Genesee County Emergency Management Services is pleased to announce the deployment of a MedLite Transport Bed for use by the Town of Bethany Fire Department, according to the press release. This equipment was obtained through the procurement of Homeland Security grant funding, is the property of Genesee County and is being deployed to the Bethany Fire Department for use at the Genesee County Park and Forest.

The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and the State Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (SLETPP) are the two-core homeland security grant programs in New York State. Every county in the state, along with the city of New York, receives funding under these programs.

“The MedLite Transport Bed was deployed with Bethany Fire Department because they are the first responders to the County Park. The equipment fits their UTV and allows Bethany and Mercy Flight to more efficiently make extractions of injured individuals in the rough terrain of the County Park,” said Gregg Torrey, Genesee County District 6 Legislator.

The MedLite Transport Bed is a medical rescue skid unit for Utility Task Vehicles that has the ability to transport one patient on a long board or stokes basket and one attendant in a seat. The equipment also has the ability to be fully removed from the vehicle in the field. A video of the MedLite Transport System can be seen here.

Paul Osborn, Deputy Highway Superintendent, spoke to the use of the equipment at the Genesee County Park and Forest, “The use of it in a UTV will allow for access into areas of the park that aren’t accessible by a standard vehicle, and ultimately provide more safety for the guests of the park.”

One person is dead after getting into a Memphis Fire Department-involved car accident on Getwell Road Saturday, WREG.com reported.

A little after 3 a.m., the Memphis Fire Department was working the scene of a crash at 240 and Getwell, according to the Memphis Police Department.

MPD said on Twitter: The fire engine was struck by a vehicle. One person inside the car was pronounced dead on the scene. Another was taken to Regional One Health in critical condition.

Three firefighters were taken to hospitals in noncritical condition, the report said.

Memphis Police say this is an ongoing investigation.

A man was arrested Saturday after police said he stole a fire truck, MLive.com reported.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office responded shortly before 11 a.m. to reports of a “disorderly person” damaging property and pulling fire alarms at 15146 16th Avenue in Marne, the report said.

The Wright Tallmadge Fire Department was dispatched to reset the fire alarms, officials said, and when firefighters arrived the man got into the fire truck and drove away, according to the report.

Police later found the man at a Grand Rapids address where he was arrested, the report said.

The fire truck was not damaged, and no one was injured.

The incident remains under investigation.

Dracut Fire Chief Richard Patterson is pleased to announce that the Dracut Fire Department is one of over 300 fire departments across the state to have been awarded a grant as part of the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2023 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program, according to a press release.

The $25,000 grant awarded to the Dracut Fire Department will be used to purchase an ice rescue rapid deployment craft, life safety ropes, and rescue equipment, and to replace well-used and outdated hose lines.

The program provides local fire departments with a variety of equipment that makes the dangerous job of firefighting safer. This is the third year that funding has been awarded for this purpose as part of a five-year, $25 million bond bill filed by the Administration to support firefighter safety and health in the coming years.

Fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply to this program for 121 different types of eligible equipment, including ballistic protective clothing, thermal protective clothing, gear washers and dryers, thermal imaging cameras, assorted hand tools and extrication equipment, communications resources, hazardous gas meters, fitness equipment and more. 

“Every time a firefighter goes to work, they could be asked to rescue a child from a burning building, clean up a spill of hazardous materials, treat a patient with a contagious medical condition, or rush into a hostile event to rescue and treat victims,” said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “This program is absolutely vital to helping fire departments prepare for the vast array of hazards they face today and making sure that firefighters go home safe after every call.”

A complete list of the awards by department can be found here.