Menu

WFC News

Posted: Jul 21, 2016

The positive legacy of Lac-Mégantic: Zero

 

Three years ago, in the early hours of July 13, a runaway oil train exploded in the then-idyllic lakeside town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, killing 47 people.

The investigation and ensuing cascade of regulatory measures severely disrupted the nascent crude-by-rail industry, caused federal authorities in Canada and the U.S. to condemn most of the continental tank car fleet, and turned the chattering classes against the railroads, amid a ruthless tarring by the petroleum lobby, for not “keeping the damn trains on the track.”

After all that, crude oil trains continue to derail and blow up; and the official blaming continues to target the railroads. The Federal Railroad Administration’s preliminary report on the July 3 explosion of four cars in Mosier, Ore., blames Union Pacific, citing sheared lag bolts and loose tieplates as the cause of the derailment.
Read more
Posted: Jul 21, 2016

Reflected heat to blame for Downtown Spokane fire

Spokane fire crews are responding to a fire at a historic downtown Spokane building on Thursday afternoon. It happened at 1:40 p.m. at the historic Washington Cracker Company building on W. Pacific. It is now used as a mixed-use business and a soon to be coffee bar. There were reports of heavy smoke from the roof of the building.
- PUB DATE: 7/21/2016 5:18:29 PM - SOURCE: KREM-TV CBS 2
Read more
Posted: Jul 21, 2016

Finalist chosen for the permanent Tukwila Fire Chief position

The City of Tukwila announced Jay Wittwer as the finalist for the City’s permanent Fire Chief position. His confirmation will be presented to the City Council on Monday, August 1. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm in the Tukwila City Council Chambers located at 6200 Southcenter Boulevard, Tukwila, Washington.
- PUB DATE: 7/21/2016 3:36:21 PM - SOURCE: Tukwila, WA
Read more
Posted: Jul 21, 2016

Summerville (SC) Opens New Fire Station

There is a new fire station up and running in Summerville. Fire Station 2 is brand new. Construction began last July.The original station was built in the 1980s, and it was built for just two people. The benefit of the newer station is pretty obvious.
There is a new fire station up and running in Summerville. Fire Station 2 is brand new. Construction began last July.

The original station was built in the 1980s, and it was built for just two people. The benefit of the newer station is pretty obvious. It will add room for firefighters and other staff members.

There is also room for additional trucks.

Officials say the new station will allow crews to operate more efficiently, and it was not a burden to tax-payers.

The chief went on to say the station is also better-suited to accommodate both male and female firefighters.

Read more
Posted: Jul 21, 2016

Mesa (AZ) Fire Station Opens After Nearly Two Decades of Planning

Nearly 20 years in the making, Mesa officials debuted the new Fire Station 203 on South Alma School Road July 11 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 12,000-square-foot station sits on 1.7 acres and is approximately four times the size of the old 203 station, Deputy Chief Forrest Smith said.
The new Fire Station 203 has three apparatus bays for fire trucks, six dorm rooms for firefighters, two dorm rooms for captains, a fitness center, a fire and EMS training room, additional locker space for gear exposed to fire and smoke and an onsite fuel station.

That’s a significant upgrade from the original 1950s station -- Mesa’s oldest -- that had plumbing problems, was too cramped for modern emergency response vehicles and had other structural concerns, said Mesa Fire and Medical Department Chief Harry Beck.

“Fire trucks were a lot smaller then,” Smith said. “They weren’t as high profile, they didn’t have the same technology as we have now, so we literally were having a tough time trying to fit our trucks inside that station. The newer style gives us that accessibility.”

Mesa voters approved public safety bonds twice for this project: $4 million in November 2013 to pay for construction and about $1.7 million in 2008 to acquire the property, according to the city.

Read more
RSS
First72187219722072217223722572267227Last

Theme picker

Search News Articles