The James O. Page Legacy Scholarship, endowed by Hartwell Medical, is now open and accepting applications through May 1^st. Created in partnership with the Fitch EMS Foundation, the scholarship program is named after the late Jim Page, regarded by many as the father of modern EMS.  It is designed to broaden the perspective and sharpen the skills of new and aspiring leaders to help formulate the future of EMS here and abroad.

“I worked with Jim in the early years of JEMS and EMS Today,” said Gary Williams, President and CEO of Hartwell Medical.  “He made a tremendous impression on me personally and on my career.  Jim was passionate about mentoring young leaders with a consistent message of making the patient the priority. We are proud to endow this scholarship and continue Jim’s vision.”

The scholarship recipient receives a free registration and travel expenses to the 2023 Pinnacle EMS Leadership Forum, hosted by Fitch & Associates. The core of the scholarship is a structured six-part mentorship program, facilitated by Dr. Jay Fitch himself, founding partner of the firm named after him and well-known speaker, author and educator. 

The mentorship, which begins at Pinnacle, will tackle tough leadership questions over the course of six months, such as ethical decision making, effective communication skills and the use of personal vs. positional power.  

A fire chief, attorney, state EMS director, writer, publisher and speaker, Jim Page dedicated his life to serving others.  Go here to learn more about the James O. Page Legacy Scholarship and the man himself.

Madison Hart
Redlands Daily Facts, Calif.
(TNS)

Mar. 16—Redlands will remove and replant an acre of poorly performing city orange groves that may become the site of a future fire station, city leaders have decided.

The city has been looking for a new fire facility location, and the opportunity presented itself with the City Council’s approval March 7 of several agreements for the grove removal and replant project. The removal and replanting work is funded by the Nevada Palmetto Grove sale proceeds in the amount of $227,700.

The city, along with the Redlands Fire Department, identified the groves at the southwest corner of Lugonia Avenue and Judson Street as an ideal location for a new fire station. The possibility of the new fire station is expected to be discussed by the council at a later date.

The Lugonia Grove is 18 acres and, due to its age, its productivity is flat, Assistant City Manager Chris Boatman said. Under contracts approved by the council, Washburn Grove Management will clear 1 acre for “an amount not to exceed $59,400,” and Mariposa Landscapes will install an irrigation system and replant the groves for “an amount not to exceed $105,100.”

The city will order 2,500 Washington Navel orange trees from Gless Ranch Nursery for “an amount not to exceed $42,500.”

In October 2022, staff proposed the Citrus Preservation Commission reserve 1 acre of the Lugonia grove for a future fire station. The commission agreed, but as part of the proposal, the city would replace the acre removed.

The acre of lost citrus in the Lugonia grove will be replanted in other existing groves, the city said. Currently, the city is looking at replanting the acre adjacent to the California Grove on California Street. City staff are scoping out other groves, if that area doesn’t work out.

The city farms nearly 200 acres of citrus, many of them requiring replanting, according to Boatman. During the council meeting, he said the Citrus Preservation Commission has had the grove on Lugonia in mind for replanting for over a year.

“It’s going to seem like it’s tearing at our heart, and our soul — part of our heritage being torn down,” Councilmember Mario Saucedo said at the meeting, noting his sadness about having to remove the groves. “But progress has to happen.”

Saucedo said he was in full support of a new fire station, and the council unanimously approved of the replanting project with plans to discuss the fire station at a later time.

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(c)2023 the Redlands Daily Facts (Redlands, Calif.)

Visit the Redlands Daily Facts (Redlands, Calif.) at www.redlandsdailyfacts.com

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Dave Sutor
The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
(TNS)

Mar. 17—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — State officials announced Thursday that 39 projects in Cambria, Somerset and Bedford counties will receive a total of more than $7 million in the latest round of Commonwealth Financing Authority funding.

“The approval of these grants by the CFA will provide immense benefits to our community,” said state Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr., R-Richland Township, whose district includes Cambria County. “I look forward to seeing the organizations complete these projects across the 35th Senatorial District to enhance the quality of life for our residents.”

Grants awarded

Cambria County

—Blacklick Township to replace street signs — $28,370

—Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority for equipment — $172,000

—Carrolltown Borough to purchase a new mower and tractor — $25,151

—City of Johnstown for the purchase of a new trail maintenance vehicle — $28,115

—Conemaugh Township to purchase a multi-use tractor — $65,425

—Conemaugh Township to rehabilitate two playgrounds — $51,972

—Conemaugh Township Police Department to purchase new equipment — $56,584

—Cresson Borough for upgrades to emergency service radios — $300,000

—Cresson Borough to install sidewalk and curbing along Keystone Avenue — $366,146

—Croyle Township to resurface Oaks Road — $500,000

—Croyle Township to resurface Lake Road — $292,000

—Daisytown Borough to purchase a dump truck and snowplow — $85,000

—Dale Borough to repair a flood wall along Solomon Run — $635,340

—East Conemaugh Borough to replace and/or repair stormwater inlets — $140,000

—East Taylor Township to purchase a police cruiser — $33,855

—Ebensburg Borough to renovate the Ebensburg Borough Pool — $134,600

—Ferndale Borough to purchase a police vehicle — $51,750

—Franklin Borough for the demolition of 11 blighted properties — $170,000

—Franklin Borough for the purchase of new fire equipment — $83,925

—Franklin Borough for the purchase of a multi-functional tractor — $87,053

—Geistown Borough for a winter maintenance vehicle — $62,183

—Jackson Township Water Authority for a new water authority vehicle — $61,700

—Lower Yoder Township for the purchase of a backhoe and dump truck — $187,984

—Nanty Glo Borough to repair the Davis Run Reservoir — $66,616

—Northern Cambria Borough for the construction of a new fire station — $500,000

—Richland Township to rehabilitate Luray Avenue Park — $935,100

—Stonycreek Township for playground equipment — $220,840

—Stonycreek Township for three dash cameras and 10 body cameras — $32,085

Somerset County

—Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority for upgrades to the water monitoring equipment to the water system — $39,506

—Confluence Borough Municipal Authority for waterline improvements along Draketown Road and Dull Hill Road — $250,000

—Elk Lick Township to reline culvert piping underneath the flood control levee — $123,576

—Jefferson Township to construct a maintenance shed — $100,000

—Jefferson Township Water and Sewer Authority to purchase a vehicle — $49,720

—Seven Spr

PRESS RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On March 3, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives David Cicilline and Seth Magaziner announced $5,242,766 in new federal funding for four local fire departments across Rhode Island.

The federal awards through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs will support the hiring of new firefighters as well as the purchasing of new vehicles and equipment, and will improve public safety for numerous local communities.

Fire departments in the following communities will use these federal funds to hire personnel and purchase new trucks, safety, and communications equipment, including:

Cumberland: Over $450,000 to purchase a new fire engine which will allow for their existing 18-year old apparatus to be placed in reserve service. 

East Greenwich: Over $280,000 to improve the operations and safety of the department through acquisition of upgraded portable, mobile, and base radios and vehicle repeaters which allow for reliable communications during emergencies and while rendering mutual aid.

Smithfield: Over $3.6 million to hire 12 new firefighters, helping to achieve full-staffing levels for the department while reducing response times and increasing response efficiency across the town and for neighboring communities.

West Warwick: Over $900,000 to purchase a new 100-foot ladder truck with modern equipment and safety features that will replace the department’s current apparatus which is more than 24-years old.

“Making sure that Rhode Island’s local fire departments have proper staffing and modern equipment is essential to enhancing public safety across our state,” said Senator Reed. “These federal funds will help equip Cumberland, East Greenwich, Smithfield, and West Warwick with the resources and staff needed to respond to emergencies more efficiently and effectively, all while helping to ensure the safety of our firefighters.”  

“This federal funding provides long overdue equipment and technology upgrades and adds capacity to our local fire departments,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “I am committed to continuing to secure funding that supports our firefighters and strengthens public safety efforts across our state.”“This federal funding will provide critical resources to Rhode Island’s firefighters – improving safety and efficiency,” said Congressman Cicilline. “These are the types of investments we must continue to make to ensure public safety across our state.”

“Whenever Rhode Islanders are in crisis, firefighters stand ready to answer the call,” said Congressman Seth Magaziner. “These critical federal dollars will ensure that firefighters across our state have the necessary staff, vehicles, and equipment to keep our communities safe.”

“The new fire engine will greatly improve operations and safety for our firefighters and the citizens of Cumberland. It will enhance the reliability of our equipment as well as reducing the cost of repairs on an aging fleet,” said Cumberland Fire Chief Nick Anderson. “The Cumberland Fire Department would like to thank FEMA and the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation for their support of this program.”

“The East Greenwich Fire Department is very appreciative to be receiving this federal funding. The AFG award will provide us the funding to purchase new portable, mobile and base radios. This grant will dramatically improve radio communications during emergency incidents. We are very grateful to the members of our Congressional Delegation for all of their support,” said President of the East Greenwich Fire Fighters Local 3328, Captain William Perry.

“The Smithfield Fire Department is very grateful to Senator

On March 15, members of the Brownwood (TX) Fire Department performed the ceremonial wet down and push-in of its new rescue engine, the department said in a Facebook post. The engine is now fully equipped, in service and ready to respond to emergency calls.

Summitville Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased a collection of much needed equipment through a county incentive plan for installing free smoke detectors, manchestertimes.com reported.

The funding allowed the department to purchase a cascade air tank filler, battery powered fans to clear smoke-filled homes and some additional backup air tanks, the report said.

The new air tank filler, which costs about $40,000, fills tanks in much less time and includes a blast chamber in the event of a cylinder rupture, according to the report.

Michelle Mcconnaha
Ravalli Republic, Hamilton, Mont.
(TNS)

Mar. 15—Sapphire Lutheran Homes is hosting a fundraising dinner on March 24 for the new fire station being built by the City of Hamilton.

Dominic Farrenkopf, mayor and SLH community life director, said the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department is in “dire need of a new fire station” and that raising funds is important as inflation has increased the building costs.

“We’re still $1.2 million short,” Farrenkopf said. “Between when we approved the project and when we started to build, the costs of building materials and labor have increased because of inflation. We will have a fire station. It will happen as we have the plans ready to go. We’re hoping the community will recognize how important this service is, hold fundraising events, and make donations to the fire station.”

He said the city has secured loans, budgeted money, received grants and collected donations.

“It will be paid for, but we are hoping to continue to raise the difference needed to complete the fire station,” Farrenkopf said.

Sapphire Lutheran Homes is hosting a dinner at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 24.

The menu includes baby back pork ribs, barbecue chicken, beer brats, mac ‘n cheese, red-skin mashed potatoes, coleslaw, cornbread, strawberry shortcake, beer and wine.

“Essentially, we’ll have a gourmet meal and entertainment,” Farrenkopf said. “Steve Winkler who is most famous as the lead singer for ‘Who Dat’ is the entertainment. He will play the piano, sing and do a tribute to John Denver and Neil Diamond.”

Tickets to the dinner cost $100.

“Every ticket sold is also an entry into a raffle for a gift certificate of $150 to Bouilla that will be given away at the dinner,” Farrenkopf said. “It will be delicious and a good time to get together and raise some money for the fire station.”

The fire station will be a 17,000-square-foot facility on the southwest corner of Skeels Avenue and Foxfield Street. The new location will give firefighters room for equipment, common spaces and living quarters designed with firefighter safety in mind. The new station design includes four bays to house fire trucks, a fire hose tower, decontamination space, offices, counseling boxes and a fitness center.

The Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department Fire Station Fundraiser will be at Sapphire Lutheran Homes, 501 N. 10th Street in Hamilton. Call SLH at 406-353-2800 for tickets. Fundraising dinner sponsors include Sapphire Lutheran Homes, Flower Happy Floral and Gifts, Dowling Architects, The Coffee Cup Care, Quality Construction, Co., Bouilla, Mikesell’s Fine Jewelry, The Stock Farm Club, The Edge, and Hulteng, CCM.

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(c)2023 Ravalli Republic, Hamilton, Mont.

Visit Ravalli Republic, Hamilton, Mont. at http://www.ravallinews.com

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PRESS RELEASE

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department is excited to announce that we officially broke ground on the new Crownsville Fire Station 6 in Crownsville (MD) earlier this week. On March 1, 2023, six golden shovels held by County Executive Steuart Pittman, Fire Chief Trisha Wolford, Acting Department of Public Works Director Karen Henry, Manns Woodward Studios Representative Jessica Sweigart, and Current Station 6 Captain Jen Robertson signified the start of this much anticipated public safety improvement for the Crownsville area.

Crownsville Fire Station 6 will be more centrally located in Crownsville on the North East Corner of Generals Hwy and Sunrise Beach Road. The new location will add fire and EMS service in less than 8 minutes to over 8,000 more residents in Crownsville.

The new station will be a significant upgrade from the current Station 6, with over 22 thousand square feet of space, including four drive-through bay areas for varying emergency apparatus to serve the community. The station cost is approximately 12 million dollars and will include a community engagement room, commercial kitchen, physical fitness room, exhaust removal system, and NFPA complaint cancer reduction features.

The project is projected to be completed in 2025.

Elizabeth Brewer
The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
(TNS)

Mar. 17—TRAVERSE CITY — The East Bay Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to take the next step in expanding Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department Station No. 9.

On Monday night during their board of trustees meeting, all of the board members agreed that a station expansion was necessary.

“It is needed, we need to have Metro out there,” Susanne Courtade said. “Our emergencies aren’t slowing down. Our need for coverage isn’t slowing down.”

The motion approved a document that would allow Cornerstone Architects authorization to proceed with the plans, budgeting for up to $7,200.

East Bay Township Supervisor Beth Friend made clear prior to the vote that the money would only go toward overseeing the bidding process and construction management, not the actual cost of the project.

These renovations follow those in 2017 and 2018, when Station 9 added their first dorm room, said East Bay Ambulance Director Nick Lemcool.

Starting March 16, there will be someone at that station 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, said Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department Chief Pat Parker.

“I know that was a long-term ask of East Bay Township to staff the station, and we got it done,” he said. “With a lot of pain, but we got it done.”

Currently there are two dorm rooms in the station — one utilized by the firefighters and the other by paramedics.

The debate between board members was about how much they should expand the station — not whether the expansion should happen.

Lemcool initially requested an additional dorm room for the station, given staffing changes.

However, trustee Glen Lile asked what would happen if there was a woman and a man on duty at the same time?

This question prompted the idea of expanding the project to two new dorm rooms.

Trustee Matt Courtade argued that all it would take was just one extra wall to make that second dorm room, and that the extra room could be utilized as an office space while they wait for more money to make more hires.

“It’s pennies on the dollar to do it now versus down the road,” he said.

Parker agreed that it would be easier to build two if the place is already going to be under construction, but emphasized that there is no room in the budget to put on a second person in Station 9.

According to Parker, Metro would have to find money in the budget to staff three more full-time positions at Station 9 to utilize that extra dorm space.

“Is that something we want to do? Absolutely,” Parker said. “But, I don’t see it in the budget now.”

Eventually, Friend said Station 9 needs even more help than just the dorm rooms, including bathrooms, the common area, the kitchen to bring it “to par level with other stations.”

This new expansion would bring the total number of dorm rooms in the station up to four, and would be paid for by East Bay Township.

The board will meet again to approve and discuss final construction costs before they begin.

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(c)2023 The Record-Eagle (Traverse City, Mich.)

Visit The Record-Eagle (Traverse City, Mich.) at record-eagle.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A Bayonne Fire Department vessel was damaged last month when a 189-foot barge struck the marina at the Robbins Reef Yacht, nj.com reported. That left the fire department with only one vessel. Bayonne city officials reached out for help.

North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue (NHRFR) answered that call, loaning the Bayonne Fire Department one of its fire boats, the report said. The loan is part of NHRFR’s larger, ongoing effort to strengthen mutual aid agreements in the region and ensure the safety of communities throughout Hudson County, NHRFR officials said.

Bayonne welcomed the addition of the 17-foot Boston whaler, noting that Bayonne Fire Department boats responded to 103 calls last year, including 12 water rescues and 10 calls to provide mutual aid, the report said.

Bayonne fire boat’s motor was damaged when it was struck by debris in the Feb. 15 incident in Newark Bay, the report said. A tug boat apparently lost control of the scrap barge, which ripped through the wooden pilings at the yacht club’s marina, according to the report.

There is now a plan in the works for a new fire station in Lynchburg, wset.com reported.

At Lynchburg City Council’s Tuesday work session, council members discussed plans to build a new station at the intersection of Odd Fellows Road and Liberty Mountain Road, near the roundabout, the report said.

According to the council, Liberty University will provide the land and the city will lease the station from LU. It would be a long-term lease.

Council said the need for this has increased over the last few years because of an increased volume of calls at the Lynchburg Fire Department, the report said.

According to the plan, the new station would cost $5-$7 million.

For this to happen, the city would need to finalize a lease agreement with the university, according to the report. This would require the approval of the city council and the full LU Board of Trustees. There would also need to be a budget amendment to secure funding.

The Maryville Fire Department will begin phasing in new gear aimed at being more adaptable to different types of calls, maryvilleforum.com reported.

On Monday, the Maryville City Council approved the purchase of new turnout gear for the fire department, including new multipurpose gear that is lighter and will be used on non-fire calls, the report said.

A Maryville fire official told the council that the multipurpose gear could have been used in more than about 90 percent of calls last year.

The council approved the proposal, a $15,948 contract with Heiman Fire Equipment, for the purchase of four sets each of structural turnout gear, which is replaced on a regular maintenance cycle, and multipurpose gear, which will be gradually phased in for use, according to the report.

Radio grant
Earlier this month, the fire department was awarded a $20,000 matching grant by the Missouri Department of Public Safety, the maximum allowable award, to purchase five portable radios, one mobile radio, a charger, speaker microphones and a vehicle repeater, the report said. As part of the grant, the city will kick in a matching $20,000.

The grants come from the state’s allocation of federal American Rescue Plan dollars, and the city’s matching funds will come from its own store of unallocated Rescue Plan dollars, according to the report.

The Baton Rouge Fire Department showed off five new trucks during a ceremony Thursday.

The trucks will go to the following fire stations:

• Fire Station 1 at 3024 Florida Boulevard
• Fire Station 2 at 3333 Choctaw Drive
• Fire Station 3 at 3142 Evangeline Street
• Fire Station 12 at 555 Government Street
• Fire Station 13 at 835 Sharp Road

The city of Miami amended an agreement with the developer of a 64-story tower in Brickell to expedite the project and a complementary fire station was included in the deal, miamitodaynews.com reported.

Fire Station 4 is to be temporarily relocated into a 5,500-square-foot space within Southside Park, the report said.

A background memo states the fire department won’t occupy the temporary station until it’s connected to water and sewers, expected by 2024, the report said. The station is projected to use 550 gallons of water a day, according to the report.

The deal requires the developer to fund the $8 million cost of a new, state-of-the-art fire station, $2.2 million for new fire trucks and other public benefits, the report said.

Editor’s Opinion Ed Ballam

A new writer makes his debut with us in this issue.

Ed Boring is a retired deputy chief from the Hilton Head (SC) Fire Department, among other things. In this issue, he writes about a legend in the fire service, the late Alan “Bruno” Brunacini, the former Phoenix (AZ) fire chief.

Bruno was a seminal figure in the customer service philosophy of the fire industry. He believed that taxpayers and those who call for fire services are customers, and firefighters and first responders have the obligation to care for those clients as one might treat a customer who walks into a storefront or any other business. Firefighters have the obligation to be professional and polite and give the clients exactly what they need as efficiently as possible. It’s a great mantra for any business and, as it turns out, it is a good fit for the fire service too.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bruno a few times at fire trade shows. He was always in his signature Hawaiian shirt and always with a group of people who were hanging on his every word as Jesus to his disciples. He was that kind of guy. For more than 50 years, he shared his skills as a firefighter and his knowledge as a fire officer and was generous with his time and mentoring.

Bruno died in October 2016 but left a legacy that far exceeds his earthly years. Boring’s revisiting of Bruno’s lecture on the metaphor of delivering pizza in a cement truck caused me to think about all the other great fire service leaders past and present. And, obviously, I couldn’t help but think about my late boss, Bobby Halton. I miss him. Both men were legends, and the fire service isn’t the same without them.

Nevertheless, there are still a lot of living legends in the fire service, and most all of them are at the annual Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) next month in Indianapolis. They share their words and knowledge year after year to standing-room-only crowds. I won’t mention any legends by name for fear of forgetting some, but you know who they are and it’s evident when you see firefighters spilling into hallways outside packed FDIC classrooms straining to hear the words of the true leaders in the fire service.

• FDIC: Event Info and Registration
• FDIC International 2023 to Feature the Fire Rescue Station of the Future

FDIC is where the best instructors impart their knowledge

KME—Wadsworth (OH) Fire Department pumper. 100-inch KME SSX XLFD cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; seating for six; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; 1,000-gallon polypropylene water tank; 40-gallon foam cell; Waterous Aquis 6.0 single-agent foam system; Onan 10-kW generator; Hendrickson Steertek front axle; stainless-steel body. Dealer: Tim Besser, KME factory direct.

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Flint is using a budget transfer and reprogramming Community Development Block Grant funds to bulk up its fire department truck fleet, mlive.com reported.

The city council approved resolutions on Monday, March 13, to reroute the funding and to make the purchases, which comes to more than $3.3 million, the report said.

Council members made the moves after Interim Fire Chief Theron Wiggins delivered a harsh assessment of the condition of the current fleet of fire vehicles last week.

The city is using $755,000 in reprogrammed Community Development Block Grant funds to pay for one of the new trucks, a city official said, according to the report. 

Three vehicle purchases will be paid for by transfers within the city’s general fund budget, including a second pumper; a squad vehicle that provides on-scene support with extra air tanks, extrication equipment like the Hurst Jaws of Life, and other equipment needed at fire or accident scenes; and a fire apparatus commonly known as a quint with a 75-foot ladder, according to a city official, the report said. The quint is a fire pumper with a ladder that extends a deck gun high into the air to reach multi-story structures.

The Houston Fire Department said a chainsaw worth about $2,000 was stolen off a truck on March 9, abc13.com reported. Now the fire department is asking for help in finding it.

The equipment is often used during extractions or entanglement situations such as crashes or other operations, the report said.

HFD said they are working with the police department to identify those involved in the theft. HPD said the incident happened at about 10:20 a.m. at 3111 Woodridge in a parking lot, the report said.

Anyone with information regarding the theft is urged to contact authorities at 713-222-TIPS.

Anthony Cammalleri
Daily Item, Lynn, Mass.
(TNS)

Mar. 15—LYNN — The fire department will donate two surplus Hurst Jaws of Life rescue tools to Ukraine.

City Council voted to approve the equipment donation at a meeting Tuesday night.

The department, Fire Chief Daniel Sullivan said, recently upgraded its Hurst Jaws of Life tools to battery-operated portable options, putting the old pair out of use for years.

The department will donate the equipment through OSF Healthcare, an Illinois-based non-profit that facilitates ambulance and equipment donations to Ukraine.

Sullivan said he decided to donate the Hurst Jaws of Life to Ukraine after he heard that the Beverly Fire Department donated a surplus fire engine last month at a regional fire chiefs’ meeting.

“I just thought it would be a good humanitarian gesture to help people in need,” Sullivan said. “We had them sitting in storage collecting dust, and we weren’t going to use them ever again, so the timing of [the chiefs’ meeting] was perfect.”

The Hurst Jaws of Life, which Sullivan said are worth thousands of dollars each, each contain four components — a spreader, which can pry open metal; cutters, which are capable of cutting through metal; a ram, which can push metal apart or lift vehicles and heavy objects; and a hydraulic hose, which connects the tool to a power source.

The different components can be quickly used to save trapped passengers.

“They could help people get out of vehicles, tanks, cars. If they’re trapped inside a vehicle, these tools can get them out,” Sullivan said. “We felt it would be in good faith, for humanity purposes, to send some equipment like that where it would really help.”

As the war in Ukraine persists roughly a month past its first anniversary, the United Nations reported last month that roughly 8,000 civilians have been killed since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022.

• Chillicothe (IL) Donates First U.S. Fire Engine to Ukraine
• Beverly (MA) to Donate Fire Truck to Ukraine

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(c)2023 Daily Item, Lynn, Mass.

Visit Daily Item, Lynn, Mass. at www.itemlive.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Wes Bowers
Lodi News-Sentinel, Calif.
(TNS)

Mar. 14—The Lodi Fire and Police departments are set to receive much-needed equipment this week, if approved by city leaders.

The Lodi City Council will consider two items on its consent calendar Wednesday night that will provide the fire department with a new chest compression device, and the police department with a variety of equipment over the next three years.

According to Wednesday’s staff report, the city will purchase a Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assisted System, more commonly known as a LUCAS 3, chest compression device from Stryker Medical for $25,000.

There will be no fiscal impact to the city, according to staff, as the purchase will be made possible through a donation from the Lodi Fire Foundation.

The LUCAS device, according to www.stryker.com, maintains a patient’s chest compressions during transport to medical centers.

The device is placed around the torso so a patient is lying flat against a back plate and the compression component is directly above the chest during transport.

It weighs a total of 17.3 pounds and can be carried by firefighter paramedics in a case that is worn like a backpack, according to Stryker’s website.

Staff said the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of 47 LUCAS devices in 2020, of which Lodi firefighters received four the following year.

The devices were placed on the department’s frontline fire engines. This newest device will be placed on Truck 2051, equipping all of the front-line apparatus with the chest compression unit, staff said.

The council is also set to approve a three-year contract with LC Action Policy Supply of San Jose to provide the police department with a variety of equipment, including body armor vests, duty belts, holsters, flashlights, batons, and weapons.

The equipment is expected to cost no more than $100,000 during those three years, according to the staff report.

About 40 vests will expire within the year and must be replaced, staff said, and the department will also have ongoing vest and equipment needs for new officers, as well as equipment damaged in the line of duty.

Staff said LC Action Police Supply was found to be the most cost-effective, responsive, and guaranteed a quicker delivery.

Garbage rates discussed

The council will also undertake a public hearing to consider future solid waste collection rates for residential customers.

The council is no longer accepting public comments via Zoom or telephone, so you must be present to speak about the proposed rates.

Written comments related to an agenda item or non-agenda item can be mailed or hand-delivered to the City Clerk’s Office or emailed to councilcomments@lodi.gov.

Public comments submitted by email, mail, or hand-delivered are forwarded to the council. Written public comments will not be read aloud during the meeting, but will be included in the final record.

For more information regarding council meetings, visit www.lodi.gov/152/City-Council&nbs