The Girdletree Fire Department contacted several apparatus manufacturers to discuss replacing an older wildland pumper. The department had a 1989 Ford F-350 wildland pumper outfitted with a small skid unit that was showing its age. After plenty of research the department decided to have Weis Fire and Safety build it a new quick-attack wildland pumper.

Chief Jimmy Johnson says the department covers a rural area from a single station with one paid full-time firefighter and 35 volunteer firefighters. The department’s apparatus includes a Pierce pumper-tanker with a 2,500-gallon water tank, a 4 Guys rescue-pumper, a John Deere Gator™ fire/rescue utility terrain vehicle (UTV), a Ford F-350 emergency medical services (EMS) unit, and an SUV medic assist unit. “We wanted a new wildland pumper that had ground sweeps, a front turret, a crosswalk, a four-door cab, the ability to carry four self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and also the ability to run the turret remotely from the cab,” Johnson says.

Mike Weis, owner of Weis Fire and Safety, says the Girdletree quick-attack wildland pumper is built on a Ford F-550 crew cab and 4×4 chassis, powered by a 430-horsepower (hp) 7.3-liter V-8 gasoline engine, with a wheelbase of 179 inches, an overall length of 23 feet, and an overall height of 7 feet 6 inches. Weis points out that the rig has an extruded aluminum body with upper body side compartments, cab step up bars, a Kussmaul battery charger, a Super Single wheels and tires conversion package, custom heavy-duty skid plates, and custom-designed heavy-duty front and rear bumpers.

The rig has a Hale HPX 275-B35 pump that is powered by a Briggs & Stratton 35-hp gasoline engine and delivers 250 gallons per minute (gpm) at 25 pounds-per-square-inch (psi), Weis adds, as well as a UPF Poly® DEF 2C 400-gallon water tank, two 10-gpm ground sweep nozzles under the front bumper, and a Task Force Tips (TFT) Tornado monitor on the front bumper that’s remote controlled by a joystick in the vehicle’s cab.

“There are rear-mount pump controls and also a set of pump controls in the cab of the truck,” Johnson notes. “The driver has the ability to actively fight fire by controlling the ground sweeps and the TFT Tornado monitor. He can start and stop the pump and throttle up and down without leaving the cab. There’s also a backlit water pressure gauge and water level indicator in the cab.”

Johnson says the vehicle has a Hannay heavy-duty electric booster reel with 200 feet o

Shaniece Holmes-Brown
The Hour, Norwalk, Conn.
(TNS)

Sep. 4—NORWALK — One of Norwalk’s fire stations will receive a substantial makeover in the coming year, officials said.

The Land Use and Building Management Committee unanimously voted Wednesday night to authorize $311,200 in funding to Bridgeport-based architectural firm Antinozzi Associates for the design of Fire Station 4 at 180 Westport Ave. It also approved paying the design contingency of $31,120.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Chair Barbara Smyth. “We’ve had a lot of discussions about this fire station over two budget periods.”

Norwalk Building and Facilities Manager Alan Lo said there’s been discussion about how to expand the building to address coverage concerns.

“Generally speaking, there’s a programming need in terms of services to the community and that part of town, as well as the condition of the building,” Lo said.

Assistant Fire Chief Mark Conte said the construction will bring various changes to the organization of the companies within the department.

“I think we’ve come up with a very good, cost-effective design, and we are very excited to get the project moving so we can ultimately relocate our companies throughout the city,” he said. “We’re going to move a ladder truck from Broad River station to the Westport Avenue station to essentially double the coverage and response time there.”

Lo said sometime next week the project will go in front of the purchasing department, and afterward, will return to the committee to approve hiring a construction manager.

He said he anticipated the design will take about six or seven months and expects to go out to bid sometime in spring 2026.

“We would definitely want to get the excavation started before winter comes,” Lo said. “So, I anticipate around September we start construction, and then we get through the excavations period, and then exterior construction before the window comes. That is the schedule.”

He said it takes between nine months to one year to complete construction.

The city previously spent more than $300,000 to conduct emergency repairs at Fire Station 1 on New Canaan Avenue in 2022.

Lo said the city has worked with Antinozzi Associates in the past, most recently to renovate Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School, which was completed in 2022 and was signed-off in June 2024. The $47 million project gave the building many upgrades including: an updated gymnasium, cafeteria and kitchen.

The architectural firm also designed the new Cranbury Elementary School, which was completed in August 2023.

© 2025 The Hour (Norwalk, Conn.). Visit www.thehour.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) shared in a press release on August 27 the delivery of new PFAS-free gear, making it the first the department has received. MFES is set to obtain over 430 sets of PFAS-free gear by the end of this year.

MFES shared with Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment that the department worked with its Joint Health and Safety Committee to select this gear. “Our shared goal was to acquire bunker gear that is PFAS-free while meeting or exceeding the performance standards of our current gear. There was no room for compromise on performance.”

MFES has been closely monitoring the market for high-performing, PFAS-free bunker gear. The department shared that it engaged with vendors, reviewed feedback from early adopters, and waited for market testing before making their decision.

Ultimately, MFES decided to proceed with PPE Solutions, with whom it currently has a contract.

This company supplies bunker gear manufactured by the LION Group, which MFES says met its “stringent requirements for NFPA certification, safety, performance, and PFAS-free composition.”

LION began to transition to PFAS-free outer shell and thermal liners at the end of 2021. It is currently working with suppliers to introduce new barrier material without intentionally adding PFAS.

MFES confirmed that it is committed to procuring gear that contains no intentionally added PFAS, provided that the performance of the gear is equal to or better than existing products.

Old gear that has reached end-of-life (10 years) will be decommissioned.

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Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM), a global manufacturer of high-quality fire retardant and firefighting foam concentrates, announced the signing of a transformative five-year agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new contract marks a major advancement in the nation’s wildfire response capabilities while delivering over $150 million in total savings to the federal government and taxpayers.

This multi-year contract brings unprecedented stability to the nation’s aerial firefighting infrastructure, while expanding Perimeter’s role in aerial firefighting operations. It includes a full conversion to Perimeter’s powder retardant technology, significant upgrades to air tanker base capacity and capabilities, and a transition to Perimeter full-service operations at most or all federal tanker bases. These enhancements will streamline logistics, increase capacity, and strengthen support for fire crews and communities on the front lines, to match the demands of today’s wildfire environment.

Under the agreement, 100% of Perimeter’s retardant for federal use will be manufactured in the United States. Combined with an increased commitment to sourcing domestic raw materials, the contract reinforces Perimeter’s support for American manufacturing, supply chain diversification, and national resilience. The USDA will receive the lowest pricing Perimeter offers.  Together, the benefits of the contract are a result of operational efficiencies and long-term investment in U.S.-based infrastructure by Perimeter Solutions.

“This is more than a business agreement, it’s a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to American firefighters, American communities, and American industry,” said Haitham Khouri, Chief Executive Officer of Perimeter Solutions. “Together with the USDA, we’re building a stronger, more agile system to meet the demands of increasingly complex fire seasons.”

“This contract is a tremendous win for America’s taxpayers, our rural communities, and the brave men and women who fight wildfires every day,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The partnership also includes a joint initiative to modernize the federal fire retardant specification and qualification process, ensuring future products meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability.

With this agreement, Perimeter and the USDA are setting a new standard for operational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and public service in the wildfire management space – made in America, for America.

About Perimeter Solutions

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM) is a premier global solutions provider, producing high-quality firefighting products and specialty products. The company develops products that impact critically important issues of life – issues where there often is no room for error and the job doesn’t offer second chances.

The Fire Safety segment is a formulator and manufacturer of fire management products that help our customers combat various types of fires, including wildland, structural, flammable liquids and other types of fires. Our Fire Safety segment also offers specialized equipment and services, typically in conjunction with our fire management products to support our customers’ firefighting operations. The segment is built on the premise of superior technology, exceptional responsiveness to our customers’ needs, and a “never-fail” service network.

The Specialty Products segment includes operations that develop, produce and market products for non-fire safety markets. The Company’s largest end market application for our Specialty Products segment is Phosphorus Pentasulfide (“P2S5”) based lubricant additives. The Specialty Products se

Christopher Buchanan
Los Angeles Times
(TNS)

While attempting to transport a car crash victim to a hospital on Wednesday morning, a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance was struck by another vehicle, authorities said.

When a battalion chief arrived at the scene to investigate the crash, they were involved in another collision at the same intersection.

The first collision occurred at 9:06 a.m. in Reseda, when a Fire Department rescue ambulance transporting a patient from an earlier accident collided with a light gray sedan on Vanowen Street and Lindley Avenue, a spokesperson for the department said.

A battalion chief then arrived to investigate the crash along with Los Angeles Police Department officials at 9:46 a.m. and collided with a vehicle in the same intersection, according to the department. No Fire Department personnel were injured in either collision, the spokesperson said.

The patient in the ambulance bore the sole injury in the plague of crashes, but the injuries were minor, officials said.

The investigation into both collisions will be conducted by police and fire officials. An LAPD spokesperson said authorities have yet to determine the causes of the back-to-back collisions.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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