Mitchell Willetts – Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)

A Missouri fire department is heartbroken after a 16-year-old volunteer was killed while responding to a rescue call, officials and news outlets report.

The teen volunteer firefighter, Chevy Gall, was driving to the scene of a water rescue at 4:15 p.m. Friday, April 4, when he got into a fatal accident in Franklin County, the Beaufort-Leslie Fire Protection District said in a news release.

“Tonight is a fire chief’s worst nightmare,” Fire Chief Terry Feth said in the release.

According to a State Highway Patrol crash report, Gall was driving on Highway 50 when, for an unknown reason, his car crossed into an oncoming lane and crashed into the front of a cargo van.

The driver of the van suffered minor injuries. Gall was taken to a hospital where he died, according to the report. Gall was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

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“Chevy died while answering the call to help others,” Feth said. “Our entire department is grieving, as we mourn with Chevy’s family, friends, and our fellow first responders during this incredibly difficult time.”

Beaufort and the surrounding area was under heavy rainfall at the time of the crash, Franklin County Emergency Manager Abe Cook told KSDK.

“It’s a dangerous situation” when first responders have to get somewhere quickly in bad weather, he said.

“Chevy’s passing leaves behind his loving parents and two siblings, who are engulfed in grief,” the Chief Mason Griffith Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping first responders, said in a Facebook post. “This unimaginable situation has cast a shadow over our entire community, reminding us of the tremendous sacrifices our first responders make every day.”

Beaufort is a roughly 60-mile drive southwest from St. Louis.

© 2025 the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.). Visit www.mercedsunstar.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The post MO Firefighter, 16, Killed in Crash Responding to Water Rescue appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Polaris introduces two new Fire and Rescue skids; current line-up of fire and rescue UTVs featuring QTAC skids on display at FDIC International

MINNEAPOLIS (April 7, 2025) – As wildfire response and emergency rescue demands grow, ensuring first responders have the right tools at their disposal is more critical than ever. Polaris Government and Defense has supported fire and rescue operations for decades, providing off-road vehicles and job-specific accessories that enhance traditional apparatus fleets – helping departments increase mobility and reduce response times in remote areas and during disaster response. Expanding its portfolio of purpose-built solutions, Polaris introduces two new QTAC^® firefighting skids from MTECH, Inc.: the 9HP Fire & Rescue and Ultra High Pressure (UHP) Firefighting Skids, validated for RANGER XD 1500, RANGER XP 1000 and RANGER XP Kinetic.

“It is imperative that fire and emergency teams respond with confidence, and that means having the right equipment to get the job done efficiently and effectively,” said Tony Stanley, business development, Polaris Government and Defense. “Polaris continues to drive innovation in emergency response mobility. The introduction of our new firefighting skids, alongside our proven lineup of fire and rescue UTVs and turn-key packages, furthers our commitment to equipping first responders with high-performance, mission-ready solutions.”

With new legislation proposing increased funding and resources – including response time standards – highly mobile, rapidly deployable emergency vehicles are essential. Polaris fire and rescue UTVs are designed to meet this need, improving response time and extending reach without compromising mobility, budget or effectiveness. When equipped with fully validated QTAC skids, these vehicles offer integrated water transport, pump and hose systems and patient transport solutions.

New QTAC^® Fire & Rescue Skid Offerings for RANGER Vehicles
The QTAC 75UHP Firefighting Skid delivers powerful fire suppression in a compact, cost-effective package, utilizing ultra-high-pressure (UHP) pump technology originally developed by the U.S. Air Force. With a flow rate of 6.7 GPM at 1,200 psi, it maximizes efficiency, providing 11 minutes of continuous firefighting on a single 75-gallon tank. Built from impact-resistant, non-corrosive copolymer, it features a 2.5-gallon foam cell, an electric UHP technology offers key advantages over traditional centrifugal systems, including smaller water droplets that convert to steam faster for efficient heat transfer, reduced water consumption to minimize damage and enhanced foam penetration to cut off the fire’s fuel source and prevent re-ignition.

TheQTAC 9HP Fire and Rescue Skid is a UTV EMS firefighting system featuring a unique, flip-down rescue litter platform. This convertible design maintains a compact footprint while utilizing a 60-gallon welded-copolymer tank. When secured in the down position, the platform accommodates a full-size rescue litter and when folded, it remains compact enough to allow the tailgate of a standard short-bed UTV to close. Equipped with a 9HP pump with a standard electric start, the skid ensures reliable water delivery and the capability to draft from an auxiliary water source.

Manufactured by MTECH, Inc., QTAC fire and rescue skids are specially integrated on Polaris RANGER utility vehicles, with a purposely designed mounting system from Polaris – allowing for easy install and removal of the skid with no drilling or modifying of the UTV. QTAC skids are built with PolyTough® construction, a lightweight ultra durable material that withstands extreme temperature

This month, we will continue with our series of helpful hints, consisting of applications, approaches, and tactical techniques for using thermal imaging. As with anything that we do in the fire service, proficiency only happens with continuous practice.

• Helpful Hints for Thermal Imaging, Part 1
• Helpful Hints for Thermal Imaging, Part 2

HAZMAT

A thermal imager (TI) is a great tool to help you determine any type of product levels in containers and vessels, spills, and container leakage. Note: There may be two instances in which the TI would not be able to determine any product levels: (1) If the TI does not detect anything, the containers might be empty or filled right to the top. There needs to be air space for the TI to make any type of temperature determination. (2) The containers must be single walled and noninsulated. If they are double walled or insulated, the TI cannot detect anything. If it is inconclusive, always weigh on the side of error and caution and consider that the container is full until proven otherwise.

SIZE-UP

Most fire departments are consumed with arriving on scene and establishing a water supply. They frequently overlook the value of a TI for external size-up. When a working fire is declared, a quick glance prior to making entry may be very telling. Use a TI to help you determine the location and severity of the fire; spot thermal clues; and identify flow paths, the lowest level of burning (above or below grade), failing windows, doors, or building envelope.

Note: National Fire Protection Association 1801, Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service (2021 ed.), does not allow the use of spot temperature measurement in Basic Mode, only in Basic Plus Mode because of its inaccuracy. If your TI does display a spot temperature measurement, look at what the TI is showing you in terms of image interpretation before making any tactical decisions.

1 A 45-gallon drum with detection of product level. (Photos courtesy of Bullard.)

2 Size-up indicates a hot and a cold window.

3 The TI shows yellow, orange, red, and crimson red colorization.

4 Reflectance from a burn barrel can been seen on shiny steel walls and floor.

5 A victim’s image and heat signature are detected under the bed covers.

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