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Posted: May 2, 2025

New $5.5M Owensboro (KY) FD Training Center Dedicated

Don Wilkins – Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

A crowd gathered Thursday to dedicate the Walter Freeman Training Center that has been designed to carry the city’s fire department into the future.

Built for $5.525 million, the training center at 1323 Daviess St. includes a new four story fire tower, vehicle bays and a classroom for indoor training.

Fire Chief James Howard said the city began developing the property in 1946, with Freeman leading the charge to turn it into a training area for firefighters.

“…Chief Walter Freeman not only left a mark on this organization, but significantly contributed to the continuing evolution of the property that we’re standing on right now,” Howard told the crowd.

Howard said the original drill tower was a wooden structure that was replaced when Freeman became chief in 1973.

“…That was the year in which he oversaw the replacement of that drill tower, that he’d helped build, with a concrete block design as well the addition of a classroom building….” Howard said.

It was shortly after Freeman’s death in 1985 that the training center was named after him.

“Time has certainly passed and a new generation has seized the opportunity to remake and expand these training grounds to meet our needs and the training needs of those to come,” Howard said. “We rededicate these grounds with honor and respect to Chief Walter L. Freeman in recognition of his contributions to this department and this city over his tenure.”

Along with Freeman, two other former firefighters — Starling Lambert and David W. McCrady, have their names attached to areas of the training facility.

Lambert, who served as chief from 1952 to 1970, has been memorialized with the Starling J. Lambert Burn Room, which is the first floor of the new tower.

“…His name from today forward will be synonymous with a space where new recruits are tested to prove that they have what it takes to do this job,” Howard said.

McCrady, who served as the department’s training chief, has been memorialized with the David W. McCrady Classroom.

“…His passion for firefighting was contagious,” Howard said. “He was a mentor; he was a teacher and a friend with a huge heart….”

The fire training center is part of the city’s effort to modernize fire facilities through the “Operation Firehouse” program. By the time the program is complete, all of OFD’s facilities, except for Station 5, will have either been remodeled or replaced.

The training center will also be available to county and volunteer firefighters, city officials said.

OFD had been using the old ABC Rentals building on the site for training, but has converted the building into storage. Howard said there are plans to use the building in a different capacity but wasn’t ready to announce those details yet.

Mayor Tom Watson said investing in the city fire department’s training center and its stations has been a priority.

“Public safety is our main concern as elected officials,” Watson said. “…It’s been needed for a while, because when that fire is going on, they need to be protected and they need to be trained well; they have families at home, too.”

The training center also contains safety features such as diesel exhaust filtering systems and fire turnout gear extractors to reduce cancer causing carcinogens that firefighters are exposed to.

Howard, who leads a department of 100 firefighters, said having the training center in a centralized location provides convenience and visibility to the department.

“…We could’ve built it way out in the county and something to make bigger over the years, but it would’ve been harder for us to train,” Howard said. “We train almost every day so trucks can come here to a central location. That’s the

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Posted: May 2, 2025

San Bernardino County (CA) FPD Orders 10 Modular-Designed KME Pumpers

NEW ENGINES Expected to be Delivered Within a Year

HOLDEN, Louisiana (May 1, 2025) – Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. (KME), a subsidiary of REV Group and a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, announces that San Bernardino County Fire Protection District has ordered 10 K-180 pumpers, which is a pre-engineered, modular design that can be built and delivered faster than fully customized units. KME’s California dealer, Fire Apparatus Solutions, is responsible for the order and will handle the service and aftermarket support for the units.

The order comes following the approval from the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to allow the fire department to update its frontline fleet. These units will be put into service immediately and then used as reserves once more customized fire apparatus are delivered. REV Fire Group designed and launched the modular series to simplify the purchasing process, accelerate the upfront and engineering processes and reduce complexity in manufacturing, allowing for more rapid delivery of new apparatus.

“This money from the Board allowing the purchase of these additional fire engines will give us operational depth that allows us to flex and rise to the needs of additional emerging incidents,” said Chief Eric Sherwin, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District.

These 10 K-180 pumpers (Model #4119) are low hosebed, side-mount pump panel rigs with additional standard features:

  • Chassis: Panther EMFD
  • Axles: Front 20,000 Lb. / Rear 24,000 Lb.
  • Engine: Cummins X12 500hp
  • Body: Aluminum
  • Pump: Waterous ESU 2000 gpm
  • Tank: Poly 500 Gal. Water/ 20 Gal. Foam
  • Foam: FoamPro 2001

“San Bernardino County Fire has been a customer of KME pumpers, aerials, and water tenders that have been highly customized to meet their needs. So, we are proud Fire Apparatus Solutions was able to collaborate with the department on the K-180 pumper that will help them continue to protect lives and property across the county,” said Mike Virnig, president, REV Specialty Vehicles Segment.

KME dealer Fire Apparatus Solutions is known for their service abilities and helps fleets with body repair including panel / structural / plumbing modifications and repairs. In addition, Fire Apparatus Solutions offers in-house pick-up and delivery of units and parts, as well as mobile on-site services.

###

About Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp.

KME, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc. (NYSE: REVG), has been in operation since 1946 and custom manufactures a wide range of fire apparatus for municipal, federal, and wildland/urban interface markets across the U.S. KME specializes in steel aerials with a ‘best in class’ steel structural safety factor of 2.5 to 1 and Severe Service chassis with over a million miles of real world testing at some of the largest fire departments in the U.S. KME is dedicated to engineering products that are tailored to meet the needs of each individual fire department.

About REV Group, Inc.

REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket

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Posted: May 2, 2025

Statesboro (GA) FD Holds Push-In for New 100-Foot Ladder Truck

The Statesboro (GA) Fire Department personnel, family members, and community members gathered recently to “push in” the department’s newest ladder truck, Truck 1, griceconnect.com reported.

The new Truck 1 is a Sutphen SPH 100-foot aerial platform equipped with modern features such as wireless remote-controlled nozzles, an integrated communication system, over 60,000 lumens of scene lighting, a 300-gallon water tank, and a 2,000-gallon-per-minute pump, the report said.

The truck was ordered in September 2024, along with a 75-foot quint, which is expected to arrive in the spring of 2026.

Both trucks were funded through the 2019 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).

The post Statesboro (GA) FD Holds Push-In for New 100-Foot Ladder Truck appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: May 2, 2025

New Fire Station to Open in West Henderson (NV) Next Week

Casey Harrison
Las Vegas Review-Journal
(TNS)

A new fire station and training facility for western Henderson is expected to open early next month, city officials said Monday.

The city is inviting residents to the May 7 grand opening of Fire Station 92, located at 2000 Via Centro, near East Larson Lane, according to a press release. In addition to a 10 a.m. ceremony by city leadership to celebrate the opening of the new facility, attendees will be able to take tours and meet firefighters who will be stationed there.

Fire Station 92, which is the Henderson Fire Department’s 13th station, will serve the growing West Henderson area and Inspirada master-planned communities, the release said. Residents unable to attend the ceremony are also invited to check out a June 14 open house at the new station, according to the release.

The new facility is situated on about 3 acres and will include four apparatus bays to accommodate an engine, truck, rescue, air support and other specialty vehicles. The new station also will be able to accommodate up to 14 personnel for 24-hour response preparedness.

“Plans have been in the works for several years, and I could not be more excited to officially open Station 92 for the residents and businesses in West Henderson,” Henderson Fire Chief Scott Vivier said in a statement. “As our department continues to grow, it’s crucial that we continue providing premier fire services, and this station will help us do just that.”

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Casey_Harrison1 on X or @casey-harrison.bsky.social on Bluesky.

©2025 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post New Fire Station to Open in West Henderson (NV) Next Week appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: May 1, 2025

PA Firefighter Dies After Sustaining Injuries at Wildland Fire

Harford Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Chip Chidester died Sunday from injuries sustained while battling a 30-acre brush fire.

The fire took place on March 11 in Lenox Township, with Harford on scene providing mutual aid. Chidester suffered a serious leg fracture while battling the fire, and died from complications of the injury, WNEP reports.

Flags across Susquehanna County were lowered to half-staff Tuesday in honor of Chidester, following a directive from Governor Josh Shapiro.

Just a day before his passing, the department held a benefit to support Chidester as he recovered from his injuries.

A public viewing will be held Saturday at the Hartford Volunteer Fire Company.

Visit WNEP for more.

The post PA Firefighter Dies After Sustaining Injuries at Wildland Fire appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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