped with a camera containing a data card. Investigators are trying to determine when the camera stopped recording, and how did the card disappear.

The crash happened at 12th Street and Rhode Island Avenue, NE when Engine 26 went through the intersection, T-boned a gold car and killed 32-year-old Deangelo Green of Northeast D.C. who was inside it, fire officials said.

Authorities said when the gold car went up onto a sidewalk, it also hit and critically injured a pregnant pedestrian.

Fire Chief Don Pullin showed 3News on Thursday some of the damage that Hurricane Harvey did to the fire station.

"I would say 100-percent damage. We have put two tarps on the roof. It's still leaking in. We're getting water in on the apparatus. There's no place in town that we can move the apparatus to," Pullin said.

He and his volunteers are still fighting fires, but doing it out of a place he feels is unsafe and should be replaced.

"If you just put a building up, the next hurricane, 3 or 4 or 5, we're going to have the same problems," Pullin said. "We can't leave personnel down here unless we can prove it's hurricane safe."