A newer ladder truck was placed into service earlier this month at San Bernardino County Fire Station 304, a fire official said.

The 2008 Pierce Quint Aerial Ladder Truck was purchased used for $376,000, less than half the price for a new one, and went into service last Tuesday, according to County Fire spokesman Jeff Allen.

With only 15,000 accrued miles, the truck replaces the Hesperia station's 1999 model that had over 200,000 miles and will now be retired.

The newer truck was previously owned by Southern California Edison and protected the since-closed San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in Orange County.

The High Desert boasts three of six ladder trucks operated by County Fire. In addition to station 304, trucks are also housed at stations 311 and 314 in Victorville.

For more information, view www.vvdailypress.com

Construction for the new Webb County Fire Station is moving forward.

Commissioners Court approved the contract to begin construction for their new fire station, which will be located off Highway 59.

Webb County Fire Chief Rick Rangel said the new station will better serve the community and improve response time to the north and northwest of the county.

The new station should be completed by December.

For more information, view www.kgns.tv

Two new fire vehicles, costing a combined $1.6 million, will likely be ordered this spring by Berlin.

The town council is likely to authorize the necessary bonding this month to buy a 2016 pumper for $583,420 and a 2016 105-foot heavy duty aerial ladder truck for $1.02 million from Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton (WI).

The town has $900,000 left from a 2006 bond issue, so the amount to be raised to make the purchase is $700,000.

The new pieces will replace a 1993 pumper that includes recycled parts from an older pumper and a 1994 100-foot ladder that is wearing out, requires frequent repairs and was seriously damaged in an electrical fire while returning from a service call in 2013, fire officials told the council during several recent meetings to discuss equipment replacement.

At a special council meeting Thursday night, Mayor Mark Kaczynski said the pending $1.6 million purchase of fire vehicles is a large expense but necessary to ensure the safety of the town, residents and volunteer firefighters.

Berlin has four volunteer fire companies: Berlin, East Berlin, Kensington and South Kensington. The companies have a patchwork collection of vehicles from various makers, including some made by firms no longer in business.

A standard fleet would make it easier to get parts to repair trucks and pumpers, town fire administrator James Simons told the council Jan 12.

For more information, view www.courant.com

A Jersey City fire truck was sideswiped by another vehicle while traveling with its emergency lights on early this morning.

At about 12:15 a.m., Ladder 8 was traveling west on Armstrong Avenue near Martin Luther King Drive when a Lexus -- pulling out of a parking space -- hit the truck, according to the report.

The firetruck's driver told police the Lexus tried to "speed out of the parking spot" when he hit the emergency vehicle, the report states.

No one was injured in the accident. Officials did not indicate where the truck was headed. 

For more information, view nj.com