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The purpose of the Fire Mechanics Section is to promote standardization of fire apparatus and equipment preventative maintenance, improve safety standards and practices, promote workshops, conferences, and seminars related to the purposes of this Section, and to promote cost savings through standardization of building and equipment purchasing and maintenance.

RECENT FIRE MECHANIC NEWS

Posted: Jul 23, 2025

Cal Fire Air Base in Ramona Getting $12M Upgrade

Karen Kucher
The San Diego Union-Tribune
(TNS)

A $12 million construction project at the Ramona Airport will provide much-needed improvements to Cal Fire’s air-attack base there and allow it to more quickly load fire retardant onto larger air tankers, including one that carries up to 4,000 gallons that will be based in Ramona.

The work, expected to start next month, calls for contractors to demolish the current fire-retardant reloading bays and build redesigned ones that allow planes to more quickly get back into the air. The job is expected to take eight to 12 months to finish.

The Ramona Air Attack Base has operated at the rural airport since 1957. The renovations will be focused on the north side of the airport and are not expected to impact any civilian flight operations, Cal Fire spokesperson Capt. Mike Cornette said.

He said the current configuration requires pilots to “kind of loop around” to point a plane’s tail toward the bays, where they are hooked up to a hose dispensing fire retardant. Larger aircraft cannot tail-in load because their wingspans are too large.

“Retardant loading hosing must be pulled out to (large) aircraft as the (aircraft) are pulled parallel to the loading pits,” a state budget report explained.

The new ones will be more efficient, officials say, because they will allow aircraft to pull off the airport taxiway directly to where they can be resupplied. Tankers can then go directly onto the taxiway and return to the runway.

That “pass through” design is expected to cut down on delays, resupply aircraft more quickly and get them in the air sooner, Cornette said. “It’s going to be more efficient for our air tankers to reload,” he said.

Part of the project also calls for redoing concrete pavement installed in 2000 that did not meet design specifications and which has fractured and crumbled. Airplane engines can be damaged if they suck pieces of concrete into intakes.

A state budget change proposal that outlined the $12 million request said Cal Fire has had to perform maintenance and repairs as mitigation for the problematic pavement.

Once all the work is completed, one of seven C-130H airplanes that Cal Fire has acquired from the U.S. Coast Guard is to be assigned to Ramona. Two have already been deployed elsewhere in the state.

The large tankers, which are four-engine prop planes, are being retrofitted and will be able to drop more than three times the amount of fire retardant than the 1,200 gallons that S-2T air tankers based in Ramona can carry.

Fire officials say several steps will be taken to ensure “uninterrupted air response” during the construction project, including plans to keep the two air tankers currently stationed at Ramona fully loaded and available.

Officials also plan to double the number of air tankers dispatched to confirmed fires. While they normally send two tankers for an initial attack, they now plan to send four. That’s because the tankers will have to fly to a Riverside County air base to get more retardant.

“We are going to send those two additional air tankers to help supplement that extended flight time,” Cornette said.

The agency also has plans to activate a temporary reload base at Brown Field Municipal Airport near the border if there is an “extended attack” fire or some kind of special circumstance. When called up, contractors can quickly set up a temporary facility to supply fire retardant.

Fire officials say they are “well-resourced” with seven helicopters they can call upon when a fire ignites, including ones operated by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, San Diego Gas & Electric, Cal Fire/San Diego Cou

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Posted: Jul 23, 2025

Brunswick (GA) Pushes-In New 107-Foot Midmount Ladder Truck

The Brunswick (GA) Fire Department held a push-in ceremony recently for its new 107-foot midmount aerial ladder truck.

The extra reach on the ladder will help the department get to the top of the town’s tallest buildings. It will also help the city meet fire insurance standards that will keep premiums lower for residents, thebrunswicknews.com reported.

The ladder is a midmount, which makes the truck easier to get it around and under the city’s many live oaks and tight streets, according to the report.

The ladder truck has a 2,000-gallon-per-minute (gpm) pump and a 500-gallon water tank.

Specifications

ChassisEnforcer™
BodyAscendant® 107’ Heavy-Duty Aerial Ladder
Actual Overall Height11′ 11″
EnginePACCAR MX-13
Horsepower510 hp
Front SuspensionTAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
Rear SuspensionSpring
Electrical SystemCommand Zone™
Foam SystemHusky™ 3
PumpWaterous Midship
Pump GPM2000 gpm
TankFoam
Water
Tank Size500 gallons

The post Brunswick (GA) Pushes-In New 107-Foot Midmount Ladder Truck appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Jul 23, 2025

New Aldie (VA) Fire and Rescue Station No. 7 Opens

On Saturday, July 19, 2025, officials from the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, and County Administration joined first responders, local leaders, and community members for the official Dedication Ceremony for the new Aldie Fire and Rescue Station No. 7.

The facility is designed to achieve LEED Silver designation. 

This 23,000 square foot facility, located at 39855 Little River Turnpike, replaces the previous station and includes apparatus bays, bunkrooms, a training room, a break room, restrooms and showers, food preparation and dining areas, laundry and decontamination areas, supply storage, a gear and hose drying area, a breathing apparatus air compressor room, a fitness room, offices and a repair shop. This station houses Engine 607, Medic 607, Rescue 607, Brush 607, Brush UTV 607, Utility 607, and Wildland Support 607, staffed with career and volunteer personnel that remain ready to respond to emergency incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Senior Deputy County Administrator Erin McLellan emceed the event with Chair At-Large Phyllis Randall, Dulles District Supervisor Matthew Letourneau, Little River District Supervisor Laura TeKrony, Delegate Geary Higgins, Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure Deputy Director Scott Worrest, President of the Aldie Heritage Association Eugene Gulland, Systemwide Fire Chief James Williams, Aldie Volunteer Fire Department (AVFD) Assistant Chief Jeff Flippo, LCFR CAD Systems Analyst and Lifetime AVFD Member Mike Carter, addressing the crowd. Each noted the hard work of all the County agencies and community groups involved in the planning, construction and opening of the new station.

In lieu of a ribbon cutting, Fire and Rescue personnel, County, and local leadership participated in a traditional “uncoupling ceremony” replacing the standard ribbon and scissors with two sections of fire hose.

The post New Aldie (VA) Fire and Rescue Station No. 7 Opens appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Posted: Jul 22, 2025

Springfield (FL) Fire Department Welcomes New Truck 

A new vehicle manufactured by Pierce was added to the Springfield Fire Department on July 21, making the fleet four according to wjhg.com. Firefighters and residents joined together for a push-in ceremony to celebrate the new addition.  

The new truck was also dedicated to Chief Chris Adams who passed away in 2007 in the line of duty. Chief Brian Eddins stated in an article that his goal is to carry on Adams’ vision of what he wanted the department to be.  

Although the truck wasn’t initially in the department’s plans, Eddins shared to mypanhandle.com that the demand for fire trucks is extremely high and if not ordered before a certain period of time, the wait could be about four to five years.   

The post Springfield (FL) Fire Department Welcomes New Truck  appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

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Fire Mechanics Section Board

Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Chair

Elliot Courage
North Whatcom Fire & Rescue
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Vice Chair

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Vice Chair

Mike Smith 
Pierce County Fire District #5
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Secretary

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Secretary

Greg Bach
South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue
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Director #1

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #1

Doug Jones
South Kitsap Fire & Rescue
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Director #2

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #2

Paul Spencer 
Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC
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Director #3

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #3

Jim Morris
Mountain View Fire Department
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Director #4

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #4

Arnie Kuchta

Clark County Fire District 6

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Director #6

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #6

Brett Annear
Kitsap County Fire District 18
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Director #5

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Director #5

Jay Jacks
Camano Island Fire & Rescue
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Legislative Representative

Posted: Oct 21, 2015

Legislative Representative

TBD
TBD
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Immediate Past Chair

Posted: Oct 20, 2015

Immediate Past Chair

Brian Fortner
Graham Fire & Rescue

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