According to a report from Yahoo News, the Owens Volunteer Fire Department (OVFD) in Athens, Alabama, is looking to turn an old ballfield at the old Owens Elementary School campus on Alabama 99 into the site for their new station.

At Tuesday’s Limestone County Board of Education session, Owens Volunteer Fire Department said they have an idea for another part of the site—turning the old ballfield into a new fire station for the department.

Tommy Toone an OVFD member and emergency medical technician and paramedic said that the department has been looking for land for the past several years on which to build a new station, saying the department has outgrown its station.

Toone also said the former school site is ideal because it’s on a stretch of the highway with a turn lane as well as a hydrant at the site. Additionally, they believe an area they can convert an area near a hill into a new community storm shelter.

Toone and OVFD Chief Andy Pylant said the current storm shelter is in such disrepair that it would be easier and more cost-effective to get a grant for a new station.

Finally, building a new fire station and storm shelter would mean clearing the area to such a degree that a helipad could be installed, meaning first responders wouldn’t have to transport medical or trauma patients all the way into Athens.

Town Board member Bradley Young said he needed a more detailed layout of the OVFD’s plans for the land and how much area would be needed for the station before he could fully commit to it.

The post AL’s Owens Volunteer Fire Department Wants School Site for New Station appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

CMC and Harken Industrial recently announced the launch of the new CLUTCH for 12.5 – 13 mm (1/2 in) rope. Developed for intuitive operation and optimal control, this multi-purpose device was designed and engineered in collaboration by two companies with a collective 90-year history in rope management under heavy loads: CMC, a company with roots in rescue and rope access, and Harken Industrial, a manufacturing company with roots in high-performance sailing.

The CLUTCH is the latest evolution in rope hardware. Now available in 13 mm and 11 mm models, the CLUTCH delivers efficiency and ease of use in a multitude of rigging operations including hauling, lowering, descending, ascending, belaying, and TTRS. The CLUTCH offers unmatched versatility for the rope technician through its patented design and components:

• Stainless steel ratcheting and rotating sheave for efficient progress capture.
• Double-latched side plate independent from the attachment point.
• Anti-Panic brake and force limiting features for operational safety.
• Machined aluminum chassis clad with stainless steel wear guards.
• Integrated becket for direct connection of mechanical advantage components.
• Does the work of multiple devices: reducing cost, weight, volume, and training time.
• Both models are certified to NFPA (G) and ANSI. The 11 mm is also CE marked.

Jason Lusk, Director of Product Strategy for CMC says, “We are committed to helping our professional rope rescue and rope access customers do more with less while improving safety in the vertical environment. The CLUTCH is our testament to that objective and is now available in a version that is applicable to 12.5 mm (1/2 in) rope. Together with the 11 mm (7/16 in) version, the CLUTCH is available to the global rope professional. It is robust, efficient, intuitive and its development was inspired by our customers.”

Sean Cogan, Industrial Sales Manager for Harken Industrial adds, “The CLUTCH is a result of a successful collaborative effort between each company’s engineering/design team and end customers. The CLUTCH allows existing techniques to be possible with less equipment, while allowing development of new techniques because of its versatility and performance. Whatever technique or diameter rope your team calls for, the CLUTCH is adept at progressing rescue and access operational efficiency.” 

Both the 13 mm Red CLUTCH and 11 mm Gray CLUTCH are available from CMC (cmcpro.com) and Harken Industrial (harkenindustrial.com). To learn more about the CLUTCH, and to stay up-to-date on the latest product news, visit https://www.cmcpro.com/clutch.

The post CMC, Harken Industrial Announce the Launch of the 13mm CLUTCH Multi-purpose Device appeared first on Fire Apparatus.

PIERCE—Oak Hill Fire Department, Morgantown, NC, pumper-tanker. Kenworth T800 cab and chassis; Paccar X15 505-hp engine; 3,800-gallon polished aluminum water tank; two Zico electric swing down portable tank brackets with a 4,000-gallon portable tank with quick dump in each; Insta-Chain automatic tire chains. Dealer: Larry Reber, Firovac Power Systems, Apple Creek, OH.

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According to a report from The Morning Journal, the Vermillion Township (OH) Fire Department (VTFD) is still working hard to consider itself completely moved in to Fire Station No. 1. Located on the corner of Douglas Street and Devon Drive, the new station opened on February 22, and it’s been “smooth sailing” ever since, said , it’s been smooth sailing, said VTFD Chief Chris Stempowski.

During a March 8 City Council Health and Safety Committee meeting, Stempowski said that firefighters and personnel have begun operating out of the new station the day that the IT department completed communication services in the building.

As of this week, the original Fire Station No. 1, located at 5467 Ohio Street, is 80 percent vacant. The VTFD is working to move equipment from Station No. 2 at the city’s service center.

Stempowski said the VTFD is working on getting an outbuilding for the new station for storage.

The post Vermilion Township (OH) Fire Department Moves Into New Station appeared first on Fire Apparatus.