The city of Duncanville is proceeding with the construction of the new Fire Station 271, Duncanville.com reported. The community is invited to attend a special groundbreaking ceremony to be held at 10 a.m. October 25 at 308 West Camp Wisdom Road, Duncanville (TX).

Attendees will then hear remarks from Duncanville Mayor Barry L. Gordon, City Manager Aretha R. Ferrell-Benavides, Assistant Fire Chief Greg Chase, Interim Director of Public Works Jacqueline Culton, BRW Architects, and representatives of CORE Construction. The ceremony will begin with an invocation delivered by Mayor Pro Tem Joe Veracruz.

The new fire station will be a significant upgrade for firefighters and staff. Once completed, the modern Fire Station 271 will replace the current facility on Camp Wisdom Road that was built in 1966. The new ADA-compliant station will be 15,564 square feet, with 10 dorms and 8 restrooms that will better support both male and female staff. It will also better accommodate the city’s ladder trucks, which are approximately 11 feet tall and 40 feet long.

This project was approved by residents in the 2018 Bond Election. Construction will take place over the next several months with substantial completion anticipated by fall 2023. Renderings of the facility can be made available upon request.

What: Duncanville Fire Station 271 Groundbreaking

Where: 308 West Camp Wisdom Road, Duncanville (TX)

When: 10 a.m. Tuesday, October 25, 2022

A $7,500 donation from the First Security Charitable Foundation will help the Marble Rock Fire Department buy a new pumper truck, KIMT.com reported.

A series of fundraisers is underway with the goal of collecting $100,000 to pay for a replacement for the fire department’s 1989 E-One Pumper, the report said.

Marble Rock Community Fire Company is a fully volunteer fire and rescue department comprised of 20 firefighters and EMS personnel. The fire district covers 67 square miles while the EMS district covers 135 square miles of Floyd County, including Marble Rock and Rockford.

Anyone interested in contributing to the Marble Rock Fire Department’s pumper truck fundraising effort can learn more and contact the fire department through its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarbleRockFireDepartment.

On the November 8 ballot, the Beloit (OH) Volunteer Fire Department is asking voters to consider a 6-mill, additional tax levy for operational expenses, CantonRep.com reported. The last time the fire department asked for additional tax money was 2009.

If approved, the permanent tax would generate about $59,463 annually. It would cost $210 a year per $100,000 in property valuation, according to the report.

The volunteer department has two stations, a tanker and two fire engines. The members are paid on a per-call basis. It currently operates on a $84,000 annual budget, village officials said, according to the report.

The additional tax dollars would increase the budget to maintain and improve the department, the report said.

With the ongoing drought and the Mississippi River hitting low levels in the area, this is causing issues getting boats out on the water, which impacts the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, KFVS12.com reported.

The fire department is limited in deploying certain equipment they use due to the low water, the report said.

A fire official said that river access points are now mostly inaccessible as there is not enough depth for their boats to float in. In order for the fire department to use its larger boat, the river needs to be at least 12.5 feet on the river gauge to be able to launch from the Red Star boat ramp. The river currently sits at around 6.5 feet, the report said.

While the low river levels do limit some capacities for the fire department, the fire official said it is still going to assist anyone that needs help however they can, according to the report.