THE TOWN OF COCHRANE, ALBERTA, covers just under 12 sq. miles and is home to 13,700 souls.  But its proximity to Calgary, only 22 miles away, is cause for rapid growth lately.

Cochrane, Alberta

Trying to keep up with their projections, the city has just taken possession of a Rosenbauer platform that was special-built in Germany and boasts a 525-horsepower engine along with eight computers.

No doubt there are a lot of places with 10 times the population that would like to know how they came up with $1.3 million to pay for it.

The Vancouver Sun tells about it HERE.
Town of Cochrane WEBSITE.

THE HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL BE WAITING a little longer to take possession of their new fire boat.  The vessel has been undergoing sea trials and training exercises in Halifax Harbor all this week prior to accepting delivery of it.  But on Wednesday morning the craft inexplicably flipped over in calm waters.

Chronicle Herald / Krochak photo

Eight people were on board and all were tossed into the harbor.  A Coast Guard vessel was nearby during the trials and they effectively made a quick rescue of the passengers.  Five of them are Halifax firefighters, one is a student from a Newfoundland marine institute, and the other two are connected with the seller, Harbor Guard Boats of California.

Metro Halifax News reports:

Mike Lerue, spokesman for HRM fire services, said the crash happened around 11 a.m. in calm waters.  “This type of vessel is designed to operate in the conditions of the Halifax Harbour, trials have been underway all week and until this point, the vessel had performed very well, even in rough-sea conditions.

The awarding of the boat purchase to a California boat builder has been contentious in the area from the beginning.  There are several established boat builders in Nova Scotia with long pedigrees and many people had expressed their desire to see the contract awarded locally.  When the design of the winning bidder was offered for public review, many long-time boat builders warned the city council that this design would not perform safely in the Halifax waters.

The Chronicle Herald is reporting:

Even though he didn’t know what caused the boat to capsize, Tim Edwards, executive director of the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association, said he became concerned about the boat’s stability back in January when he first saw pictures of it.

“It’s probably an excellent boat for some of their waters and their climatic conditions (in California), but we didn’t think it was suitable for the kind of conditions that could be found in Halifax Harbour,” Mr. Edwards said.

“Our boat builders in Nova Scotia design and build boats to suit the environment in which they are very, very familiar with here — the wind, the waves and the climate. We thought our builders could come up with a much better solution for the firefighters.”

None of the passengers suffered anything more serious than cuts and bruises, but at least six people were taken to Dartmouth General Hospital for treatment of mild hypothermia. 

The boat’s intended use is to fight shoreline fires where road access isn’t possible and for other water rescues.  The $250,000 boat hasn’t been paid for yet because the sale was contingent on its passing the sea trials. 

 Read the full report HERE.

THE VILLAGE OF MOHAWK, NEW YORK, VOTED overwhelmingly Tuesday against purchasing a new quint for their volunteer fire department.

The Mohawk VFD does not have an aerial truck at all currently and relies on mutual aid coverage for truck service at the town’s structure fires. 

Back in July there was a successful petition to put a bond referendum up for a vote to allocate $500,000 for a new truck.  The balloting was held Tuesday and the results were heavily against taking on the additional debt with 162 people voting “yes” and 336 “nays.”

While there is a general support for the village’s fire department, the populace seems to prefer an alternative solution instead of incorporating more indebtedness.  One proposal that is being considered is to contract for truck service with a neighboring department in Illion for $12,000 per year.

There is also a growing interest in the region to consolidate several fire departments into one.  Currently there are already six aerial trucks in the area.

The Herkimer Evening Telegram has the STORY.
The Telegram also has a background article HERE.
WKTV Utica has this video report:

THE NEW JERSEY STATE COMMISSION OF INVESTIGATION issued a report Tuesday that finds a lack of “proper accountability and transparency” in the way that fire trucks are purchased in the state.

According to the Newsday newspaper:

The SCI says one of the biggest problems local officials often use design specifications passed on directly from their dealers’ sales personnel.

Such a move ensures that only a specific manufacturer will be best able to meet the specifications, hindering any real bidding process for fire truck contracts.

 Firegeezer asks:  It took them 60 years to figure that out?

The report goes on to say that the commission calls for direct state involvement in fire truck purchases and truck design specifications that are written by the state, not manufacturers.

Firegeezer adds:  You think it’s shady now, just wait until you let the Governor’s political pals start designing and ordering for you.
 

THE EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, CITY COUNCIL took actions Monday night to improve the city’s fire department.

According to the Evansville Courier & Press, Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel said the city is investigating complaints of significant maintenance delays for the fire department’s vehicle fleet, including allegations that mechanics signed off on repairs without completing them.

Evansville FD Engine 10  (EFD photo)

The investigation will focus on the department’s repair shop, where changes already are under way. A supervisor has been appointed to oversee the shop’s mechanics and every maintenance request is being reviewed, and all of the department’s trucks will be assessed.

Council also significantly boosted the small equipment funds for both the police and the fire deparments.  The Fire Department’s “hoses and nozzles account,” which covers items such as computer equipment, was increased from $13,340 to $94,340.

Councilman Jeff Kniese, who suggested the changes, said the equipment for police and fire is “atrocious” and called for even more funding for those items. “I still think we need more money directed toward equipment that is sorely needed,” said Kniese, R-1st Ward.  The Evansville FD has 14 stations staffed by 274 career FF’s.

 Read the complete report in the Courier & Press HERE.
Evansville Fire Dept. WEBSITE.
Local 357 WEBSITE.

REGULAR FIREGEEZER READER CHRISTIAN L. has just posted a Flickr page with 15 great photos of an almost-new Magirus pumper in service with a rural VFD in Germany.

Some of the pictures have a unique feature where you roll the mouse over the equipment and a balloon appears telling what the tool is used for (in English, too).

Click HERE to view it and then tell us what you think about it.

NEAR WICHITA, KANSAS, A SEDGWICK COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT mini-pumper was responding to a grass fire Saturday afternoon around 2:40 pm.  While passing a car on the left, the driver of the auto started making a left turn into the path of the fire truck.

KWCH image

The two collided and both vehicles ended up in a drainage ditch with the fire engine on its top.  Both FF’s had their seat belts on and had to be cut out of the cab.  The firefighters and four of the car’s five passengers were all transported to the hospital with an array of minor injuries.

KWCH

KWCH Ch. 12, Wichita has the story and a video report HERE.

WHEN THE MOUNT PENN FIRE COMPANY in Berks County, Pennsylvania, solicited bids for a new ladder truck, the best offer was for $808,000.  That was more than they could afford, so they went to step 2.

Looking on eBay they found a 1992 Seagrave aerial that had been retired from the Cincinnati FD and put in a bid of $12,000 for it.  They won the auction and have arranged to have a new engine installed and then it will be refurbished at the Seagrave factory in Wisconsin.  They say that when it is delivered in January they will be getting “a like-new (aerial) for less than $250,000.”

So what’s wrong with the truck they have now?

The Patriot-News has the full STORY.
Mount Penn Fire Co. WEBSITE.