INDUSTRY NEWS:
CONSOLIDATION: Medtec is closing 2 facilities in Indiana and moving to Florida. WSBT reports almost 200 people with the ambulance manufacturer will lose their jobs. Medtec is consolidating resources with sister company Pierce and moving operations to Pierce’s facilities in Florida. Click here for WSBT’s full report.
PATENT APPROVED: Pierce announces its been granted a U.S. Patent for the Pierce Ultimate Configuration (PUC™) firefighting vehicle. Pierce says it’s sold more than 500 PUCs, putting it among the most popular Pierce apparatus in history.
The PUC is an industry-changing multi-purpose response vehicle that is engineered to eliminate the need for a bulky pumphouse. The PUC features a simplified two-step pump shift operation and redesigned pump panel for ease of use. In addition, the design frees space while improving function. With a wheelbase as short as 172-inches for improved maneuverability, the PUC also provides up to 500 cubic-feet of storage.
Read the full press release from Pierce here.
Over at VaFireNews.com, Mike Sanders recently featured Round Hill, Virginia, in an apparatus profile. Mike gives some history of the department, started in 1953, and showcases many photos of today’s fleet. Check out his post here.
COLLISIONS & INCIDENTS:
STAGGERED PARKING PROTECTS SCENE: Two Stratford, Connecticut, fire trucks were heavily damaged Friday after being hit by two separate tractor trailers. There were some minor injuries, but no fatalities thanks to parking procedures at incidents. See previous FireTruckBlog.com coverage here.
ROLL OVER: Three Madison Township (Indiana) firefighters were very lucky to not have serious injuries after their tanker overturned Friday morning. Read more from Fox28 here and from the South Bend Tribune here.
AMBULANCE STRUCK: A man is in critical condition after colliding with a Livingston County, Michigan, ambulance. LivingstonDaily.com reports the ambulance, with a patient on board, had its lights and sirens activated. The full article can be found here.
SAND TRAP: Click here for the video of a rig in Honolulu, Hawaii, getting a little help to break free of a sand on the beach.
DONATION:
SISTER CITY TRAINING: Some Minneapolis firefighters are headed to Kenya to train city workers in Eldoret on operations and maintenance of Minneapolis’ old truck. Minneapolis donated the 1988 pumper last year–part of the rig’s trip included a 6-week sea journey. Read more from Minneapolis here, including what the training sessions will cover. More pictures can be seen on MyFoxTwinCities here.
TEACHING TOOL OR FULL OF HOT AIR?
In Cheshire, England, the Fire Brigade Union is questioning the bosses’ purchase of a bouncy fire house while also implementing budget cuts. According to the Daily Mail, the union says the purchase and operating costs of the “apparatus” during the past 18 months exceeds the salary of one year for an experienced firefighter. The bouncy truck is used to teach children about fire safety. Read the full article here.
NEW DELIVERIES:
Station 66 in Arroyo Grande, California, celebrated the new year with a new addition–a Pierce. The Santa Maria times reports this is the first new apparatus for the Five Cities Fire Authority.
Pierce representative Cary Eckard quickly ran through some of its features — a boom that extends 100 feet, holds 1,000 pounds and delivers up to 2,000 gallons of water per minute from the platform monitor; powered by a 505 horsepower Detroit Diesel; and carrying 300 gallons of water, 65 gallons of fuel, an 8 kilowatt generator, “tons of storage” and a crew of four.
Read Mike Hodgson’s full article here.
It’s a new 102-foot aerial truck for the folks in Trenton, Michigan. A grant from FEMA for $750,000 helped pay the majority of the cost of the Rosenbauer rig. The News Herald has more here.
DuQuion.com reports the new Elkville, Illinois, truck is nimble and functional–good for both community firefighting and calls in rural areas. The new apparatus was built by Toyne Fire Apparatus Company and features a 500 gpm pump and 2,000 gallon tank. John Croessman has all the details here on DuQuion.com.
FUNDING:
A 26-year-old engine will be replaced in Frenchtown Township, Michigan, thanks to a $285,000 federal grant. More can be found here at MonroeNews.com.
Fundraising, raffles, and donations totalling $43,000 may help the Washington Island Fire Department (Wisconsin) acquire a used truck from a nearby department. The Door County Advocate reports a vote will come Monday. The Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Department is asking $45,000 for its truck.
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