PRESS RELEASE

The Greenwood Fire Department (GFD) held a “Push-In” ceremony for its new Seagrave tractor-drawn aerial tiller truck Friday, Oct. 4.

The new tiller truck features Seagrave’s Marauder cab and a 100-foot ladder, equipped with Holmatro extrication equipment, a winch, and a comprehensive array of rescue tools previously housed on GFD’s Rescue 91.

Capt. Todd Brooks of GFD Ladder 91, who has dedicated nearly 32 years to the department, said, “The increase in compartment space allows us to put all the rescue equipment on this one piece of apparatus, allowing it to be available all the time. The complement of ground ladders allows for additional options for multi-story buildings with no access to all sides.”

The tiller truck’s design includes two drivers: one in the main cab at the front and a second in the rear cab at the back of the trailer. The rear driver, the Tillerman, is responsible for steering the trailer axle. This unique configuration allows the truck to navigate tighter corners than traditional ladder trucks.

The new tiller truck was made possible thanks to the support of city of Greenwood officials and community members, demonstrating a shared commitment to enhancing public safety.

Just in time for Fire Prevention Week October 6-12, State Farm^® and the National Volunteer Fire Council have announced $1 million in grants to local volunteer fire departments. Through the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, 100 departments will each receive a $10,000 grant to obtain critical equipment that will help increase their responders’ safety, effectiveness, and ability to serve their community.

This is the inaugural year for the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program. The program is designed to provide assistance to volunteer fire departments with limited budgets who struggle to find funding for the equipment they need. The response to the program was overwhelming and the need was so great that State Farm doubled its initial commitment of 50 grants to help even more volunteer fire departments.

“We are grateful to State Farm for stepping up and providing this critical assistance to volunteer fire departments,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “Many of our nation’s fire departments operate on shoe-string budgets and struggle to fund the equipment and resources they need. We are proud to collaborate with State Farm to get funding to local departments so they can be better prepared to serve their communities and protect their responders.”

“At State Farm part of our mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life. We are committed to helping build safer, stronger, better educated communities,” said Apsara Sorensen, State Farm corporate responsibility assistant vice president. “We are proud to support the safety of volunteer firefighters – the ultimate good neighbors who risk their lives each and every day.”

In the first year of the program, grant applications were limited to 500. Departments had to be at least 50% volunteer, located in the U.S., serve a population of 25,000 or less, have revenue not to exceed $250,000 in the most recently completed fiscal year, and the applicant or chief had to be a member of the NVFC. State Farm provided complimentary memberships to all applicants to ensure they would meet that criteria and gain access to all NVFC benefits, including free training, the First Responder Helpline, and much more.

Volunteer fire departments play a critical role in the protection of communities across the country, especially small towns and rural areas. Over 65% of all firefighters in the U.S. are volunteers, devoting their time and risking their safety to help their neighbors in need. The grants will go to purchase equipment that will enhance safety, communications and operations for these local departments.

View the list of recipients here. State Farm and the NVFC will join 10 of the winners for a local open house or fire prevention education event throughout the fall. Learn more about the program and these events at www.nvfc.org/statefarm.

Due to the high number of impressive applications and the widespread need observed across the nation, State Farm will continue the grant program in 2025. Please stay tuned to the NVFC opportunities page.

About State Farm
For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91

Greg Bluestein
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(TNS)

WRIGHTSVILLE — They are the far-flung towns that often feel invisible when major storms wreak havoc on Georgia. And officials are still working in these rural areas to uncover the extent of Hurricane Helene’s devastation.

While former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris all made separate visits this week to Valdosta and Augusta, two epicenters of Helene’s wrath, some of the most serious fallout took place in far smaller towns and settlements across east Georgia.

Gov. Brian Kemp led a two-day tour through about a dozen of these off-the-radar communities this week, bringing along state emergency officials, local legislators and community leaders to see the scope of the damage for themselves.

Even hardened emergency officials were stunned at what they saw. Flattened chicken coups. Ruined crops. Downed trees. Homes and businesses smashed beyond repair. Communities in crisis.

But they also took heart at the first responders and savvy local leaders who helped respond after the deadliest Georgia storm in decades.

“Y’all are all supermen,” Matt Hatchett, a local legislator, told a group of exhausted chainsaw workers, firefighters and medics gathered early Wednesday at a Wrightsville fire station.

“Just remember that you’re taking care of everybody else, so you’ve got to remember to take care of yourself.”

At each stop, Kemp told residents a similar message. Helene was the most significant storm to barrage Georgia in his lifetime and cleaning up the mess it left behind will be anything but simple.

“We aren’t going to sugarcoat anything. It’s going to be a long, hard, tough recovery,” he said. “But we’re working hard, and we’ll work hard every day until we get it done.”

Here are a few of their stories.

Signs of progress

DOUGLAS — Getting to the seat of Coffee County is like navigating a maze.

Downed power lines, splintered trees and telephone poles split like toothpicks line the roads into Douglas. At its height, the storm knocked out power to 99% of the county’s Georgia Power customers.

As Kemp entered town, he marveled grimly at the destruction. Even a monstrous hurricane Helene’s size couldn’t have caused this devastation. It looked like a cluster of tornadoes spawned by the storm crisscrossed town.

It could have been worse. Local officials credit the quick thinking of Steve Carver, the county’s emergency management chief, for aggressively deploying resources and stationing first responders as Helene homed in on Georgia.

By the middle of the week, key routes around the county of roughly 40,000 were cleared and a massive potable water truck rumbled into town. A few more trucks were supposed to arrive later in the week. Crews scattered arou

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – Ascent Integrated Tech is proud to announce a major deployment of its on-scene accountability technology with the Milwaukee Fire Department. This deployment, driven by the leadership of Fire Chief Aaron Lipski, represents a significant step forward in enhancing firefighter safety and operational effectiveness.

Fire Chief Lipski has served the City of Milwaukee for more than 25 years. He joined as a fourth generation Milwaukee firefighter and has served as fire chief since 2021. In August, he was awarded Fire Chief of the Year by the International Association of Fire Chiefs- Great Lakes Division. He also serves as the President of the Wisconsin Fire Chief Association (PDF). This relationship began three years ago during one of Ascent’s first conversations with a fire chief and has since evolved into a key partnership, culminating in Milwaukee becoming the site of Ascent’s first major deployment in a large metro area.

“Chief Lipski was the first Metro Fire Department that we spoke with, and his leadership and commitment to innovation have been instrumental to our success,” said Paul Couston, CEO of Ascent Integrated Tech. “His dedication to leveraging technology to enhance safety and accountability for first responders aligns perfectly with our mission, and we’re honored to work alongside such an incredible leader “

The deployment of Ascent’s technology will equip Milwaukee Incident Command with real-time location tracking and on-scene accountability, providing crucial insights that enhance situational awareness and decision-making during emergencies. Built on the Team Awareness Kit (TAK)—a platform currently utilized by the military—this technology ensures robust and reliable performance while seamlessly integrating with existing systems for smooth implementation. Recently, Ascent Integrated Tech demonstrated this innovative technology at the Republican National Convention (RNC), highlighting its capability to enhance public safety in high-stakes environments. Furthermore, burn tests conducted across the U.S. have proven the reliability and effectiveness of our technology under real-world conditions. The Milwaukee Fire Department’s adoption of this solution sets a new standard for innovation and cooperation in the fire service, both locally and nationwide.

About Ascent Integrated Tech

Ascent enhances the safety and operational efficiency of first responders and military personnel by providing leadership with real-time visibility into their team’s location. Founded four years ago at the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign, IL, Ascent’s technology is now deployed with seven fire departments across the U.S. and is actively pursuing partnerships with the Air Force.

About the Milwaukee Fire Department

The Milwaukee Fire Department, also known as the MFD, was established January 1, 1875. The department consists of 30 Fire Stations,