Joey Oliver
mlive.com
(TNS)

BAY CITY, MI – The city took steps toward repairing a closed fire station on the west side of the Saginaw River.

Commissioners approved a $43,060 professional services agreement Monday, July 7, with Redstone Architects, Inc. of Bingham Farms, Michigan, to determine the scope of work required to reopen the currently defunct Fire Station 5.

The agreement calls on the company to make recommendations and develop plans for the work, and provide estimated costs as needed within 120 days.

The measure passed as part of the consent agenda. There was no discussion.

Redstone has worked on fire stations across Michigan, from municipalities such as Cedar Springs, Monroe and Novi. It was also the group contracted to construct the Genesee County Juvenile Justice Center.

The commission previously passed a resolution to seek bids for potential repairs to Fire Station 5, located at 1209 E. Smith St. In April, a request for proposals was issued to determine the scope of needed work.

By the end of May, the city received four proposals—from Redstone Architects Inc., WTA Architects (Saginaw), Veridus Advisors (Byron Center), and Hobbs + Black (Lansing). Interviews with the firms were held on June 9 and 13. According to city officials, the evaluation focused on each firm’s understanding of project requirements, key personnel, relevant experience, and proposed compensation.

Redstone Architects Inc. received the highest score and has been recommended for the project by city staff.

Fire Station 5, originally built in 1965, was closed on July 15, 2024. Its closure left the city with two fire stations on the east side of the river and one on the west. City officials cited the building’s deteriorating condition and budget constraints as reasons for the closure.

According to Bay City Public Safety Director Caleb Rowell, necessary high- and medium-priority repairs would cost approximately $386,318. Reopening the station would also require an estimated $1.6 million in staffing for the first year, with costs rising to around $2 million by the third year.

Due to limited resources, the city must prioritize which maintenance projects to address. Other fire stations also face infrastructure issues, including one with PFAS contamination. Fire Station 5 has historically had the lowest call volume among the city’s fire facilities, a factor that influenced the decision-making.

High-priority repairs for Station 5 include roof replacement, asbestos abatement, mold and mildew removal, and plumbing upgrades. Medium-priority work includes concrete repairs and carpet removal.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Jackie Martin
The News Herald, Southgate, Mich.
(TNS)

It was a day many had been waiting for, and it brought out a number of local officials to celebrate the occasion.

The Taylor Fire Department has officially rededicated Fire Station No. 2.

A recent rededication ceremony marked a new beginning for the department’s service and completes a $2M project renovating two of the three Taylor fire stations over the past year.

Fire Station No. 2, the larger of the two, is located at 25303 Ecorse Road.

Mayor Tim Woolley was among a large group attending the grand re-opening.

He was joined by Fire Chief Stephen Portis and Deputy Chief Al Young, along with Gerald Thomas and Rhonda Danaj who represented the Taylor Tax Increment Finance Authority.

TIFA was a major driving force behind the project. Also in attendance at the ribbon cutting were firefighters and other city employees.

Portis has been working on this plan since 1990.

He remembers Station No. 3 on Eureka Road opened when he started.

Station No. 2 had opened about eight years before.

At that time, Station 3 was the bigger and newer one. Station No. 2 was the smaller, older and homier one.

“Eventually, Fire Station 2 was expanded and is now the bigger of the two,” Portis said. “The good thing is that with all of these new renovations, which were badly needed, you are just proud to see the growth within the overall department. Unlike other professions, firefighters live and work in their stations.

“They dispatch from their buildings, but they eat and sleep there, too. It’s really important that they have a quality building in which to work. It helps put them in the proper frame of mind.

The fire chief said now that the renovations to Stations No. 2 and 3 are done, the focus will shift to the midtown station at 23345 Goddard Road.

“Renovations will not be as vast as these were, but we’ll need to look at some new flooring and paint,” he said. “It’s very important to stay ahead of these types of maintenance issues.”

© 2025 The News Herald, Southgate, Mich.. Visit www.thenewsherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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The application period for the 2025 DripDrop Hydration Giveback Campaign is now open. For the sixth year, DripDrop has partnered with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to provide 200,000 electrolyte sticks to volunteer fire departments to keep responders hydrated during wildfires, summer heat, long incidents, and more. A total of 1,000 volunteer fire departments will receive 2 cases (200 sticks) each of electrolyte powder.

Firefighters work in high-heat, high-stress environments while wearing hefty gear and carrying heavy equipment. Without the proper precautions, this can lead to dehydration and heat related injuries. DripDrop is fast, proven hydration that works to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes quickly, so responders can perform at their best, both physically and mentally.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with DripDrop electrolyte powder to make sure that volunteer departments have the resources they need to protect their responders from dehydration and avoid heat-related illness and injury,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “Local volunteer departments often have to stretch every penny, and this donation will ensure that they are able to provide critical hydration to those who keep their communities safe.”

“We’re honored to collaborate with the National Volunteer Fire Council for the sixth year in a row to support volunteer fire departments across the U.S.,” said John Shea, Chief Marketing Officer at DripDrop Hydration. “It’s a privilege to have earned the trust of firefighters nationwide, and we’re proud to help power their heroic efforts to ensure their communities stay safe.

The application period closes at 8pm ET on July 22. Apply at www.dripdrop.com/NVFC-2025.

To be eligible to apply, departments must meet the following criteria:

• At least one member of the department must be an active member of the NVFC. Member name and email address used for NVFC portal login must be provided. If you don’t know your member status, click here to find out. Learn about member benefits and join here.
• The department must be over 50% volunteer; paid on-call is considered volunteer.
• The department must be located in the U.S. and legally organized under state law.
• A physical address must be provided for shipping; product cannot be shipped to P.O. Boxes. Entries with a P.O. Box will be disqualified.
• Recipients must use the donation for the benefit of their department and not for any other purpose; cannot be resold.
• Recipients agree that their department name, details from application, and photo may be used in media by DripDrop and the NVFC for the purposes of promoting the program.
• Only one application will be accepted per department; any subsequent applications received for that department are ineligible.
• Please note: Priority consideration will be given to departments that respond to wildfires and those that did not receive a donation in 2024.

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About DripDrop Hydration, PBC

DripDrop is an oral rehydration solution (ORS) invented by Dr. Eduardo Dolhun while on life saving humanitarian aid missions across the globe. It was created for fast hydration in the most challenging circumstances where IVs were not an option. DripDrop is a breakthrough in hydration, designed for both speed and taste to deliver the fastest hydration possible, and is trusted by doctors, firefighters, professional athletes, and the U.S. Military. DripDrop is proven hydration for exercise, heat, performance, travel, sleep, and wellness. As a Public Benefit Corporation, DripDrop is committed to defe

The new Striker 8×8 vehicles will enhance MSP’s fire protection capabilities at one of the nation’s busiest airports.

APPLETON, WIS. (July 8, 2025) – Oshkosh Airport Products, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) business, announced the delivery of three new Striker® 8×8 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicles to serve Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The addition of these state-of-the-art vehicles strengthens MSP’s emergency response capabilities as it supports more than 37 million passengers and over 340,000 aircraft operations each year. This delivery continues a long-standing partnership between the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates MSP, and Oshkosh Airport Products, with the airport maintaining a 100 percent Oshkosh ARFF fleet.

“Our team is proud to support MSP with the delivery of three advanced Striker 8×8 ARFF vehicles, which will provide exceptional firefighting performance for one of the country’s most critical transportation hubs,” said Jack Bermingham, business unit director for Oshkosh Airport Products. “Our decades-long relationship with the MAC is built on trust and performance, and these new units will help protect millions of travelers, airport personnel, and surrounding communities.”

MSP is the 18th busiest airport in the United States for passenger volume and the 21st for aircraft operations. Nestled between the Twin Cities and several suburban communities, MSP operates with a single airfield, four runways, and two terminal buildings. The airport’s fire department is staffed by 55 full-time firefighters who respond to more than 3,000 emergency calls annually, covering the airfield, adjacent roadways, rivers, and public spaces. The new Striker 8×8 vehicles provide impressive suppression power and functionality, helping the department meet the unique operational and geographic demands of the airport.

Striker 8×8 ARFF Vehicle Features and Capabilities

The three Striker 8×8 ARFF vehicles delivered to MSP include the following key features:

• Twin Scania DC16 V8, 770 HP, Tier 4F engines
• 4,500-gallon water tank
• 630-gallon foam tank
• 500 lb. dry chemical system
• 460 lb. Halotron system
• 65-foot Snozzle® high-reach extendable turret
• Low attack bumper turret
• Under-truck nozzles
• Electronic foam proportioning system with Oshkosh ECO-EFP™ foam testing system
• Boot wash decontamination hose
• Roof-mounted electric ladder gantry system
• Digital video recorder and integrated power unit

These vehicles are designed to provide rapid response and comprehensive fire suppression coverage across MSP’s airfield. The large foam tanks and advanced turret capabilities offer responders great flexibility during critical incidents, while onboard systems like ECO-EFP™ support sustainable training and maintenance practices.

Bermingham continued, “The delivery of these vehicles marks another milestone in MSP’s ongoing investments in infrastructure and emergency services. The Striker 8×8 vehicles will serve as a vital resource for years to come, supporting the airport’s mission to provide world-class safety and service.”

For more information about Oshkosh Airport Products and the new Striker 8×8 ARFF vehicles at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, visit www.oshkoshairport.com.

About Oshkosh Airport Products

Oshkosh Airport Products, a division of Pierce Manufacturing Inc., a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corpora