According to a report from Rapid City Journal, the Sturgis (SD) Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) has taken receipt of a brand-new 1,000-gallon capacity pumper donated to them by Rosenbauer, a corporate sponsor of this week’s upcoming, world-famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The pumper is valued at between $650,000-$700,000.

The SVFD plans to use the pumper to replace two aging trucks currently in its fleet: a rescue truck and Engine 4.

SVFD Chief Scott Lensegrav said he has been working toward a sponsorship with Rosenbauer for the past couple of years. The apparatus company operates a facility that outfits fire apparatus near Sioux Falls. He stated in 2021’s annual report that the trucks have exceeded or are near their operational life expectancy of 25 years.

In addition to the cost in savings, the SVFD now one apparatus to do the jobs of two also saves on staffing requirements.

Lensegrav said the new pumper will now allow the department to do everything from aid people stranded on hillsides to vehicle extrication to fighting structure fires.

Brian Gaalswyk of Heiman Fire Equipment, a Rosenbauer dealer, said the company prefers making a direct donations to departments. He continued, saying that Rosenbauer is using their presence at the rally to support all the departments in the Black Hills as well as to meet firefighters from across the country who attend the event.

Lensegrav said the new pumper will be on display for the duration of rally week, and will then be rolled out for service early next week.

A fire truck on Bell Island in the town of Wabana in Labrador Canada caught fire while it was fighting a wildland fire over the weekend, according to a report published by radio station VOCM.

The pumper truck and Wabana firefighters were busy fighting some eight different fires over the course of Saturday and Sunday and one of those fires got so hot, it caught the truck on fire, according to the report.

The town is working with its insurance company to come up with a replacement truck to fill the large void the loss made in the community’s ability to fight fire, according to the report. The truck was used to fight wildland fires and other larger blazes, according to the report, which said there was no time frame for getting a new one in service.

The City of Tampa and Tampa Fire Rescue are proud to announce the grand opening of Fire Station 25, an exclusive “rescue station” to serve the Sulphur Springs community and the surrounding neighborhoods.
In September 2021, Tampa City Council approved around $3.4M to provide Fire Station 25 with four additional personnel and two new rescue units.

Fire Station 25 will operate solely as a rescue station, which means trained firefighter paramedics assigned there will respond to medical calls and other emergencies. These rescue units are especially critical for this area, where 90 percent of the calls are EMS in nature. 

Mayor Jane Castor said this new, renovated fire station will play a pivotal role in easing the burden on nearby fire stations.

“In an emergency, every second matters,” Mayor Castor said. “This new station will allow us to continue to shorten our response times in a fast-growing area of Tampa.” 

The opening of Fire Station 25 will specifically help support Fire Station 13, one of the busiest fire stations in the country.  
“We are excited for the opening of Station 25, a much-needed addition for our citizens,” Chief Barbara Tripp said. “To ensure Tampa has America’s best fire rescue department, we are improving service to meet our community’s needs.”

“For too long the men and women of Fire Station 13 have carried a disproportionately heavy burden of service calls,” said Councilman Luis Viera, who serves North Tampa. “This station will go a long way to providing much-needed relief to the firefighters working in North Tampa and the residents they serve. I thank Mayor Castor and Chief Tripp for their collaboration and leadership in making these critical improvements in public safety.”  

“Residents living in Sulphur Springs are thrilled to have this new fire station in their neighborhood,” said Councilman Orlando Gudes. “We thank the brave men and women of Tampa Fire Rescue for protecting this great community.”

Fire Station 25, located at 710 E. Fairbanks St., is at the site of the old Fire Station 11. Prior to renovations, the Tampa Police Department’s K9 Unit was utilizing the building for training.  

The construction of Fire Station 25 was paid for in part with federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Act money, supported by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14).   

Spartan Emergency Response—South Chicago Heights (IL) Fire Department pumper. Metro Star LFD cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 2,250-gpm pump; UPF Poly 750-gallon water tank; 30-gallon foam cell; Elkhart model 240-125-gpm eductor foam unit. Dealer: Chris Sewell, Fire Apparatus Supply Team, Lincoln, IL.

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