Located in the 200 block of Olive Street, the new Fire Station Four will include state-of-the art facilities and outdoor areas for exercise.

“It's the first Silver LEED Certified building the city of South Bend has ever done, so that's an important feature of this project. We're very proud to be representing the city in that way," said Jeffrey Ballard, vice president of Dansch Harner Associates.

Bidding for the project's construction is set to take place early September with construction to follow soon after. 

A 2014 gift from the Texas Forest Service to the city's fire department of a brush truck capable of wading its four-wheel drive into otherwise inaccessible areas helps to extend its firefighting reach.

The city on Tuesday signed an agreement with the Texas Forest Service as part of its mutual aid protection program, which gave rise to the city's own Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Fire Chief Anne Huff and other department members presented the plan Tuesday to City Council, showing 16 planning areas within the city limits that outline the affected areas.

Huff said at least 17,000 acres abut wildlands within the 16 separate areas ranging from industrial areas on the south to the Big Thicket on the north and wooded areas on the west.

"We're taking a close look at what we have and where," she told council members.

Shawnee firefighters had the demo ladder setup at the Aldridge building in downtown Shawnee.Shawnee Fire Chief Dru Tischer said the ladder — 107 feet tall — was in town for crews to evaluate.“We are hoping to order one of these new aerials in the very near future and have seen them at the factory but wanted to see how the increased reach offered by this aerial will effect operations on actual occupancies within our response area,” Tischer said.“The increased 32 feet of reach this aerial provides over our current unit is quite stunning.”For the first time, crews would be able to reach top floor of the Aldridge and reach areas at many other occupancies that have not been possible in the past.This type of reach on an apparatus with a single rear axle is relatively new in the fire service, he said.The department's current ladder is 75 feet tall, which has been the maximum reach made on a single axle until about three years ago.

The engine truck is a rescue pumper, and responds to fire calls, motor vehicle crashes and all “high-priority” medical calls, Grenno said.The truck was purchased from Ocala, Fla.-based E-ONE, officials said. It carries the Jaws of Life equipment to rescue people who are trapped inside a vehicle, and it has advanced life support equipment such as cardiac monitors and medical equipment, Grenno said.“It’s a great truck. It’s a big truck and it’s going to serve all of our needs for the next 20 years,” the fire chief said, adding that the truck is being paid for with the ambulance revolving account, or insurance monies received by the department when patients are transported to the hospital.On Wednesday, Whitman firefighters/paramedics Steve Foster, Pat Travers, Fire Lt. Al Cunningham and Brian Trefry unveiled the new truck to the newspaper.Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Feeney said the new truck came in handy to help battle a raging, 7-alarm blaze that engulfed a wooden warehouse building in Brockton on July 14. Whitman was among a dozen area towns that provided mutual aid to Brockton for that blaze.

“It was custom designed just for us by Ferrara Fire Apparatus of Louisiana, and it took a year to build it,” said Trent Turner, a 31-year CTVFC veteran and Fire Chief for 11 years.

“In order to provide the best possible services to those we serve, our fire company takes a very proactive approach to outfitting our responders with the most up-to-date equipment that’s fiscally possible,” said Turner.

“About two years ago, Company 18’s membership approved securing a new Heavy Rescue truck to replace our older model. We’d sold the old rig in January last year, and for interim use had purchased a reserve rescue from the Wissahickon Fire Department near Ambler PA. Once the truck’s design was confirmed and the funding approved, the order was finalized. The new truck is a beauty, and we’re glad it’s here and ready for use.”

When Company 18’s new rig responded to its maiden call on May 8th, everyone was thrilled that it performed just as it was designed to do. CTVFC’s new “pride and joy” provided its crew with all of the requisite equipment needed to save multiple lives in this recent tragic multi-vehicle accident.

“Accidents on today’s roadways are very different from those of years ago,” said Turner. “Everybody’s in a hurry mode, and today’s cars and trucks are faster. They’re also more secure and better built to better absorb entrapment of the passengers.

"Today’s vehicles are what our new Heavy Rescue was made for. Outfitted with additional tools and specialized equipment, this truck is equipped to meet every possible situation to give us what we need to open, cut, saw and do whatever we need to rescue the victims from their vehicle. And when we put our new truck into the vehicular accident planning phase, it didn’t fail us during its initial call on May 8th. It did absolutely everything we needed it to do.”