Hammonton council members voted to approve the purchase of a $1.6 million fire truck at the Feb. 27 meeting of town council, hammontongazette.com reported.

According to the resolution, the total cost of the 100-foot platform ladder truck is $1.6 million, the report said. The resolution authorizes $1.52 million in debt with an $80,000 down payment.

A fire official said that the ladder truck will be replacing an outdated one and that the estimated time of arrival is the end of 2024 to the beginning of 2025, according to the report.

A city official noted that this truck is the second of two new acquisitions, both expecting to arrive in 2024, the report said.

The city of Grand Rapids plans to buy land and build a new fire station, fox17online.com reported.

The new station will be located at the corner of Kalamazoo Avenue SE and Kendall Street SE, just north of 44th Street. The site lands in the historically-underfunded Third Ward, which has the largest Black population in the city, the report said.

According to city documents, the Grand Rapids Fire Department has monitored metrics in the Third Ward, where performance has been “lagging” since 2015.

The Kalamazoo district of the Third Ward is currently served by a single station, Station 4. Per city documents, Station 4 is called to more emergencies and protects more people than any other unit in Grand Rapids, the report said. It’s also seen a boost in the number of calls it receives, up 5.59% from the previous year.

The Grand Rapids Fire Department has been planning and searching for the right spot for a new fire station since 2022.

The administration is asking Parkersburg City Council to approve spending more than $2.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, which includes $1 million for a ladder truck and $60,000 to pay off the fire department’s burn tower, newsandsentinel.com reported.

The budget revisions are on the council’s agenda for Tuesday night, along with $90,000 to repair the water slide at Southwood Park, $580,000 for two new Sanitation Department packer trucks and $540,000 for new street sweepers, the report said.

A city official told council he was considering a request for equipment purchases using ARPA funds during the recent municipal budget hearings, according to the report.

The money can be spent directly from the city’s ARPA allotment because it’s for public health and public safety, a city official said.

The $1 million for the ladder truck will be supplemented by $275,000 allocated for the purchase in the capital reserve fund and $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds, the report said.

A fire official saved the city between $500,000-$700,000 by proposing buying a slightly smaller truck than the city now uses, the report said. It would have the same maximum ladder length of 100 feet but would not have a bucket and platform at the top. The existing truck could be used as a backup and the reduced wear would allow it to remain in service longer.

This webcast will explore the job of the aerial driver and operator beyond basic training. It will dive into the information drivers need to know that may not be readily available: the newer trucks and what safety systems there are and can be in place and their pros and cons; how the specification process and final inspection can alter the operations of the apparatus; the operator’s manual and what information is extremely valuable to the driver/operator; some common department policies that can guide or hinder the operator; and tactical positioning of the apparatus and how to maximize the vehicle’s use.