Brian Porter
The Fort Morgan Times, Colo.
(TNS)

Feb. 27—Fire Chief Trae Boehm indicates City Council support of a fire training facility could potentially improve the city’s ISO rating by a point, which might in turn help to lower some home insurance rates.

The low bid from Symtech Fire for construction of the training facility will cost $301,503 with total approved funding by City Council of $600,000 to cover an upgrade to a natural gas system, dirt work, a concrete pad and an 80-foot by 80-foot asphalt pad. The proposal was supported last week by a 6-0 vote of City Council, with City Councilman Clint Anderson unable to attend the meeting because of a work conflict.

“I’m not sure if it would move us any, but it would get us closer to that 3 [ISO] range,” Boehm said. “That would be phenomenal for a town of our size.”

The training facility would offer a controlled environment in which to train firefighters, he said.

“When the real thing does come, they are prepared with the training to fight the fire,” Boehm said.

The natural gas feature was preferred by the fire department as a cleaner manner in which to conduct fire trainings. It allows the fire to be “knocked down” and also to prevent the burning of wood or hay, which adds more carcinogens, according to the presentation to City Council.

The facility, upon construction, could allow for more regional trainings, Boehm said in response to City Councilman Doug Schossow.

He explained that not only was Symtech Fire the low bid, but it also fit a better timetable for the fire department.

“The timeframe was a huge factor,” he said, explaining another bidder would have needed 10 to 14 months to complete construction. “This Symtech Fire [building] is 6-8 months, so we could have this up and running by October.”

The asphalt pad would allow firefighters to train and still keep gear and apparatus clean and “out of the mud,” Boehm said, which is not always the case in an actual firefighting event, he added.

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EPHRATA, PA – Feb. 28, 2023 – REV Fire Group, which includes REV Group Inc. manufacturers of E-ONE^®, KME^®, Ferrara^™, Spartan Emergency Response^®, Spartan Fire Chassis^™, Smeal^™, and Ladder Tower^™ fire apparatus brands, announces the expansion and $1.5 million renovation of its Ephrata, PA facility to allow for the increased manufacturing of aerial apparatus including tractor drawn aerials (TDAs). The expansion is expected to more than triple the production of TDAs, and nearly double the workforce.

With the leasing of two additional buildings on campus, REV Fire Group has doubled its space to a total of 123,000 square feet among four buildings. One of the new buildings will be used exclusively to manufacture aerial apparatus for Ladder Tower, KME and Ferrara brands. The other will be used to manufacture TDAs and will include a 20,000 square foot customer experience final inspection center with three bays.  For the existing two buildings, one will be used for service and refurbishment of all REV Fire Group apparatus, and the other as a full paint shop.

“We are very excited to create an aerial and TDA manufacturing center of excellence for our brands,” said Dan DesRochers, President of REV Fire Group. “For more than 49 years we’ve perfected our process to build the finest ladder truck components. By specializing and taking advantage of the talent and knowledge base, we anticipate continuing to put out the best product in the industry while improving both lead time and customer satisfaction.”

The investment will support upgrades and renovations to increase operational efficiencies including updated paint and signage in the buildings, upgraded paint booths, and new tooling and fixtures to streamline the ladder welding process.

With the expansion of operations comes the need for more employees. The Ephrata facility will hold job fairs in coming months to recruit additional employees with the goal to ultimately double its current labor force.

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About REV Group, Inc.

REV Group companies are leading designers and manufacturers of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services, which serve a diversified customer base, primarily in the United States, through three segments: Fire & Emergency, Commercial, and Recreation. They provide customized vehicle solutions for applications, including essential needs for public services (ambulances, fire apparatus, school buses, and transit buses), commercial infrastructure (terminal trucks and industrial sweepers), and consumer leisure (recreational vehicles). REV Group’s diverse portfolio is made up of well-established principal vehicle brands, including many of the most recognizable names within their industry. Several of REV Group’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years. REV Group trades on the NYSE under the symbol REVG. Investors-REVG

The Sarasota County Fire Department has gotten a new piece of equipment especially for emergencies in the city’s high-rises, mysuncoast.com reported.

With greater maneuverability and stabilization, and a 100-foot-tall ladder, the new truck will allow for more versatile navigation of tight turns and narrow streets, the report said.

According to a Sarasota County fire official, the tiller will be useful in calls downtown, including those with high-rise buildings.

The tiller, which has a rear axle that is steered independently of the front axle, requires two drivers along with a dose of training, communication and teamwork, the report said.

The specialized vehicle also holds storage for additional ladders as well as important equipment for technical rescue and hazardous materials calls, according to the report. The tiller is housed at Fire Station 1 in downtown Sarasota.

Smeal—Lexington (NC) Fire Department 100-foot mid-mount platform quint. Spartan Gladiator MFD with 10-inch raised roof cab and chassis; Cummins X15 605-hp engine; Waterous CSUD 2,000-gpm pump; Pro Poly 300-gallon polypropylene water tank; Onan 10-kW generator. Dealer: Lance Dill, Atlantic Coast Fire Trucks, Denver, NC.

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MONTECITO, CA – A preliminary investigation into the cause of the structure fire at Montecito Fire Station 92 on Saturday determined that the fire started in the firebox of the fireplace in the dayroom of the fire station, the department said in a news release.

Fire investigators determined that the fire extended out of the firebox and into the wall behind the firebox. Smoke and flames then traveled up the wall from the first floor to the second floor and into the attic. To bring the fire under control, firefighters were required to cut open affected walls of the fire station. As a result of the fire and subsequent fire attack, Station 92 sustained considerable damage to the dayroom, an upstairs bedroom and bathroom, the attic and the chimney. The total cost of the damage is being calculated.

While the fire station is being repaired, Montecito firefighters will be housed on-site at Station 92 in a temporary, mobile housing unit. Montecito Fire Department thanks Anthony Borgatello with All Clean Emergency Services for quickly assisting us with establishing temporary housing so that we can ensure the entire fire district remains covered for emergency response.

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Original News Release – Issued 9:00 p.m. Feb. 25, 2023

MONTECITO, CA – At approximately 7:20 p.m. on Saturday on-duty firefighters at Montecito Fire Station 92 noticed the smell of smoke in the building and conducted a search to find the source of the smoke. Light smoke was filling the first and second floors of the fire station at 2300 Sycamore Canyon Road.  

Firefighters at the station called for a first-alarm structure fire response and brought the fire under control within an hour. Firefighters were challenged by fire extension into the walls on the first and second floors of the fire station, as well as the attic.  The extent of the fire’s damage required extensive overhaul work by firefighters. The origin and cause of the fire is under investigation.

Cold Springs Road at Sycamore Canyon Road was closed during the emergency response. It has since reopened.

More than 40 firefighters responded to the fire from Montecito Fire, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District and Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

No one was injured as a result of the fire. 

Montecito Fire Protection District is actively making arrangements for temporary housing for personnel on the Fire Station 92 property. There will be no reduction in service to the community as a result of this incident.