Carie Canterbury
Daily Record, Canon City, Colo
(TNS)

Fremont County received nearly $9.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding when the nation was recovering from the global COVID-19 panic. Every cent has already been re-invested into the community or has been obligated to certain projects that should be completed and paid for by the end of 2026.

The Board of County Commissioners presented its list of awardees during its March 25 meeting.

Thanks to donors, Rouse Park upgrades hit it out of the park

Fremont County created a special input page on its website to gather ideas and feedback on how residents wanted to see this funding spent. All considerations were required to follow specific guidelines laid out by the federal government in order to qualify

All funds were required to be obligated or spent by Dec. 31, 2024.

There are still projects for which those monies are waiting to be officially spent,” Board Chair Kevin Grantham said. “Once those are done are paid for, then we will be done with ARPA, but a lot was accomplished from that.”

Special districts and non-profits were not eligible to receive direct ARPA funding from the federal government, but the board agreed to share its ARPA funds with them.

Fremont County awarded a total of $1,990,018 in funding to special districts and non-profits.

“There are some organizations that we helped out with grants, including many of the fire protection districts, both on the west end and the Florence and Cañon City fire districts,” Grantham said.

Special Districts/Organizations

Florence Fire Protection District: $225,278

Western Fremont Fire Protection District – $21,830

Cañon City Area Fire Protection District – $300,000

Deer Mountain – $35,505

Park Center Water – Reimbursement – $30,000

Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District – $300,000

Fremont Sanitation District – $338,880

Golden Age Center – Computers – $6,129

FEDC – Grant Match – $77,073

Howard Volunteer Fire Department – $155,294

RE-2 Backpack Program – Paid to Big D’s – $6,000

Senior Services Solutions Plus – $21,150

Tallahassee Fire Protection District – $54,963

4-H – Bounce Houses for Fair Board – $4,500

Gold Belt Byway – $5,000

Park Center Water- Valve Replacement – $60,000

Royal Gorge Chamber Alliance – $100,000

Fremont Center of the Arts – $100,000

Rialto Theater – $100,000

Penrose Parks and Rec – $48,413

Fremont County elected officials and department heads also were asked how ARPA funds could be utilized to help their departments.

About $6,718,957 was spent/obligated for county department projects.

Cañon City Area Fire Protection District received $300,000 in ARPA funds for a new fire station.

Funds were utilized for purchases that departments have not historically been able to include in their budget and for much-needed building upgrades.

“Probably one of the major ones is the airport where they are going to be doing a major drainage project and hopefully getting that underway and done soon,” Grantham said. “It’s something that has been necessary for a long, long time.”

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office also received a sizable amount mostly to help with the significant requirement

The City of Clovis and the Clovis Fire Department are excited to announce the completion of the all-new Fire Station 2, rebuilt from the ground up in coordination with the Clovis Planning and Development Services Department to better serve the growing southwest Clovis community, the city said in a press release.

Located in the historic Helm Ranch area, the new facility replaces the original 1976 station and reflects the city’s continued investment in public safety, infrastructure, and quality of life.

The previous 6,300-square-foot station served the community for nearly 50 years. However, a 2019 assessment revealed structural deterioration, limited accessibility, and space constraints. City leadership took swift action, securing funding to rebuild a safer, more modern station designed to meet both current and future needs.

With a 35% expansion to 8,488 square feet, the new Fire Station 2 offers improved accommodations for firefighters, expanded capacity for apparatus serving the southwest area, and state-of-the-art safety features. The design honors the area’s ranch-style heritage, with modern amenities including a turnout room, fitness room, improved bedrooms, a kitchen, office, and diesel fueling station. Aligning with the City commitment for responsible and sustainable development, the station complies with California Building and Fire Codes, including Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards.

Join Us for the Grand Opening
The City of Clovis invite residents, media, and business partners to a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House:

Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Location: Clovis Fire Station 2 – 2300 Minnewawa Avenue, Clovis, CA 93612

Highlights:

Ribbon cutting, remarks from city leaders, station tours, and a complimentary lunch provided by Vallarta Supermarkets. This celebration marks a major milestone for Clovis and showcases the city’s dedication to reliable, forward-looking fire protection services. We welcome the community and our partners to experience this important addition to the city firsthand.

The post Clovis (CA) Will Hold Grand Opening Event for Newly Rebuilt Fire Station 2 appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

The Troy (NY) Fire Department needed to replace a 30-plus-year-old aerial platform that was having major suspension issues, so the department decided to go with what has been a tried-and-true model for it: a Sutphen SP95 aerial platform.

Deputy Chief Jared Barringer notes that Troy is a seven-square-mile city with a population of 50,000 and terrain that runs from a river valley to the hills overlooking the river. “We’ve been seeing a regrowth of our downtown, with a building boom of large apartment complexes,” Barringer points out. “While we were retiring a 1991 Sutphen SP95, we wanted to stay with that model because we liked its design, especially the aluminum box ladder design that gives us a lot of flexibility and strength to operate on hills and the ability to carry Qmax pumps that can back up our engines in their areas, when necessary.”

Barringer adds that Troy has many narrow, one-way streets in its downtown and in the city’s Lansingburgh area, so the SP95 outriggers are good when operating in tight places. “The rear outriggers on the SP95 go straight down, while the front outriggers are out-and-down H-style jacks,” he says. “They give us the ability to short jack when we need to and allow for easier placement of the truck.”

Philip Vander Molen, president of Vander Molen Fire Apparatus Sales & Service, who sold the new aerial platform to Troy, points out that the Troy Fire Department has run Sutphen SP95 aerials since the 1970s, having purchased eight of the rigs over the years. Vander Molen says this SP95 is built on a Sutphen Monarch heavy duty chassis with 56-inch-long cab with a flat roof and is set up to carry four firefighters, three of them in H.O. Bostrom self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) seats. “The crew cab also features a large emergency medical services (EMS) cabinet covered by an Amdor roll-up door,” he says.

Vander Molen notes that the fire department paid a lot of attenti

ITASCA, Illinois (April 15, 2025) – Darley has just released Firefighting Equipment Catalog #278. Specifically crafted for first responder professionals, this redesigned catalog features more than 200 pages of innovative solutions from Darley and its trusted partners, all showcased with dynamic and engaging imagery.

The new catalog is also enhanced with more references to Darley’s online shopping experience at shop.darley.com, making it easier than ever to quickly find expanded product information and make informed purchasing decisions.

Amanda Whitlaw, Creative & Brand Director remarked, “The Darley catalog is iconic in our industry, with our first responder customers often referencing their catalog collection for years to come. We’ve listened and have redesigned our catalog with their needs in mind. We are excited to share this incredible tool with them, ensuring they have access to the best equipment and solutions available.”

This release marks a significant step forward in Darley’s mission to passionately serve the world’s first responder and tactical communities by providing high quality, safe and innovative products with unmatched commitment and service. Explore the new catalog today and request your printed copy at shop.darley.com/firefighting-equipment-catalog.

­­­­­­­­­­About  Darley: You serve others. We serve you. Darley provides the highest quality pump, technology, and equipment solutions for first responders around the world. With origins in Midwest manufacturing, Darley offers a complete line of unmanned systems, immersive training technology, equipment and pumps. Learn more on our websites: www.darley.com and shop.darley.com.

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