The Sarasota County Fire Department has gotten a new piece of equipment especially for emergencies in the city’s high-rises, mysuncoast.com reported.

With greater maneuverability and stabilization, and a 100-foot-tall ladder, the new truck will allow for more versatile navigation of tight turns and narrow streets, the report said.

According to a Sarasota County fire official, the tiller will be useful in calls downtown, including those with high-rise buildings.

The tiller, which has a rear axle that is steered independently of the front axle, requires two drivers along with a dose of training, communication and teamwork, the report said.

The specialized vehicle also holds storage for additional ladders as well as important equipment for technical rescue and hazardous materials calls, according to the report. The tiller is housed at Fire Station 1 in downtown Sarasota.

Smeal—Lexington (NC) Fire Department 100-foot mid-mount platform quint. Spartan Gladiator MFD with 10-inch raised roof cab and chassis; Cummins X15 605-hp engine; Waterous CSUD 2,000-gpm pump; Pro Poly 300-gallon polypropylene water tank; Onan 10-kW generator. Dealer: Lance Dill, Atlantic Coast Fire Trucks, Denver, NC.

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MONTECITO, CA – A preliminary investigation into the cause of the structure fire at Montecito Fire Station 92 on Saturday determined that the fire started in the firebox of the fireplace in the dayroom of the fire station, the department said in a news release.

Fire investigators determined that the fire extended out of the firebox and into the wall behind the firebox. Smoke and flames then traveled up the wall from the first floor to the second floor and into the attic. To bring the fire under control, firefighters were required to cut open affected walls of the fire station. As a result of the fire and subsequent fire attack, Station 92 sustained considerable damage to the dayroom, an upstairs bedroom and bathroom, the attic and the chimney. The total cost of the damage is being calculated.

While the fire station is being repaired, Montecito firefighters will be housed on-site at Station 92 in a temporary, mobile housing unit. Montecito Fire Department thanks Anthony Borgatello with All Clean Emergency Services for quickly assisting us with establishing temporary housing so that we can ensure the entire fire district remains covered for emergency response.

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Original News Release – Issued 9:00 p.m. Feb. 25, 2023

MONTECITO, CA – At approximately 7:20 p.m. on Saturday on-duty firefighters at Montecito Fire Station 92 noticed the smell of smoke in the building and conducted a search to find the source of the smoke. Light smoke was filling the first and second floors of the fire station at 2300 Sycamore Canyon Road.  

Firefighters at the station called for a first-alarm structure fire response and brought the fire under control within an hour. Firefighters were challenged by fire extension into the walls on the first and second floors of the fire station, as well as the attic.  The extent of the fire’s damage required extensive overhaul work by firefighters. The origin and cause of the fire is under investigation.

Cold Springs Road at Sycamore Canyon Road was closed during the emergency response. It has since reopened.

More than 40 firefighters responded to the fire from Montecito Fire, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District and Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

No one was injured as a result of the fire. 

Montecito Fire Protection District is actively making arrangements for temporary housing for personnel on the Fire Station 92 property. There will be no reduction in service to the community as a result of this incident.

Bill O Boyle
The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
(TNS)

Feb. 27—NEWPORT TWP. — U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser Monday announced the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded a $564,761.90 grant to the Newport Township Fire Department through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.

With this grant, Meuser, R-Dallas, said the Newport Township Fire Department will purchase a new fire engine to replace their 45-year-old Mack Tele Squirt apparatus.

Meuser said the addition of the new engine will provide improved safety for volunteers and residents throughout Newport Township.

“We extremely pleased to hear from Congressman Meuser’s office of the successful Assistance to Firefighters Grant from FEMA for the purchase of a Pierce Saber Pumper, which will meet our operational requirements,” said Joe Hillan, Newport Township Manager. “This project has been in the works for the past two years. We’d like to thank the firefighters who spent many hours researching the equipment and to our grant writing team for the many hours spent applying for the funds. We’d also like to thank Congressman Meuser for his efforts in seeking this grant.”

Hillan stated this is the largest federal grant Newport Township has ever received.

“This grant will certainly go a long way in protecting the residents of Newport Township, the business community, and the firefighters who serve them every day,” Meuser stated. “We believe our first responders should be properly equipped to respond to emergencies and that this grant is a necessary investment, funding the replacement of a vehicle that is more than four decades old.”

About the AFG Program

The purpose of the AFG Program is to award grants directly to fire departments, non-affiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations, and state fire training academies to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel.

Using a competitive process that is informed by fire service subject-matter experts, grants are awarded to applicants whose requests best address the priorities of the AFG Program.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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