The roughly $1.5 million price tag, plus $350,000 interest on a loan for a new fire department aerial caused pause for Marshall (MN) city councilors as they considered, and ultimately approved, the purchase, according to a report published by the Marshall Independent.

According to the report, some councilors expressed concerned about saddling a future council with the debt as the expenditure wouldn’t be incurred until 2025. Fire department and city officials discussed the need to replace the 1994 unit that was scheduled for replacement in 2020 after having been refurbished in 2012, according to the report.

In March, the fire department formed a committee to figure out what firefighters needed for the new apparatus and sought bids for the rig, according to the report, which added the department got two bids with the lowest being $1.47 million.

The vote to buy the apparatus was 5 to 2, according to the report, which also said the council voted to allow the department to apply for a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant to help pay for the new aerial.

The Harmonville (PA) Fire Company recently received a $1,975,000 grant from the state to rebuild a substation in Plymouth Meeting, Plymouth Township, according to a report published by More than the curve.com.

The money was directed to the department through the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreation and historical improvement projects.

Money will be used to rebuild the station on Germantown Pike with the goal of making the station larger to accommodate more firefighters and apparatus for faster response times, according to the report, which added the plan calls for four single bunk rooms, showers, lockers and office space for those volunteers who work from home to work at the fire station so they can readily respond.

The report says the renovations will also include meeting space and a diesel exhaust collection system.

The Washington (state) Department of Ecology has announced a $5 million grant project to replace older fire apparatus with new electric versions, according to a report published by Yaktrinews.com.

According to the report, the money for the grant come from a settlement deal with Volkswagen involving violations of state and federal Clean Air Acts. The article mentioned, particularly, an electric fire truck program with the Los Angeles Fire Department which put in service a Rosenbauer electric apparatus as an example of the kind of project the grant program seeks to fund.

The terms of the settlement dictate that the money has to go for making improvements to the environment and Washington has elected to try to replace diesel fire apparatus, made in 2009 or earlier, a priority.

Applications for a piece of the $5 million grant pool applicants must complete a grant application by Dec. 15.

Alpharetta city council has signed a $2.35 million contract for three fire engines to be delivered in about two years, according to a report published by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The city has five engines, a ladder, a quint and a air/light truck in its fleet currently and the next apparatus to be replaced are three front-line engines, according to the report.

The order for the new apparatus was placed with Ten-8 Fire Equipment, a Pierce dealer in Bradenton, FL, according to the report, which also said the money for the new apparatus is built into a 10-year capital lease program.