On December 18, the Princess Anne (MD) Volunteer Fire Company suffered a catastrophic failure on one of the overhead doors on the engine bay side, the department said in a Facebook post recently.

The door blew out, or collapsed, during a heavy storm. While the fire company labeled this as a catastrophic failure, it also said the door was 21 years old and failures were bound to happen. 

Now, a hanging tarp serves as a coverup for where the door was, WBOC.com reported. A fire official said the broken door won’t delay their response time. 

The fire official said it is somewhat a struggle getting the fire engines in and out of the bays, the report said. 

The rescue and tower truck now sit in the back of the bay and the smaller truck and brush truck have taken their place. It means if a call comes in, those trucks have to carefully maneuver out the side door, the report said. 

Port Huron (MI) Fire Department is undertaking two major fire station projects, thetimesherald.com reported. Firefighters started moving back into the city’s north-end station Thursday after a months-long, $1.5 million upgrade to Station 3 at 1914 Sanborn Street.

Major renovations are about 95% done, a fire official said. American Rescue Plan Act funds paid for the work, which began in August, the report said. Personnel used a trailer as living quarters nearby while work took place.

$10 million White Park Station Project Underway

Partners in Architecture have drawn up the layout and plans for the new White Park station, the report said. The latest project bids for the work this year went to the Dailey Company.

That station will replace the city’s aging main station off River Street that was built in 1960 and which, according to officials, often citing a sinking foundation near the Black River, would not be cost-effective to repair, according to the report.

The city has put the new station cost estimates at more than $10 million.

The 18,915-square-foot fire station building will have a host of locker and dorm rooms, offices, and training areas, the report said. The building will also contain eight combined locker and dorm rooms with four bathrooms for on-duty firefighters, as well as decontamination areas, equipment lockers, storage, a lobby, multiple offices and a large training room.

Construction, which will begin early 2023, is expected to be carried out over the next two years, according to the report.

Lafayette County Fire Department put in service a brand-new Pierce Saber pumper Tuesday, according to a department press release. This pumper will be housed off Highway 6E at Station 17. Station 17 is located between both ends of County Road 409.

“This is a great addition to Lafayette County Fire Department and Lafayette County. This new pumper has some of the latest firefighting technology that makes it easier and safer for our firefighters to operate,” said LCFD Fire Chief Wes Anderson. “Engine 17 now has a dedicated medical cabinet inside the cab, which is designed to house all the medical equipment to allow for better access for all LCFD EMS personnel on a scene. We are appreciative of the Board of Supervisors support to get this pumper.”

New Engine 17 is replacing a 2007 Rosenbauer pumper that has been in service for Lafayette County Since 2007. The previous Engine 17 (2007 Rosenbauer pumper) will be put in service at another LCFD station to serve the citizens of Lafayette County for years to come.

Shortly after being put in service, Engine 17 responded to its first fire at 4:55pm CST. It was a structure fire on County Road 164. Since yesterday it has responded to three calls for service.

A man from Virginia is facing charges after police say he tried to steal a fire truck in Auburn (ME), BangorDailyNews.com reported.

Fire crews were responding to a call of people stuck in an elevator at the Esplanade Complex in Auburn on Tuesday night when 35-year-old Dana Gifford of Barboursville (VA) climbed into the driver’s seat of their truck, according to the Portland Press Herald.

After being confronted by a nearby firefighter, he got out, saying he initially intended to steal it, the report said. Police responded and after a quick search found Gifford and arrested him, the Press Herald reported.

Gifford was charged with attempted theft, according to the report. He was wanted in several states for non-extraditable charges, the report said. Gifford is currently out on bail.