AMY NILE – Billings Gazette, Mont.

The city of Billings plans to complete a $500,000 renovation project at Fire Station 5 on the West End this year.

The Billings Fire Department has been awarded a $280,000 grant to help cover the cost of the work.

The department is among 100 organizations nationwide that were selected from more than 4,000 applicants to receive the money as part of Lowe’s Hometowns, a program that aims to restore community spaces across the country.

The city will provide an additional $214,000 for upgrades to Fire Station 5 on South 24th Street West, across from the West End Walmart. The money will be used to replace failing infrastructure and remodel the interior of the station, which was built in 1973.

Firefighters face significant health risks due to the demands of their work, which are exacerbated by the 6,016-square-foot station’s outdated layout, according to Billings Facilities Specialist Tricia Mae.

Firefighters respond to a variety of types of calls from the station, which houses both an engine company and a mobile response squad.

The building currently has one large, shared sleeping area. The setup causes frequent disruptions to firefighters’ rest, which increases risks of exhaustion, fatigue, cognitive impairment, mental strain and other serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease.

Inadequate rest also elevates rates of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Firefighters, who are exposed to trauma and chronic stress, are already statistically more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.

The station currently has only one shower, which fails to provide adequate privacy, inclusivity or efficiency, Mae said. The tiles in it are now deteriorating, which creates sanitation issues.

The station also lacks adequate decontamination facilities, which contributes to increased exposure to harmful toxins and raises long-term cancer risks.

The upgrades will include three separate bedrooms to help provide uninterrupted rest for non-responding crew members. The single shower space will be replaced with three private restrooms.

The work will also improve decontamination facilities, including a new shower bank to allow crews faster access to toxin removal.

The project is expected to be complete in mid-November.

Mae said the upgrades will help improve health and working conditions for firefighters and ensure a more effective emergency response system that the community can rely on.

© 2025 the Billings Gazette (Billings, Mont.). Visit www.billingsgazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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The Annapolis (MD) Fire Department announced Tuesday, July 8, the newest member to the department, K-9 Bear, the agency said in a Facebook post. He is part of the Fire and Explosives Services Unit.

Investigator/Bomb Technician Matthew Montgomery recently returned from training with his partner, Bear. The nearly 2-year-old Belgian Malinois is trained in explosive detection. Investigator Montgomery and K-9 Bear completed extensive training with Southern Coast K9 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Bear will assist with fire investigations, public events, and regional mutual aid calls requiring explosives detection, thebaynet.com reported.

“Thank you to the Chesapeake K-9 Fund for their generous support that helps purchase these specialty canines, as well as essential equipment and services,” the department said in the post. “The Chesapeake K-9 Fund is a nonprofit organization based in Annapolis, Maryland, dedicated to supporting and assisting K-9 units in the local community.

“K-9 Bear is looking forward to keeping the city of Annapolis and the surrounding jurisdictions safe.”

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The Russellville (AL) Fire Department and city officials recently showed off the department’s new $2.2 million, 100-foot platform fire truck, franklincountytimes.com reported.

The new truck, which features a large platform, will facilitate rescue operations, especially in multistory buildings, the report said. The city’s older ladder truck had a standard basket. The new apparatus has a large platform that holds several people at once, allowing residents, including those with mobility issues, to step directly in for faster evacuation, according to the report.

“We received a 100-foot platform truck yesterday which will be replacing our 2002 75-foot ladder truck,” RFD said in a Facebook post. “This will be such a great addition to our fleet and will allow us to serve and protect the city of Russellville in many ways.”

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The city of Coos Bay, Oregon, announced July 3 it has received a $13,500 grant from the Three Rivers Foundation to support the purchase of wildland personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Coos Bay Fire Department, the fire department said in a press release.

This funding will help equip Coos Bay firefighters with NFPA 1977-compliant gear, enhancing safety during wildland fire response operations.

“We extend our sincere thanks to the Three Rivers Foundation for their continued investment in community resilience and public safety,” the department said.

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