Oceanside (CA) Fire Department has broken ground for a new fire station to replace a building that was constructed in 1929 in the heart of the city, according to a report published by The Coast News Group.

According to the report the new fire station project, with a price tag of $18 million is being funded with money from Measure X and a $3.5 million grant from the federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program.

The new station will have two levels with five bays, a lobby and conference and training rooms on the first floor, according to the report, while the second floor will have accommodations for 12 staff members, shared bathrooms and a kitchen. It will also have solar panels on the roof, the report said.

Placerville, CA – The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians contributed $600,000 towards the El Dorado County Fire Protection District’s purchase of a new ladder truck, according to a news release from the department. Fire District officials meet with Tribal officials on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, 10 am at the Red Hawk Casino front entrance (valet) area to receive the contribution.

El Dorado County Fire Protection District provides emergency fire services to the Tribe’s Shingle Springs Rancheria including Red Hawk Casino. The Fire District’s latest contract extends 5 years – until June 30, 2027.

“[The District] has had a long-standing partnership with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and Red Hawk Casino, over the years their support of our fire district and firefighters has been nothing short of amazing.  The continual support for trainings and various events provides the ability for our firefighters to further develop their skills to protect our communities.” states Fire Chief Tim Cordero.

“The support of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and the Red Hawk Casino will allow for our District to purchase a much-needed new ladder truck.  Absent of this generous donation, we would not be able to make this purchase, which will serve not only the residents of Shingle Springs and the Red Hawk Casino, but citizens and communities across the County,” says Cordero. The Fire District’s current ladder truck is over 30 years old and has outlived its useful service life. Ladder trucks purchases are a significant financial commitment for fire agencies with most costing over $1 million and requiring annual certification and regular maintenance. The remaining funds needed for the purchase will come from the Fire District’s general funds and development impact fees. “This support will significantly enhance the capabilities of our firefighters in protecting our communities.  As the Fire Chief, I cannot thank them enough for their on-going support to our firefighters and our communities,” says Cordero.

“I am grateful for the continued support shown by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and the Red Hawk Casino for our fire district and our firefighters.  Their generous donation will provide our firefighters with the equipment and tools necessary to enhance the level of service provided to the citizens and communities we serve,” states Cordero. 

It will be some time until the ladder truck is in service. Fire apparatus are custom built when they are ordered and can take between 12 to 20 months to manufacture and deliver depending on demand faced by the manufacturer. Local firefighters will choose the specifications the apparatus will be built to before an order is placed. The Fire District will keep the community appraised of the progress of the ladder truck. 

Ferrara—Ouachita Parish Fire Department, Monroe, LA, two custom pumper-tankers. Cinder XMFD cabs and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engines; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pumps; UPF Poly 2,500-gallon water tanks; Newton 10-inch manual rear dump valves; AXIS Smart Truck Technology; FRC InView 360-HD camera systems with 7-inch color monitors. Dealer: Courtney Butcher, Ferrara Fire Apparatus, Holden, LA.

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Vector Solutions, the leading provider of purpose-built training and operational management software applications for public safety agencies, in partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ (IAFC) Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS), are proud to announce Captain John White, Fire Training Coordinator at the Apex (NC) Fire Department, as the recipient of the 2022 VCOS Training Officer Award.

 “It is again the pleasure of VCOS to be partnered with Vector Solutions for the Training Officer Award,” said Chief Norvin Collins, VCOS Board Member and Award Committee member. “This year is even more special since it is the first award following the pandemic. The submissions really demonstrated the necessity of the Training Officer’s ability to be resilient and flexible. Using tools like Vector Solutions for remote learning truly allowed emergency responders to maintain their knowledge during those challenging times. Congratulations to our winner and to all those who were submitted for consideration. Remember, training saves lives; both the citizens we protect and ours. Keep training.”

The award honors training officers for exemplary conduct and dedication to their fire department’s training program. Captain White has demonstrated these qualities by being an instrumental part in the dramatic improvement of Apex Fire’s ISO review in late 2020, in which the department impressively earned the coveted Class 1 rating in January 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Receiving this award was unexpected,” Captain White said. “I was floored, overwhelmed, and surprised to earn this honor,” he continued, “but there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’ and without the support of my department, the [Vector LMS] training management system, and help from the dedicated people at Vector who come from the fire service and have been in my shoes, we would not have achieved a Class 1 ISO rating.”

By leveraging Vector LMS (formerly TargetSolutions), Captain White helped ensure that quality training was available to all members throughout the pandemic, which was essential during times of social distancing and quarantine and played a key role in the department achieving a Class 1 ISO rating. Considering that there was no grace period offered by ISO regarding training due to the pandemic, Captain White’s leadership and tenacity to utilize online tools to keep training on track were invaluable.

In addition to spearheading the adoption of Vector LMS and its subsequent use to help the department improve its ISO rating, Captain White has many other responsibilities at Apex Fire that contribute to the success of the department’s training program. He is responsible for scheduling departmental and continuing education training for the department and making routine and special assignments through Vector LMS for special topics, monthly safety training, and the dissemination of new and updated policies. He is also in charge of ensuring all EMS personnel meet the continuing education requirements to maintain their EMT certification, which is critical to the success of the providers and the department.

Captain White’s passion for the fire service is reflected in his dedication to training and guiding the next generation of firefighters. As a former company officer and in his current training role, Captain White continues to mentor several of his previous firefighters and receives requests from others wanting to learn from his expertise and experience.

The 2022 VCOS Training Officer Award will be presented to Captain John White at the VCOS AnnualMeeting at Fire-Rescue International (FRI) 2022 in San Antonio, Texas, on Aug. 25.

Visit Vector Solutions at booth No. 2829 to see what Vector’s suite of training, staffing, performance, and asset management solutions can do for your agency. This year marks the ninth consecutive year Vector Solutions and the VCOS have p