Nate Gartrell
Bay Area News Group
(TNS)

RICHMOND — A man in his 30s was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a fire crew ran him over with their truck outside a Cutting Boulevard fire station, authorities said.

The man, who has not been publicly identified, was asleep outside Station 67 around 5 a.m. Thursday when a Richmond fire truck drove over him as firefighters left for an emergency call. The fire truck stopped and firefighters attempted to provide medical aid before he was taken to the hospital, authorities said.

The victim was believed to be intoxicated, and didn’t respond when the station’s roll-up door activated, police said. The crash remains under investigation.

The Richmond Fire Department referred all inquiries to Richmond police, who say the victim remained in critical condition as of Friday afternoon. It’s unclear whether the truck driver was placed on administrative leave or is under investigation.

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Authorities haven’t identified the firefighter who was behind the wheel, or said if anyone at the station inspected the driveway before the truck exited.

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When technology and fire apparatus are discussed, reactions vary. While technology that makes a rig safer is never questioned, its reliability often is. This month, we asked Bill Adams and Ricky Riley to offer their thoughts on fire apparatus technology.

It Doesn’t Matter What You Call It

BY BILL ADAMS

When firefighters interface with their apparatus, safety is priority one and is nonnegotiable. I started to address fire apparatus technology by saying that any technological innovation in fire apparatus design that benefits firefighters is to be commended regardless of if said innovation is mechanically or educationally oriented. This last sentence sounds good but is grammatically incorrect.

I don’t want to offend the innovators or the sales, marketing, and advertising folks in the fire apparatus industry. Nor do I want to incur the wrath of my late 12th grade English teacher’s ghost. But, there is a difference between innovation, technology, and technological. According to the dictionaries, an innovation means something has been invented or modernized. Technology means expertise and skill—which I deduce is having the knowledge and proficiency in accomplishing something. I interpret technological as the application of a disciplined or scientific approach to both technology and innovation. The three words have been intertwined.

Most manufacturers tout their products as the best things since apple pie and sliced bread. However, someone else might have gotten there first. Credit should be given where credit is due.

ELECTRIC FIRE TRUCKS

Over the past years, domestic manufacturers began introducing electrically powered apparatus. They weren’t the first. Neil Wallington’s 2022 book, The World Encyclopedia of Fire Engines, says electrically powered fire apparatus were introduced around 1905 by both French and British manufacturers. The concept only lasted four or five years, mainly because the batteries were too heavy and required frequent charging. Today’s manufacturers have improved the original innovations. If they sell a lot of them, they’ll have proven they have the technological know-how in doing so.

CHANGES

There can be debatable consequences for some innovations. Paraphrasing one of Newton’s laws of physics: For every action, there is an opposite reaction. An eccentric example is at the beginning of the American Civil War, when innovations in weaponry rendered ineffective the infamous mounted cavalry charges with flashing sabers and single-shot rifles. Hence, cavalry troops were used as dismounted infantry with every fifth soldier delegated to merely holding the reins of the other four troopers’ horses. Those horse-holders reduced the number of fighters on the line by 20%. It led to the demise of the 7th Cavalry at Little Big Horn.

Fast forward to today’s fire service and observe the concept of multitasking apparatus—in particular, quints. Innovations such as larger motors and increased axle carrying capacities increased the capabilities of quintuples. Hence, many fire departments embraced the concept of standalone quint companies. It has worked for some.

For others, it has not. In some career departments, city fathers no doubt applauded combining an engine company and ladder company, each staffed by four firefighters, into a single quint company staffed with just four firefighters. Staffing and equipment purchasing costs might be reduced by 50%. The city could be saving money, but the public and firefighters could suffer because of the lack of firefighters on the load. My examples are not—and I emphasize are not—disparaging the wide-ranging benefits of technology in the fire apparatus

Spartan Chassis marked its 50th anniversary in Charlotte, Michigan, with a celebration that honored five decades of innovation, quality craftsmanship, and strong community ties. The event reflected the company’s deep roots and lasting impact, not just in emergency vehicle manufacturing, but in supporting the people and places that helped build it. What began in 1975 as a small team of founders building custom cab-over fire chassis has grown into a nationally recognized manufacturer of fire apparatus chassis and a trusted partner to fire departments across the country.

Honoring a Visionary: Bill Foster

A particularly moving highlight of the anniversary celebration was the tribute to Bill Foster, one of Spartan’s original co-founders and a pioneer in the fire apparatus industry. Foster, who passed away on January 1, 2025, at the age of 83, was more than a business leader. He was an innovator whose work reshaped fire apparatus design and elevated the standards of maintenance training.

In 1994, he launched the Fire Truck Training Conference (FTTC), creating a national benchmark for hands-on education for emergency vehicle technicians. His vision provided emergency vehicle technicians (EVTs) with the specialized training and professional development necessary to keep fire apparatus safe and reliable, setting a standard that is still recognized today.

Foster’s lifelong commitment to firefighter safety and his drive for higher maintenance standards earned respect across the fire service. His influence lives on in every Spartan chassis built and in every technician who benefits from the programs he inspired. The anniversary not only celebrated 50 years of Spartan’s success, it also honored Foster’s lasting legacy and the communities his work continues to protect.

A Legacy of Quality and Consistency

During the celebration, Ed DeVito, chief operating officer of REV Specialty Vehicle Segment, shared his thoughts on what has made Spartan a trusted name in the fire service for five decades. When asked what matters most in earning long-term loyalty, DeVito pointed to Spartan’s relentless commitment to product quality and operational consistency. “Over time, we have focused really on the manufacturing upside to be consistent and ensure that we’re producing a high-quality product. Anytime there’s a manufacturing environment, there are ups and downs and sideways. But to

The East Longmeadow (MA) Fire Department is auctioning off a 1994 HME pumper, according to municibid.com.

This online auction, open to the public, ends Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. Massachusetts residents are able to bid in this government auction online, 24/7, on Municibid.

Bidding started at $5,000.

This 1994 HME pumper served as the first due engine for the East Longmeadow Fire Department for 15 years before moving to second due and eventually spare engine status. Apparatus passed Massachusetts State Inspection and pump testing to the NFPA standard within the last seven months. The front intake is disconnected, and the truck goes into high idle upon application of the airbrake (unsure of why), the post said. 

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