In association with the Earth Volunteer Fire Department, the Texas A&M Forest Service has converted a former U.S. Army heavy-duty truck into a firetruck.

It took four months of work to convert the 1994 5-ton transport truck into a working firetruck.

Restoration work on the BMY M923A2 Military Cargo truck including replacing the soft top cab, sand blasting and painting the truck, adding a 1,650-gallon poly tank and a water cannon that will deliver 250 gallons of water per minute, according to the TAMU Forest Service.

"Over 60 percent of our territory is grass land and sandy hills," said Earth VFD Fire Chief Mathew Goe. "A conventional truck would get stuck in this type of terrain but the six-wheel drive is perfect for getting out to the wildland fires."

The vehicle was provided to the Earth VFD through the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.

For more information and photos, view www.cleveland.com

 The city plans to renovate its Albion Road fire station, one of four fire stations in Strongsville.

The work will include redesigning restrooms to make accommodations for women firefighters, although the city now employs only men firefighters; upgrading the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system and adding insulation; and replacing the roof.

"The HVAC and mechanical systems aren't working properly," Draves said. "We have air-quality issues - there is mold in the ceiling. As we evaluated the project, we felt it was also time to upgrade the locker rooms, dorms and bathrooms."

Last week, City Council hired Zarzycki-Malik Architects Inc. in Middleburg Heights to design the fire station renovation, provide a cost estimate and oversee construction. The city will pay the firm an amount equal to 9 percent of the construction costs.

"A percentage is a very common way to charge architects in contracts," Strongsville Law Director Ken Kraus said. "It's usually between 7-10 percent of the cost of a project."

When asked what incentive Zarzycki-Malik has to keep construction costs low, Kraus said the city, not the firm, will approve the final scope of the work.

"Our Building Commissioner (Tony Biondillo) has 28 years of municipal experience," Kraus said. "Our people know if something is way off base."

For more information, view cleveland.com

When students at the Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security wanted a fire engine for the New Castle-area charter high school they turned to the Internet, reports delawareonline.com

Cadets of the four-year-old school are more than a few thousands dollars from reaching their $5,000 goal, but they're hopeful a crowdfunding effort on GoFundMe will get them there by June.

"The idea came from a brainstorming session with [the] Public Safety III Class," said Jordan Williams, a junior at the school. "We were looking for trending ways to fundraise that may be well received as opposed to more traditional ways.

"It seemed that the GoFundMe Campaign was a safe and effective way to reach our goal."

The school already has an ambulance that was donated to them in 2014 by Leipsic Volunteer Fire Company for the academy's emergency medical technician program. And last year, New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon donated a retired police car to the school for cadets to use it in the law enforcement program.

The fire engine would provide a full look at public safety, said Chad Ingram, a public safety 3 instructor at the school.

Because a used fire engine can run anywhere from $25,000 to $360,000, according to the website Command Fire Apparatus, school officials and students have been working with partners and are confident they can get a good truck that will meet their needs for $5,000.

For more information, view www.delawareonline.com