The Decorah (IA) Volunteer Fire Department is making progress toward a new fire station, reports decorahnewspapers.com. 

Council members recently heard and approved the proposal to contract with Brunton Architect and Engineers of North Mankato (MN) to assist in assessing potential sites. There’s a $2,500 charge per site evaluated, so the Fire Station Committee hopes to narrow the potential sites to a maximum of four.

Related: Video: Drone Assists FD with Ventilation

Originally built in 1959, the Decorah Fire Station has one large bay for trucks and equipment. The second bay was added in 1983. Its cement floor is cracked and falling in, and some areas have settling six to seven inches deep.

The department was assigned the old Kilties building in 2007 to help house extra equipment. There, they have remodeled and added on and are already at maximum capacity. And having equipment at two locations isn’t conducive to fighting fires.

A $1.4 million rear-mount platform aerial was recently put in service by the Sault Ste. Marie (MI) Fire Department.

The 100-foot aerial will replace a 30-year-old 75-foot apparatus, according to a report broadcast by News 9&10.

The new apparatus has controls checked by computer to limit human error, the television station reported.

It’s expected that all firefighters on the department will be trained on its operations and everyone will be able to drive and operate it after lessons have been completed, the station reported.

The new truck is expected to be in the community’s July Fourth parade and in service by the end of next week, according to 9&10 News.  

The fire truck will be in the Fourth of July parade in Sault Ste. Marie Sunday. LaBonte said it should officially be put into service by the end of next week.

Hillsborough (FL) Fire Rescue recently broke ground on its new state-of-the-art Station 45, which aims to provide faster service in Eastern Hillsborough County.

Station 45 will be the headquarters for at least six first responders who will serve the Central Brandon area. The facility will house a fire engine, rescue ambulance, and a battalion chief.

The station will also include cleaning innovations to rid first responders and their gear of cancer-causing contamination.

With a grant and loan, totaling more than $1 million, the Potters Hill (NC) Volunteer Fire Department will replace three aging fire apparatus, according to a newspaper article published by the Duplin Times.

The newspaper reported the fire department received a United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) grant of $375,000 and will be securing a $795,000 loan to replace the three high-mileage fire trucks.

County officials told the newspaper that the USDA Rural Development and the Volunteer Fire Department Fund are vital programs that help rural communities provide emergency response services.