The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $3.51 million to equip, rebuild, and modernize essential services in rural Kansas, reports ksal.com, with $565,000 going to fire departments in Mount Pleasant Township and the cities of Humboldt and Altamont.

The specifics include:

• Altamont– A $260,000 loan will be used to purchase a commercial truck for use by the city of Altamont and Mount Pleasant Township. The apparatus will replace the old 1995 truck which has reached the end of its useful life.
• Humboldt– A $50,000 grant and a $255,000 loan will be used to purchase a custom pumper. The new, foam-ready apparatus is a diesel, automatic transmission with twice the equipment storage capacity as its 27-year-old predecessor. In addition, it is foam ready.

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The public is invited to help celebrate the opening of Franklin (TN) Fire Department’s Station 7 in southeast Franklin on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 from 3-5 p.m.

The event will include a hose-uncoupling ceremony and a traditional wet-down ceremony, with children and adults invited to help wash the trucks and place them into service.

Located next to the Williamson County Ag Expo Center at 1972 John Fitzgerald Dr., Station 7 is the first Franklin station to include an ambulance wing, which was funded by Williamson County and is staffed by Williamson Medical Center EMS personnel. It replaces temporary Station 7—a mobile home which was established in 2014 as an emergency measure.

Memphis-based architecture firm Renaissance Group was awarded in January 2018 a $244,000 contract to provide engineering and design consulting services for Station 7. In November 2018, Southland Constructors, Inc., was awarded a $6,671,000 contract to construct the new digs, construct the new road, and complete hillside grading to accommodate both.

The new road that leads to the station—John Fitzgerald Drive—is named in honor of the retired Franklin Fire Assistant Chief; Fitzgerald was the department’s first paid, career, African American firefighter. He served in nearly every position, and, when he retired in 2006, he was Battalion Chief of B-shift. He’ll be present at the ceremony. Station 7’s address commemorates the year that Fitzgerald was hired.

Marion County (FL) Fire Rescue (MCFR) recently held a push-in ceremony for Ladder 2, its new E-ONE ladder truck, at Belleview’s Station 18.

“Alot of work has gone into budgeting, designing, outfitting and acquiring Ladder 2,” MCFR wrote on Facebook. “Having a Truck Company, Engine Company and 2 rescues at Station 18 will enhance the services that we provide to our citizens. Marion County Fire Rescue would like to thank our citizens and the Board of County Commissioners for the trust you instill in our department.”