Firefighters have been spreading a little Christmas cheer in West Swindon this week by helping Santa visit local children in a vintage fire engine.

From providing sweets to youngsters to playing Christmas carols, the fire crew from Westlea has put on the event for the last 16 years while raising money for the Fire Fighters Charity - with this year's takings setting a new record in the event's history.

Firefighter Simon Owen, who coordinated the event, said: "The event has always been successful in fundraising for the charity. But this year it has surpassed all of our expectations as we've managed to raise over £800 so far but also the number of people coming out to say hello.

The Fire Fighters Charity provides help to around 11,000 beneficiaries every year including serving and retired personnel, their widowers and young dependants through the provision of sheltered accommodation, recuperative facilities, rehabilitation and therapy, as well as giving financial support to those who need it.

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It didn’t take long, or that many people, to push a 45,000-pound engine truck into the fire bay of the Bloomington Fire Department's Station No. 5 Tuesday afternoon.

 

 

Taking part in a firefighting tradition steeped in history, Bloomington firefighters, city officials and members of the community participated in a "push-in" ceremony of the new fire engine into the South Henderson Street station.

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The new vehicle is a 2016 Freightliner and is replacing a 1971 GMC military vehicle that the department is retiring from their fleet. The truck is outfitted with a 1,500-gallon water tank, a 200 gallon-per-minute pump, a foam system, a front bumper monitor controlled from inside the cab, and a hand controlled monitor behind the cab.

"Since we are a volunteer department, we can sometimes be short on help," explained Dawn VFD Chief R.L. Johnson. "In theory we can operate the truck's equipment with just two people. Since this truck is more machine oriented, we can fight the fire with fewer firefighters and it will help to take the fatigue off the firefighter."

Dawn VFD, established in 1974, serves a population of 3,500 over 828 square miles of Deaf Smith County.

Texas A&M Forest Service is committed to protecting lives and property through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, a cost-share program funded by the Texas State Legislature and administered by Texas A&M Forest Service. This program provides funding to rural VFDs for the acquisition of firefighting vehicles, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing, dry-hydrants, computer systems and firefighter training.

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After a year of accusations, an investigation and a financial surprise from the Social Security department, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue officially has a new fire chief to lead them into a new year. During a special meeting on Dec. 14, the OIFR Board of Fire Commissioners announced that Acting Fire Chief Scott Williams will be the station’s permanent chief.
- PUB DATE: 12/14/2016 1:06:07 PM - SOURCE: San Juan Islands' Sounder

 

In this video, Bill Peters covers hosebed considerations for you to incorporate into your next rig.