Sutphen—Massillon (OH) Fire Department 75-foot mid-mount aerial ladder quint. Monarch cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 500-gallon water tank; FRC and HiViz LED scene lights; Whelen LED warning lights; 304 stainless-steel body; low ”pumper”-style hosebed; Zico electric ladder rack. Dealer: Ray Capezzuto, Herb Fire Equipment, Powell, OH.

PREVIOUS PHOTO OF THE DAY >>

MORE FIRE APPARATUS ARTICLES >>

Today was an exciting day for the BFD & the City of Boston as we broke ground on a new Meetinghouse Hill Firehouse, Engine 17, Ladder 7 District 7. pic.twitter.com/0FyLGa2XKr

— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) February 7, 2023

Monday was an exciting day for the Boston Fire Department and the city of Boston as ground was broken on a new Meetinghouse Hill Firehouse, Engine 17, Ladder 7 District 7, the Boston Fire Department tweeted.

The city of Boston has allocated $24.7 million toward the design and construction of a new Engine 17 / Ladder 7 Fire Station in the Meetinghouse Hill area of Dorchester, the city said in a news release. The new building will feature:

• a sloped roof
• a dormer stair tower, and
• a brick façade that speaks to the historic use of masonry for fire houses.

The prominent apparatus bay canopy will provide shading and a distinctive civic presence. The large windows will introduce daylight into program spaces and create a welcoming entrance to the building. Puddingstone outcroppings will be incorporated, preserving this unique local landscape feature.

The primary theme for this commission is fire fighting and the neighborhood’s relationship with the fire station.

The budget for this public art project is $200,000. The primary theme for this commission is fire fighting and the neighborhood’s relationship with the fire station. This Call to Artists was open to all artists, national and international. There is a strong preference for artists who have a connection to Dorchester or themes of the project.

THE SITE

The Engine 17 Fire Station is located at 37 East Street in the Meetinghouse Hill area of Dorchester. The new site is adjacent to the existing firehouse, and is currently a parking lot. The existing firehouse will remain in operation during the course of construction. 

The original Engine 17 / Ladder 7 firehouse opened on February 15, 1928. It was built on the site of two old firehouses that dated back to the annexation of the Town of Dorchester to the City of Boston. The firehouse sits across the prominent white-spired First Parish Church. Engine 17 / Ladder 7 respond to incidents in the Dorchester and Roxbury areas, and to parts of South Boston.

The site identified for the public art project is the entrance tower, which is largely glass on the west and south sides. We are looking for artists with experience working with translucent materials in public spaces. 

The Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved at its Tuesday meeting the purchase of a new fire engine from Sutphen Corp. at a cost of $755,000, greenevillesun.com reported.

In January, the board approved the purchase of a used fire truck at a cost of $595,000. However, that engine had a hold on it from another fire department that ended up purchasing the truck, a fire official said, according to the report.

The fire official said in a letter to the board that the typical wait for a new fire engine is about 36-40 months. However, the delivery of this particular truck will be much quicker since it is a “demonstration unit.” The truck is already constructed and used to demonstrate features to prospective buyers. However, the truck still comes with a full manufacturer’s warranty.

The demo engine became available due to another department being unable to complete the purchase of the truck, the report said.

An Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the amount of $609,000 was recently awarded to the Greeneville Fire Department to help with the purchase of a fire engine, according to the report.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Grant could also help pay for some of the cost of the new fire truck. The grant would fund $50,000 of the purchase of the truck if awarded, the report said.

The department will also sell the two older reserve trucks to help fund the purchase, the report said.

A Manchester fire truck aerial ladder got frozen when it was extended Friday night to fight a fire.

The department had to use tarps and heaters to cover the apparatus and thaw it out so the ladder could be retracted.

The process took about eight hours, WMUR reports.

The department handled about 1,200 calls during the weekend cold snap that set records in New England.

• Fire Truck Frozen at Scene of Manchester (NH) Multi-Family House Fire