Sutphen Corporation, the nation’s largest family-owned and operated fire apparatus manufacturer with headquarters in Dublin, OH, officially broke ground on a new 185,000-square-foot facility. The new facility will be constructed at 935 S. Edgewood Avenue, Urbana, OH, 43078.

The new facility will combine Sutphen’s three Urbana operations into one location and retain Sutphen’s existing 160 jobs in Urbana while adding an additional 20 to 25 jobs to the area. The new operation will also significantly increase Sutphen’s production capabilities.

“This new facility will provide an incredible opportunity for our family’s business and for the city of Urbana to grow together,” said Sutphen Corporation President Drew Sutphen, a fourth-generation family member. “For the last 131 years, our family business has worked to build the safest, most reliable fire apparatus in the world. This step will help ensure that our family continues doing the same for the next 131 years.”

Sutphen Corporation vice president and president of Sutphen’s Hilliard, OH, facility, Julie Sutphen Phelps said, “Our family and business values were instilled in us by our forefathers who laid the groundwork for where we are today. All of us in the fourth generation have worked hard to instill these core values in the fifth generation, and we are excited to see where future generations of Sutphens take our family business.”

The 185,000-square-foot facility will be built upon 55 acres of former farmland that will provide ample room for further expansion in the future.

“This is an investment in the future of Sutphen and an investment in the future of our community,” said general manager of Sutphen’s Urbana operations, Todd Winnenberg. “It is an exciting time to be a part of Sutphen and an incredible family to work for. We are actively hiring for open positions right now.”

Winnenberg continued by saying that the 20 to 25 additional jobs are being filled right now. The new positions will work at one of the three Urbana facilities until the new location opens. Once open, the positions will migrate to the new location.

“The Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) is extremely pleased to join in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Sutphen Corporation facility,” CEP Director Marcia Bailey said. “We are so grateful to the Sutphen family for their investment in Urbana and Champaign County. Their contribution to our community is significant with their investment and job creation. We look forward to a bright future and continued partnership.”

The new building is being designed to optimize workflow of fire apparatus manufacturing, from start to finish, and will combine the operations of Sutphen’s three current Urbana facilities – the Su

One Columbus Fire Battalion Chief, one Lieutenant and two Firefighters will be honored on Friday, October 15, 2021 by the Benjamin Franklin Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Fire Chief Jeffrey Happ announced today. Fire Battalion Chief Sandra Loeper, Lieutenant George Wallace and Firefighters James Janoski and William Longenette will be presented with medals and certificates during the organization’s annual noon luncheon meeting at TAT Ristorante de Famiglia in Columbus, Ohio.

The EMS Medal will be presented to Firefighters James Janoski and William Longenette who have shown dedication to the position in performing their duty with Battalion Chief Sandra Loeper, who will be presented the Heroism Award for actions taken on December 5, 2020 when she saved a woman from falling off a third floor balcony.

Firefighter Janoski “Shaggy”, a 27 year veteran of the department, has been a paramedic for over 20 years. He spent the majority of his career at Station 18 and just recently transferred to Station 30.

Firefighter Longenette, a 23 year veteran of the department, has been a paramedic for over 18 years. Bill has been assigned to Station 1 for his entire career.

After all of these years of serving the citizens of Columbus while assigned to extremely busy medic vehicles, they both have stepped up once again as the pioneering members of Stroke 1, 1-Unit, to which they ride every day. Stroke 1, a partnership with the Central Ohio Hospital Systems, provides state of the art on-scene stroke care to Central Ohio residents.  Both members also teach stroke care within the division and other Central Ohio fire departments.

Battalion Chief Sandra Loeper is awarded the Heroism Award.  While responding to a report of fire with people trapped, Chief Loeper observed an occupant on the balcony rail in obvious distress.  Battalion Chief Loeper climbed to the balcony to try and calm the victim down.  In her distress, the victim crawled over the balcony rail and fell head first.  Chief Loeper was able to grab the victim by the ankle, holding her dangling there until help arrived to stabilize the victim.  She was safely removed down a stairwell where she was treated by medics.

Fire Lieutenant George Wallace will be presented with the Life Saving Commendation.  Lieutenant Wallaceis in good standing and has spent many hours both on duty and off to supporting our members and members of other Central Ohio departments, both police and fire, in their time of need. His commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of our members as part of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team has saved countless careers and families as they struggle with acute and chronic stress related to the job.  Lieutenant Wallace helps to get members help on off days as well as duty days seven days a week.  Lieutenant Wallace exemplifies the characteristics and work ethic that this award is wanting to recognize.

Although West Perth (Toronto, Canada) Fire Department (WPFD) firefighter Brad Brace has only been with the department for four years, he has—quite literally—left his mark on West Perth’s new station, reports o.canada.com.

Brace owns and operates Mitchell Ironworks, which designed the department logo sign on the new facility; the sign is 8×8 and made of powder coated aluminum and stainless steel. Prior to fixing it to the station on October 2, Brace wrote his name on the back, according to the report.

WPFD used its ladder truck to install the sign with 180 stainless screws, the report says. All firefighters who helped assist in hanging it signed the back as well and dated it.

Brace says he put in about 50 hours of work off and on for a couple of months to create the logo, which was paid for by the West Perth Firefighters Association.

The Beaufort-Port Royal (SC) Fire Department has a new $800,000 custom-built pumper with more pumping capacity and the ability to carry equipment such as extrication tools and a defibrillator, reports islandpacket.com.

The 33-foot-long, red-and-black rig replaces a 14-year-old apparatus and is the department’s fifth in-service pumper, including two reserves, the report says. Stationed at Station 4 on S.C. 170, the pumper’s first day of service will be Monday.

The pumper was purchased from Spartan Emergency Response in Summerville, but Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton (WI) built it. It can hold 1,000 gallons of water—250 gallons more than any other pumper in the department’s fleet—and carry 1,000 feet of supply line hose, as well as three shorter attack-line hoses, the report says.

The department has 48 shift firefighters and operates out of four stations serving Beaufort and Port Royal.