The Amarillo (TX) Fire Department’s union apparatus recently turned 100.

It’s been preserved by the Amarillo Professional Firefighters Local 542.

“The locals 1922 Brockway fire apparatus is turning 100 years old!!” Local 542 says on Facebook. “From my understanding of the history, it was originally a Midwest chemical plant truck converted to its current state by the 542. Originally had a tank that functioned like an old extinguisher.

“There was a soda acid compartment inside a large tank that spun, allowing it to be turned sideways and mixed with water to pressurize the tank to be discharged through hoses. Our members built the bed from scratch and the original wood from the bed was used to build the kitchen table frame for station 11. BJ Loyless built the table frame.”

Champaign Fire Department’s Ladder 161 was involved in a two-vehicle accident Wednesday at the intersection of Neil and Green streets while responding to a call.

A firefighter and the driver of the car suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment. Both vehicles sustained moderate damage and had to be towed from the scene.

The family of a woman who died of a drug overdose is suing North Las Vegas, its fire department, and several firefighters claiming the city ignored the illicit drugs that were sold and used by firefighters at Station 51.

The station had a reputation as a “party station,” the lawsuit alleges, and that turned tragic in February 2020 when Tiffany Slatsky died from an overdose after partying with a group of firefighters, including her husband Christopher Candito, at the Golden Nugget Casino.

Slatsky overdosed and Candito took her to Station 51 to administer Narcan, but she later died at home. Candito pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the incident.

Now Slatsky’s family is suing. Central to the lawsuit are a series of texts between a group of firefighters, that talk openly about their use of illicit drugs, KLAS reports. Slatsky is survived by a young son.

In one text, one firefighter brags, “Friday night is going to be insane .. We’re partying downtown. We have enough coke and molly to kill a pack of elephants.”

Visit KLAS for more on the lawsuit.

Firefighters working out of Brome Lake (Canada) could soon find a new home just down the road, as the town stated its intention to allocate an estimated $7.5 million into developing and building an updated and modern fire station in 2023.

According to Brome Lake Mayor Richard Burcombe, the current fire station is over 40 years old, and it no longer conforms to modern day standards. The idea for a new facility has been in the works for several years, he explained in a phone interview with The Record.

“We looked at it last year. We had plans drawn up. We’ve done the disciplinary things. Our site is already bought and levelled and everything is ready to go there on Victoria Street. So it’s in the plans for 2023 and the three-year plan, you know, of what we have to do,” he said.

Burcombe explained that the estimate for the new station, which will be located opposite the community center, was calculated roughly one year ago. However, he is aware that the price for construction materials, equipment and labor has shot up during the pandemic.

“That was the estimate we had approximately a year ago. From what I gather from other towns, some have risen by 30 per cent, the cost of projects, so it’s 30 per cent on, what is it? $7.5 million? So it would go up to close to $10 million, if that’s true,” said Burcombe.

The mayor looked into possible provincial grants, however, because Brome Lake is in a solid financial position, it isn’t eligible for an infrastructure grant. Burcombe said the town is penalized for being in good financial shape, adding it is only in debt by $15 million.

With the town footing the bill for the new fire station, Brome Lake residents will see a tax increase of about two to three cents to cover the yearly debt, he told The Record. A borrowing bylaw will be used to help with construction costs, but it will also need to be approved.

When asked whether the borrowing bylaw could be pushed into a referendum by residents, Burcombe acknowledged the possibility, but he also noted that it is highly unlikely, since most people are aware of the need to upgrade the fire station, especially for safety reasons.

“Yes, it can force a referendum because we have to do a borrowing bylaw, if we do it to the maximum amount of $7.5 million and if it increases, well, yes, people can oppose it, but I mean how are you going to oppose the safety and security of the firemen,” said Burcombe.

Brome Lake Fire Chief Don Mireault told The Record that most municipalities with a major fire service in the Brome Mississquoi have renovated their fire stations, including Sutton, Waterloo, Farnham, and Cowansville. Bromont is in the process of upgrading its fire station.

“We just got an evaluation of the building that we’re in now […] so it’s not in a dangerous state and the initial costs are close to $1 million just to fix the roof and fix everything up and make some decent bathrooms,” he said, referring to the station on Mont Echo Road.

Mireault said he understands that this isn’t necessarily a great time to embark on a major infrastructure project, since materials and other costs have skyrocketed. However, he noted that the town set the wheels in motion for a new fire station several years ago.

“The municipality bought the lot about three or four years ago, so that’s paid for. The initial plans have been bought and paid for. There’s been money put aside with the surplus over the last couple of years […] certain steps have been taken over the years,” said Mireault.

He would also rather invest more in a new facility now over saving a couple of million and then going back to the drawing board when the town will inevitably need to update again in a few years. The station was built in the 1970s,