Independence (MO) will ask voters to quadruple the existing sales tax for municipal fire service during the November 2 election, reports kshb.com.

City officials say a one-eighth-cent Fire Protection Sales Tax—scheduled to sunset on Dec. 31, 2026, the report says—currently generates approximately $2.1 million annually for the Independence Fire Department. Officials have proposed replacing that with a half-cent sales tax sans sunset provision.

A half-cent tax is the largest allowed by Missouri state law. And, if passed, the tax would generate $8.4 million annually. It would take effect April 1, 2022, if passed.

The additional funds would be used to replace five fire stations, construct one new station, replace aging fire trucks and purchase new ones, purchase additional equipment, and pay for ongoing maintenance needs, the report says. The money also would be used to fully staff the department, bolster the department’s administrative ranks, and address training and technology needs.

Seven of the department’s 10 stations are more than 30 years old, according to city officials.

A firefighter and a motorist were hurt during a three-vehicle accident Tuesday morning in East Germantown (PA), reports fox29.com.

The collision happened near the intersection of Washington Lane and Stenton Avenue around 6 a.m., police officials say. The cause is still being investigated.

The aftermath showed a silver car with heavy front-end damage and a fire apparatus that veered off the road, the report says.

SUN PRAIRIE, WI – After eight years of planning, Fort St. John Fire Department now has a world-class training structure. Complete with two burn rooms, The Deputy Chief tower allows for different training scenarios — including fire suppression, smoke saturation and fire ground survival. These are all important training needs because the much-travelled Alaska Highway runs right through the Fort St. John jurisdiction.

The largest city in northeastern British Columbia, Fort St. John has a solid base in the oil, natural gas, forestry and agriculture arenas. The combination means that the 31-person fire department must be ready to respond to extremely unique scenarios. These can include big rig incidents, wildfires, and accidents related to transportation of dangerous/hazardous materials.

Customized Training Tower

Designed by Fire Facilities Inc. to meet the specific needs of the Fort St. John Fire Department, The Deputy Chief features a 30-foot tall training tower (for rappelling and laddering) plus four working deck levels. Burn rooms are located on the first and second floors.

“During our planning stage we looked at several different styles of training facilities from a variety of manufacturers,” says Director of Public Safety/Fire Chief Darrell Blades with the Fort St. John Fire Department. “We developed our design criteria, then went through a Request for Proposal process. Fire Facilities was the company that clearly was able to meet the depth of our training needs.”