Dorchester County is spending millions of dollars to upgrade its fire infrastructure, and two new fire stations are expected to open up later this year, live5news.com reported.

Construction continues on a new station facing Ladson Road, which is expected to be open in May and will be home to both firefighters and paramedics, the report said. The previous station was demolished in March 2022 to make way for the new station. The $3.3 million station will feature three bays and can hold up to 12 people, according to Dorchester County Fire Rescue.

While the station was being built, the county received the OK to occupy a new volunteer fire station on Sandridge Road near St. George, the report said.

Costing just under $300,000, the volunteer station is expected to cut the insurance premiums of locals by about half, according to the report. That station can be moved into in a couple of weeks.

Beyond those two stations, the fire department is looking at building another station near Summers Corner and moving the Jedburg station to a different location, the report said.

Fire crews say a man died after a fourplex home in Sumner caught on fire Saturday morning. According to Eastside Fire and Rescue (EFR), at around 9:45 a.m., crews responded to an apartment fire in the 15900 block of 52nd St. E near Danmar Farms. When crews arrived, flames were coming out of the second story window.
- PUB DATE: 1/6/2023 4:00:00 PM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13 Tacoma

PHOTOS: Crews are investigating after a small plane crashed into a storage unit in Kent on Saturday. According to Puget Sound Fire (PSF), at around 1:40 p.m., firefighters responded to the crash site near the corner of Central Ave. S and S 266th St. Crews say two people were pulled out of the wreckage with life-threatening injuries.
- PUB DATE: 1/6/2023 4:00:00 PM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13 Tacoma

After receiving unanimous approval at the November Gonzales City Council meeting, the fire department last month ordered a new Pierce Enforcer pumper fire truck from Siddons-Martin Emergency Group, GonzalesInquirer.com reported.

The new fire truck will replace Engine 37, a 2008 Pierce Sabor, which has seen increased maintenance costs and liability — and has even caught fire twice, the report said.

The new pumper is being purchased through the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Purchasing Program for a total cost of $853.093. The purchase will be financed through the Government Capital Corporation at 4.895-percent interest over the course of eight years at a cost of $132,202.75 per year.

Time of delivery is expected to be between 29-30 months from the date of order. 

By Alan M. Petrillo

Pierce Manufacturing Inc. has built a walk-around rescue for York Center (IL) Fire Protection District to replace the agency’s heavily-used earlier Pierce rescue.

Richard Sanborn Jr., York Center’s chief, says the department’s older Pierce rescue got so much use that the rig started having maintenance issues. “Our rescue is the only heavy rescue squad in a 10-mile radius, and our pumper-tender (tanker) is the only one in a 20-mile radius,” Sanborn points out, “and they both are on automatic mutual aid with neighboring fire departments, so they get a lot of use.” Besides the new heavy rescue and the pumper-tender, York Center also runs two front line engines, and two ALS (advanced life support) ambulances out of a single station.

Bill Proft, Pierce Manufacturing’s business unit director for rescue products, says the new heavy rescue is built on an Enforcer™ chassis with an 84-inch long cab and 24-inch raised roof and a correspondingly tall 20-1/2-foot non-walk-in body. The cab has seating for four firefighters, with the crew area having two rear-facing firefighter seats, and the rear wall holding cabinets that are accessible from both inside and outside the cab.

Sanborn notes that the department wanted a completely clean cab concept on their new rescue. “There is no turnout gear or SCBAs (self contained breathing apparatus) in the cab,” he says. “The tall compartments behind the cab hold the firefighters’ turnout gear and SCBA packs. If gear is contaminated at a scene, it is bagged and taken back to the station for decon.”

Proft says the heavy rescue is powered by a 525-horsepower (hp) Detroit Diesel DD13 engine, and has a TAK-4® independent front suspension and a spring rear suspension. Wheelbase on the rig is 234 inches, overall length is 36 feet 11-3/4-inches, and overall height is 11 feet 2 inches.