The Palm Coast Fire Department hosted a Gold Star Dedication ceremony in which they dedicated a new Fire Engine in memory of Marine Lance Corporal John T. Schmidt III on this past weekend. The ceremony took place at Fire Station 21 with the family and friends of Lance Corporal Schmidt, Gold Star Families, and Fire Department personnel.

The Fire Department took delivery of a 2021- Pierce Enforcer Fire Engine earlier this year. The Fire Engine was placed into front line service at Fire Station 21, affectionately known as The Lion’s Den, located at 9 Corporate Drive.

Lance Corporal Schmidt was born in Carmel, New York and graduated from Oviedo High School in 2001; his family lived here in Palm Coast.  Schmidt joined the Marines at age 19 and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He left for his first tour on January 2005 to Al Anbar Province, Iraq with his 3/8 buddies.  On the first day of elections, just two weeks after his arrival to Iraq, he was critically injured in a blast.

He was brought back to the states and taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonino, Texas.  He sustained a chemical injury to both lungs; he later died from those injuries on May 11. Lance Corporal Schmidt was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. He was awarded the Purple Heart. John was known for his love of the Marine Corps; his family shared a story that while in intensive care he was visited by the Commandant of the Marine Corps while under sedation. When coming to and being shown the Commandants Challenge Coin, John immediately wanted to know if his hair was “high and tight.”

The idea for dedicating a fire truck to the memory of a Fallen Solider was proposed by Firefighter-Paramedic Christopher Strozier, who is a Navy Veteran. Firefighter Strozier stated, “We often forget why we have the rights and freedoms we do. Dedicating the fire engine to the memory of a Gold Star Families is a small way to show our appreciation for what they have sacrificed.”

The Fire Department plans each Memorial Day to dedicate a Fire Engine to a Gold Star Recipient whose name is inscribed in the Veterans Memorial at Heroes Memorial Park. In 2021, Ladder 25 was dedicated to the memory of Marine Sergeant Zachary J Walters; which weeks after the dedication, Ladder 25 was involved in a high profile rescue of a juvenile threating to jump off an overpass.

“John’s Engine will be first in and last out to all the calls for one of our busiest zones and second due to everywhere in the city,” stated Fire Chief Jerry Forte. Chief Forte added, “we will send Johns truck to ease the pain, suffering and anxiety of those in distress or perhaps just make their day better; just as he set out to leave this world a better place, by his willingness to defend this great nation. We’re forever grateful for his supreme sacrifice.”

The event was live-streamed on the Palm Coast Fire Department’s Facebook page. Additional photos are also available there. 

Middletown (CT) firefighters are raising funds to restore a 1930 American LaFrance tiller aerial to its former glory when it was in service with the department decades ago, according to a report published by Fox 61.

The aerial, which was in service with the Middletown Fire Department from when it was new in 1930 until it was taken out of service in 1963, was found in a lot in Binghamton, NY, the report said.

A group of retired firefighters and their friends arranged have the tiller aerial returned to Middletown and are now working to raise about $100,000 to have it restored, according to Fox 61.

The public will have chance to see the apparatus while it’s parked in front of the Main Street fire station during the annual Memorial Day parade, the report said, adding that although the aerial does run and drive, it needs work before it is roadworthy.

A special fire truck, showing Tiger Pride, was unveiled Monday by the Memphis (TN) Fire Department, according to a report published by ABC 24 Local Memphis.

The new truck, striped blue with the Tiger logo on the side, was unveiled by Fire Chief Gina Sweat before it was put in service.

The Blue Tiger is the mascot for the University of Memphis sports teams.

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced the sale of the 300th Ascendant® 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower with mid-mount configuration, purchased by the Austin Fire Department in Texas through authorized dealer Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. Since its introduction in 2018 and following the 200th sale just one year ago, this aerial configuration has proven to offer an unmatched combination of maneuverability, operability, and serviceability in the industry.

There are many reasons for the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower’s popularity and significant sales volume. Most notably are growth in cities across the U.S. and the impact on infrastructure, as well as the increased safety benefits of pedestrian-friendly roadways. According to the State Smart Transportation Initiative, fire departments have historically pushed back on the narrowing of roadways because it impedes on the maneuverability of large fire trucks. However, trends show the narrowing of roadways to accommodate pedestrian walkways and bikeways, as well as growth in urban and suburban infrastructure, will continue in the years ahead.

“Public interest in more pedestrian-friendly access to business and residential areas has been on the rise, and in recent years, the City of Austin has added bike lanes to downtown streets,” said Greg Tatsch, director of sales for Siddons-Martin Emergency Group. “As driving lanes narrow, this presents a challenge for maneuvering fire trucks. The option to have a mid-mount tower with a low overall height and length and without a large tail swing was extremely important for the Austin Fire Department, and we were proud to offer a game-changing fire apparatus with those attributes.”

Features of Austin Fire Department’s new Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower with mid-mount configuration include:

• Pierce Velocity® chassis
• Mid-mount 100’ heavy-duty steel aerial tower
• Cummins X15 605 hp engine
• TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
• Short overall height of 10’ 11” and length of 43’ 3” for superior maneuverability
• Integrated ground pads
• 20’ setback capacity
• 20-degree below grade operation

The Austin Fire Department responds to 130,000 calls for service annually with 1,200 personnel among 51 fire stations throughout the city. As Austin’s urban and suburban roadways became narrower to accommodate its residential and business growth, the fire department recognized the benefits of the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower.

“Austin’s downtown area has experienced explosive growth and having an apparatus with the ability to easily maneuver through narrower streets and increased traffic is critical to our mission,” said Lance Zenkner, battalion chief with the Austin Fire Department. “What attracted us most to the Ascendant mid-mount configuration is maneuverability in terms of cramp angle and turning radius, it’s also easy to operate, and can be setup and ready within about 90 seconds. As the city continues to grow, this tower has become a necessity to serve our community safely and effectively.”

Another critical factor related to fire apparatus size and selection is firehouse accessibility and layout. Historic firehouses tend to be more compact than newer firehouses, with the National Fire Protection Agency citing over 21,000 firehouses across the U.S. are beyond 40 years of age.

“We’ve seen remarkable interest in the Ascendant 100’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Tower because its size and maneuverability solve a problem for many fire departments without compromising on performance,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corpor