Madison Safety & Flow adds provider of portable fire pumps to its fire safety offering

January 26, 2023 — CHICAGO, IL – Madison Industries, one of the world’s largest privately held companies has made a significant investment in WATERAX, a leading manufacturer of lightweight portable fire pumps. WATERAX bolsters Madison’s Safety & Flow offering, making it one of the largest providers of firefighter equipment and rescue tools in the world today.

“WATERAX fits perfectly with the Madison mission; to make the world safer, healthier and more productive,” said Kris Howard, President and CEO of Madison Safety & Flow. “The team that built WATERAX into what it is today are joining our team of over 20,000 entrepreneurs who are building a truly remarkable business. We live in a world where firefighters need lighter, more powerful portable tools to fight remote fires and WATERAX has the world’s leading solution. We are proud of our companies who are equipping firefighters with state-of-the-art tools to be more effective in their jobs.”

WATERAX’s mission is to place powerful, precision engineered lightweight portable pumps into the hands of wildland firefighters to move water to protect our forests and communities from the ravages of wildfires. Roughly 60,000 wildfires burn 8 million acres in the U.S. each year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). That number is projected to grow significantly over the next 20 years.

“We’re very excited about this partnership as it will enable WATERAX to launch truly revolutionary technology with a focus on our core elements of the portfolio, our mission-critical portable fire pump platforms”, said Raffaele Gerbasi, President of WATERAX. “We couldn’t be more excited to join the Madison team.”

Read the features and news on fire trucks and fire equipment from the February 2023 issue of Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment magazine.

The Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen examined designs for the proposed Fire Station 4 this week, which staff promises to be a much-needed upgrade to the fire department’s growing needs, ColumbiaDailyHerald.com reported.

The need for a new station has been in the works for many years, beginning around 2018-2019, the report said. The station is expected to open and be fully operational at the corner of Duplex and Buckner roads by November of 2024.

The new 17,023 square-foot station’s proposed design, created by Renaissance Group consulting firm, will keep the traditional fire hall look and feel, but with a whole lot more resources available for staff, as well as office space for Spring Hill Police personnel, the report said. This includes individual dorm rooms for staff, four drive-thru bays, spaces for training and an in-house gym.

Other features include a commercial kitchen, as well as a conference room that doubles as an emergency storm shelter, according to the report.

The project is expected to break ground in October, with a construction cost estimated at $6 million, the report said.

The Brewton City Council approved $668,000 Monday for the purchase of a new fire engine for the fire department to replace a 25-year-old engine still in service, brewtonstandard.com reported.

“This will be a much needed addition to our fleet! Stay tuned for pictures in the near future as customization nears completion. We would like to thank the City Council for their continued commitment to public safety,” according to a Brewton Fire Department Facebook post.

A city official said the delivery of the 2023 fully-equipped truck would take 45-60 days, according to the report.

A fire official said the price of the stock truck was the best he had seen, the report said.