Washington State troopers (WSP) are investigating a deadly collision that occurred at the intersection of Trent and Pines in Spokane Valley around 2:25 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26. According to new information from the Spokane Valley Fire Department, fire crews arrived at the scene to find two crashed vehicles blocking all eastbound lanes of Highway 290 at Pines.
- PUB DATE: 11/29/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

Firefighters on Vashon battled heavy flames that engulfed a north-end residence on the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 25. There were no injuries to firefighters or people in the home, but the home sustained very heavy damage, said Fire Chief Matt Vinci. According to the home’s owner, Kim Cronin, the fire destroyed all the contents of her house, with nothing remaining salvageable.
- PUB DATE: 11/28/2022 1:18:00 PM - SOURCE: Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

Last week, nearly $1.4 million of federal funds were announced for Southwest Virginia communities, HeraldCourier.com reported. All but $52,500 will go to Smyth County agencies with the largest proportion going to the town of Marion, the report said.

Marion will use the money to buy two significant pieces of equipment for key operations: a $1,018,000 loan to buy a new fire truck and a combination $254,000 loan-grant to buy a sanitation truck, according to the report.

In September, Marion’s town council voted to replace Marion Fire-EMS’s Engine 1, a 1996 truck that was bought used. The truck was becoming unreliable, the report said.

Marion expects to get the new pumper truck, which will have a 750-gallon water tank, in April 2025, the report said.

Arvada Fire Station No. 9, the first newly-built fire station in the city in more than 40 years, is up and running, DenverPost.com reported.

The 12,128-square-foot station will serve the quickly-growing Candelas neighborhood and should improve response times in northwest Arvada, the report said.

Growth within the city and an upward trend of increasing calls for emergency services convinced fire officials that the $6.2 million firehouse is a necessary investment, according to the report.

Station No. 9, the first new station in the Arvada Fire Protection District since 1979, is outfitted with a fire engine — No. 59 — and a wildfire brush truck but has space to grow, the report said. Four firefighters, including a paramedic and an EMT, staff the firehouse in 48-hour shifts with three crew rotations, serving an area that has grown to house about 4,500 residents.

A station grand opening was held October 8.

The town of Oshkosh (WI) is proposing a 32% levy increase for next year to cover the cost of a new fire truck, OshkoshExaminer.com reported. 

At a meeting Monday evening, the town will hold a public hearing on next year’s $1.2 million spending plan, up from $950,000 in the current year. If approved the levy would rise to $530,000 from $401,000, the report said.

The town board in October approved the purchase of the new apparatus, which will cost $743,000, according to the report.

The current fire engine is 27 years old, the board said at the time, according to the report. The new truck will not arrive for 32 to 36 months, making the existing truck 30 years old by the time the new one gets here.

The board said it considered buying a used truck but decided that what was available might not suit the town’s needs, the report said.

A town meeting will be held after the public hearing to consider adopting a resolution to allow the levy to rise above the state limit.