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Posted: Dec 13, 2016

Michigan Company to Buy Nebraska-Based Smeal Fire Apparatus

A publicly traded Michigan company agreed Tuesday to purchase Smeal Fire Apparatus of Snyder, Nebraska, for $36.3 million, a transaction that could affect 400 Smeal employees in Nebraska, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Spartan Motors of Charlotte, Michigan, said the purchase is due to close in January, subject to standard closing conditions.
Spartan has about 1,800 employees at 13 facilities and has supplied fire truck chassis to Smeal for about 30 years, said Samara Hamilton, marketing director for Spartan.

Hamilton said Spartan will look at "synergies" that would result from the purchase to determine what would happen to Smeal's manufacturing locations and employees.

She said combining the companies is expected to increase the overall business so there would be more production and the need for more employees overall.

Smeal's manufacturing locations are in Snyder and Neligh, Nebraska; Delavan, Wisconsin; and Ephrata, Pennsylvania.

Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., founded in 1963 by the late Donald Smeal, is owned by 50 Smeal family stakeholders. Smeal and his wife, Ardath, raised nine children.

The company buys about $30 million worth of chassis annually from Spartan and would add about $70 million to Spartan's annual revenue, Spartan said in a press release. The sale terms include forgiveness of money Smeal owes to Spartan for recent purchases.

In the press release, Smeal Chairman Rod Cerny said Spartan is "the perfect fit for Smeal, our customers, our employees and our operational leadership team, as we combine with a proven ally and industry leader to help solidify our future and preserve the legacy of the Smeal organization."

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Posted: Dec 13, 2016

Seattle crews battle blaze at Klose-In Motel on Aurora Avenue

Firefighters battled a blaze Tuesday morning at the vacant Klose-in Motel on Aurora Avenue, according to the Seattle Fire Department. The fire in the 9300 block of Aurora Avenue North was under control by 10:30 a.m., and no injuries were reported. The motel has a checkered past. In 2014, a man was critically injured when a natural-gas explosion destroyed a room there.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2016 11:30:58 AM - SOURCE: Seattle Times - Metered Site
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Posted: Dec 13, 2016

LODD: SCFD8 Volunteer FF Doug Archer

It is with heavy hearts we share that Fire District 8 Volunteer Firefighter Doug Archer passed away unexpectedly in his sleep earlier this week. A very active member of Fire District 8 for over 30 years, Doug was a dedicated Firefighter & Investigator, talented photographer, brother, son, uncle, and friend. Funeral services are scheduled for Friday. December 16th at 1300 hours at Hennessey Funeral Home (1315 N. Pines, Spokane Valley).  After the service, there will be a procession from the funeral home to Station 82 for a reception (12100 E. Palouse Highway, Valleyford, WA).

Doug's family has established a Go Fund Me account and asks that in lieu of flowers you consider making a donation to help defray funeral costs. The family will be extremely appreciative of any amount you can share. 

https://www.gofundme.com/doug-archer-memorial-fund 

Thank you to everyone for the kind words and the support being given to Doug’s family. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts during this difficult time.

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Posted: Dec 13, 2016

Yakima fire crews kept busy with house, restaurant fire

Two fires, one at a restaurant and another at a home, kept Yakima Fire Crews busy Monday night into Tuesday morning. Yakima firefighters said they responded to a house fire in the 900 block of S. 26th Avenue around 11:35 p.m. Monday where fire was coming out of the front of the house. Fire crews said one of the children living in the home was woken by the smoke alarm and was able to get the other residents out; five in total.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2016 11:16:48 AM - SOURCE: KIMA-TV CBS 29 Yakima
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Posted: Dec 13, 2016

Follow Up: No conclusions reached yet on cause of fatal Yakima apartment fire

Yakima firefighters said Tuesday they are stil investigating a fire that killed a woman at a Gordon Road apartment complex. Capt. Jeff Pfaff said the investigation is taking time because investigators hope to speak to as many residents as possible who were at the Friday fire at the Mesa Apartments. Yakima police on Tuesday mentioned in an unrelated arrest report that a woman told an officer her 3-year-old son had started the fire.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2016 10:43:24 AM - SOURCE: Yakima Herald-Republic
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