Menu

WFC News

Posted: May 22, 2025

Florence (SC) FD Celebrates Addition of Two New Pumpers

The city of Florence (SC) Fire Department celebrated the addition of Engine 151 and Engine 161 to the fleet Wednesday, May 21, the department said in a Facebook post.

In January, Engine 151 was placed in service. The Pierce pumper holds 750 gallons of water with a 1,500-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump, meeting the capabilities of the rest of the fleet.

In April, Engine 161 was placed in service. The Pierce pumper also holds 750 gallons of water with a 1,500-gpm pump.

“This would not have been possible without support from the mayor and city council, city manager, and our state representatives,” the post said. “We are proud to continue serving our community through the addition of these state-of-the-art apparatus, which support the city’s ongoing efforts to provide high-quality emergency response and public safety services.”

The post Florence (SC) FD Celebrates Addition of Two New Pumpers appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Read more
Posted: May 22, 2025

Inside Stock Fire Apparatus: HME Ahrens-Fox

As fire chiefs explore options for new fire apparatus, stock rigs present an attractive alternative to custom builds. Departments face budget constraints, especially in the current climate where some government funding has been exhausted. Stock rigs can offer a more economical solution without compromising on features. For fire departments navigating the complexities of the current market, stock rigs have emerged as a practical, efficient, and valuable solution. Today’s stock rigs can offer customization, immediate availability, and cost-effectiveness that modern fire services demand.

An important point discussed in the podcast relates to the vital role of dealers in the fire apparatus procurement process. As representatives of their local markets, dealers provide valuable insights into the specific needs of fire departments in their regions. Treadle elaborated on the collaboration between HME and dealers, emphasizing that these relationships allow manufacturers to adapt and customize stock rig offerings more effectively.

For more information on HME fire apparatus, visit www.firetrucks.com.

The post Inside Stock Fire Apparatus: HME Ahrens-Fox appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Read more
Posted: May 22, 2025

Keeping It Safe: Changing Your Mind

Keeping It Safe Robert Tutterow

ROBERT TUTTEROW

I recently had a change of mind about a safety item involving slide poles. This prompted me to write this column, as mind changing is difficult for many, especially for health and safety concerns.

Yes, I realize most fire stations are single-story and a slide pole is unnecessary. But, the intent of this month’s column is to discuss the difficulty in changing one’s mind. I was against slide poles, and there was a trend a few years ago to do away with them, and I thought this was good. However, watching a presentation involving this subject made me change my mind. More on this later.

Let me set the stage for why I was against slide poles. In looking at the history of the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department, where I was the health and safety officer for 24 years, here is how I became “vaccinated” against them. From the fire department’s history book, the following was written: “…became the Department’s seventh on-duty fatality when he died at Station 4 on April 1, 1934. He had pulled an extra shift, and Engine 4 had been busy that night. An alarm came in; he got up out of bed, tripped over the suspenders on his quick-hitch pants, and fell headfirst down the pole hole. He died later in the day of a fractured skull.” This story also highlights the issue of possible sleep deprivation, the unhealthy practice of keeping turnout gear by the bed (I did this as a volunteer firefighter for 10 years; did this contribute to my bout with cancer?), the location of the slide pole, and the guards around the pole.

Then, during my tenure as safety officer, we had three more slide pole incidents at Station 1. A civilian employee decided to slide the pole (without any training or supervision) and did not know how to control her descent. She ended up paralyzed from the waist down. When I retired, this incident was the most expensive workers’ compensation claim the fire department had ever had. Then, a captain broke an ankle when he landed at the bottom of the pole. And then, a kid slid the pole (again, untrained and unsupervised). His hands got hot from “braking,” and he let go, falling hard to the floor. He was transported to the hospital, where he was checked out and released. With all that tragic background, I felt that slide poles were an unnecessary hazard. We had a couple of other two-story stations without slide poles, and there were no injuries from using the stairs.

Now to today. I had the privilege to see Rob Manns, of Manns Woodward Studios, an architectural firm out of the Baltimore, Maryland, area, present on how fire station design can be a positive factor in reducing response times. Rob’s specialty is fire station design. Part of his presentation is about slide poles, and he shows where they can be located (not beside the apparatus), how they should be designed within context of the station, and how to protect firefighters from accidental falls. He has conducted some time studies in at least six stations and shows that slide poles are four times faster than stairs. And, that is for an entire company deployment. For one person, I suspect that time is even faster.

I saw this presentation at the F.I.E.R.O. Fire Station Symposium last year and found it interesting. I then saw it again at the Fire Department Safety Officers Association’s Annual Conference earlier this year, and I told him afterward he had changed my mind on slide poles. With his photos, diagrams, and science-based data, his presentation was compelling.

As I reflected on my change of mind, I could not help but think that this happened because stubbornness is in my DNA. I th

Read more
Posted: May 22, 2025

New Renderings Show the Vision for Green Bay (WI)’s Fire Station/Apartment Complex Project

The city of Green Bay, Wisconsin’s vision for a fire station/apartment complex combo has its first renderings, fox11online.com reported.

General Capital Group, from Milwaukee, was selected out of 11 developers that vied for the project, the report said.

The three-story fire station will combine operations from the now-shuttered 100-year-old Fire Station 1 on Washington Street and 88-year-old Fire Station 3 on Shawano Avenue.

The 93 apartment units will be one to three bedrooms. Eight units will be for people making 30% of the area median income (AMI), which is $62,546, according to the most recent census data, according to the report. 73 units will be 60% of the AMI and 12 units will be 80% of the AMI.

The apartments part of the development is expected to cost $25.2 million. The city is hoping to keep the fire station price to about $15 million.

The hope is to break ground before the end of the year, the report said.

The post New Renderings Show the Vision for Green Bay (WI)’s Fire Station/Apartment Complex Project appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Read more
Posted: May 22, 2025

South Metro (CO) Fire Rescue Adds Four New Engines

South Metro Fire Rescue announced on social media recently the addition of four new engines to its frontline fleet, now assigned to Stations 19, 22, 31, and 11. These new units replace aging apparatus, two that were 25-years-old and one that was 23-years-old, as part of the long-term fleet replacement strategy. This investment ensures the personnel have reliable, modern tools to safely and effectively serve the communities.

Each new engine supports the department’s commitment to operational readiness and responsible fleet management. The apparatus replacement schedule is structured to maintain both performance and fiscal stewardship: Engines serve 17 years total (12 years frontline, five years reserve); aerial units serve 15 years (10 frontline, five reserve); and medic units serve 10 years (seven frontline, two-three reserve). Reserve units remain an essential part of the fleet, and often are assigned to higher-call-volume stations, meaning they sometimes see even more use in their final years than during their frontline service.

At Station 31, the new engine replaces a 25-year-old reserve unit. While SMFR’s older apparatus remain safe and well-maintained, advancements in technology, safety, and reliability make newer engines significantly more capable. Just as most people experience greater comfort and dependability in newer vehicles, modern fire apparatus support a firefighters’ performance, safety, and long-term wellness. This ensures the highest level of service to the public.

This delivery was especially meaningful at Station 31, where Engineer Chris Jenkins had the honor of placing the new Engine 31 into service—his third engine during his nearly 30-year career. He also played a key role in developing the engine specifications, ensuring the apparatus meets the real-world needs of the crews. The previous 2013 Engine 31 now enters reserve status, continuing to serve as a backup unit.

These four new engines, ordered in 2022, are the result of careful planning and a commitment to continuous improvement. South Metro Fire Rescue takes great pride in being a responsible steward of the fleet. These apparatus are more than vehicles, they are lifelines for the firefighters who rely on them to protect communities every day.

The post South Metro (CO) Fire Rescue Adds Four New Engines appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Read more
RSS
First2345791011Last

Theme picker

Search News Articles