On the heels of about three months in the shop, the Venango (NE) Volunteer Fire Department’s new apparatus—V29: a 2015 Ford F-550, which will be used as a Type 6 grass rig aimed at quick attacks on grass fires—has been put into service reports granttribune.com.

Fire officials have been working on bringing the apparatus to the department for about five years now, and, for the last few years, the Rural Fire Board has been allocating money in the budget for it.

Officials say the rig is lightweight, quick, agile, and good for getting into tight spaces.

Estimates have the new rig costing about $90,000, including the truck itself and the equipment and work performed on the bed.

The Gloucester Township (NJ) fire district will hold a push-in ceremony for its new apparatus—Squad 88, a 2021 Pierce 1,500-gpm rescue-pumper—tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the firehouse at 1450 Blackwood Clementon Rd., reports NJ.com.

The ceremony will conclude after an apparatus procession to the Chews Landing Firehouse—Squad 88’s new home—at 43 Somerdale Rd.

Squad 88 has been assigned to the township’s first 24/7/365 on-duty engine company, covering the Chews Landing and Blackwood districts while also providing mutual aid for the township’s four other fire districts as well as other surrounding communities, the report notes.

The new apparatus was designed by a committee of fire officials and firefighters from the Chews Landing and Blackwood districts.

Squad 88 will replace a 17-year-old pumper, which is now a reserve.

Two Antrim County (MI) firefighters sustained minor injuries after a bridge near the intersection of Alden Highway and Comfort Road collapsed from underneath their apparatus, leaving it dangling off the fallen roadway, reports upnorthlive.com.

The collapse happened Wednesday morning just prior to 1 a.m., as severe thunderstorms came pouring down.

One firefighter was treated on scene for injuries, while the other was taken to the hospital—both are expected to be fine.

Puget Sound (WA) Fire recently dedicated a new $1.5 million ladder truck that will be based at Station 74, reports kentreporter.com.

The new apparatus, designed with enhanced safety features, replaces a ladder that went into service in 2007 and is just shy of 95,000 miles; the predecessor will be put into reserve status. Both trucks are Pierce-built.

Officials say ladder trucks usually spend 15 years in front-line service and five years as a reserve.

Puget Sound Fire has an apparatus replacement fund in the capital budget that allows for the planned replacement of rigs, the report notes.