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Welcome

The Finest Supporting the Bravest!

The purpose of the Fire Mechanics Section is to promote standardization of fire apparatus and equipment preventative maintenance, improve safety standards and practices, promote workshops, conferences, and seminars related to the purposes of this Section, and to promote cost savings through standardization of building and equipment purchasing and maintenance.

RECENT FIRE MECHANIC NEWS

New Bedford Christens New Fire Boat, Named for Late Firefighter

Posted: Sep 2, 2016

New Bedford Christens New Fire Boat, Named for Late Firefighter

NEW BEDFORD - The city christened its new, 38-foot fire boat - named for Fire Lt. Jesse Pacheco Jr. - the last New Bedford firefighter to die in the line of duty - at a press conference Tuesday on the waterfront."Thank you for this honor.

The honors of christening the new boat was given to Jesse and Torin Pacheco, two grandchildren of the late firefighter. Torin carried a bouquet as Jesse broke a bottle of champagne at the vessel's bow."This vessel has a proud name on its side, New Bedford Fire Department, and a proud name on its stern and that name is Jesse Pacheco," said Fire Chief Michael Gomes.The boat cost $880,000 and will be used to fight fires, search and rescue operations and oil spills and is equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, including with side scan sonar to allow it to look for bodies under the water and infrared cameras for use in the dark and fog, according to Gomes. "You name it, it's got it," he said.The high-speed catamaran, which is propelled by water jets, was built in Petaluma, Calif., and the chief said he took it for a test drive in San Francisco Bay. "It handles like a dream," he said.A U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant provided 75 percent of the funding, the city kicked in another $100,000 and the remainder came from "other sources," Gomes said. "I'm very proud of it. It took a lot of effort to get it," he said.With about 300 fishing boats in port, Mayor Jon Mitchell said the new boat is "a significant asset" for the Fire Department and marine safety in general.

New Central Greenwich Fire Station Almost Complete

GREENWICH - The years-long construction of the new Greenwich Central Fire Station is almost complete, and administrative staff will begin to move into the building as early as November, Greenwich Fire Chief Peter Siecienski said Monday. The new station is equipped with segregated areas so firefighters returning from fire sites can clean off and remove their equipment without spreading dangerous toxins throughout the building.

The new building will allow the Fire Department to better cover downtown and points beyond, Siecienski said.

“Now we come back to central Greenwich and have all our apparatuses in place so our response becomes faster in central Greenwich and provides a springboard into the backcountry as well,” he said.

The new building will allow firefighters who have been dispersed to other stations in town to come together again under one roof. It includes basic features common to modern firehouses that Greenwich firefighters have been lacking for a long time, the chief said.

“The best way to put it is there is nothing sexy about the building,” Siecienski said. “It’s a functional modern fire station.”

When the old firehouse was built, there weren’t many females in the industry, Siecienski said. As such, there wasn’t much privacy in the old building. The new one will have adequate facilities for firefighters of different genders, as well as larger common kitchen and dining facilities so everyone can eat together at one time.

Modern knowledge of contamination has also had an impact on the new design. The new station is equipped with segregated areas so firefighters returning from fire sites can clean off and remove their equipment without spreading dangerous toxins throughout the building.

The department decided to make four oversized bays, which hold the trucks, rather than five, Siecienski said. Two volunteer fire departments were displaced during the construction, and they will once again be able to move their rigs back to the central station.

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Middle River Volunteer Fire, EMS Stations Set to Merge

Posted: Sep 2, 2016

Middle River Volunteer Fire, EMS Stations Set to Merge

Two of the oldest volunteer stations in Baltimore County are set to merge. The Middle River Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Co., founded in 1948, and Middle River Volunteer Fire Co., founded in 1945, are set to formally announce plans to merge into one company at a ceremony at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

The new station will be called the Middle River Volunteer Fire & Rescue Co. Officials with the stations said the merger will allow them to enhance service to the community, consolidate fundraising activities, better meet the needs of residents and help expand a declining volunteer membership.

Officials said they will continue to use their current stations, located a short distance apart, until a permanent home can be built along the Eastern Avenue corridor in Middle River over the next three to five years.

"This allows us to expand resources and grow across the board," said Paul Sullivan Jr., current president of Middle River Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Co. and assistant chief of Middle River Volunteer Fire & Rescue Co. "There was a lot of tradition and history on both sides and we won't forget that with this merger. This move was necessary ro ensure we both remain self-sustaining in the long-term."

Merging nearby companies was one of the recommendations listed in a 206-page report commissioned last year by the Baltimore County Volunteer Firemen’s Association. The report highlighted dwindling membership, rising costs and tension with the Baltimore County Fire Department as some of the issues that could impact the long-term future of many of the county’s volunteer stations.

Covington Rolls Out New High-Tech Fire Truck

COVINGTON - If you see a red fire truck in the streets of Covington rather than the usual white pumpers, you've seen the pride of Fire Chief Stoney Bowles. City officials and citizens joined firefighters as Bowles unveiled his department's new state-of-the-art fire truck Wednesday afternoon at Station 22 on Pace Street.

The Covington City Council set aside funds in the 2015-2016 budget to cover the $499,953 price tag and in July 2015 awarded the contract to the low bidder, Williams Fire Apparatus of Ashland, Ala. The Sutphen vehicle replaces a 1993 model.

New safety features noted by Bowles include the truck’s ability to pump 2,000 gallons of water per minute, more than the rate pumped by the department’s current fleet of trucks. The truck has a 750 gallon water tank, while the trucks on hand hold 500 gallons.

Headsets and an intercom system will allow riders in the truck to communicate with each other without interference from outside noises, Bowles said. The truck has better capabilities to navigate in snow. An attack hose is coiled on the front bumper, also a new feature.

The cab has frontal impact airbags, a backup camera and increased storage space, a bonus for firefighters who pack much equipment to do their work and, according to Bowles, have complained in the past about lack of adequate storage space.

“Nothing is mechanical on this truck. Everything is electronic,” the chief said. “All-in-all the technology is a great improvement. We are going to be the pride of Covington.”