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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: Apr 11, 2022

Little Rock (AR) Fire Truck Hit, Out of Commission

The Little Rock Fire Department is without one of its fire trucks following a crash with an 18-wheeler Sunday evening, reports katv.com.

Police officials say the fire department was responding to the scene of an accident when a car rear-ended the parked apparatus. They add that no injuries were reported.

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The damage to the front-line apparatus is still being assessed, the report says.

Arkansas State Police released the following vis a vis the crash:

An Arkansas Motor Vehicle Crash Investigative Report, dated April 3, 2022, indicates that at 6:25 p.m. a commercial carrier truck and trailer collided with the rear of a Little Rock Fire Department apparatus rendering services at the scene of an earlier motor vehicle crash. The secondary collision occurred at the 13 mile marker in an eastbound traffic lane along Interstate 30 near the Interstate 430 overpass. The investigative report does not indicate injuries were sustained as a result of the collision.

Neither the investigative report, nor the violator citation, support a finding of distracted driving.

An initial contributing factor leading to the commercial carrier striking the rear of the fire department apparatus was the speed of the commercial carrier being too fast before attempting to merge into parallel lanes of traffic.

Negasi H. Asfaw, 23, of Sioux City, Iowa, the driver of the commercial carrier, was cited as a violator and charged with careless and prohibited driving, improper lane usage and failure to obey traffic control devices.

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Posted: Apr 11, 2022

Farnam (NE) Firefighter Hospitalized, Apparatus Destroyed While Fighting Wildfire

A Farnam firefighter was hospitalized and a department 2021 Chevrolet pickup totaled Thursday while crews were fighting a Gosper County wildfire in a pasture 11 miles southwest of Elwood, reports ruralradio.com.

Department officials describe the incident as such: the smoke became thick as the grass rig a crew member was driving entered an incline. The back wheels then dropped in a hole and the truck slowly rolled over.

One crew member was on the back of the rig as it began to give way, and he jumped off. The report says he broke his leg and suffered a hand injury, he had surgery for the former at a nearby hospital.

There was one passenger in the truck, who was not seriously hurt, nor was the driver, according to the report.

Strong winds and a dryness didn’t help the department’s cause against the stubborn fire, officials note.

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Posted: Apr 11, 2022

KME’s Carbon County (PA) Plant Closes; Final Truck to Stay Close By

After 50 years in service, the Carbon County KME plant just recently closed its doors, reports brctv13.com.

The final fire truck—an aerial—produced at the facility will remain in the area, though: The Lehighton Fire Department is set to soon take delivery of the fire truck and put it in service.

Related Articles:
Carbon County (PA) Commissioners Are Concern About KME Plant Closure
PA Lawmakers React to KME Closing Carbon County Plant
REV Group Announces Plans to Shift KME Production to Other REV Fire Group Facilities

Truck 523—four years in the making, including two in production alone—will replace the department’s 1989 ladder truck, according to the report.

It wasn’t planned that the aerial would stay in the area, “it’s just [coincidental] that it happened to be a department so close,” a KME official says.

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Posted: Apr 11, 2022

NE Apparatus Crash Kills Chief, Leaves One with Life-Threatening Injuries

The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that occurred on Highway 283 Thursday afternoon, during response to the large fire southeast of Elwood. Both vehicles involved were assisting in the fire response.

The crash occurred at approximately 5:10 p.m., when a Ford Expedition, driven by Phelps County Emergency Manager Justin Norris, with passenger Darren Krull, Chief of the Elwood Volunteer Fire Department, was struck head on by a truck hauling water, approximately eight miles north of Arapahoe on Highway 283.

Chief Krull, 54, of Elwood, passed away at the scene. Norris, 40, of Holdrege, was transported to the hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries. He was then transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney in stable condition. He has since been transferred to a hospital in Omaha. He remains in stable condition as of this morning.

The driver of the water truck, Andries Van Aswegan, 28, of Arapahoe, was not injured in the crash. The fire and smoke in the area had created zero-visibility conditions on the roadway at the time of the crash.

“Our hearts are with all involved in this tragic crash, as well as those affected by the fire,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Please keep the firefighters, farmers, emergency managers, law enforcement officers, volunteers, and all others involved in this fire response in your thoughts today.”

The crash remains under investigation.

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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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