St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green wrote a column proposing that city leaders ask voters to approve a $25 million no tax increase GO bond. The last time firefighters received any substantial capital equipment was 16 years ago through the 1999 GO bond issue.

She writes, "Our firefighters provide essential services to the community. Yet, vital equipment needed to do their jobs is not supported by the ½ cent sales tax in which the police, parks and recreation and the wards receive annually. Firefighters receive no dedicated capital funds to address critical equipment deficiencies, and for some fire equipment a one-year lead time is needed."

For taxpayers, the tax levy was decreased and property taxes were lowered during the recent recession and after. The tax levy dropped from a high 30 cents to a low 13 cents today. The city should not ask taxpayers to increase property taxes until first asking them to make full use of the current levy.

According to the St. Louis Development Corporation, the consolidation of the Refuse Department is ready to be finalized this spring, also generating a need for funds.

For more information, view www.stlamerican.com

More than two dozen New Jersey firefighters are suing five fire truck manufacturers and a siren maker alleging the noise from the emergency vehicles' sirens have lead to an "irreversible" loss of hearing.

The lawsuit was removed from state Superior Court and filed in federal court in Newark on Dec. 4 on behalf of 34 current or former firefighters in Elizabeth, Linden, Bayonne, Union, Ridgewood, Kearny, Cranford and West New York. The suit names American LaFrance LLC, Kovatch Mobile Equipments Corp., Mack Trucks Inc., Pierce Manufacturing Inc. and Seagrave Fire Apparatus LLC, as well as the siren maker Federal Signal Corp.

The lawsuit alleges the firefighters, who were each employed by the departments for decades, "have suffered irreversible hearing loss and a permanent decrease of their hearing" making them unable "to enjoy life's pleasures."

According to the suit, the fire truck manufacturers failed to test and develop crew cabs or install after-market modifications that would allow for safe sound levels for the firefighters while responding to calls in fire department vehicles, including pump and ladder trucks and paramedic vehicles.

The suit further alleges Federal Signal Corp. knew or should have known the sirens were "inherently dangerous" to a human's hearing and failed to develop a safe product.

Each firefighter is seeking $150,000 in damages as well as court costs associated with the suit. 

For more information, view www.nj.com

The Charlton (NY) Volunteer Fire Department has taken delivery of a 2015 HME, Inc. rescue-pumper. Built on an 1871-W chassis with an MFDxl cab and 12-inch raised roof, the fire truck is powered by a 450-hp Cummins ISL9 engine, has an Allison 3000EVS transmission, and Spicer 1760 drivelines. A Federal Q2B siren is recess-mounted in the cab grille. The extended bumper houses dual stutter tone air horns and a Cast Products siren speaker. The 47-inch heated pump enclosure features a 1,250-gpm Hale Q-Flo Plus combined with HME Hydra Technology™, three speedlays, a Hale FoamLogix 3.3 Class B foam system, and a side-mounted stainless steel pump panel. Additionally, the truck has seating for a crew of six, a backup camera, a ProMariner battery charger with a Kussmaul auto eject, a 12-volt Kussmaul Auto Air compressor, On-Spot automatic tire chains, a TFT monitor, and an interior LED lighting package. The stainless steel body features 176 cubic feet of compartment storage space with trays, shelves, and toolboards throughout, an 80-cubic-foot hosebed, 1,614-gallon polypropylene water tank with through-tank-ladder storage, a six-inch jet dump, roll-up doors, coffin compartments, FRC LED quartz and scene lighting, and a Whelen emergency lightning package.

Salesman: Glenn Davis

Dealer: Lake Regions Fire Apparatus, Inc.

Dealer Location: West Ossipee, NH