From MO to MI, rising gas prices are affecting fire departments.

Mount Morris Township (MI) Fire Department officials say that it takes about 60 gallons to fill a fire truck, which, on average, costs about $300 per apparatus, reports NBC25.

Related: Rising Gas Prices Affecting Aurora (MO) Fire Protection District

As we speak, the average cost for a gallon of diesel fuel in the area is $4.94. Who knows when/where/if it will stop rising? The rising price has even forced the department to increase its oil and gas budget.

And it’s not only the department apparatus that’s being affected; fuel prices also factor into vendor trips to fix equipment as well as the part-time staff’s vehicles—about 60 people, the report says—as they’re used on the job.

The Haverhill Fire Department is battling maintenance issues with its fleet, reports eagletribune.com.

This weekend its Ladder 4, housed at the department’s Bradford station, was down for service due to a radiator issue—at the same time Ladder 1, of the Water Street station, had mechanical issues and wouldn’t start, the report notes.

With the city’s only two ladder trucks out of service, department officials made arrangements with the Lawrence and North Andover fire departments to have their ladders on standby. Ladder 1 was repaired shortly after and even responded to a call about an hour later.

However, Ladder 4 remains out of service for the second week, though the report says it should be back by the end of this week.

The Haverhill Fire Department Local 1011 union blames city council:

“Our public safety strategy must (be enabled to) be better than hoping nothing bad happens when we dont have the people or equipment that we need to do our jobs,” the union says on Facebook. “For the same reason our Fire Chief is not allowed to speak at #Haverhill city council meetings is the same reason we need to go to the public regarding the condition of our department and city. We’d rather it not be this way either but you deserve to know what we’re dealing with as a city service.”

“The Haverhill Firefighters & Chief O’Brien are working diligently to find a ladder, while the maintenance division works on Ladder 1,” another post reads. “In the meantime, the citizens of Haverhill should know what’s going on in their city. #Lifeandproperty Will always be our priority, but you should know the truth. The city of Haverhill is without a working Ladder Truck. Ladder 4 was out of service for more 4 months in the last year, the Ladder replacement plan has been pushed out several times by this administration and the residents of #Haverhill are paying the price. Stop playing politics with people’s lives.”

City officials call the claims misleading and add that the city purchased a new rescue truck in 2020 and two new pumpers in 2021, and that it plans to take delivery of a new ladder in 2025, according to the report.

Three Springdale firefighter-paramedics visited Pierce Manufacturing’s Wisconsin facility in February for a pre-construction meeting about the department’s new fire truck when their life-saving skills got a surprise workout.

As the meeting was underway, someone called the company’s emergency response team out.

Chief Blake Holte, Assistant Chief Jim Vaughan and Captain James Kehrli decided they better find out if they could lend a hand.

With Mike Lyle, Pierce’s director of manufacturing, in cardiac arrest, the three jumped into action and kept CPR going for more than 20 minutes.

The story had a happy ending. Lyle recovered and is back on the job. He shared a thank you video with the men via Youtube. And the men hope to reunite in the fall when the fire engine is scheduled to be completed.

“It’s due to their level of responsibility, their grit, their determination. Their calm and organized manner under pressure,” Lyle told the Arkansas Gazette. “If any little error had happened … there are dozens of reasons I shouldn’t be here.”

For more information, visit the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

SUN PRAIRIE, WI – Fire Facilities, Inc., manufacturers of steel live fire training towers, burn rooms and mobile training units, offers a variety of live informational entertainment at its booth (#4933) during FDIC in Indianapolis in April, 2022. Podcast interviews with 3 Point Firefighter’s Jake Barnes and the Hot Seat Challenge with David Mellen from Valor Fire Training will complement the array of firefighter training options in the Fire Facilities booth.

“We’re making the Fire Facilities exhibit ‘the place’ to stop by during FDIC,” says Aaron Adams, president of Fire Facilities, Inc., and a former firefighter. “We’re honored to have both Jake and David in our booth to share their knowledge with show attendees. At the same time, we’re eager to talk with firefighters about steel structural training options available with our training towers, burn rooms and other structural options.”

FDIC 2022 Sessions:
Active Shooter Response for First-Due Company
Fundamentals of Open Water Rescue and Drowning Resuscitation
Advanced Moulage: Creating and Applying Prosthetics
Resuscitation Airway and Internal Dynamics (R.A.I.D.)

All Fire Facilities structures are made with American-steel in Wisconsin. The company offers a wide variety of configurations to meet all fire and tactical training needs. More than 65 customizable options are available, including ram-pry breaching doors, attic burn areas and confined space elevator shafts.

Live Tapings: 3 Point Firefighter Podcasts

Between 1:00pm and 3:00pm on April 28 and 29, firefighter Jake Barnes, host of 3 Point Firefighter, will conduct 15-minute podcast interviews with a variety of firefighting industry leaders in the Fire Facilities booth. Some of those scheduled to be interviewed include Leigh Hubbard, Executive Director of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), Captain Jarrod Sergi of the Norfolk Fire-Rescue and author of the book “No Nonsense Leadership” and Jesse Marcotte, Training Chief of the Northville Township (Mich.) Fire Department.

Barnes, Battalion Chief Training, at New Albany Fire Department in Indiana, focuses his podcasts on all things related to the fire service. He especially deals with the three key points of “Pride, Training and Physical Fitness.”An ISFSI certified trainer, Barnes travels nationwide to assist with firefighter training programs. His podcasts, including the ones he will record during FDIC, can be heard on Audible, Apple, Spotify and Google.

Live: Hot Seat Challenge

Barnes will also participate in the Hot Seat Challenge in the Fire Facilities booth. On April 28 at 3:30pm, David Mellen with Valor Fire Traini