As drought conditions continue in Walker County and firefighters battle more wildfires, financial strain and smoke are now becoming major problems. The Empire Volunteer Fire Department has been assisting personnel with the Alabama Forestry Commission in battling a major wildfire in the community for nearly two weeks, and it is beginning to take a financial toll on the department.
“We’ve been out there everyday, from daylight until dark, sometimes from four in the afternoon until four in the morning, helping Forestry on the large wildfire that continues to burn in our community,” Empire’s Assistant Fire Chief Michael Davenport said. “And it’s putting a strain not only on our firefighters but also our department’s budget.”
Davenport said Empire operates its firefighting operations strictly off fire dues the department receives from the community, and the continuous fire calls of late are draining those funds pretty quickly.
“We’ve gone through a lot of fuel during the past couple of weeks, because we’re continuously having to run our trucks while we’re out there helping Forestry,” Davenport said. “These fires are not only costing us, the local fire departments, money. They’re also costing Forestry money too, because they’re having to be out here running their equipment as well.”
The large wildfire that continues to burn in Empire is believed to be the result of multiple arson fires that were set along various areas of Phillipstown Road over the weekend of Friday, Nov. 4, through Sunday, Nov. 6.
According to Walker County E911 records, fire departments in Walker County have responded to a total of 59 fire calls since Nov. 1, including the wildfire in Empire, which still continues to burn.
According to Interim State Forester Gary Cole of the Alabama Forestry Commission, as long as it burns, there will be smoke.
“Water alone does not successfully ‘extinguish’ these large wildfires,” Cole said. “In wildland firefighting, the standard tactic is to ‘contain’ the flames within plowed lanes, allowing them to burn out.”
Cole said while this practice does eventually control or extinguish a fire, it also produces considerable amounts of smoke.
“Another thing that adds to the smoke problem this time of year is dried leaves and pine straw falling on smoldering ground, which often causes these fires to re-ignite,” Cole said. “So our people have to keep a close watch on areas already burned, and it
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Posted: Nov 18, 2016
WARE, Mass. (WWLP) - A new app allowing enhanced communication between police and fire departments and National Grid during emergency situations in New England was launched Friday. The app is called "First Responder." It is designed to give police and firefighters in New England the capability to report emergency situations involving the company's gas and electric infrastructure.
Using the app, police and fire departments will be able to send photos of infrastructure damage directly to National Grid crews in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This way, the company will be able to determine the best way to approach the issue before even arriving.
National Grid says they anticipate the app will help reduce overall storm restoration time because they will be able to see storm damage in real-time.
Ware Fire Department helped National Grid develop the app.
“The Ware Fire Dept. is excited to see the roll out of the National Grid First Responder App. We were pleased to help National Grid provide first responders such a great app that will help to swiftly transfer the needed information on what resources are needed on scene,” said Thomas Coulombe, Ware Fire Chief.
Without the app, police and fire departments report field incidents by calling in reports to National Grid. The company says the app will make the whole process much faster because the photos not only depict the damage, but also provide the geographical location.
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Posted: Nov 18, 2016
BRATTLEBORO - Town Manager Peter Elwell says an issue with 'unsuitable' soil at the site of construction of an addition to Central Fire Station had been anticipated and will not affect the project financially. 'We have encountered some unsuitable ...
"We have encountered some unsuitable soils," Elwell said at a meeting Tuesday. "This is a site with a lot of history. We couldn't be sure what we would find in the excavation but we were pretty sure we would find some things that wouldn't be proper to leave in there."
Pieces of concrete, metal, half a tank of oil and a drill-bit auger were found while land was being prepared for an addition on the station, according to town reports.
Some additional soil was brought to the station, Elwell said. The issue had been anticipated when budgeting for the project's guaranteed maximum price, so no further cost will come of it. The project schedule also factored in the possibility of dealing with soil issues.
Excavation was completed at Central Fire Station, said Steve Horton, project manager, noting there was no contamination at the site after environmental tests were conducted.
Concerns have been raised about a wall system and moisture control in the West Brattleboro Fire Station under construction. The topic came up at a meeting with the town's Police-Fire Facility Building Committee in May. Committee members and project leaders have kept the dialogue going. A change in the design will allow the walls to "breath more freely" now, Elwell said, making "a more permeable barrier on the inside."
The recommended product is going to let moisture leave the walls, according to Horton. The worry has to do with water coming into the walls from within the building and causing mold to grow.
"Everybody has a different opinion," Horton said.
Town Energy Committee member Tad Montgomery said he was disappointed with the project "barely exceeding code in the wall structure's insulating values."
"Where we are with this is cost versus performance," Horton said. "We were charged by the town to build a cost-effective building that would exceed code but at the same time meet all the other requirements involved."
Horton anticipates the station will be ready of occupancy by the end of February. Efficiency Vermont will be performing tests to ensure there are no "gaps in th
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