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The purpose of the Fire Mechanics Section is to promote standardization of fire apparatus and equipment preventative maintenance, improve safety standards and practices, promote workshops, conferences, and seminars related to the purposes of this Section, and to promote cost savings through standardization of building and equipment purchasing and maintenance.

RECENT FIRE MECHANIC NEWS

Posted: Dec 7, 2025

CA Fire Protection District Receives $80,000 Grant for New Extrication Equipment

Angelica Vera-Franco
The Daily Democrat, Woodland, Calif.
(TNS)

Willow Oak Fire Protection District announced earlier in the week that it has received an $80,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to purchase new extrication equipment.

Known as the “jaws of life,” first responders use these specialized tools to safely rescue crash victims trapped inside a vehicle.

“We are incredibly grateful for this grant, which will allow us to purchase state-of-the-art rescue tools and provide training to first responders that is critical for the care of people injured in crashes,” Willow Oak Fire Protection District Fire Chief Marcus Klinkhammer stated. “These tools will significantly impact our ability to protect and serve our community, allowing us to respond even more effectively in times of crisis.”

Post-crash care is vital in preventing serious injuries from turning deadly. Delays in providing expedient care impact survival chances. Reducing the time it takes to get to the patient, treating what can be treated, and transporting the patient to the hospital can be the difference between life and death.

According to federal data, 42% of people who were killed in car crashes were alive when first responders arrived. New “jaws of life” hydraulic rescue tools will help first responders deliver life-saving measures for patients trapped in vehicles, significantly increasing chances of survival.

According to an OTS press release, funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

© 2025 The Daily Democrat, Woodland, Calif.. Visit www.dailydemocrat.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post CA Fire Protection District Receives $80,000 Grant for New Extrication Equipment appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Dec 7, 2025

Work on New Owensboro (KY) Station 3 Progressing

James Mayse
Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
(TNS)

Work on the new Owensboro Fire Department Station 3 on Cravens Avenue is progressing, with much of the exterior complete and crews now putting up drywall inside.

If work remains uninterrupted by weather or construction delays, fire crews are expected to move into the new station in the spring.

By that time, the city will be moving ahead with plans to build a new OFD Station 1 at Locust and West Ninth streets.

Assistant City Manager Lelan Hancock said the hope is that Station 3 will be ready for occupancy by late April.

Workers “are doing the interior. They are hanging drywall,” Hancock said Friday.

Meanwhile, design work on Station 1 has been underway for some time, and the plan is to bid the project out to contractors before Station 3 is occupied by the fire department, Hancock said.

The city will bid Station 1 “probably by the end of March,” Hancock said.

By the time a contractor is chosen and ready to begin work, Station 3 will be in service, which is part of the fire department’s plan for covering Station 1’s territory while the old station is demolished and a new one is built.

“I need to make sure they are moved into Station 3 … before I can start disrupting them in Station 1,” Hancock said.

Battalion Chief Jason Pickrell, a member of the Station 1 design team, said when firefighters move out of Station 1, Engine 1 and its crew will be based at the new fire training center, which has the facilities and bay space to serve as a small fire station. Ladder 1, which serves both the Station 1 and Station 3 territories, will relocate to Station 3.

Rescue 1, which responds to calls across the city, “can be really anywhere” at any fire station, Pickrell said.

The units will be stationed at places to “still provide the same level of service” as if Station 1 were operational, Hancock said.

Pickrell said designing the new Station 1 takes time, but firefighters are excited about the plans.

“I’ve been in the department for 24 years, and these (current) stations are all I know,” Pickrell said. “To see something fresh and new, I won’t know how to act.”

The improvements to the stations aren’t cosmetic. All the stations being redone will be larger, with private sleeping quarters, space for gear storage and cleaning, office space and pull-through vehicle bays, which both make it easier for large trucks to enter the stations after a run and provide better ventilation.

Station 3 “was built in the ’70s,” Pickrell said. “As time has (passed) and our services have evolved, we need more space.”

The city has already renovated S

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Posted: Dec 7, 2025

Department Now Running Two 100-Foot Aerial Platforms

  • The Omaha (NE) Fire Department ordered two 100-foot Ascendant midmount aerial platforms. One of the rigs would be housed in a station with a low overhead, so the aerials had to be designed to fit that station.
  • The rigs are designed with a maximum height of 11 feet and feature 510-horsepower engines, automatic transmissions, and specialized jacking capabilities.
  • The midmount platforms are versatile for various operations, including roof operations and rescues, and are the only two aerial platforms in Omaha’s fleet.

The Omaha (NE) Fire Department wanted to replace two older midmount aerial platforms, so the department shopped around among several aerial manufacturers. The Pierce Manufacturing Road Rally came to Omaha showcasing a 100-foot Ascendant midmount aerial platform, and firefighters got the opportunity to drive and examine the rig. The department ordered two 100-foot midmounts from Pierce.

Assistant Chief Jason Bradley says one of the trucks was going to be housed in a station with a low overhead, so the rigs had to be designed to fit that station. “Pierce was the only one with a design that didn’t have to be reengineered, so we went with the Pierce trucks,” Bradley observes.

The two aerial platforms have 100-foot vertical reaches and 93-foot horizontal reaches.

Cory Wittman, senior sales support aerials specialist for Pierce, says the two rigs are 100-foot Ascendant midmount aerial platforms built on Enforcer four-door flat roof cabs and chassis with seating for four firefighters, three of them in self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) Pierce PSV seats with IMMI SmartDock brackets. He notes that the rigs have wheelbases of 255 inches, overall lengths of 42 feet 11 inches, and overall heights of 11 feet.

Todd Clyne, sale representative for MacQueen Emergency Group, who sold the two midmount platforms to Omaha, says besides wanting trucks with a maximum overall height of 11 feet, the department also wanted a maneuverable truck, and that the Ascendant’s 13-inch frame rails helped in keeping the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) to 76,000 pounds on that 255-inch wheelbase. Clyne points out that the rigs have 510-horsepower (hp) Paccar MX13 engines, Allison 4000 EVS automatic transmissions, TAK-4 independent front suspensions, and dual axle air ride rear suspensions.

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Posted: Dec 6, 2025

Ambulances in One VA County to Add Lifepak 35 Devices

CHARLES OWENS
Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
(TNS)

TAZEWELL, Va. — Emergency responders across Tazewell County will soon have access to new lifesaving equipment.

Tazewell County officials announced Wednesday that the county’s ambulance fleet will be equipped with new Lifepak 35 monitors that will provide accurate vital-sign monitoring and improved communication during emergency calls.

The new equipment will be purchased with a $35,000 grant from the Appalachian Power Foundation.

“This investment strengthens our emergency response system in a meaningful way,” Tazewell County Administrator Eric Young said. “Lifesaving care begins with the right tools in the hands of trained professionals, and this grant ensures our EMS teams have the equipment they need to respond with confidence and precision.”

Charles “Chuck” Presley, the board’s Eastern District supervisor and a member of the county’s emergency services committee, said the upgrade will ensure that EMS crews are properly equipped to respond to all emergency calls.

In addition to the county, Presley said EMS crews serving the towns of Bluefield, Va., Tazewell, Richlands, Pocahontas and Cedar Bluff, also will benefit from the new equipment.

“I think everyone is pleased that we are able to do this,” Presley said during a stop at the Daily Telegraph Wednesday. “This just provides better service for every EMS (crew) in Tazewell County.”

Presley said the funding award will ensure that every ambulance carries the same advanced monitors. That means every resident will receive high-quality care regardless of whether an emergency happens on the road, at a ball field, or in the most rural part of the county.

“We appreciate the Appalachian Power Foundation for its ongoing support of our community,” Presley said.

Appalachian Power realized the need for local EMS crews to be equipped with modern technology during last year’s impact from the remnants of Hurricane Helene, according to Appalachian Power’s External Affairs Manager Jake Holmes.

“We are proud to partner with Tazewell County in providing this resource to the citizens of the county,” Holmes said in a prepared statement. “After the impact we saw across the region from Hurricane Helene, our foundation wanted to ensure that our first responders had the equipment necessary to serve their communities. We appreciate Tazewell County for allowing us to play a small part in helping prepare for emergency situations.”

Young said the new devices will assist paramedics and EMTs with CPR style life support while the patient is in transit.

“It also records patients’ vital statistics while en ro

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Fire Mechanics Section Board

Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Chair

Elliot Courage
North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
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Vice Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Vice Chair

Mike Smith 
Pierce County Fire District #5
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Secretary

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Secretary

Greg Bach
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue
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Director #1

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #1

Doug Jones
South Kitsap Fire & Rescue
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Director #2

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #2

Paul Spencer 
Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC
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Director #3

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #3

Jim Morris
Mountain View Fire Department
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Director #4

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #4

Arnie Kuchta

Clark County Fire District 6

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Director #6

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #6

Brett Annear
Kitsap County Fire District 18
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Director #5

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #5

Jay Jacks
Camano Island Fire & Rescue
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Legislative Representative

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Legislative Representative

TBD
TBD
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Immediate Past Chair

Posted: Oct 20, 2015

Immediate Past Chair

Brian Fortner
Graham Fire & Rescue

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