The fire department successfully performed a total of three practice rescues, two using an on-site crane and one using their ladder truck that was purchased with funds contributed to the town by the energy project in 2007. The rescue scenario consisted of a worker being injured on the steam turbine table top, approximately 40 feet above the ground. Photos were taken of the drills for use as future training aids for the fire department.

"We appreciate the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department's commitment to working closely with the CPV Towantic Energy Center team and look forward to our continued work together to ensure the highest levels of safety for everyone who works and lives near this state-of-the-art facility," said Colin Kelly, CPV Towantic Asset Manager Representative.

Initially, the KFD commissioned and received an engineer's report detailing what needed to be fixed and for how much.

To that end, Public Works Director Gerry Kerr solicited price estimates from contractors and that was followed by the town soliciting formal bids.

It was anticipated that the governing body would act to award a fix-up contract at last week's meeting but, instead, after a closed caucus, it voted to reject all bids and authorized a rebidding of the project.

According to town CFO Shuaib Firozvi, three firms bid on the project: JZA Enterprises of Aberdeen was the apparent lowest bidder with a price of $198,000; Reivax Contracting Corp. of Newark was next with a bid of $342,600; and George Koustas Painting & Construction of West Long Branch bid $345,000.

The emergency situation at the firehouse arose in May - as previously reported by Observer correspondent Karen Zautyk - when workers from Bower & Co. of Kearny were replacing gutters when they found that part of the wooden plate just below the roofline was bulging out on the Devon Terrace side - a condition that Fire Chief Steven Dyl blamed on the lack of "collar ties" at the time of the original construction.

Absent those fixtures, Dyl said, the roof joists pushed the plates out of alignment. That, in turn, led the town Construction Department to issue an "unsafe structure" notice.

The Board of Directors for the Ambulance Service approved the additional funding needed to purchase, not only the vehicle, but also the new patient lift-system, which cost an additional $40 thousand.

"We're getting better equipment and better vehicles for everyone to work with," said Ambulance Service Director Jason Taylor, "Next, we plan on getting another new ambulance with additional grant money. This one will be a four wheel drive."

The additional grant money the Ambulance Service is seeking will equal about $50 thousand dollars. Over the past year, the Ambulance Service has also used grant money to purchase new equipment to assist with cardiac issues emergency crews experience out in the field.

"Our main focus here is safety," said Judge Executive Scott Alexander, "Having new equipment to serve the patients is one thing we have looked at, and we are trying to upgrade as we go."

The ambulance made an unsafe lane change and struck a westbound Nissan Sentra, causing damage to both vehicles, authorities said.

The three ambulance occupants were not injured. The driver of the Nissan was transported to an area hospital, however, with injuries that were not life-threatening. The ambulance driver was cited for conducting an unsafe lane change.

Pietsch was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the ambulance was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital for a blood draw, standard procedure for a fatal crash. Investigators on the scene didn't notice signs of impairment.

Witnesses say the PT Cruiser had a green light to go west, but the ambulance had emergency lights and siren active.

The Monroe County Sheriff says the ambulance driver was faulted for failing to use due regard and properly clear the intersection.