A new $800,000 fire engine was put in service with the Columbus (GA) Fire Department on Monday morning, the first new truck to join the fleet in five years, according to a report published by WRBL News 3.

The report says the truck was funded with money from the American Rescue Plan as well as money from the general fund. The new apparatus is one of five new engines and two ladder trucks the department will be adding to its fleet in the next five months, according to the report.

The new engine, which was pushed into the station by firefighters as part of a long-standing tradition, was put in service fully equipped and ready to go, complete with a host of new technology, according to the report.

Industry veteran brings fiscal and controlling expertise

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Uwe Hirsch has been named Vice President Finance of STIHL Inc. and assumes his position on November 7, 2022. Hirsch will plan, direct and control the company’s overall financial plans, policies and activities, including its accounting and treasury practices.

Hirsch will also provide support in the business transformation of the company and leadership of the IT operations and system implementations. STIHL Inc. employs more than 3,000 people in the United States, supplying the majority of STIHL products for the U.S. market as well as components and products for more than 80 markets worldwide.

“We are pleased to welcome Uwe to STIHL,” said Terry Horan, president and CEO of STIHL Inc. “As a leading brand in the outdoor power equipment market, STIHL has a history of growth and expansion. We are not content to rest on our past successes, however, and our future growth will require continuous improvement in our financial and information technology processes. Uwe has a proven track record leading cross-functional transformation and development projects that achieve long-term target profitability, as well as overseeing and monitoring operational and strategic initiatives. He is a great addition to Team STIHL.”

Hirsch joins STIHL Inc. after a successful career with the Bosch Group, where he most recently served as global vice president of finance, controlling and purchasing for Bosch Automotive Service Solutions in the Automotive Aftermarket division. Prior to that, he served as vice president of finance at Bosch Automotive Service Solutions.

“STIHL is an iconic brand, known for its technological expertise and tradition of excellence,” said Hirsch. “I have a passion for collaboration and building teams and coherent, consistent and sustainable long-term strategies, and I look forward to contributing to the growth and success of this great company.”

Hirsch received a degree in Business Administration from the Cooperative State University in Stuttgart Germany.

About STIHL Inc.
STIHL Inc. manufactures the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment in America,1 the number one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment among U.S. landscape professionals,2 and the number one selling brand of chain saws in the world. STIHL also offers a full line of battery powered handheld outdoor power equipment for the professional and consumer. STIHL products are sold through a network of more than 10,000 authorized local STIHL Dealers from coast to coast—not big-box stores. Located in Virginia Beach, Va., STIHL Inc., the U.S. affiliate of the global STIHL Group, exports to more than 80 countries around the world, and the majority of STIHL products sold in America are made in America.3 STIHL products sold through U.S. STIHL Dealers are for distribution in the U.S. only. For more information or for the name of a local STIHL Dealer, call toll free 1-800-GO STIHL (1-800-467-8445) or visit STIHLusa.com.

1″Number one selling brand” is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2021 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers. 2“Number one selling” claim based on 2007-2021 syndicated Irwin Broh Research of the U.S. professional landscaper market. 3A majority of STIHL products sold in America are made in America of U.S. and foreign materials.

STIHL Inc. is pleased to support the work of Independent We Stand, the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), the National Association of Landscape Professionals, America’s State Parks, the Ameri

The Poway City Council has agreed to buy two new fire engines at a total cost of $1.9 million, SanDiegoUnionTribune.com reported.

The council approved the purchase at the October 18 meeting, the report said.

The two fire engines will be placed into frontline service at Fire Stations Nos. 2 and 3. The engines will be delivered sometime in 2025, according to a staff report.

The purchase of the fire engines prior to November 1 avoids a cost increase of $119,999, according to a staff report.

Firefighters and local leaders are celebrating a new fire station coming to the East Mountains. Crews broke ground Monday in Moriarty where it will replace a 60-year-old firehouse officials say was badly outdated, KRQE.com reported.

The new facility is expected to help firefighters respond more quickly to rural communities in the East Mountains. It will also have better air circulation and a decontamination room to keep carcinogens away from the firefighters’ living area, the report said.

The project is made possible by $5.25 million in federal funding along with another million dollars from the state.