VIDEO: Five months after 100 people lost their lives in the Station nightclub fire, Rhode Island lawmakers passed the most sweeping changes to its fire code in state history. And despite some early calls to ease the requirements of the new code by businesses who felt the rules were overly burdensome, the law has remained largely intact.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPRI-TV CBS 12 Providence

Firefighters in Lakewood are working to determine the cause of a fatal apartment fire Tuesday. West Pierce Fire & Rescue said crews responded to reports of an apartment fire at the Maple Court Apartments in the 4800 block of 122nd St SW around 10 p.m. The fire was contained to one unit. Firefighters said a woman in her 30s was inside the apartment but she died of her injuries on the way to the hospital.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

The Pasco Fire Department is pointing to a household appliance as the cause of a house fire this morning. Just after 8 AM, fire units responded to the Flamingo Trailer Park just off A Street for reports of a structure fire. Fire Officials say one person was transported with injuries to an area hospital, there is no word yet on their condition.
- PUB DATE: 2/21/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KIMA-TV CBS/CW+ 29 Yakima

PHOTOS: A home north of Orondo is a total loss from a three-alarm fire that started about 4:30pm Sunday. The fire crews which first arrived on the scene at the Columbia River off of U.S. Hwy. 97 say they found a wind driven fire burning in arborvitaes up a steep hillside directly into a large home.
- PUB DATE: 2/20/2023 12:50:00 PM - SOURCE: KONA-AM 610 Kennewick-Richland-Pasco

Following 18-months of successful in-service use, the City of Madison Fire Department solidifies its commitment in Pierce’s electric vehicle technology with a purchase order for a Pierce Volterra electric pumper. 

APPLETON, Wis. (February 20, 2023) – Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced it has secured a purchase order from the City of Madison Fire Department in Wisconsin for a Pierce® Volterra™ electric pumper. The purchase order agreement follows an 18-month placement of a Pierce Volterra pumper at the department’s busiest station, Station No. 8, making it the first electric fire truck in service in North America. The City of Madison Fire Department was one of three fire departments across the United States to collaborate and provide daily operational data to assist with the final development, evaluation, and on-highway certification processes. The department’s thorough vetting, testing and operational use over the last 18-months resulted in the City of Madison solidifying its commitment in Pierce’s proven electric vehicle technology.

“We were honored to be a part of the testing process for the Pierce Volterra electric pumper and worked closely with Pierce representatives to ensure we were equipped with a highly capable fire apparatus to tackle our daily missions,” said Scott Bavery, assistant fire chief of the City of Madison Fire Department. “Our positive experience with this electric fire truck and the support team, along with our community’s dedication to meeting environmental sustainability goals, were all factors in our decision to purchase a Pierce Volterra apparatus and make it a prominent addition to our fleet.” 

City of Madison Fire Department’s Pierce Volterra Electric Vehicle Configuration Includes:

• Pierce Enforcer™ custom chassis with seating for 6
• TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
• 246 kWh battery solution with standard 6-year warranty
• Consolidated, safety focused, high voltage integration 
• Industry leading underbody ground clearance
• Compartmentation: Full height, full depth, formed aluminum construction with over 155 cu. ft. of storage, uninterrupted by high voltage battery integration
• 1,500 GPM single stage pump 
• 500-gallon water tank
• Intuitive Command Zone™ purpose-built electrical control system 
• CZ Connect™ Telematics for remote access and service support

Pierce Volterra Electric Vehicle Operation:

• Traditional control for simplified and standardized apparatus operation
• Oshkosh patented parallel-electric drivetrain featuring an electro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission 
• Zero-emissions pumping and driving in EV mode, with the ability to provide continuous and uninterrupted power to the pumping system or drive system through the backup internal combustion engine
• Exceptional operational range tailored to the fire department’s needs and duty cycle for full-shift operation
• Fire station-based, all-encompassing vehicle charging infrastructure offers a thorough, simple, and fast charging solution through Madison Gas and Electric 

City of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, and Fleet Superintendent Mahanth Joishy, both took part in the introduction of the Pierce Volterra electric fire truck in Madison in June 2021, sharing their agenda and municipal plan to drive environmental change.  

Joishy stated, “Since 2018, the city went from zero to 94 electric vehicles, added 160 hybrid vehicles, and the Pierce Volterra pumper represents the first electric fire truck to support our fire department’s brave first responders. Fire trucks are amon