Coachella Fire Station No. 79 is undergoing a $7.3 million rehabilitation and expansion project that kicked off during a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, KESQ.com reported.

The fire station, built in 1978, is undergoing major improvements due to the current building being too small and outdated, the report said.

The project looks to enlarge the living, office, and housing facilities. This will potentially be able to increase staffing and services offered to the community, according to the report.

The firehouse will remain open during construction.

Trailers were set up to serve as an office, living headquarters for the firefighters, and one for the public to have access to for any services, the report said.

The ACW-Unionville Fire Department was recently awarded a $26,412 grant to help buy new lifesaving equipment, MichigansThumb.com reported.

Through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, the department was selected among many other cities to receive the grant, the report said. The foundation is an established non-profit charity that provides lifesaving equipment, prevention education, scholarships, continued education, and disaster relief for first responders and public safety organizations.

The grant will help buy new portable radios and communications equipment as well as a new Polaris Ranger Crew XP 1000 UTV, the report said. The UTV will be used during rescue efforts and firefighting in Unionville and other surrounding communities, including Akon, Columbia, and Wisner townships. It will also be used for transporting ice, water, rescue personnel, and recovery units to the shoreline.

The Big Spring City Council awarded bids on several items for the fire department during its meeting Tuesday, BigSpringHerald.com reported.

The items included a fire truck, an ambulance and a pair of electrocardiogram (EKG) monitors for the department’s Emergency Medical Services branch, the report said.

The fire truck is a stock pumper priced at $588,758, fully equipped, the report said. According to the company memo, the truck should be ready in January 2023.

The ambulance approved by the council was priced at $405,891, the report said. According to the company, the ambulance should be available during the first quarter of 2023.

The Speake Volunteer Fire Department took ownership of a 1996 tanker/pumper in early September, MoultonAdvertiser.com reported. The truck promises to be a major upgrade over its previous apparatus, a 1985 model. It will be operated out of Station One on County Road 81.

After more than three years of searching, the Speake VFD finally found the new tanker in Effingham (IL), the report said.

The new truck, manufactured in 1996, possesses a glider kit that upgrades the truck to impressive levels of effectiveness, the report said. Additionally, the purchase included miscellaneous fire equipment for the department to utilize.

A fire official feels that the new apparatus will help Speake maintain, and possibly improve, the department’s ISO score, according to the report.