An Atlantic City firefighter filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and the department’s chief and deputy chief after learning he would be suspended without pay unless he shaved his beard, which he has grown out for religious reasons.
Alexander Smith, who has worked for the fire department for more than 15 years and makes $115,000 a year as an air mask technician, is a born-again Christian who began growing out his beard in December as an expression of his faith, according to a lawsuit filed last week. - PUB DATE: 3/7/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NJ.com
The Pueblo Fire Department's newest class of firefighter recruits consists of six men who were selected to serve Pueblo residents based on their "experience, merit, and fitness for the position," but it's also making history for the department.
Terrence Fantroy-Hankins will be PFD's first black firefighter when he completes the academy class, which started March 1. - PUB DATE: 3/7/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KRDO-TV
VIDEO: A 5-year-old boy in Addison has taken it upon himself to help out his local volunteer fire department.
After discovering they were missing a certain piece of life-saving equipment, the little guy knew he had to help.
Eleni Wakeman, Asst. Fire Chief for Addison Fire Department says, "There was a call for a woman who had fallen through the ice. - PUB DATE: 3/7/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WABI 5
VIDEO: Virtually every item on the Houston City Council's agenda Wednesday was postponed by Councilman Dwight Boykins in a parliamentary protest over un-sworn firefighter cadets.
It appears the months long debate over firefighter cadets who have not been sworn in has finally boiled over.
On Wednesday morning, 68 firefighter cadets are at the Houston Fire Department Training Academy. - PUB DATE: 3/7/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTRK-TV ABC 13 Houston
A burning home near Bethalto partially collapsed while firefighters were inside on Tuesday, killing a Godfrey fire captain and injuring three other firefighters.
Capt. Jacob "Jake" Ringering of the Godfrey Fire Protection District died from his injuries after being transported to a hospital. He was 37 years old. - PUB DATE: 3/6/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: St. Louis Post Dispatch
Nearly eight decades later, the Fire Department is remembering 13 firefighters who died in the line of duty.
A ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. at City Hall to observe the 78th anniversary of the Strand Theatre Fire. The ceremony is held each year around the anniversary of the fire, which resulted in one of the largest losses of life for firefighters in the history of the United States. - PUB DATE: 3/6/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Enterprise
VIDEO: A first-of-its-kind Pasco County program is helping high school students hoping to become firefighters.
"Last year, my step-dad brought me to a live burn at the training center and it really sparked my interest," said Amy Newland.
For students like Newland, the "Fire Science Course" at Fivay High School is the perfect way to start climbing the ladder. - PUB DATE: 3/6/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFTS-TV
VIDEO: York County soon may step into the business of putting out fires. But not without being asked to, at least for now.
Riverview Volunteer Fire Department reached out to the county about making its firefighters full-time county employees. The possibility of the county taking over would be a new step. - PUB DATE: 3/6/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: HeraldOnline.com
'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
