FORT WORTH (NBCDFW.com) - A Union Pacific freight train carrying ethanol careened off its tracks in a Fort Worth neighborhood Wednesday and burst into flames, prompting an evacuation of nearby homes and a hazardous materials response.

It happened at about 12:40 a.m. near the 3200 block of Yuma Street, on the city's southeast side and near Echo Lake. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating, said about 20 rail cars derailed and five tank cars caught fire.

Meanwhile, a Fort Worth Fire Department mobile command unit responding to the scene caught fire after its tower camera came into contact with overhead power lines, firefighters said. No one was hurt, but the truck was destroyed. Bought in 2008, it cost $1.25 million, the department said. MORE

AUSTIN, Texas, April 25, 2019 – ESO, the leading data and software company serving emergency medical services (EMS), fire departments and hospitals, today announced the acquisition of eCore Software. The acquisition will extend ESO’s broad product portfolio and provide a one-stop shop to fulfill the needs of most EMS agencies and fire departments. ESO will retain eCore’s office in Dallas.

“The addition of eCore to our portfolio gives our customers access to a comprehensive suite of tools to help them improve efficiency all while focusing on what’s important – using software and data to improve the health and safety of their communities,” said Chris Dillie, President and CEO of ESO. “We believe this data Is critical to help our customers manage work hours, paramedic and firefighter mental health, as well as other related topics.”

eCore provides an all-encompassing tool that delivers employee schedule management, online time clock and attendance, as well as payroll control. The software quickly generates and distributes employee schedules while providing channels to receive feedback from employees, as well as ensures that information is up-to-date and exact. The time and attendance solution allows organizations to compare posted schedules to actual attendance

“We’re excited to be a part of the ESO family,” said Steven Turner, Executive Vice President from eCore Software. “ESO is driving the industry forward with its innovative approach to software and data insights, and we feel our scheduling platform can play a key role in helping organizations gain operational efficiencies while delivering quality care in their communities.”

eCore, founded in 1998, is based in Dallas, Texas and has been providing value to public service organizations like EMS operations and fire departments since that time.

About ESO
ESO is dedicated to improving community health and safety through the power of data. Since its founding in 2004, the company continues to pioneer innovative, user-friendly software to meet the changing needs of today’s EMS agencies, fire departments, and hospitals. ESO currently serves more than 10,000 customers throughout North America with a broad software portfolio, including the industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR), the next generation ePCR; ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), the first-of-its-kind healthcare interoperability platform; ESO Fire and ESO FIREHOUSE Software for fire departments; and ambulance revenue recovery/billing software. ESO is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.eso.com.

The Charlotte (NC) Fire Department needed an apparatus as versatile as the department’s duties when specing its two new heavy rescue units. Charlotte chose to build its two trucks on 25-foot SVI stainless-steel bodies, each mounted on a Spartan four-door chassis with a  600-hp Cummins X15 engine. These two trucks feature UNI DOT 6,000-psi storage, a Will-Burt Night Scan light tower, a Bauer BP25 25CFM 6,000-psi compressor, a Samsung  24″ LED smart TV, OnScene LED compartment lighting with cargo slides, and a rear compartment under the stair walkway with powered lift door.

Spartan’s IPS-NXT offers first responders a powerful rescue-pumper combination with a compact design, making it a versatile vehicle. Its tight turn radius, short wheelbase, high horsepower, compact external cab dimension (available in a 94-inch cab), and maximum water flows provide a balanced and high performing platform for urban, suburban, or rural operations. The IPS-NXT provides departments with a multifunctional pumper without compromising high-flow pump capacity. 

Designed with a low-profile pump located behind the cab under the seating extension, the IPS-NXT offers added room and storage options in an already spacious cab. Its nonproprietary market-proven pump is available with PTO or split-shaft pump in single or two-stage operation with parts readily available, minimizing cost and maximizing options.

The IPS-NXT provides the capabilities of a large pumper with the versatility of a rescue unit, yet its smaller footprint makes it easier to maneuver in tight spaces. Its engine is a Cummins X12 with up to 600 hp; 500 hp in a narrow cab. The truck is also customizable to provide lower flows and alternate engine packages and other characteristics to tailor to the changing needs of the departments it will serve.

According to Wyatt Compton, fleet application engineer, the unit packages together a large pump, short wheelbase, and a low hosebed.

Options include:

• Available on a narrow cab with high horsepower engine
• Full-body pump with single and two-stage operation
• Up to 2,250-gpm pump capacity
• Cramp angles of up to 53°
• Short and medium wheelbase configurations
• Maximized compartment space
• Simplified pump access for easy maintenance
• Ergonomic controls and easy access to hose & equipment

For more information, visit www.emergencyresponse.spartanmotors.com.