The McDowell News, Marion, N.C.
(TNS)

On Monday, April 14, the Marion Fire Department added two new fire trucks to its fleet with a push-in ceremony.

The trucks have the latest technology, safety features and up-to-date life-saving equipment, said Acting Fire Chief Corey Presnell.

The ceremony was held at the fire station with Marion Mayor Steve Little, McDowell County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tony Brown and Presnell speaking. After the speeches, members of the fire department, city council, the county commission and city and county staff joined together to push the new fire trucks into the station.

The tradition of pushing a new fire truck into the station is a symbolic gesture that dates back to the era of horse-drawn fire apparatus when firefighters would manually push the apparatus back into the station after each call, according to a news release from the Marion Fire Department.

The delivery of the fire trucks was delayed by COVID-19 and material availability challenges. The project originated in 2021, with Marion firefighters collaborating with Safe Industries to develop trucks tailored to the Marion Fire Department’s needs, according to the department. After finalizing the specifications, the proposal was presented to both the Marion City Council and the McDowell County Commissioners in the fall of 2022, both of which approved the purchase.

In 2022, the city said the total estimated cost of the fully equipped trucks was $1,585,000, including equipment.

The city of Marion received $500,000 in state-appropriated funds to help with the purchase. The remaining project costs were secured through financing.

During the ceremony, Presnell said, “This is a special moment for us at the fire department. New fire trucks don’t come often, as most have a life span of 20-plus years, and to be able to receive two new ones at once is a huge deal. These men and women who ride these trucks work hard every day to serve and protect our citizens and having the right equipment to do their job is so important. We are very thankful for the support we receive, and it means a lot to these firefighters knowing they have your full support.”

After the ceremony, both trucks were officially placed in service and began responding to emergency calls, according to the news release.

In March, the city council approved the purchase of a new tanker truck for the Marion Fire Department. It will cost more than $450,000, according to the city. The first payment will be in 2027.

© 2025 The McDowell News, Marion, N.C.. Visit www.mcdowellnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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N.J. Community News
nj.com
(TNS)

The Rahway City Council has approved the purchase of a new state-of-the-art fire pumper truck. The resolution, passed during the April 14 meeting, authorizes a contract agreement with Spartan Motors, a vendor of the Sourcewell Cooperative Pricing System, for an amount not exceeding $884,610.

The new Spartan ER Extreme Duty Pumper is set to replace the current pumper truck, which, while still functional, is nearing the end of its recommended 15-year lifespan. By proactively ordering the new truck, the city aims to “ensure a seamless transition and maintain optimal service and safety standards.” This replacement will help preserve quick response times and safeguard the city’s fire safety rating, which can impact homeowners’ insurance costs.

Mayor Raymond Giacobbe emphasized the significance of this investment, stating, “This isn’t just about getting a new truck. It’s about protecting our residents and giving our firefighters the tools they need to do their job safely and effectively. When we invest in equipment like this, we’re investing directly in our community’s well-being.”

Pumper trucks play a crucial role in firefighting operations, transporting water, hoses, and tools to the scene of a fire, enabling firefighters to respond swiftly and efficiently. The ER Extreme Duty Pumper is designed for “reliability, advanced safety features, and high-performance operation under extreme conditions.” The new truck is expected to be delivered next summer.

The acquisition of the new pumper truck is part of a broader initiative to modernize and support Rahway’s public service departments. “Our city’s future depends on making smart, timely investments—whether that’s in public safety, infrastructure, or community programs,” Giacobbe said.

As the city progresses with the order and delivery timeline, residents can anticipate updates on the arrival of the new fire pumper truck.

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Submit Union County community news to union@njadvancemedia.com.

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Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.

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

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On April 3, 2025, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Disaster Management, sent a letter to the CEOs of REV Group, Oshkosh Corp., and Rosenbauer America requesting information on their order backlogs, an explanation for delayed deliveries, as well as lists of prices for fire apparatus.

The Senators cited an article in the New York Times that covered increased costs and delivery delays that exist in the fire apparatus market currently.

Specifically, the Senators requested the following:

1. An itemization of all delayed deliveries of fire trucks and related equipment.
2. A comprehensive explanation outlining the reasons for these delayed deliveries.
3. A full accounting of prices charged for fire trucks and related equipment, including the change in prices over time.
4. A complete list of complaints [the] firms have received from fire departments seeking remediation.

In addition, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.), have opened a bipartisan investigation and on April 15, 2025, wrote to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) citing reports they received from chiefs in Massachusetts and Indiana regarding delays and price increases and posed several questions to IAFF president Ed Kelly related to these chiefs’ concerns and to better understand the scope of what is going on in the industry today.

Sens. Hawley and Lee asked for answers to their questions by April 16, 2025, and Sens. Warren and Banks gave the IAFF until April 29, 2025, to provide responses to their questions.

Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment requested comments from the three fire apparatus manufacturers. Oshkosh Corporation and Rosenbauer declined to comment. REV Group provided the following statement:

“The recent media coverage suggests that the industry-wide price increases and extended manufacturing lead times for fire trucks are due in sole or large part to market consolidation and lack of competition, which is inaccurate and does not take into consideration the challenges faced by the industry.

“In the last five years, particularly during the pandemic, fire apparatus prices and delivery times have increased across the fire industry in the United States, driven by inflationary pressures, supply chain and labor constraints. At the same time, the industry experienced an unprecedented increase in demand, which accompanied the stimulus provided by the CARES and Inflation Reduction Acts, and greatly increased industry backlogs. With respect to increased demand, according to internal data from the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA), orders for new firefighting vehicles in the United States increased approximately 43%, from an average of 4,169 units a year from 2011–2020, to an average of 5,946 a year from 2021–2023. This occurred at the same time that production was already constrained by the pandemic-related challenges.

“REV Group has been working hard to address these challenges. As reported, REV Group has increased our production throughput for our fire and emergency vehicles by almost 30% in the last two years to help fire departments receive their trucks more quickly. While REV Group continues to offer fully custom vehicles for our customers who want them, we have also established lines of semi-custom vehicles with a modular design. This allows REV Group to deliver a highly capable vehicle to customers at a great value, in industry-leading delivery times of less than one year.

“In summary, the U.S. fire truck industry has faced incredible challenges, and our team has worked hard to overcome these obstacles and are making good progress. We take tremendous pride in providing our n