As questions about reliability and maintenance of fire apparatus with the Ridgefield (CT) Volunteer Fire Department, authorities are looking to accelerate buying two new ones and seriously considering revamping how rigs are maintained, according to a report published by The Ridgefield Press.

According to the report, the community was planning to buy the new apparatus in 2024 and 2025, but the repairs and downtime the existing fleet has experienced recently, forced authorities to speed the process up.

The town has $1.8 million in a surplus funds account which could be used to buy the new apparatus, according to the report, which also noted that an apparatus failed while on a call and another rig just got a $65,000 engine.

Additionally, Ridgefield is planning to merge the fire maintenance department by entering into an agreement with the Danbury (CT) Municipal Airport, according to the report that said the cost of the agreement would be one mechanic which could cost upward to $120,000.

Voters will be asked to approve funding for the new trucks, which will be standardized with Danbury, on Sept. 21, according to the report, and the shared maintenance facilities will likely be activated n July 2023, according to the report.

After leading police on a 100 mph chase in an allegedly stolen Cal Fire utility vehicle, a suspect was arrested on Friday afternoon, according to a report published by Record Searchlight.

According to the report, law enforcement authorities were told the vehicle had been stolen near McCloud and deputies joined police officers and pursued the vehicle on freeway until the suspect exited in Yreka.

The driver was arrested after stopping and fleeing on foot and charged with  auto theft and resisting arrest.

According to a report from The Herald-Dispatch, the Wayne County (WV) Commission has approved the release of $500,000 in county excess levy funds to help build a new fire station in Westmoreland, West Virginia, said Huntington Mayor Steve Williams to city council members Monday night.

Williams said the new station will be in the 3200 block of Piedmont Road. The city council approved the purchase of the land in 2021.

Vacant buildings on the property have since been abated for asbestos and demolished. Huntington’s Public Works Department will remove trees from the site in October.

An architectural and engineering request for qualifications walkthrough was scheduled for firms on Wednesday morning, with a groundbreaking scheduled for July 2023.

Westmoreland Fire Levy Committee member Carol Boster thanked several people such as Committee Chairwoman Cindy Chandler and Mayor Williams at the conclusion of Monday’s meeting.

The Huntington Fire Department recently broke ground on another new fire station in Fairfield.

Calabash Fire Department’s new aerial is a 100-foot mid-mount Pierce Ascendant, powered by a 505-horsepower Detroit Diesel engine. It has a Hale 1,500-gpm pump, a 300-gallon water tank and a 6kW Harrison hydraulic generator.

On it’s Facebook Page, the fire department said the following: Exciting news! Our beautiful new state-of-the art Pierce aerial truck is now in service to help protect the citizens of our fire district. Calabash firefighters have had extensive training on this apparatus and we are delighted to have it fully operational in our fleet of firefighting, rescue, and medical response vehicles.

https://www.facebook.com/calabashfire/posts/pfbid0DqAL2pFkoAytotKpdUJp71RbGGUCVWjTvRkFTRECdH9UKFjaWBemQU8E4hkfQHTYl