'It’s hard to convince someone to take on such a big time commitment, especially when they aren’t getting paid for it.' In the early hours of the morning — before the sun has risen, before some people have even gone to bed — Gary Miller is in his truck, rumbling down the road alone. He has a thermos of hot coffee next to him (he drinks a pot a day) and, for at least a few hours, everything seems calm.
- PUB DATE: 3/6/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Lebanon Daily News

VIDEO: More than 2,000 people applied to get New York's new Disability Identification Cards within the first three days they were made available. The card is offered to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, including autism, and it's completely voluntary. It's designed to make first responders aware of a person's communication and behavioral challenges in situations where both could be key to public safety.
- PUB DATE: 3/5/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

City officials are refuting the claims made by Nora Powell and her attorney that the city's plans to fund ambulance service would breach the terms of the interlocal fire protection agreement. Powell, a member of Muncie City Council, said she couldn't support the use of the Center Township Fire Protection Fund to pay for city based ambulances after she used her own money to seek an independent legal opinion on the issue.
- PUB DATE: 3/5/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Muncie Star-Press

A San Juan Capistrano woman, who made appeals on the "Dr. Phil" show and social media sites that netted around $6,000 in cash and goods that she claimed would go to crews battling the massive Holy Fire, pleaded guilty Friday to nearly three dozen criminal charges stemming from the donation scam. Ashley Kay Bemis was sentenced to 177 days in jail, or about credit for time served since her arrest Dec.
- PUB DATE: 3/5/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NBC Los Angeles

A Columbus Division of Fire official is under investigation for how he tallied work time on an internal system the division uses to track staff members. Deputy Chief Jack Reall, former president of the union that represents firefighters, already has interviewed twice with officials in the city’s Department of Public Safety, which opened the investigation Feb.
- PUB DATE: 3/5/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Columbus Dispatch

The city of Easton has been given the green-light to hire part-time firefighters. It's an issue that's caused some friction in the past. The part-time hires come as part of a new contract agreement. The firefighters' union had previously opposed the city hiring part-timers because of training concerns.
- PUB DATE: 3/5/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFMZ-TV Channel 69

VIDEO: The Maine town of Berwick and first responders around New England are mourning the loss of a Berwick firefighter who died while battling an apartment building fire. Captain Joel Barnes died and four other firefighters were injured Friday. Berwick Fire Chief Dennis Plante says the 32-year-old Barnes "died a hero, battling a large and dangerous building fire'' and "made the ultimate sacrifice for his community.
- PUB DATE: 3/4/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NECN

VIDEO: Parts of Eufaula are now unrecognizable after the tornado passed through the town, completely destroying the north side fire station and the Eufaula Municipal Airport. Two firemen were on duty at the time when the tornado hit, fortunately both men remained safe by hunkering down in one of the bath tubs in the fire station.
- PUB DATE: 3/4/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WTVY

The Jefferson City Fire Department is considering moving to 48-hour shifts to improve firefighters' health while still providing quality service. The Jefferson City Public Safety Committee voted Thursday to advance the Fire Department's proposal to switch to 48.5-hour shifts, with 96 hours off, to the Jefferson City Council for further discussion.
- PUB DATE: 3/4/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Jefferson City News Tribune

VIDEO: Two Detroit medics both fired accused of not performing CPR when it could have saved a life. A 30-year-old man was having a heart attack -- and died. Now one of the medics is sharing his story. The Detroit fire commissioner is not talking about what happened but the family of victim Patrick Clemons, is.
- PUB DATE: 3/4/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fox 2 Detroit

First, there's anxiety over the cancer diagnosis. Then, there's anxiety over how to pay for the treatment. Ryker Haselden, 49, called his prostate cancer diagnosis in 2017 a "gut-punch." He's been a firefighter in Mississippi for about two decades. Haselden has two children, one of whom is developmentally disabled, so his wife is a full-time mother.
- PUB DATE: 3/4/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Jackson Clarion-Ledger

VIDEO: Seated in rows and dressed identically in white shirts and black slacks, the 47 members of Toledo Fire & Rescue Fire Class 293 began their first day of six months of fire academy training. The class is one of the most diverse the department has had since 1984, Fire Chief Brian Byrd said. Out of 47 recruits, 30 are white, 12 are black, four are Hispanic, and one is American Indian.
- PUB DATE: 3/1/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Toledo Blade

Following the lead of Denver police, radio traffic from the Denver Fire Department will no longer be accessible to the public starting next month, though one automated dispatch channel will remain open. Fire department leaders in January made the decision to encrypt their radio traffic to make it easier to communicate with police, who decided to encrypt their traffic as well, fire department spokesman Greg Pixley said.
- PUB DATE: 3/1/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Denver Post

A Minneapolis firefighter injured and forced into early retirement because he wasn’t allowed to wear prescribed shoes will be able to pursue a disability discrimination claim against the city, the state’s highest court has ruled. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled on a 5-2 majority that employees are able to sue separately under the state workers’ compensation law and the Minnesota Human Rights Act’s disability protection.
- PUB DATE: 3/1/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Star Tribune

California is facing the worst wildfire conditions in its history with fewer engines and firefighters than it had 40 years ago, says a group of lawmakers and fire unions asking Gov. Gavin Newsom for an extra $84 million to beef up the state’s fire response. Cal Fire has 31 fewer engines than it had in 1975 yet it is responsible for more land, provides protection for more cities and faces drier forests and a longer fire season, said Sen.
- PUB DATE: 3/1/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Sacramento Bee - Metered Site

Peru will be down one police officer and one firefighter the rest of the year to make up for a budget shortfall after city officials miscalculated how much pay raises, approved last year, would cost the city. Officers and firefighters received a 1.5-percent increase in their longevity pay as part of across-the-board raises approved for city workers that took effect this year.
- PUB DATE: 3/1/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Kokomo Tribune

VIDEO: The town of Clover discussed a back-up fire protection plan Monday night for families just in case firefighters make good on a threat to walk out. Firefighters said they are angry that the town’s longtime volunteer chief was not chosen to be the first paid fire chief. The Clover town council called a special meeting Monday evening to discuss the concerns about the threats firefighters made to quit.
- PUB DATE: 2/28/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSOCTV.com

Firefighters in Pawtucket gathered outside of a private fundraiser for Mayor Donald Grebien Tuesday evening, demanding better working conditions and a contract. President of the Rhode Island State Association of Firefighters (RISAFF) Joseph Andriole said the Pawtucket Fire Department has been working without a contract since 2016.
- PUB DATE: 2/28/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPRI-TV

VIDEO: The Riverside Fire Department is busier than ever, and at the same time, has the lowest staffing levels the department has ever seen. The city plans to apply for a federal grant that would let them hire three more full-time firefighters. But, even if they get the grant, those positions would not start until 2020.
- PUB DATE: 2/28/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Dayton Daily News

VIDEO: Firefighters in Anaheim demonstrated recently why drivers should avoid parking in front of a fire hydrant. Anaheim Fire & Rescue posted several pictures Tuesday of a car parked in the red zone in front of a fire hydrant that was needed to battle a blaze across the street. Both rear windows of the Nissan sedan were broken out, and the fire hose threaded through the car in order to reach the hydrant.
- PUB DATE: 2/28/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CBS Los Angeles