Springdale has approved spending $630,000 from the fire department’s budget to purchase a new fire engine, reports Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

The cost of the new pumper engine from Emergency Vehicle Specialists is up by about 2% from previous purchases due to the impact of COVID-19 and the scarcity of electronic parts.

Delivery of the new engine is expected in mid-October 2022. The new fire truck will hold 750 gallons of water and will come with the full complement of equipment and hoses.

The fire department has also outgrown Station 4 so the council in May bought 4 acres for $443,000 to build a new fire station.

The Topeka City Council has approved more than $4 million in repairs for multiple fire stations, reports The Topeka Capital-Journal.

One group of fire station repairs lists roof replacements, HVAC work, lighting and fire alarm upgrades, among other items, for an estimated cost of $2.1 million.

Another group of projects estimates $2.5 million in repairs for windows, generators and apparatus, among other items. Engineers also estimate replacing a fire station’s roof that will cost $120,000.

White Oak City Council voted to approve a fire truck purchase as part of the 2022 budget, reports KLTV 7.

The fire department’s main fire engine was built in 1998 and fire officials are ready for a replacement. The new $600,000 truck is expected to arrive in a year or two.

The fire department also has a burn building that was built just last week. The building is made up of four shipping containers and will be used to train firefighters to navigate through a smoke filled building.

MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are helping volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear through MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. Now in its tenth year, the program has provided over $1 million worth of gear to assist volunteer fire departments in need. In 2021, 13 departments will each receive four sets of turnout gear and four helmets to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA.

The latest recipients of MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway are the Midland (PA) Volunteer Fire Department and Springville (TN) Volunteer Fire Department.

Midland Volunteer Fire Department

The Midland Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) is an all-volunteer department located in rural western Pennsylvania. Serving a population of approximately 2,700 over a 2.1 square-mile-area, MVFD responds to an average of 240 calls annually.

Although MVFD has 12 sets of turnout gear, all of the sets are 24 years old and in poor shape. Other personal protective equipment is also either lacking or severely out of date, making it difficult to properly outfit current members and bring on new members. MVFD receives no financial support from the local government and therefore relies entirely on community support. They lack a facility where they could host events, making fundraising difficult. 

 “We are in desperate need of firefighting gear,” said Chief Joseph Ditri. The donation of turnout gear and helmets from MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway will be a game changer for the department by providing critical protection for their dedicated volunteers.

Springville Volunteer Fire Department

Located in the mountains of rural western Tennessee, the Springville Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) protects 20 square miles and a population that can swell to 2,800 during the summer tourist season.

SVFD’s nine volunteers are equipped with out-of-date, worn, and even torn gear that no longer meets NFPA safety standards. Every time SVFD’s volunteers respond to an emergency, they are put at risk due to their outdated gear. Furthermore, due to funding constraints, they are unable to purchase new gear without outside help.

“Receiving this gear would not only allow us to continue to serve our community, but to do it in safer and more secure manner,” said lieutenant Charles Asher. “To know [the volunteers’] equipment will protect them and hold up to the very minimum NFPA requirement will give them much needed relief.”

Additional awards will be made monthly throughout 2021. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site, Dispatch newsletter, and Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as the Globe Facebook page, for additional information and announcements.

###

About MSA
Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous