E-ONE—Halifax (MA) Fire Department pumper. Typhoon cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; E-ONE eMAX 1,250-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon water tank; internal storage for ladders and suction hoses; rear hosebed access ladder; Whelen emergency light package; FireTech scene light package. Dealer: Dan Martins, Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, North Attleboro, MA.

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The Symposium hosted more than 70 rescue professionals from around North America to connect with and learn from leaders in the backcountry, confined space, and industrial rescue communities.

The three-and-half day event was kicked off with British cave diver Jason Mallinson, who played a critical role in the 2018 Thailand soccer team cave rescue. Additional lectures were led by Tom Pendley, Kevin Koprek, Russell McCullar, Chris Carlson and Brad Warr, Tom Wood, Micah Rush and Richard Delaney; covering topics ranging from advancements in small team rescue practices to overcoming the challenges of rescuing crew members from a capsized and burning cargo ship. Presentations introduced new equipment and methods for improving speed and efficiency in various rescue environments including confined space, industrial structures, roadside embankments and high-angle backcountry settings. Hands-on workshops were held at the Salt Lake City Fire Department training complex and in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Industrial scenarios at SLCFD included skate blocks, cross hauls and offset vertical/mixed confined space scenarios. The embankment and backcountry scenarios at BCC included highlines, low-angle haul systems, vertical raising and lowering, lightweight systems, rescue litter attendant skills, and tripod applications.

Steve Petty, Business Development Manager for rescue and military, was the brains behind the symposium, which was delayed two years due to the pandemic, “With this event, Petzl solidified its position as a leader and innovator in the rescue market while helping to connect key players and training organizations,” says Petty.

The Symposium couldn’t have happened without the strong partnerships of local rescue teams and organizations who worked to support the field workshops. Special thanks to Salt Lake City Fire Department Heavy Rescue, Unified Fire Authority Heavy Rescue, Unified Police Department Canyon Patrol, Salt Lake County Search and Rescue, Wasatch Cache National Forest / Salt Lake Ranger District, and Utah Recreation.

Petzl prides itself in encouraging continual discussion on improving solutions and systems. The Symposium is the perfect example of how individuals can come together, amidst differences, to learn, discuss and grow.

The Westfield Fire Department Wednesday broke ground for its new $12.8 million, 36,000-square-foot fire station and headquarters.

The new facility will replace the current fire station and headquarters at Westfield’s Public Safety Building, as FA reported last year.

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Station 81, to be located at the corner of 171st Street and Ditch Road, will boast eight drive-through bays, a kitchen, bunk rooms, a new training tower, workout room, living quarters, fleet services, locker rooms, and administrative offices.

The city has three fire stations—the most recent was Station 83 on Grassy Branch Road, finished in 2011.

Station 81 is scheduled to open in 2023. More info on it can be found here.

Addition of Engine Company in Far East County Represents 33% Increase in Fire Crew Availability, Comes at Time of Heightened Wildfire Danger

OAKLEY, CALIF. – Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) and East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (East Con) recently announced staffing of the new, but previously unopened, Fire Station 95 in Oakley. Beginning Wednesday, the station was fully staffed for the first time with a three-firefighter engine company equipped to dispatch on either the station’s standard Type 1 Engine 95 or its wildland firefighting Engine 395.

The addition of this fire crew is expected to have positive impacts on fire and emergency medical responses across the area, boosting firefighter availability by 33 percent in East County at a time of critically high wildfire danger. Engine 95 enters service as an Advanced Life Support (ALS) crew, a rolling emergency room staffed by a paramedic, as well as emergency medical technicians, a first for East County.

This staffing collaboration comes fully one month ahead of annexation of East Con by Con Fire and is an early reflection of the benefits residents in East County, and across the rest of the County, can expect to see from the newly expanded Con Fire.

“The opening of this station represents a landmark increase of services ready to respond to the communities of Bethel Island and the eastern portions of the City of Oakley. This is the first step with increased services that annexation with Con Fire is bringing us,” said Brian Helmick, fire chief, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

“Today’s unique collaborative effort between Con Fire and East Con Fire highlights the types of improvements to fire and EMS capabilities residents across the County can expect to realize from our upcoming annexation,” said Lewis Broschard, fire chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. “Fire Station 95 is now delivering resources to a long-underserved part of the County. Working together with our East Con colleagues, we look forward to more such improvements as our July 1 annexation date nears.”

Fire Station 95 will support residents of the City of Oakley and surrounding communities along with the firefighters who staff it, allowing for better quality of life, health, training, and community interaction.

Con Fire & East Con today opened Fire Station 95 in Oakley, expected to shorten fire & EMS responses as much as 90 seconds. The collaboration is one month ahead of annexation of East Con by Con Fire & an early indicator of benefits residents can expect from the new Con Fire. pic.twitter.com/4A2aoy52h6

— Con Fire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) June 1, 2022

Total cost for the new station when built in 2020 was $10 million. Due to ongoing revenue challenges, the station was not staffed or opened at that time. Since completion, it has served as an administrative office for staff providing services to East County.

Designed with cancer prevention in mind, the station includes state-of-the-art gross decontamination showers