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National Fire News

South Carolina: Why a Charleston-area development boom is leading to fire-inspection backlogs

Jamie Dukes tried the door handle, throwing his weight against the small metal door that led to the outside of a North Charleston industrial facility. It wouldn’t move. Inside the structure, pallets of polyester were stacked more than 6 feet high. A plastics warehousing firm was moving in, and Dukes, a North Charleston fire inspector, was on site to sign off that the property was up to code.
- PUB DATE: 12/30/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Post and Courier - Metered Site

Newark Division of Fire in Ohio unveils new way to honor fallen firefighters

VIDEO: The Newark Division of Fire now has a permanent way of remembering its fallen heroes. The department recently installed a memorial for firefighters killed in the line of duty. “It’s a real risk and our new wall reminds folks of that,” Newark Lt. Neal Murphy explained. The tribute consists of eight plaques with names, dates and a short description of each of the eight men killed since the fire department’s inception.
- PUB DATE: 12/30/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WCMH-TV NBC 4 Columbus

Retiring firefighters, police officers in New Jersey city getting $1.2 million leave time payouts via tax-deferred plan

Municipal officials have agreed to set up what’s called a 401(a) plan, tax-differed retirement saving accounts, for retiring public safety employees. Members of the City Council approved a measure on Monday allowing mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration to set up the plan at the request of the police and fire unions.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Paterson Times

Indiana fire department could lose majority of firefighters

Major changes are coming to the Owen Valley Fire Department. Lt. Joe Frye said the department will lose a majority of its firefighters at the end of the year because the Owen Valley Volunteer Firefighter Incorporated Group could not reach a contract agreement with the Owen Valley Fire Territory Board.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WRTV ABC 6 Indianapolis

Suicide spurs Florida fire union’s mental health pitch

The city’s firefighters union is pushing for more emphasis on mental health after losing an officer to suicide. “One of our brothers passed away of this disease,” said Shawn Weeks, president of Local 1891, the union that represents Boynton’s paramedics and firefighters. “Nobody thought this was gonna happen.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Palm Beach Post

Ventura Training Center In California Provides Parolees Path in Firefighting

Knowing how to properly handle all the equipment that's used to fight fires is a crucial part of a firefighter's job. Joseph Cross looks like he's adept and ready to go to battle, but he is actually not a firefighter – yet. He is training to become one after fighting some personal demons and ending up in prison.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bay News 9

First-year data show Wisconsin fire department's home visit program 'greatly needed'

Looking a the numbers at the end of the first year of the Racine Fire Department’s home visit program, department Division Chief Brian Wolf said he’s seen how the program “is greatly needed.” For its first year, the program has been focused on cardiac patients. Fire Chief Steve Hansen said the department’s partners in the program at Advocate Aurora and Ascension All Saints would like to see the program expanded, but the department’s plan is to grow the program incrementally.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Journal Times - Metered Site

New York: Long Island firehouse ravaged in Christmas morning fire

Much of a Long Island firehouse was destroyed after going up in flames Christmas morning, leaving the chief in tears as he described the loss of two pumpers, a ladder truck, an ambulance and the volunteer department’s firefighting equipment. A passing state trooper noticed the blaze at the unoccupied North Massapequa fire headquarters at 1000 N.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Post

South Carolina: Chief Says Spartanburg County’s fire service needs severely outdated

Spartanburg County’s fire service needs have failed to keep up with the growth of more than 50,000 residents over the past 20 years, the county’s leading fire official says. That’s primarily because the county’s master fire service plan has not been updated in more than 20 years, according to Barry Frost.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Spartanburg Herald Journal

Firefighters from 20 Companies Battle Massive 5-Alarm New Jersey Blaze

VIDEO: Firefighters battled a five-alarm blaze at a commercial building in Mahwah shortly before 5 a.m. Christmas Day, working for hours to get it under control, officials said. The fire occurred at the Arzee Building Supply Center at 37 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah Police Chief Stephen Jaffe said. All five Mahwah fire department companies, township police and firefighters from mutual aid support from Rockland County in New York responded to the call, officials said.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Firehouse.com

Alabama fire department introduces new safety program for 2020

The Pell City Fire Department is working on a new partnership with local businesses for 2020. The department will ring in the new year with its new Fire and Life Safety Program. This program will mainly entail the inspections of all business in the city during the new year. Ahead of these inspections, the city is also asking that businesses complete a few minor steps that will help both them and the department in the long run.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: St. Clair Times

Blue for cops, red for fire & rescue: Virginia tree honors 2019's fallen first responders

A nine-foot tree outside Fairfax County’s Public Safety Headquarters is not only celebrating the holidays but honoring those who served. “The cumulative impact of stress from being a first responder starts to creep up on you,” said Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler. Two years ago, stress caught up with the Chief after some of his friends died in the line of duty and by suicide.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WJLA-TV ABC 7

Volunteer firefighters, EMTs worry they won’t have NYPD radio access to help public

As the city continues to stay mum on the plan to encrypt tens of thousands of police radios in New York City, yet another group is expressing concerns that they will also be shut out of the NYPD feed — volunteer firefighters and ambulance companies. Dozens of volunteer ambulance groups currently respond to help New Yorkers around the city, and they monitor police radios to provide assistance.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: amNewYork

Knee replacement made from own cells allows Massachusetts firefighter to get back to work

Mike Berthiaume, 31, a Franklin firefighter, was transferring a patient at the hospital when he suddenly felt pain in his knee. The injury would cause him to miss work, his one true passion, for the next year. “I basically just twisted my knee the wrong way, it was like a compression and twisting injury, and from there it just escalated,” said Berthiaume.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Boston Herald - Metered Site

Firefighters start pillow fights to spread Christmas cheer in Kentucky

One community is getting into the holiday spirit in an unconventional way. Grayson firefighters saw a video of a fireman in New York, dressed as Buddy the Elf, starting pillow fights with random people. They said it looked like too much fun not to try themselves. When people see the Clark Griswold car approaching blaring music from the National Lampoon Vacation films, it's only a harbinger of the surreal Christmas experience that's about to literally strike them.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSFA-TV NBC 12 Montgomery

North Carolina: I-485 drivers criticized by EMS for gawking at and videotaping overturned car

Interstate 485 drivers caused a traffic jam while gawking at and videotaping an overturned car, emergency responders said in a lengthy rebuke on Twitter Saturday night. “Please put your phones down and keep your eyes on the road,” Matthews Fire & EMS tweeted earlier in the day with two photos from the wreck scene, including one of an overturned car.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Charlotte Observer

New York County Legislature Passes Controversial First Responders Protection Act of 2019

A Local Law introduced by Chairman Dan J. Reynolds and the Majority Legislators that shields and protects First Responders has been approved by the Broome County Legislature. At the Regular Legislative Session held on Thursday, December 19th, the Legislature approved the Emergency First Responders Protection Act of 2019.
- PUB DATE: 12/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WICZ-TV FOX 40 Binghamton

Pennsylvania county plans $16.9M radio upgrade; Current system's reliability is 'questionable,' 911 coordinator says

The Cambria County Board of Commissioners on Thursday voted unanimously to approve a $16.9 million contract for upgrades to the county’s public safety radio system, a move designed to improve emergency responders’ ability to reliably communicate with each other and with 911 dispatchers. Robbin Melnyk, Cambria County’s 911 coordinator, said during Thursday’s meeting of the Board of Commissioners that the “questionable” reliability of the county’s existing public radio system “is a safety risk to our responders.
- PUB DATE: 12/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Johnstown Tribune-Democrat

Florida Fire Department Wins Emmy for Documenting their Cancer Battles

VIDEO: When Paul Pietrafesa, a driver for Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his wife Karen said she was glad he and their family had done everything they always wanted to do, and that they had lived every day like it was their last. “Cancer doesn’t discriminate.
- PUB DATE: 12/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Coral Springs Talks

New Jersey unions, city tussle in dispute over retiree payments

The labor unions representing Paterson’s police officers and firefighters are accusing the city of violating their contracts by not issuing accrued leave time payments to employees who retired since July 1. Administration officials said the city intends to make the payments eventually, but that checks have not yet been issued because of “a cash flow issue.
- PUB DATE: 12/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NorthJersey.com - Metered Site

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