Oak Lawn is hailing a recent Illinois Appellate Court decision in its longstanding litigation over staffing with the village's firefighters union as a significant victory for taxpayers.
On Aug. 12, the appellate court upheld a 2015 Illinois Labor Relations Board's ruling that found Oak Lawn not liable for $3. - PUB DATE: 8/23/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Chicago Tribune
The fire union is objecting to a new emergency plan by the city that includes replacing a fire vehicle with a paramedic unit at one of the city’s 10 fire houses.
Union President Frank Ricci said the department’s current deployment plan is working well and he believes changing it could affect response times to fires and emergency and other medical calls. - PUB DATE: 8/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New Haven Register
Last summer, the Stouts Creek fire burned for more than a month, scorching more than 26,000 acres. Now the men blamed for starting it are expected to reimburse the government the estimated $37 million it cost to put it out.
The wildfire sparked July 30, 2015, forced evacuations and destroyed timber, said Kyle Reed, a fire prevention specialist at the Douglas County Fire Association. - PUB DATE: 8/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Oregonlive.com
A former finalist in the search for a new fire chief in Twin Falls has been named as a defendant in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against a local fire district.
Former training Capt. Brent Blamires of Kimberly filed suit in July against Rock Creek Rural Fire District and Chief Jason Keller for violating Idaho’s Whistleblower Act and for wrongful termination. - PUB DATE: 8/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Magicvalley.com
Cumberland Fire Chief Donnie Dunn knows the local heroin problem isn't going away.
“It's a problem and it's going to be here," the chief said. “I don't see any solutions. It's unfortunate." Overdoses involving heroin have become routine calls for the Cumberland Fire Department.
“The calls could be anywhere. - PUB DATE: 8/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cumberland Times-News
After fighting a wildfire in Eastern Washington, Williams Jones of Battle Ground realized that his black Lab, Hunter, had run away from the dog sitter, was picked up by an animal shelter and adopted by another family.
Although the family was reluctant to return the dog to Jones last week, they had a change of heart over the weekend, according to the Humane Society for Southwest Washington. - PUB DATE: 8/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Columbian.com
A firefighter who drowned in Lake Norman while trying to retrieve the body of a lost swimmer died from a gas embolism after running out of air and surfacing too rapidly, according to a report released Thursday by the Iredell County medical examiner.
Bradley Long, 28, of the Sherrills Ford-Terrell Fire and Rescue fire department, died on June 6 after gas bubbles likely blocked an artery during a hurried, emergency ascent, according to the report. - PUB DATE: 8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Charlotte Observer
FirstNet Chairwoman Sue Swenson, Vice Chairman Jeff Johnson and board member Teri Tekai have been reappointed to serve additional three-year terms on the board of FirstNet, according to an announcement today from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Like Swenson, Johnson and Takei, FirstNet board member Barry Boniface’s current term will expire, but Boniface “decided not to see reappointment to the FirstNet board due to the demands of his business,” according to a U. - PUB DATE: 8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Urgent Communications
A firefighter was injured Thursday while battling a blaze that consumed a house near Gilbertsville and drew firefighters from 10 companies in Montgomery and Berks counties, a fire chief said.
The firefighter, whose name wasn't released, was taken by ambulance to Pottstown Memorial Medical Center after he suffered a head injury when he was hit by a section of fire hose, Chief Rick Smith of Gilbertsville Fire & Rescue Company said. - PUB DATE: 8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Firehouse
Days after a decision to have American flags removed from Arlington Fire District's three trucks ignited national scrutiny, a new flag again adorns an engine.
But though a compromise was reached, the controversy hasn't ended for some in opposition to the district's decision.
Arlington district officials reached an agreement Thursday "to install a flag on an engine and continue to work together to develop a standard and protocol. - PUB DATE: 8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Poughkeepsie Journal
I recently got a phone call from someone who was tasked with evaluating the disciplinary process for a large fire department. This person had previously worked primarily with law enforcement, where policies, procedures, formal structures and extensive published literature exist related to the topic of discipline. - PUB DATE: 8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1
Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow has signed an executive order to end the Oswego Fire Department's overtime practice that he says pads senior firefighters' salaries and violates the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the firefighter's union.
The order, which was issued last Wednesday, Aug. - PUB DATE: 8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Syracuse Post-Standard & Syracuse.com
During the deadliest disaster on record in Nepal, two Urban Search and Rescue teams from opposite ends of the United States came together to perform at their best. Their courageous lifesaving actions have earned them the prestigious 2016 International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)/Motorola Solutions Ben Franklin Award for Valor. - PUB DATE: 8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs
Newly released video shows a close call for a Brighton firefighter who had to jump out the way to avoid an out-of-control driver back in July.
The crew was filling up their truck while on a call when a silver SUV came speeding through on July 26. Brighton police later caught up with the driver. It’s not clear if any charges were filed. - PUB DATE: 8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KCNC-TV CBS 4 Denver
PHOTO - Replacing a fire truck that was destroyed last week in the aftermath of a tanker explosion could cost Killeen several hundred thousand dollars.
The fire truck caught fire when burning gasoline flowed under it outside a Mickey’s store in the 4500 block of East Veteran’s Memorial Boulevard where a fuel tanker exploded last exploded and burned last Friday after it was hit by an SUV in the store’s parking lot. - PUB DATE: 8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KWTX-TV 10 News Waco
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government is entitled to reduce cost-of-living adjustments in the pensions of retired police officers and firefighters, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday.
In 2013, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray announced a breakthrough deal to address the $296 million unfunded liability in the city’s police and fire pension fund. - PUB DATE: 8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Lexington Herald-Leader
Six firefighters were transported to a hospital after responding to a fire at a Phoenix pool supply store, which led to a hazmat situation.
Phoenix Fire Department crews responded to a fire at the store near 32nd Street and McDowell Road at around 3 a.m. Thursday. There was chlorine in the store.
"Unfortunately, our weapon of choice is water and most chemicals don't like water, they don't react well with water, chlorine being one of them," Capt. - PUB DATE: 8/18/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix
The IAFC and Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK) company, today announced the winners of the 2016 IAFC Fire Chief of the Year awards at Fire-Rescue International (FRI) in San Antonio, Texas. Chief Willard H. “Bill” Halmich, Washington (Mo.) Volunteer Fire Company, was named volunteer Fire Chief of the Year and Chief Harry Beck, Mesa (Ariz. - PUB DATE: 8/17/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs
Six firefighters became entrapped by the "Blue Cut" wildfire while defending homes and assisting evacuations in the Cajon Pass area Tuesday, officials said.
The six firefighters were part of the two San Bernardino County Fire Department and assigned to the Swarthout Canyon – west of Cajon Pass. They were able to shelter in place in a nearby building, SBCF spokeswoman Tracey Martinez said. - PUB DATE: 8/17/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KSWB-TV Fox 5 San Diego
A Wyoming, Michigan firefighter says he was fired last week because city officials didn't want him to work as a paid-on-call firefighter for Jamestown Township during his off-duty hours.
Thomas Saladino was fired Aug. 10 after 23 years in Wyoming.
He said Department of Public Safety Chief James Carmody and City Manager Curtis Holt were upset that Saladino advocated for a "two-hatter" protection law – which allows firefighters to work in multiple fire departments. - PUB DATE: 8/17/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: MLIVE.com
