Singapore, 16 February 2022– ST Engineering announced that its Commercial Aerospace business will design and convert an aerial firefighting platform based on the Boeing 757 aircraft for Galactic Holdings. ST Engineering will draw on its deep structural modification capabilities that have been used in converting passenger aircraft into freighters to develop this first-in-the-world Boeing 757 Passenger-to-Tanker (P2T) program. The prototype is to be converted at one of the Group’s airframe maintenance and modification facilities in the U.S.

ST Engineering will undertake the full scope of the program, from design and engineering to certification and conversion. The Group will also leverage its global network of MRO facilities to provide nose-to-tail aftermarket service and support to Galactic Holdings’ operations worldwide.

Darrin Henry, Managing Member of Galactic Holdings, said, “We chose to partner with ST Engineering in this firefighting program as we are confident in its ability to deliver a green and highly-innovative firefighting solution that will help drive value for our investors. We have committed to deploying the first Boeing 75HP2T in 2024, and building a fleet after the award of the Supplementary Type Certificate. It is an advantage that we can also rely on ST Engineering for maintenance services for our future fleet.”

“We are excited to be working with Galactic Holdings in this new endeavor of repurposing passenger aircraft into flying fire trucks,” said Jeffrey Lam, President of Commercial Aerospace at ST Engineering. “In addition to breathing new life into otherwise retired aircraft, we are glad that we can tap our expertise in aircraft conversion to develop innovative solutions to be used in the crucial fight against forest and wildfires that are increasing in numbers in various hotspots across the world.”

The Boeing 757P2T, estimated to be completed in 2024, will have a capacity of up to 7,000 gallons of fire retardant, making it one of the largest aerial firefighting platforms available on the market when it enters service. The tanker will be equipped with a state-of-the-art dispensing system that helps to ensure high accuracy in the delivery of fire retardant. Compared to the current generation of firefighting platforms that are in service, the Boeing 757P2T is also more fuel efficient, and has the versatility to be deployed to remote locations for firefighting missions.

Two EMS providers were hospitalized after a Parke County, Indiana, ambulance caught fire early Wednesday morning, officials said.

The two were treated for smoke inhalation and have since been released from the hospital, according to WTWO/WAWV. The fire damaged two other EMS vehicles and the Parke County EMS building located in Rockville.

The fire began around 1:30 a.m., around 40 minutes after the ambulance returned from a call. Officials say the fire began in the engine compartment, but the exact cause remains under investigation.

Medical supplies and equipment were lost in the fire, but area agencies have stepped up to help.

“As of 8:00 a.m. today, we are back to full operations,” the Parke County EMS wrote on Facebook. “We have two fully staffed and fully stocked ambulances responding to calls.

“Morgan County EMS and Illiana EMS both donated a fully stocked and service ready ambulance for us to use. We have enough medical supplies that were donated from agencies all across Indiana to resupply our ambulances with inventory as we use them.”

The building was damaged by smoke and will likely cost millions of dollars to repair.

Minerva Bunker Gear Cleaners announced a contract award from Cobb County (GA) Fire Rescue. As part of the award, the Cobb County Fire Rescue has leased Minerva in-house warehouse and office space within the department’s Fire Annex as to provide in-house cleaning and repair for their department. Minerva’s Georgia Facility now relocates operations to the Cobb County Fire Annex at 3200 Austell Road SW, Marietta, Georgia 30008.

Formally located at 1950 Collins Boulevard in Austell, Georgia, this new facility will allow Minerva to support Cobb County’s efforts in implementing a full NFPA 1851 compliance program. This facility will be a benefit to all fire departments surrounding Cobb County as it will also allow Minerva to continue to service their existing customer base while providing adequate space for growth. The company is excited to provide superior in-house service to Cobb County Fire Rescue and to continue to serve the Georgia Fire Service as a whole.

About Minerva Bunker Cleaners

Minerva Bunker Gear Cleaners is trusted by F.D.N.Y. and thousands of departments nationwide with the cleaning, repair, and maintenance of their Bunker and EMS gear. They are a Third Party Verified ISP (Independent Service Provider) by Intertek & Underwriters Laboratories and fully compliant with the current NFPA 1851 Standard, ensuring proper care of all of your PPE. Their factory trained repair specialists and six locations (Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, and Ohio) help ensure they maintain the fastest turnaround time in the industry. For more information, contact Karen Slezak directly at (770) 542-7620 or email Karen at karen.slezak@bunkergearcleaners.com.

By Alan M. Petrillo

Charlotte County (FL) Fire & EMS has moved into its new Station 10 on Don Pedro Island, and it’s awaiting completion this Spring of two mainland fire stations: Station 2 in the Murdock Village area and Station 5 in Punta Gorda.

John Molenda, Charlotte County’s deputy chief, says all three stations have extra space in them for expansion because the county is experiencing quick community growth, and include in their design decontamination spaces to reduce the risk of particulate contamination. He notes that the county operates 16 fire stations, staffed by approximately 250 firefighter/EMTs and paramedics.

Station 10 is a two-story, two-bay station built on a barrier island that’s only accessible by ferry or personal watercraft, says Karl Bernhard, principal of Sweet-Sparkman Architects, the firm that designed and built the structure on a design/build contract, partnering with Magnum Builders. “The fact that the station is on an island meant we had to bring concrete trucks and all building materials over by ferry, which was a challenge,” Bernhard says. “Also, the station is located 1,000 feet from the Gulf coast and is in a FEMA flood zone, so we had to raise the level of the station’s living spaces 15 feet.”

He notes that the ground floor holds the two apparatus bays, a turnout gear storage room, and a general storage area. “The slab supporting the fire trucks had to be frangible where it would break away under a certain amount of storm surge pressure,” Bernhard points out. “We put in a miniature version of an airport runway, which is a grid pattern with individual squares doweled together with greased rods and receivers that tie them together.”

Station 10’s second floor has four single-occupant, fully-enclosed bunk rooms, three of which are built out with a bed, storage underneath, a desk area, and three lockers, while the fourth is reserved for future use. Also on the second floor are a fitness room, report-writing room, laundry area, two unisex shower/toilet/sink rest rooms, and a commercial-grade kitchen with an open-floor plan connecting a day room and dining room, with a porch area.

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