Emry Dinman
The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
(TNS)

Jul. 22—The Spokane City Council on Monday approved around $800,000 in purchases of police equipment, $2.5 million for two new fire engines and about $1 million more in services to support both departments.

The BearCat armored vehicle was totaled last summer when a woman crashed into it during a pursuit . The police are substituting it with a new Terradyne GURKHA, which will cost $423,000. The manufacturer claims it is capable of withstanding the blast of two German DM51 grenades. The purchase was paid for with the state’s civil asset forfeiture fund, according to a staff report prepared for the Spokane City Council.

Upgrading two new SWAT vehicles with ballistic glass will cost $55,000. The funds were pulled from the police department’s existing capital budget.

Six new night-vision goggles and mounts for helmets, making one available for each SWAT member without requiring them to wait for the equipment truck to arrive at the scene, carry a $55,000 price tag, and roughly 400 new ballistic helmets, which the police department says are needed to assist in maintaining peace and order during “civil disturbances” or responding to armed suspects, will cost another $254,000.

The police department did not make clear what funding source was used for the night-vision goggles and helmets.

New audiovisual equipment for the Spokane Police Department’s academy classroom and large conference room is $185,000. The department stated that the existing equipment was aging. The purchase is paid for with a Byrne Technology grant.

The Spokane City Council also approved $67,000 for a renewed subscription to the CrimeTracer software, which is used to share police reports and other information with other regional agencies; $75,000 for maintenance and support for the department’s file server used to store digital forensics and other large investigatory files; and $82,000 for janitorial services for department properties.

The council also accepted a $159,000 grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission to cover 75% of the salary of a full-time DUI officer and $10,000 in overtime payments. This grant was extended for a second year.

The Spokane Fire Department will also receive replacement fire engines after the Spokane City Council approved spending more than $2.5 million from the community safety sales tax approved by voters last year.

The council also approved $500,000 for a five-year contract to provide routine medical exams, vaccinations and other services for potential new hires for the fire department.

The funding will be pulled from the department’s annual recruit academy budget.

© 2025 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.). Visit www.spokesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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On July 1, 2025, Van Dyne Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter-Safety Officer Amie Lee was working in the fire station when she fell and suffered a serious knee injury.

Lee reported difficulty breathing while at home during the early morning hours of July 14.

EMS personnel provided care on the scene before transporting her to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

The suspected cause of death is pulmonary embolism caused by a blood clot from the knee injury sustained at the fire station.

The Van Dyne Volunteer Fire Department made the following Facebook post July 18:

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic loss of one of our own. Safety Officer & EMR Amie Lee unexpectedly passed away in the early morning hours on Monday, July 14th.

“We cannot put into words what this loss means to our department.

“Amie gave nearly 14 years of dedicated service to her community. She will be greatly missed by her firefighting family and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her.

“Rest In Peace Amie. EOW: July 14, 2025.”

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The Chillicothe (MO) Fire Department’s aerial midmount platform truck was shipped to Alabama recently for a remount, kchi.com reported.

A remount involves transferring the aerial ladder assembly (including the turntable, ladder, and associated hydraulics) from an older, potentially worn-out or damaged chassis, to a new, modern chassis. This process essentially gives the fire department a “new” aerial truck with updated technology and performance while reusing the existing aerial device.

A fire official said the truck was originally scheduled to be sent to Alabama in the fall, but Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus had an opening to begin working on the truck now, which means the truck could be returned to Chillicothe in early 2026, the report said.

A total refurbishment of the truck will cost about $750,000, according to the report.

A fire official said the cost to replace that truck would be in the $2 million to $2.5 million range and would take 3-4 years to receive the truck once the order is placed.

Chillicothe has a smaller aerial ladder truck and, if needed, can call on neighboring communities to bring their equipment to assist, the report said.

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The Temple (TX) Police Department is investigating a traffic accident between a dump truck and a Temple Fire and Rescue apparatus, the department said in a press release.

At around 1:13 p.m., on Monday, July 21, 2025, the Temple Police Department and Temple Fire and Rescue responded to West Adams Avenue and North Third Street for a traffic accident involving a collision between a dump truck and a fire truck from Central Fire Station. The fire truck was on its way to a car fire when it was struck by the dump truck. Both vehicles sustained moderate damage.

One firefighter was transported to the hospital with minor injuries for evaluation. No other injuries have been reported at this time.

This crash is under investigation, and no other information will be released at this time. Anyone with information should contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500 or the Bell County Crime Stoppers at 254-526-8477, where callers can report anonymously. Tips can also be submitted anonymously at bellcountycrimestoppers.com.

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