The Clarendon Fire Department convinced a majority of the select board to spend $300,000 in federal funds to cover the purchase of a replacement tanker truck, RutlandHerald.com reported.

The board voted 3-2 last week to approve the spending of $300,000 in American Recovery Plan Act funds on the department’s proposal, the report said.

A Clarendon fire official said at the September 26 board meeting that the department seeks to replace a 1991 tanker truck which was used when the department bought it. The older truck can carry 1,300 gallons of water. The vehicle he seeks to replace it with could carry 2,000 gallons, the report said.

The new truck likely would be used often at crash scenes, being fitted with a hydraulic extraction tool and parked so as to shield emergency workers from any oncoming traffic, the report said.

It will cost $330,000, according to the report. The department’s fire truck fund currently has about $50,000 in it. The department puts $15,000 in the fund annually. A city official said the town will receive a total of $721,300 in ARPA funds. To date, it has $486,960.

3AM Innovations, an emergency response software company, recently announced $9M in Series A investment by Grand Oaks Capital, the investment firm founded by businessman and philanthropist Tom Golisano. This new investment comes as the intensity and frequency of extreme events – from wildfire, storms, floods, mass violence, and more – increases globally, making it a critical time for resilient situational awareness technology. 

Started by a former firefighter, 3AM has built a software platform called FLORIAN which dynamically creates a network of devices (like smartphones, smartwatches, gps trackers) and decentralized software experiences designed to protect responders during all emergency situations. 3AM is leveraging artificial intelligence in efforts to automate alerting. Before FLORIAN, manual tools like whiteboards and paper maps made it very difficult for emergency responders to safely manage an unfolding situation. Now, first responders have a truly modern solution to assist during life-or-death incidents. With the FLORIAN platform, crews can share real-time, 3D understandings of active incidents to mitigate unnecessary risk and communicate more effectively. 

“The work 3AM is doing is essential. Whether you’re fighting wildfires or rescuing someone during a flood, 3AM enables first responders with critical capabilities and we are excited to support their growth.” said Tom Golisano, founder of Grand Oaks Capital. 

3AM’s FLORIAN platform has provided first responders with a common operational picture  at major events, including sporting events (like the Superbowl and Indy500), numerous high-volume marathons, music festivals, and more. Partnering with global companies, including Microsoft, Samsung, and AT&T, 3AM is empowering first responders with essential technology. They are co-developing adaptive tools designed to enhance emergency response effectiveness throughout every stage of an incident. 

“Microsoft has been working with 3AM since 2019 – first by co-developing artificial intelligence and now,  together we look to bring augmented reality to public safety and defense. Through our partnership, we have been impressed with 3AM’s practical and gritty approach to solving problems that first responders face every day. We look forward to supporting them as they integrate modern capabilities into modern emergency operations,” said Kirk Lonbom, director of Public Safety and Justice Strategy and Solutions at Microsoft.

This investment will provide the capital to help 3AM expand their emergency response technology worldwide. In conjunction with this investment, 3AM’s founders have nominated  board member Mel Passarelli to take on the role of CEO. 

“We are thrilled to receive support from a top-tier investor to build technology that can help mitigate the risks for first responders combating wildfires, floods, and other emergencies,” said Mel Passarelli, CEO of 3AM. “This accomplishment is a testament to the progress we have made with our partners so far, and we can’t wait to serve more teams, helping to protect the brave men and women who protect us.” 

About 3AM Innovations

3AM Innovations is protecting those who protect us with technology. Their FLORIAN software platform provides first responders with an adaptive 3D toolset, designed to empower tactics and connect decision makers. Leveraging the interoperability of IoT, 3AM continues to integrate FLORIAN with partners who can help them save lives. With decades of incident command experience and the power of artificial intelligence, 3AM is converting the organized chaos of an emergency into actionable intellig

A recent lake fatality has prompted a new mission for Lake Rayburn volunteer firefighters, who are now asking for the public’s help to save lives, BeaumontEnterprise.com reported.

The firefighters are seeking funding options for a permanent fire and rescue boat on Lake Sam Rayburn to improve response time to emergency calls, the report said. The first responders currently have to wait on other agencies or an area resident to bring a boat whenever there is a call for help on the large East Texas lake.

Sometimes other law enforcement agencies, who are responsible for a large service area, are not always available at the time of a call on the lake. The closest boat to the department is located about 20 minutes away in Jasper, a fire official said.

The volunteer fire department has the manpower, but it does not have the funding. The department has nearly 20 volunteer firefighters, including about eight who are emergency care attendants, according to the report.

While the volunteers see the benefit of the fire and rescue boat, a specially-equipped boat can cost as much as $300,000, the report said. So far, about $500 has been raised for the boat.

Sam Job, President of the local Emergency Services District No. 4, which represents the rural fire departments in North Jasper County and the fire district around the lake, said the effort has included reaching out to other agencies inquiring about used fire boats, the report said.

The first responders are getting a small flat bottom boat from Jasper County as the effort continues, the report said.

The Rapid City Fire Department held a ceremony and blessing to welcome its new ladder truck into service. The ceremony included a traditional push-in, where the truck was pushed into Station 6 by members of the department, BlackHillsFox.com reported.

This tradition dates back to when fire trucks were horse-drawn carriages that, after being taken out, had to be manually pushed back into the garage, the report said.

The ceremony was long-awaited as the process to get the custom-built truck began in 2019. However, due to economic and supply issues, the truck was not received until this year. With the truck now in service, firefighters believe they will be better prepared.

It is the third ladder truck to be added to the department.