The whole system of building regulation in the UK is “not fit for purpose”, a damning independent report in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire has found.
Confusing rules and a lack of enforcement means construction companies are able to abuse the system, according to interim findings of the review chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt. - PUB DATE: 12/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Independent
Kern County has released an independent report that details more than $12.75 million in savings that could be achieved by changing the way the Kern County Fire Department pays firefighters, buys vehicles, and provides service to small cities and county airports.
But the Kern County Fire Fighters union on Friday called the report a cut-and-paste hit piece designed to rally public opinion against firefighters right before the county launches a contract assault on their pay and benefits. - PUB DATE: 12/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bakersfield.com
A 32-year-old firefighter from the San Diego area who was battling the Thomas fire died Thursday, a loss that a local Cal Fire official said “has shaken our organization to the core.”
Cal Fire authorities confirmed at news conferences in Ventura, where the fire is burning, and San Diego County that the fallen firefighter was Cory Iverson, who was assigned to the massive blaze with a fire engine strike team from Cal Fire’s San Diego unit. - PUB DATE: 12/15/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Diego Union-Tribune
A 17-year veteran of the Tallahassee Fire Department died overnight Thursday while on duty.
The death of Engineer Jeffery Atkinson was not related to any of the fires fought by the department Thursday, a TFD spokeswoman said. Firefighters had responded to blazes at the International Book Mine on Gaines Street and at a home on Fermanagh Circle in Killearn Estates. - PUB DATE: 12/15/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Tallahassee Democrat
A state Supreme Court judge has ruled against issuing a preliminary injunction that would block the city from a new policy that prohibits firefighters from being called in to work when their colleagues call in sick.
In a decision issued Wednesday, Judge James P. McClusky ruled the city can keep intact, at least for now, a new policy that does not allow firefighters to be brought into work when others call in sick. - PUB DATE: 12/15/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Watertown Daily Times
Brandon Clevenger pleaded guilty this morning to reckless driving causing death in the highway crash that killed Comstock Fire Chief Ed Switalski six months ago.
Replying in one-word answers, Clevenger, 24, of Battle Creek, admitted in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court that he was responsible for the crash that killed Switalski. - PUB DATE: 12/15/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WWMT-TV Kalamazoo 3
The city’s fire marshal testified Thursday that a 2014 report on dangers inside the Ghost Ship warehouse that a fire captain claims to have written has never been found and lawyers said they doubt it exists.
Fire Capt. George Freelen’s surprising testimony Tuesday, during the preliminary hearing of defendants Derick Almena and Max Harris, who have each been charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the deadly Dec. - PUB DATE: 12/15/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: East Bay Times
VIDEO - One person has died and two firefighters injured after a fiery crash Thursday morning in Hunt County, authorities say.
Authorities said the crash occurred on Texas 34 at Farm-to-Market Road 2101 shortly before 6 a.m.
According to Lonny Haschel, Texas Department of Safety spokesman, a Cash Volunteer Fire Department truck crashed and flipped onto its side after swerving to avoid a vehicle that pulled out in front of it. - PUB DATE: 12/14/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KXAS-TV NBC 5 Dallas - Fort Worth
The alert flashed over Brockton Firefighter John McLaughlin’s phone: there was a reported building fire at 63 Woodward Avenue, just a few streets away from where he was driving on his way to work.
He took a left turn onto the street, then noticed the handicapped access ramp attached to the front of the building in question. - PUB DATE: 12/14/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Brockton Enterprise
A resident at a North Miami apartment building that caught fire early Wednesday shot at firefighters, believing that someone was burglarizing his home, Local 10 News has learned.
The fire started about 3 a.m. at La Castellana apartments near Northeast 135th Street and Northeast Seventh Avenue. Dozens of residents were forced out of their homes because of the dryer fire on the second floor. - PUB DATE: 12/14/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPLG-TV ABC Local10.com - Miami & Fort Lauderdale
FirstNet public-safety subscribers in the “primary” user category—law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911 and emergency-management personnel—now have preemptive access across AT&T’s network, FirstNet and AT&T announced today.
Implementing ruthless preemption throughout the AT&T network marks the on-time fulfillment of a major technological feature. - PUB DATE: 12/14/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Urgent Communications
An Atlantic County Superior Court judge has delayed a second round of state-mandated salary cuts to the city Fire Department.
Judge Julio Mendez ruled Monday that an 11.3 percent salary cut can’t go into effect until he hears the department’s injunction requests Jan. 10, because irreparable damage could result before the hearing. - PUB DATE: 12/14/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Press of Atlantic City
Changes in the past two years have improved Bloomington Fire Department's response times, but Fire Chief Brian Mohr said the changes also have increased the use of other vehicles and crews on medical runs that is taxing the understaffed department.
"Our benchmark is the six-minute response time. Our goal is to be doing that at 90 percent of the time," said Mohr. - PUB DATE: 12/14/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Pantagraph
The union representing Atlantic City firefighters says a Gov. Christie-appointed state overseer has hired a private investigator to track firefighters who are out on leave at their homes.
The allegation was contained in a filing that asked Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez to block “drastic” pay cuts the state sought to impose Dec. - PUB DATE: 12/13/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Philly.com
Miami's firefighters union agreed Tuesday to help six members -- fired after they were accused of "sexually explicit and racially offensive conduct" -- get their jobs back.
The men had filed grievances with the union contesting their terminations. The matter will now go to the city and then, most likely, to arbitration. - PUB DATE: 12/13/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPLG-TV ABC Local10.com - Miami & Fort Lauderdale
Four people allegedly involved in an attempted sexual assault and harassment of a 17-year-old at Fallston Volunteer Fire Company have been arrested, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday. Andrew Burkins, 21, of the 900 block of Winters Court in Bel Air, John Hefner, 20, of the 2400 block of Burham Drive in Fallston, and Colby Ogrysko, 19, of the 1900 block of Pleasantville Road in Forest Hill, are each charged with attempted first- and second-degree rape, third- and fourth-degree sex offense, second-degree assault, harassment and two counts of conspiracy to commit third-degree sex offense, according to online court records. - PUB DATE: 12/13/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Baltimore Sun
Four Oakland firefighters walked through the Ghost Ship warehouse two years before a fire there killed 36 people, one of them testified Tuesday.
Oakland Fire Captain George Freelen said he became concerned during the informal 20-minute survey about the “high fire load” of material stocked inside the artist collective. - PUB DATE: 12/13/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: SFGate.com
Laying on the floor of his home Tuesday afternoon, 6-year-old Junior was unresponsive after suffering a heart attack. A crew from Springfield’s Fire Station No. 6 rushed in, took their positions and started chest compressions.
A tube was put in his airway. A defibrillator sent a shock to his heart. Because Junior’s vessels were limp from a lack of blood, a firefighter drilled a hole into Junior’s knee and injected cardiac medication into his bone marrow. - PUB DATE: 12/13/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Springfield State Journal-Register
Toledo's fire chief and the president of Firefighters Local 92 are looking toward the new year with a strengthened working relationship.
Chief Luis Santiago and Pvt. Jeff Koenigseker recently sat down for a joint interview with The Blade at Toledo Fire and Rescue Department head“I think the thrust of this relationship is that both the chief and I realize that the resolution is more important than the argument,” Private Koenigseker said. - PUB DATE: 12/12/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Toledo Blade
Six Miami firefighters who lost their jobs after a black colleague found lewd images drawn on his family photos and a noose in his fire station dorm room are fighting to be reinstated.
Captain William W. Bryson, Lt. Alejandro Sese, and firefighters Kevin Meizoso, David Rivera, Justin Rumbaugh and Harold Santana have filed grievances contesting their terminations, according to Miami’s firefighter union, which will decide Tuesday whether to support their claims. - PUB DATE: 12/12/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Miami Herald
