Brunswick Fire Company #1, Troy, NY, pumper. Monarch cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 2,000-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon tank.
A combination rescue pumper truck that will take the place of two vehicles in the Mattoon Fire Department's fleet is scheduled to be put into service on Monday. Community members are invited to check out the new rescue pumper during a commissioning ceremony at 10 a.m.
Shift Capt. Keith Orndorff, who served on the fire department's truck committee, said the panel's lengthy research into options for a new truck led them to recommend getting one that is customized to meet the specific needs of the department. He said they decided to go with a combination rescue pumper that will enable the department to put one vehicle on the road during emergency responses instead of two. Â
"Now we have a fire engine and a rescue vehicle in the same truck," Orndorff said. The truck committee members also included Assistant Chief Sean Junge and engineers Kenny Clatfelter, Jeff Hilligoss and Mike Ueleke.
As the wildfires rapidly spread through California, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate; fire fighters are working tirelessly to contain the flames. After receiving a request from the state of California for assistance to put out the fires, the state of Montana sends several fire engines and crew members to Los Angeles.
"We had numerous significant fires. Obviously the fires that burned in Napa are going and now these fires in Los Angeles," says Red Lodge Fire Chief Tom Kuntz. "Overall this is going to shape up to be one of the worst fire seasons in U.S. history." Â
 While firefighting poses many dangers, he ensures that his team is properly equipped and highly trained.
"Now in Montana we have a significant threat from wild land fires and we're fortunate to have a response system of both volunteer and career firefighters who are very well trained in working in the wild land interface which is when the fires are moving into homes," Kuntz adds.
Over the past two years, several thefts have been reported from fire stations across the Charlotte area. Several months back, Charlotte Fire tweeted "While your firefighters respond to emergencies, someone is breaking into their cars and stealing from them."
Monday, the Charlotte City Council voted to purchase and install security systems at every fire department in Charlotte.Â
RELATED: Fort Mill fire station latest in string of break-ins
Locations will be monitored by CMPD’s Real Time Crime Center and CFD. Cameras were first installed two years ago when the city got wind of vehicle break-ins.
