Spartan Emergency Response—Ward No. 4 Fire Protection District, Jonesboro, LA, top-controls pumper. Freightliner M2 106 SBA 2-door cab and chassis; Cummins L9 350-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon water tank; 20-gallon foam cell; One Touch CAFS 150-cfm system; Hale FoamLogix 2.1A single-agent foam system; Smart Power 6-kW generator. Dealer: Matt LeCamus, Delta Fire & Safety, Eunice, LA.

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PRESS RELEASE

The Colson (KY) Volunteer Fire Department made the following post on Facebook April 1:

The Colson Fire Department received several calls April 1 for service due to the high wind storm surge that we have experienced the last 24 hours. While responding from one call to another, Firefighter/Captain Ricky Simmons was responding to a report of a motor vehicle collision on Highway 7N at approximately 1500Hrs (3pm). While responding CPT. Simmons was operating CFD Engine-1 when a tree fell off the side of the hill and struck the apparatus. CPT. Simmons went to the ER for his injuries sustained in accident. CPT. Simmons suffered an abrasion to his head and a concussion but thankfully he is OK and back home, the accident could have been much worse. This just shows what first responders are willing to sacrifice every time a call comes out.

PRESS RELEASE

The reconstruction of Fire Station 41 is officially underway. The city of Overland Park broke ground at the site of the new fire station on Wednesday, March 29. The new facility will be built on the same site as the recently-demolished fire station located at 7550 W. 75th Street. 

Mayor Curt Skoog spoke to event attendees about the significance of the new fire station. He and City Manager Lori Curtis Luther participated in the ceremonial groundbreaking alongside Fire Chief Bryan Dehner and Overland Park Fire Department staff as well as city and county officials.

With an emphasis on sanitation and the safety of staff, the design of the new Fire Station 41 will prevent contamination by including new decontamination areas and providing additional space and facilities between equipment and living spaces.

Fire Station 41 will also address new design best practices for equipment and personnel, including individual, gender inclusive living quarters and restrooms. An extended driveway along with two back-in truck bays and two drive-through truck bays will allow fire trucks to easily return to the station with minimal impact to drivers on 75th Street. 

Prior to the demolition of the original fire station, the City renovated the decommissioned Marty Pool House to use as a temporary fire station during construction. This allows fire crews to provide the same level of responsiveness to emergency calls within the district. 

The new facility is scheduled to open in the summer of 2024. 

After six months, construction is complete on a new state-of-the-art fire station in Harrisburg, kait8.com reported.

The project, which started in Sept. 2022, cost about $1.2 million, none of which was funded by grants, according to the report. The station will lower the ISO rating of Harrisburg, the report said.

The department is finishing up the kitchen and hopes to have all its gear moved in by the end of April. However, it will also keep its current station open for operation, according to the report.

PRESS RELEASE

The Ocean City Fire Department officially broke ground on the new Midtown Fire Station 3 on Monday, March 27.

The 23,504 square-foot, two-story facility carries a $10.6 million price tag, should take 12 months to complete, and will be paid for with bonds issued last year, oceancitytoday.com reported.

One of the key features of the new facility is the independently ventilated turnout gear storage and multi-tier decontamination suite. These elements are crucial in preventing cancer in firefighters, as exposure to toxic chemicals and smoke can increase the risk of developing cancer. The new station’s design demonstrates the city’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its firefighters.

“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony marks a significant milestone for the Ocean City Fire Department,” said Fire Chief Richie Bowers. “We are excited to have a state-of-the-art facility that will allow us to better serve the community and provide our firefighters with the necessary tools and resources to keep them safe.”

The building was designed by MW Studios, a Maryland-based architectural firm with extensive experience in designing fire stations and other public safety facilities. The contractor selected for the project is Delmarva Veteran Builders (DVB), a company founded by Navy veteran Chris Eccleston in 2013. DVB’s goal is to provide quality construction while maintaining a 50% veteran, guard, and reservist workforce.

The new station will replace the existing Station 3, located at 74th Street and Coastal Highway. The first floor includes four double deep, drive-through apparatus bays, independently ventilated turnout gear storage, and a multi-tier decontamination suite. Three independent mezzanines provide auxiliary storage, host various in-station high angle training exercises, and a dedicated fully enclosed fitness area.

The front and rear egress stairs are designed in a manner that allows them to be utilized for training, providing vital space for EMT’s and firefighters to hone their skills. The building was also designed with the coastal environment in mind, ensuring it can withstand whatever inclement weather is thrown at it.

“We are proud to invest in our fire and emergency medical services with the construction of this new facility,” said City Manager Terry McGean. “The new station will not only enhance our ability to serve the community but also provide a safer and more efficient work environment for our firefighters and EMS clinicians.”

Construction on the new station is expected to be completed by late Summer of 2024.

Become Part of History

All supporters of the Ocean City Fire Department are encouraged to purchase a brick paver to become a permanent part of our distinct entranceway. This is an excellent opportunity to show your support for our firefighters and EMS providers while becoming a part of the Ocean City Fire Department for the rest of your life.

Your donation will help fund furniture, fixtures, and equipment, enabling us to provide the best service possible to our community. Whether you purchase a brick with your name, the name of a loved one, or in honor of a firefighter or veteran

The spot where A1A (Anastasia Boulevard) hits Red Cox Drive has had a history of crashes, some of them deadly, firstcoastnews.com reported.

The Florida Department of Transportation has paid for traffic studies in the area, the report said.

The studies propose plans to reconfigure the intersection. One option is loosely called the “peanut” and another option was nicknamed the “dog bone.” And the option the city of St. Augustine and the state are considering the most seems to be a third option – a roundabout, according to the report.

However, it means the St. Augustine fire station at that intersection would have to relocate. The latest idea being floated is to build a new fire station about a half a mile away in a wooded area immediately across from the St. Augustine Amphitheater, the report said.

A flyer about the plan from the city of St. Augustine states the current fire station was built in 1995 and “is painfully undersized and underequipped at 2,700 square feet.”

To schedule a meeting or provide input, email CityFire@CityStAug.com.

Thomas Tracy
New York Daily News
(TNS)

An FDNY chief who oversaw the department’s firefighting boats — including one involved in a fatal East River crash last year — has been forced to turn in his retirement papers, court papers reveal.

Chief Richard Blatus was FDNY’s acting chief of operations at the time of the June 17, 2022 incident that took the life of Johnny Beernaert, a Belgian firefighter aboard the fireboat Marine 1 Bravo on a tour in the East River.

• FDNY Marine 1 Bravo Hit by Charter Boat, Belgian Firefighter Killed

A month after the crash, Blatus was moved to another position. He eventually put in papers for his retirement, which sources said took formal effect Thursday.

A lawsuit filed by a group of FDNY chiefs and Daily News sources say Blatus, 63, was browbeaten into retirement by the Fire Department.

Jim Walden, a lawyer who says he represents Blatus as well as the chiefs who sued Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, called Blatus’ demotion an example of the commissioner’s “terrible decision making,” carried out “without cause” and “illegally.”

Walden said he and his clients “look forward to deposing the commissioner, to explore the reasons she violated standard operating procedure” in Blatus’ case.

A call to Blatus for comment was not immediately returned.

Blatus is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit by high-ranking chiefs who claim they were harassed, maligned and ultimately demoted because they were too old in Kavanagh’s eyes. But his retirement highlights tactics used to get older FDNY chiefs to retire, say sources and legal papers.

The lawsuit, filed March 23, also alleges that the nighttime fireboat joyride that took Beernaert’s life was initiated by a retired FDNY captain who “activated FDNY’s Marine 1 Bravo and took civilians on a ride without authorization.” The captain had retired from the department before the crash, sources said.

A source with knowledge of the case confirmed that the retired captain cajoled an active FDNY member to pilot the boat, but never asked anyone of a higher rank for permission to take the vessel out.

Beernaert, his wife, the retired FDNY captain and the captain’s wife were on a nighttime ride on the East River aboard Marine 1 Bravo when the fireboat coll