The Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund awarded the Magnolia Fire Department $10,000 in November, MagnoliaBannerNews.com reported.

The Magnolia Fire Department used the award funding to purchase equipment for its rescue truck, the report said.

Dylan Suttles
The Telegraph, Alton, Ill.
(TNS)

Jan. 29—GRAFTON — The QEM Fire Protection District of Elsah/Grafton has completed renovation of three-story life fire training tower in rural Jersey County.

The renovation started on March 8, 2022, and was completed on Dec. 14, 2022. It included replacing fire tiles in two burn rooms, the installation of a new pyrometer/temperature meter with six sensors, repairs to interior water pipes and a new burn table, doors, vents and exterior lights. The exterior of the tower was also painted.

Fire Facilities, Inc., manufacturer of the fire tower, provided materials for the renovation and arrangements for the inspection by the structural engineer. TMI Coatings of St. Paul, Minnesota was the painting and restoration contractor. Bollinger Services of Grafton was the general contractor for the renovation.

On Nov. 15, 2022, the tower received an in-depth Non-Gas Fired/Five-Year Inspection by Response Structural Engineers, a licensed professional structural engineering firm based in California, with live fire training structure experience and expertise. The inspection is required every five years by the National Fire Protection Act (NFPA) 1403.

The renovations all passed inspection requirements, and recommendations were made for future maintenance and improvements of the facility.

Future plans for the fire tower include partnering with the Illinois Fire Service Institute on the campus of the University of Illinois to provide on-site training for Illinois fire fighters and other first responders. The training will include cornerstone and certification classes taught in the classroom and live fire training exercises taught at the fire tower.

Plans also are being developed by the QEM Auxiliary to host an open house of the fire tower, classroom, and fire station this spring.

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An SUV crashed into a Dallas Fire-Rescue fire truck at the scene of another crash Saturday morning.

The crash happened just before 5 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the I-30 near N. Hampton Road.

The fire truck engine was serving as a blocker for other vehicles at the scene of an accident when a man driving an SUV rammed the back of it.

Firefighters had to extricate the driver of the SUV and he was transported to the hospital.

No firefighters were injured in the crash.

Controlling the Scene Jim Stopa

A quick internet search will tell you that the average vehicle is composed of approximately 30,000 parts, sourced from thousands of suppliers around the globe.

One can only imagine how that number grows exponentially when factoring in the complexity and added content on fire apparatus and other vehicles that support first responders. This market relies on a robust supply base, and many who support this industry proudly manufacture throughout the United States.

Some of the more successful manufacturers believe the key to endurance in this unpredictable market is the use of vertical integration. The ability for a supplier or manufacturer to vertically integrate its processes guarantees efficiency in production and cuts down on delays in delivery and transportation. Those who rely heavily on assembled components from overseas and outside suppliers are finding it difficult to maintain their product pipelines.

VERTICAL INTEGRATION IS CRITICAL

As a New England-based manufacturing company with 70 years in the business and facilities encompassing more than one million square feet, Whelen Engineering is a fitting example of how vertical integration enables a more stable production process and increases reliability for customers. Whelen recognized years ago that vertical integration is more than just a part of a good business model; it is critical to success. Its strategic planning allows it to circumvent the unpredictability of the supply chain with relative ease, especially when compared with manufacturers that choose offshore processes.

• Whelen: 60 Years of American-Made Production
• Whelen Archives, part 1
• Whelen Archives, part 2

 

 

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