WOODRIDGE, Ill.(September 2021) After 32 years, Gary Gerstenslager, President and CEO of Hendrickson announced his retirement at the end of the year.  Gerstenslager joined Hendrickson in 1989, and his passion, technical knowledge, and drive for excellence lead to a transformation in product design and manufacturing which permeates all of Hendrickson today.

“Gerstenslager became President in 2006, and in 2007, became the first CEO, in addition to President, in Hendrickson’s history. Gary embraced this role and over his 15 years as President turned Hendrickson from an important supplier within the NAFTA commercial vehicle into a leading global supplier,” Stated Matthew Boler, Chairman, President and CEO of The Boler Company, parent company of Hendrickson.

“Hendrickson is committed to a seamless leadership transition, and we are pleased to announce Matt Joy will assume Gary’s responsibilities and be promoted as the fifth President and second CEO in Hendrickson’s history, effective January 1, 2022,” added Boler. 

Matt joined Hendrickson in 2006 and has been instrumental in the on-going transition of the company, eventually moving through several successive roles as Vice President/General Manager of the Specialty Products Group, Vice President/General Manager of the Truck Division, and, since January 2020 as the Chief Operating Officer for Hendrickson.

Hendrickson is fortunate as a company to have two great leaders to transition this important role. Both are passionate about the company, its employees, and our valued customers.

Hendrickson, a Boler company, is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of medium- and heavy-duty mechanical, elastomeric and air suspensions; integrated and non-integrated axle and brakes systems; tire pressure control systems; auxiliary lift axle systems; parabolic and multi-leaf springs; stabilizers; bumpers; and components to the global commercial transportation industry. Hendrickson, based in Woodridge, Ill., USA, continues to meet the needs of the transportation industry for more than 105 years. Visit Hendrickson at www.hendrickson-intl.com.

Volunteer firefighters who are also National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) members have one final chance to enter to win a personalized MSA Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet. This is the last of three helmets that will be given in 2021.

The jet-style design of the Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet reduces snag hazards, provides a personalized fit, and houses its own integrated light module. Plus, the soft goods are removable, washable, and replaceable, helping firefighters align with cancer awareness programs as written by the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. Approvals include NFPA 1971-2018 Structural Firefighting and NFPA 1951-2013 Rescue and Recovery.

To be eligible to enter, applicants must be an active U.S. volunteer firefighter and a member of the NVFC; learn about member benefits and join at www.nvfc.org/join. One recipient will be randomly selected to receive the helmet.

The entry period is open now through September 30, 2021. Learn more and enter to win at www.nvfc.org/helmet.

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About MSA

At MSA, our business is safety. Our commitment to developing innovative safety solutions is founded on one singular and unchanging mission: “that men and women may work in safety, and that they, their families and their communities may live in health throughout the world.” Our core fire service products include the revolutionary G1 SCBA, Cairns® fire helmets, Globe® turnout gear and boots, Altair® portable gas detection instruments, and Evolution® TICs. For more information, visit MSAfire.com.

About the NVFC

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical resources, programs, education, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org.

The Watertown (NY) International Airport’s new $6 million firefighting facility is about 99% complete, reports nny360.com.

Airport officials say the new Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) building just needs a few final touchups, which are already in progress. Construction began last June.

The building houses the airport’s firefighting equipment, maintenance equipment, and serves as an operational base for the airport’s maintenance staff, the report says.

The hangar meets all FAA and National Fire Protection Agency requirements, officials say, and allows crews to reach any point on the runways within three minutes.

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Owned and operated by Jefferson County, the Watertown International Airport houses nine trained firefighters who all work at the airport in other capacities.

The ARFF building has high-capacity filling pumps for the airport’s two engines; the main hangar has a high-capacity ventilation system; there’s a decontamination room; there’s a training room where new hires can learn any of the 75 subjects an airport firefighter must know; and bunks for long-term stays, the report says.

The new digs also features the airport’s first full, commercial-grade kitchen, while there’s a plan brewing to add an air ambulance hangar.

The facility was built using 97.5% state and federal grant money; the 2.5% that had to come from Jefferson County itself was entirely from airport-generated revenue.

A tour of the newest fire station for the South San Joaquin County (CA) Fire District was held on Saturday as Station 95 opened its doors for a public viewing, according to a report published by Tracy Press.

The newspaper reported that the $6.6 million station, which was paid mostly by developers’ fees, was the first new additional station to open in the district in the past 20 years.

During the event, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the public was allowed to tour the 7,065 square foot facility and saw the kitchen with separate refrigerators for each shift and the hot-warm-cold areas of the station, according to the newspaper.

By design, firefighters and equipment will enter the building on the west side of the building in the “hot” area for decontamination and then into the “warm” area where the trucks and gear are stored before heading into the cold zone where bedrooms, the kitchen and offices are located, the paper reported.

The new fire station is one of seven in the district which was formed in 1999 by a merger of Tracy Fire Department and Tracy Rural County Fire Protection District, according to the newspaper report.

A tour of the newest fire station for the South San Joaquin County (CA) Fire District was held on Saturday as Station 95 opened its doors for a public viewing, according to a report published by Tracy Press.

The newspaper reported that the $6.6 million station, which was paid mostly by developers’ fees, was the first new additional station to open in the district in the past 20 years.

During the event, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the public was allowed to tour the 7,065 square foot facility and saw the kitchen with separate refrigerators for each shift and the hot-warm-cold areas of the station, according to the newspaper.

By design, firefighters and equipment will enter the building on the west side of the building in the “hot” area for decontamination and then into the “warm” area where the trucks and gear are stored before heading into the cold zone where bedrooms, the kitchen and offices are located, the paper reported.

The new fire station is one of seven in the district which was formed in 1999 by a merger of Tracy Fire Department and Tracy Rural County Fire Protection District, according to the newspaper report.