Reading City Council, at its Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, heard a request for funding three firefighting vehicles from the Reading Fire Department. The estimated cost: $3.5 million, wfmz.com reported.

The request is being made to replace three vehicles due to their age and costly maintenance and repairs, the report said.

A fire official said he was hoping the city would designate money from American Rescue Plan Act funds, according to the report.

A 16-year-old rescue truck, a 15-year-old pumper and a 14-year-old aerial ladder truck need to be replaced, the fire official said. He cited specific incidents when the vehicles broke down during use at emergency calls.

The wait time for the vehicles to be delivered would be anywhere from 18 months to two years, the report said.

There appears to be support for the request from the city council, the report said. A city official said in the past fire apparatus had always been purchased with a combination of capital funds and monies from the state’s Community Development Block Grant. The city official said that would still be the preferred method in order to not draw too much money from remaining ARPA funds.

Yesterday, members of Local 456 delivered this 1897 American LaFrance Steamer to Sacramento Regional Fire Museum. The Museum reached out to us last year about displaying it. Local 456 took the opportunity of delivering this piece of history to a location that all could enjoy. pic.twitter.com/GTnMKeEbym

— Stockton Fire (@stocktonfire) January 18, 2023

From the Twitter account for Stockton (CA) Firefighters Local 456:

“Yesterday, members of Local 456 delivered this 1897 American LaFrance Steamer to Sacramento Regional Fire Museum. The museum reached out to us last year about displaying it. Local 456 took the opportunity of delivering this piece of history to a location that all could enjoy.”

Revere city leaders joined leaders of the Revere Fire Department in unveiling two brand new state-of-the-art fire trucks and a high-water rescue vehicle Tuesday, RevereJournal.com reported.

The two new E-One Typhoon pumpers, Engine 3 and Engine 5, which were purchased by the city for a price of $1.5 million, will be out in service later this week, the report said. These pumpers were designed for firefighting in our crowded urban environment.

The high-water rescue vehicle, which has the capability of motoring through water depths as high as four feet, is also ready for service, according to the report. A new flood-rescue trailer will be able to house four, flood-rescue boats. The vehicle will eventually be situated at the Point of Pines fire station.

A grant from the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) was used in the purchase of the high-water rescue vehicle and the flood-rescue trailer, the report said.

APPLETON, WIS. (January 18, 2023) – Oshkosh Airport Products, a division of Pierce Manufacturing Inc., and a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), announced Ghana Airports Company Limited has taken delivery of two Oshkosh® Airport Products Striker® 6×6 ARFF vehicles. The vehicles will support emergency operations at two of the region’s largest airfields, including Kumasi International Airport and Tamale International Airport, which serve over 600,000 travelers annually. Adding to a full Oshkosh Airport Products fleet, the new ARFF vehicles were delivered in 2022 and offer enhanced features and fleet continuity for ease of operation and efficiency.

“What makes the new Striker ARFF vehicles for Ghana Airports Company’s Kumasi and Tamale International Airports unique is the incredible water, foam, and dry chemical capacities,” said Salim Hawi, Vice President of international sales for Oshkosh Airport Products.

Features of Ghana’s Striker 6×6 ARFF vehicles:

• Deutz 500 Kw (670 BHP) Tier 3 engine
• Water capacity: 12,500 liters (3,302 gallons)
• Foam capacity: 1,750 liters (460 gallons)
• Dry chemical capacity: 250 kg (550 pounds)
• Roof turret: High flow–minimum of 6,000 lpm (1,585 gpm) and low flow of 3,000 lpm (792 gpm)
• Bumper turret: Low flow rate of 2,365 lpm (625 gpm) and high flow of 4,731 lpm (1,250 gpm)

Hawi added, “We are confident the new apparatus will meet Ghana’s international airports’ performance expectations for many years to come. We look forward to continuing to build on the long-standing relationship to provide this dedicated team of emergency responders with dependable apparatus and dedicated training and service support.”

Ghana is a country in West Africa, situated on the coast of the Gulf of New Guinea. The Ghana Airports Company is comprised of six airports: Kotoka International Airport, Kumasi International Airport, Tamale International Airport, Sunyani Airport, Wa Airport, and Ho Airport. The company manages and maintains all airports and airfields in Ghana and is an implementing agency under the Ministry of Transport.

To learn more about Oshkosh Airport Products and Ghana International Airports’ new Striker 6×6 ARFF vehicles, visit www.oshkoshairport.com.

About Oshkosh Airport Products
Oshkosh Airport Products, a division of Pierce Manufacturing Inc., a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), is a designer and builder of industry-leading airport firefighting vehicles. Its flagship Striker® Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles are known for their durability and superior performance and sol