Ladder 28 has replaced a 1999 ladder in the Alexandria (MN) Fire Department’s fleet.

The apparatus, a $1.24 million Rosenbauer Commander/Cobra platform apparatus, was chosen from five different aerials, reports echopress.com. City council approved the purchase last February.

The apparatus comes with a larger-than-normal bucket and a basket to carry victims, which is fortuitous because the city has built more than 300 multi-level apartments since 2016, according to the report.

Some other advantages, according to the report. It has:

• Four outriggers in the back to keep it level; other trucks only have three.
• A thermal imaging camera in the bucket with the option of adding a remote control for monitors.
• A 400-plus-gallon water tank—100 more than the current apparatus—and a 30-gallon foam tank.
• Tandem axles, as opposed to a single, for stability.
• Drop-down storage for 800 feet of hose.

Officials in Davie County (NC) sent a letter to the Advance Fire Department saying it would terminate their agreement at one fire station over “unprofessional behavior” by fire department staff.

WXII reports the allegations include “unwanted physical touching” by fire staff and wine-making inside the station. Watch the full report in the YouTube player above.

According to a letter written by Davie County officials, the allegations include “unwanted physical touching” by fire staff, and wine-making inside the station.

“We want to ensure that we have a positive work environment for our employees…”https://t.co/KwFjAO11ws

— Louie Tran (@louie_tran) January 27, 2022

To thwart the firefighting perils of heavily crowded cities and scenes with narrow crossings, many two-wheeled fire apparatus have been put in service in several fire departments in India, reports rushlane.com.

A traditional apparatus sometimes can’t reach certain scenes—thus the motorcycle-style apparatus was developed. Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kottayam are among the cities that have deployed it, the report says.

Many of the vehicles are based on Royal Enfield motorcycles, and, in most cases, the Bullet 500cc bike is the top pick.

The latest to be put in service will be deployed by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), according to the report. Initially, PCMC will purchase three for Rs 13.5 lakh (about $18,000) each, which includes the bike and equipment.

The engine is a 411cc air-cooled SOHC unit that generates 24.3 bhp of max power at 6,500 rpm and 32 Nm of peak torque at 4,500 rpm. It’s mated to a five-speed constant mesh gearbox, the report notes.

Each bike is painted red with yellow markings and equipped with: 20-liter water tanks on each rear side; 100-foot hose on a rear-mounted reel; a high-pressure pump; and a pressure-washer-style nozzle, according to the report.

The Himalayan firefighting bikes will each carry two firefighters and can also be used for rescue and evacuation missions, as well as route-clearing vehicles.

The Hoover (AL) Fire Department recently held an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Station 11.

Located off Stadium Trace Parkway in the Blackridge Community, Station 11 is staffed 24/7/365 with six personnel, Quint 11, Rescue 11, and District 2.