After Daniel Helsel and his colleague were dispatched to help a woman in labor at her home Monday morning, the two firefighters joked about the coincidence of the call landing on his birthday.
Wouldn’t it be funny if Helsel, who was born in the back of an ambulance, wound up delivering a baby on the way to the hospital just as he had come into the world 42 years ago?
It turns out that is exactly what happened minutes after Helsel and his colleagues loaded the mother-to-be in the back of an ambulance heading to Prince George’s Hospital Center. - PUB DATE: 12/5/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Washington Post
Thousands were forced to flee their homes on Monday as firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire in Southern California that had charred at least 45,000 acres of land, authorities said. Intensified by strong winds and harsh weather conditions, the fire was impacting structures in downtown Ventura early Tuesday morning, with multiple residential homes on fire near City Hall. - PUB DATE: 12/5/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: ABC News
There's a huge debate Monday night in Belleville about the city's proposal to eliminate its fire department and let a neighboring township provide services.
The idea isn't sitting well with residents and current firefighters. Current firefighters would have to re-apply for their jobs, but residents don't like the idea of the city's only firehouse shutting down. - PUB DATE: 12/5/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WDIV-TV NBC 4 Detroit
Can you think of a better way to get in the holiday spirit than a fire truck light show?
How about a fire truck light show complete with Christmas carols and dubstep music.
That is what the Sterling Fire Department in Colorado decided to do to kick off the Christmas holidays in a video which has now gone viral. - PUB DATE: 12/5/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WTSP.com
The sweeping changes to the city’s personnel system that New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu pushed through three years ago may have ushered in an era of racial and political bias at the Fire Department, a new report alleges.
Fire Superintendent Timothy McConnell set aside higher test scores from dozens of candidates for promotion to captain in favor of lower-ranked applicants in September 2016, according to a ruling issued Thursday by the city's Civil Service Department. - PUB DATE: 12/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Advocate
Casper Fire Chief Kenneth King’s early retirement followed weeks of turmoil within the department after copies of his emails were distributed to a group of firefighters by an unknown source.
King unexpectedly announced Tuesday that he would retire Friday, more than a month before his expected retirement date of Jan. - PUB DATE: 12/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Casper Star Tribune
As retired Fire Lt. Donald Courtney lifts open one of 82 containers of “the stuff” stored on the property of Saint-Gobain Corp., he smiles as he carefully inspects the items inside.
He said he remains fascinated by what he finds and deeply touched by what it all means.
“The stuff” is a collection of everything left by firefighters, schoolchildren and members of the community, as expressions of grief over the loss of the six Worcester firefighters killed on Dec. - PUB DATE: 12/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Blood alcohol level, crew integrity and fireground communications were among the host of factors that contributed to the April 2015 death of a volunteer firefighter in a residential fire. NIOSH released its findings last month, which included 9 key recommendations, including establishing a zero-tolerance alcohol policy and ensuring proper use of PPE. - PUB DATE: 12/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1
Members of the Fire Department face another round of salary cuts as the state continues to cut spending in the resort.
Firefighters will see their salaries reduced 11.3 percent Dec. 10, according to union officials. The move comes two months after Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez ruled the state could cut the department by 15 members, to 180, after Feb. - PUB DATE: 12/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Press of Atlantic City
San Francisco city officials have launched a formal probe into allegations of racism and hazing at their fire training academy, NBC Bay Area has learned.
The probe, which began this week, is in apparent response to allegations spelled out in a letter sent by eight African American trainees to Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White. - PUB DATE: 12/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NBC Bay Area
A 60-year-old New York firefighter/safety officer has died in his sleep of an apparent cardiac issue after responding to a technical rescue hours before.
According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), Robert A. Fitch, a member of the East Herkimer Volunteer Fire Department, had responded to a rescue call involving a person who became stuck on some cliffs after attempting to rescue a pet. - PUB DATE: 12/1/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Firehouse
After more than 10 years as Fort Worth's fire chief, Rudolph "Rudy" Jackson Jr. has announced his retirement effective in March.
"He said he has had a long career here as a firefighter and he's moving on to retired life," said Kyle Falkner, Fire Department spokesman.
Jackson, who was named chief in March 2007, has been with the department for more than 35 years. - PUB DATE: 12/1/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
A Key Largo firefighter who came close to death trying in vain to save three underground utility workers felled by noxious fumes beneath a neighborhood street last January is suing those men’s employers for negligence.
Leonardo Moreno, 32, an eight-year veteran of the Key Largo Volunteer Fire Department, did not hesitate before descending 15 feet into a manhole on Long Key Road in the Lake Surprise Estates subdivision Jan. - PUB DATE: 12/1/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Miami Herald
Firefighters dealing with certain cancers will have more time to file for accidental disability retirement benefits under a bill signed into law late Wednesday by Gov. Cuomo.
The bill extends the filing deadline to five years, up from two. It will retroactively apply to all disability retirement applications filed since Jan. - PUB DATE: 12/1/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Daily News
Firefighting is an occupation that poses many hazards. In 2016, over 62,000 firefighters were injured while on duty. Thirty-nine percent of those injuries occurred on the fireground.1
Risk management is increasingly seen in many occupations as a proactive approach to mitigating potential injury risks. - PUB DATE: 12/1/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
An Aurora Fire station under construction near East Jewell Avenue and E-470 caught fire Wednesday afternoon.
Fire crews battled flames shooting from the roof of Aurora Fire Station No. 15, which is currently under construction in the Murphy Creek neighborhood.
The two-alarm fire broke out sometime Wednesday afternoon at the construction site located at 1880 South Flat Rock Trail. - PUB DATE: 11/30/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Denver Channel
The Orlando firefighters union says the paramedic fired last week because he violated health privacy laws was suffering from PTSD after responding to the Pulse nightclub massacre and was not receiving the treatment he requested. Josh Granada, who was one of the first responders to Pulse in June 2016, was terminated after he admitted to audio-recording a person during a medical call earlier this year and sharing it with co-workers. - PUB DATE: 11/30/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orlando Sentiel
At first glance, John Meffert thought the small plane was too low in the sky.
It was about 9:30 a.m. the Friday before last Fourth of July. Meffert was in Orange County, California, driving south on Interstate 405, one of America’s busiest highways, ahead of a big getaway weekend. With the John Wayne International Airport off to his right, Meffert kept driving as the twin engine Cessna continued its descent. - PUB DATE: 11/30/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTLA-TV WB 5 Los Angeles
VIDEO - A fire rescue SUV slammed into a utility pole outside of the Croydon Fire Company Wednesday evening.
It happened around 5 p.m. in the 900 block of State Road. Neighbors described hearing an explosion and seeing a bright light.
"I saw the car come down the street with the lights on and I saw a big poof like fireworks," said neighbor James Nugent. - PUB DATE: 11/30/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPVI-TV 6 ABC.com
I hope everyone who was able to take time off for Thanksgiving enjoyed the holiday and I want to thank all the public safety personnel who worked last Thursday so the rest of us could spend time with our families and friends. During our trip east, I was keeping tabs on coverage provided by AT&T where we were traveling and while in several states, I talked with the public safety community about today’s AT&T coverage and what might still be needed. - PUB DATE: 11/30/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: AllThingsFirstNet.com
