Hood County (TX) fire officials say they’re approaching the halfway point in refurbishing engines for the county’s nine volunteer fire departments, reports hcnews.com.

The officials add that, at around 20 years old, the apparatus have already exceeded their life expectancy.

New such trucks can cost around $1 million, but refurbishments are still costly but much less expensive—about one-third of the cost, the report says.

At the February 22 meeting, county officials gave the go-ahead for the refurbishment of Cresson’s Engine 39. It will cost $325,000, according to the report.

The refurbishment will be done by Florida-based E-ONE, and it will have six months to complete the job. If it takes longer, E-ONE will be responsible for reimbursing the county $100 per day, the report says. E-ONE partners with a company that transports the apparatus to and from the refurbishment site.

The county has already completed refurbishments for engines belonging to Granbury, Station 70 (Oak Trail Shores), and North Hood County volunteer fire departments.

A fifth fire station in northwest Minot is anticipated to cost nearly $4.2 million, and city council at its Tuesday meeting accepted some bids, reports minotdailynews.com.

The cost includes construction, engineering, and contingency for Station 5, which has been in the works for five years, the report says.

In 2017, the city purchased land along Fourth Avenue Northwest, and the architectural design began. Pandemic-related cost delays ensued, though.

The entire council meeting can be seen here:

City Council Meeting – February 22, 2022 https://t.co/Qk3mdnewOV

— City of Minot (@CityofMinot) February 22, 2022

Council accepted bids from Roers Construction, general contract, $2.62 million; C&C Plumbing and Heating, mechanical contract, $690,150; and Jesse Braun Electric, electrical contract, $419,900, according to the report. The contracts include four items as optional, depending upon on price: floor heat, northside skylights, westside bay windows, and sleeping room lighting control.

Work on the facility is expected to commence this construction season.

Also during the meeting, Hess Corp. presented a $41,534 grant to the Minot Fire Department for a new air compressor.

Are you attending FDIC 2022 and JEMS Conference and Expo 2022 in Indianapolis (IN) from April 25-30? If not, you should because both events will feature all kinds of new H.O.T. (Hands-on Training) Evolutions, which aren’t your typical “weekend training events.”

They cover the latest technology and techniques, and they’re instructed by key figures within the fire industry. Attendees will ascertain valuable information to take back to their respective departments to implement for an exponential safety impact on their overall community.

Participation in H.O.T. Evolutions requires filling out a liability waiver and uploading it to your registration dashboard. All FDIC H.O.T. Evolutions can be found here, and all the JEMS Con H.O.T. Evolutions can be seen here.

Examples of classes include:

Fundamentals of Open Water Rescue and Drowning Resuscitation, with speaker Mike Hudson, Chief Lifeguard Paramedic, Sea Bright (NJ) Ocean Rescue
Active Shooter Response for the First-Due Company, with speaker Mark Litwinko, Lt., Fort Wayne (IN) Fire Department
Fireground Skills and Drills for Success in Suburbia, with speaker Charlie Fadale, Chief of Safety and Training, Fishers (IN) Fire Department
Flowing and Going: Search and Extinguishment on the Fireground, with speaker Dustin Martinez, Captain, Cobb County (GA) Fire and Emergency Services
Realistic Fireground Solutions, with speaker Michael Dowling, Lt., Maryland Fire/EMS.

The Watertown City Fire Department will be getting its rescue truck back, reports nny360.com.

City council voted to put the apparatus back on the road for emergency response, after the previous city council ixnayed its use, citing costs, in January 2021. The department is purchasing some new equipment and will be using a Ford F-550 as the rescue truck, the report says.

Related Articles:
Watertown (NY) International Airport’s $6M Firefighting Facility Almost Done
Watertown (NY) Fire Department’s First Apparatus Returns
Watertown (NY) Fire Department’s Former Rescue Truck Finds New Owner
Watertown (NY) Fire Apparatus Auctioned
Watertown (NY) Mayor Proposes Limit on Fire Apparatus Response for Medical Calls
Watertown (NY) And Other Departments Impacted by Loss of Fire Apparatus

The truck’s return was prompted by October’s Arsenal Street crash that trapped a man underneath his vehicle’s dashboard for 16 minutes. First responders had to wait for extrication tools to save the 18-year-old, according to the report.

Officials say the new apparatus will go on calls for heart attack and stroke victims as well as a second emergency medical vehicle when an engine is already deployed.