Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday invited the Houston firefighters union to sit down with him to discuss “any ideas you have” about how to implement the pay parity measure passed by voters last November, but left it unclear whether negotiating pay raises through contract talks was an acceptable idea. - PUB DATE: 1/11/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle
Two utility contractors faulted for contributing to an explosion that leveled part of downtown Sun Prairie and killed a volunteer firefighter in July have been fined for “serious” violations by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
In citation letters dated Jan. 4, OSHA said its inspectors found that Kansas-based Bear Communications and Michigan-based VC Tech failed to call a diggers hotline or utility owners to locate underground lines before starting work. - PUB DATE: 1/11/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Wisconsin State Journal
Winter is when the federal government starts spending dollars to prepare for the wildfire season, but the ongoing shutdown has put some of this preparation in limbo.
Cutting underbrush and holding prescribed burns are critical to keeping firefighters safe and protecting towns near fire-prone areas. But there’s basically no prescribed burning going on right now according to the National Association of State Foresters. - PUB DATE: 1/11/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Boise State Public Radio
VIDEO: A Palm Beach County firefighter is suing Fire Rescue after he says a captain discriminated against his disability.
Eduardo Mesa said others then joined in on the retaliation.
Eduardo Mesa's lawsuit is at least the fourth lawsuit filed against the county or Fire Rescue regarding discrimination and retaliation since 2016. - PUB DATE: 1/11/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPTV-TV NBC 5 West Palm Beach
A local fire department is making changes after NBC Connecticut Investigates began looking at what some might consider generous perks for its commissioners.
The bonuses went away after our first set of stories. Now commissioners have eliminated some of the last of the perks.
They agreed to get rid of the weekly free tank of gas they are eligible to receive. - PUB DATE: 1/11/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WVIT-TV NBC 30 West Hartford
Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday invited the Houston firefighters union to sit down with him to discuss “any ideas you have” about how to implement the pay parity measure passed by voters last November, but left it unclear whether negotiating pay raises through contract talks was an acceptable idea. - PUB DATE: 1/11/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle
Mashpee Fire Lt. Nicole Stanley realized just how important banning harmful chemicals in flame retardants is when she was diagnosed with occupational cancer last summer.
“Now that I’ve been diagnosed with cancer, it’s an eye-opener to me. I thought I was protecting myself,” Stanley told the Herald.
Doctors have attributed Stanley’s rare form of breast cancer to exposure of carcinogens in her 28 years of service on the Mashpee Fire Department, she said. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Boston Herald
The FDNY will start training firefighters on how to safely pass gaps in elevated bridges after one of New York’s bravest plunged to his death from a span in Brooklyn on Sunday, Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.
“We will try to ensure this never happens again in our city,” Nigro said outside the wake for Steven Pollard, 30, on Wednesday night. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Post
VIDEO: California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday pledged fresh investments to prevent, fight and escape wildfires, including millions to help local governments improve their communication during emergencies and a fee to fund an update for the state’s 911 system.
At a fire station in the fire-prone Sierra Nevada foothills, Newsom outlined $105 million in new fire-related spending on top of $200 million approved by lawmakers last year. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CBS 13 Sacramento
The consolidation of Hamilton’s big government fire service has been stalled and set back because of concerns voiced by the state Department of Community Affairs.
The Democratic-led Hamilton Council last September voted 4-1 to introduce an ordinance calling for Hamilton Fire Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to be “hereby dissolved and abolished effective Jan. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Trentonian
VIDEO: Orange County commissioners agreed this week to fund a mental-health training program intended to help first responders and others struggling to shake free of the horrors they saw at the Pulse nightclub massacre.
“Forty-nine innocent people killed at one time,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who responded to Pulse as the county sheriff on June 12, 2016. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel
Mashpee Fire Lt. Nicole Stanley realized just how important banning harmful chemicals in flame retardants is when she was diagnosed with occupational cancer last summer.
“Now that I’ve been diagnosed with cancer, it’s an eye-opener to me. I thought I was protecting myself,” Stanley told the Herald.
Doctors have attributed Stanley’s rare form of breast cancer to exposure of carcinogens in her 28 years of service on the Mashpee Fire Department, she said. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Boston Herald
The FDNY will start training firefighters on how to safely pass gaps in elevated bridges after one of New York’s bravest plunged to his death from a span in Brooklyn on Sunday, Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.
“We will try to ensure this never happens again in our city,” Nigro said outside the wake for Steven Pollard, 30, on Wednesday night. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Post
VIDEO: California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday pledged fresh investments to prevent, fight and escape wildfires, including millions to help local governments improve their communication during emergencies and a fee to fund an update for the state’s 911 system.
At a fire station in the fire-prone Sierra Nevada foothills, Newsom outlined $105 million in new fire-related spending on top of $200 million approved by lawmakers last year. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CBS 13 Sacramento
The consolidation of Hamilton’s big government fire service has been stalled and set back because of concerns voiced by the state Department of Community Affairs.
The Democratic-led Hamilton Council last September voted 4-1 to introduce an ordinance calling for Hamilton Fire Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to be “hereby dissolved and abolished effective Jan. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Trentonian
VIDEO: Orange County commissioners agreed this week to fund a mental-health training program intended to help first responders and others struggling to shake free of the horrors they saw at the Pulse nightclub massacre.
“Forty-nine innocent people killed at one time,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who responded to Pulse as the county sheriff on June 12, 2016. - PUB DATE: 1/10/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel
A city-commissioned review to be released Tuesday found pervasive “locker room talk” and an unwelcoming culture toward women in the largely male ranks of the Boston Fire Department and urged city officials to take several steps to boost the number of women on the force.
Just 16 women are in the 1,500-member Fire Department, which has been criticized three separate times for its culture over the past 19 years. - PUB DATE: 1/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Boston Globe
President Donald Trump said in a Wednesday tweet that he is cutting off federal money to fight California wildfires, claiming the money is being wasted.
"Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forrest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen," Trump said. "Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. - PUB DATE: 1/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: USA Today
VIDEO: The discontent among the state of Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund members is understandable. They signed up for jobs that provided pensions and paid health care.
Now, coverage for 8,000 of the retirees has been cut.
Daniel Graham, Communications Director for the fund was asked about the cuts. - PUB DATE: 1/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cleveland 19 News
VIDEO: Driving a fire engine is more difficult than firefighters make it look, especially when rushing to a fire. New simulation technology is now available to help prepare firefighters for any situation.
Shawn Priddy, Herrin Fire Chief explains how the simulation works, "There's scenarios where you respond with lights and sirens, there's blind intersections that you can't see around, vehicles run red lights like in everyday life, there's people that walk out in front of you, there's times you're in a rural sitting and deer come across the road so it's a very lifelike experience. - PUB DATE: 1/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSIL-TV 3
