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National Fire News

Pedestrian hit by California fire truck in apparent suicide attempt

A man was struck by a Costa Mesa fire truck Wednesday in an apparent suicide attempt, police said. The incident was reported at 8:17 a.m. in the 500 block of West 19th Street, said Costa Mesa police Sgt. Bryan Wadkins. A 37-year-old man from Costa Mesa walking west when he apparently stepped off of a curb into the path of the fire truck, said Wadkins.
- PUB DATE: 7/28/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: orange county register

Man allegedly breaks into California fire station, confronts firefighters

Petaluma Fire Department Firefighter-Paramedic Steven Clegg was wrapping up some reports at the city’s downtown fire station on Sunday when a man allegedly smashed through the facility’s glass front door and aggressively confronted the firefighters inside, an episode that ultimately ended in the man’s arrest, according to petaluma fire and law enforcement personnel.
- PUB DATE: 7/27/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Petaluma Argus Courier

New York town seeks to prevent arbitration of fire captain demotions

The city has filed legal action against its firefighters in an attempt to prevent arbitration of the city’s decision to demote eight fire captains as part of a restructuring plan designed to save money. The city filed a petition Tuesday in state Supreme Court against the Watertown Professional Firefighters Association Local 191 seeking a permanent stay of arbitration, which the union demanded in July through a filing with the state Public Employment Relations Board.
- PUB DATE: 7/27/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: watertown daily times

NIOSH: Firefighter mistakes contributed to line of duty death in Cincinnati

A series of mistakes by Cincinnati firefighters contributed to the growth of a March 2015 fire, which caused heavy smoke and poor visibility for rescuers searching the building, indicated a federal investigation released today. One of those firefighters, Daryl Gordon, fell to his death when he stepped into an elevator shaft.
- PUB DATE: 7/27/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cincinnati Enquirer

Widow of firefighter killed in front of New Jersey firehouse files lawsuit

The widow of a retired borough firefighter who was killed in a 2015 hit-and-run accident in front of the Lincoln Hose Fire Co. 4's firehouse has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in hopes it will aid the investigation. Anita Kavanaugh, the widow of George R. Kavanaugh, filed the lawsuit in Somerset County Superior Court on July 20 seeking unspecified damages.
- PUB DATE: 7/27/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Newark Star-Ledger/NJ.com

2 hash-oil operations found inside Colorado home following explosion, fire

Fire investigators discovered two illegal hash-oil extraction operations inside the Nederland home that caught fire following an explosion Monday afternoon, seriously burning two people inside. Steve Pischke, who works with the Multi-Agency Fire Investigations Team, said investigators found one of the operations inside the garage — where the explosion occurred and the fire started — and another in a separate room.
- PUB DATE: 7/27/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Colorado Daily

Volunteer firefighter grant funding in line for a raise

On July 13 the U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment increasing funding for the Volunteer Fire Assistance program from $13 million to $15 million. The amendment was offered by Reps Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) to the FY2017 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.
- PUB DATE: 7/26/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: firerescue1

1st U.S. system to keep drones away from wildfires kicks off

The first national system intended to prevent hobby drones from interfering with planes and helicopters fighting wildfires has launched, federal authorities say. The U.S. Interior Department announced the kickoff of the pilot project Monday that uses a smartphone app and real-time wildfire information to create virtual boundaries, or geofences, that drones can't cross.
- PUB DATE: 7/26/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KPVI-TV NBC 6

Firefighter fired, two others suspended at Massachusetts department

One city firefighter has been fired and two others have been suspended from their jobs. City officials said the termination of firefighter Scott Graham stemmed from an arrest last fall. Firefighters Todd Guertin and Daniel Goudreault have been placed on unpaid leave while the city investigates alleged improprieties.
- PUB DATE: 7/26/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: eagle-tribune

Minnesota city sues former firefighter over use of photo

The city of Woodbury has filed a lawsuit against a former firefighter to get him to stop using pictures allegedly identifying himself as a Woodbury firefighter on the website of a nonprofit company that he started. The lawsuit, filed in Washington County District Court against William Braun and EdQuest Inc.
- PUB DATE: 7/26/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Mismanaged investigation still troubles Columbus Fire Division

The death of Sonia Bray and the Columbus Fire Division's subsequent investigation of paramedics’ role have exposed weaknesses in the division’s ability to hold its employees accountable when they make mistakes. The Dispatch found that the division’s investigation into why Bray died in early 2011 went dormant for nearly a year, that internal investigators were unwilling to ask necessary questions and that a turnover in investigators led to light punishments for two paramedics and a lieutenant.
- PUB DATE: 7/26/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: columbus dispatch

For female Massachusetts firefighters, the ranks are growing

VIDEO - For Kim Bonney, becoming a firefighter was always the plan. At age 16 she started working as a call firefighter in Ashburnham, though she'll point out that it wasn't until she was 18 that she was allowed to go into any burning buildings. Originally, it had just been a way to fight off the boredom that inevitably comes with growing up in a small town, but it quickly developed into a passion for helping others.
- PUB DATE: 7/26/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise

Former Pennsylvania fire chief struck by tanker at firehall, killed

Don Ishman, the former chief of the Hilltop Volunteer Fire Department, was killed Saturday afternoon when he was accidentally struck by a tanker apparatus at the firehall on Saturday afternoon. Kane-based state police said Ishman, 60, of Cyclone, was one of several firefighters assisting with a public service detail on Saturday.
- PUB DATE: 7/25/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bradford Era

New Hampshire firefighter dies while fighting brush fire

An Orford firefighter died in the line of duty, according to the State Fire Marshal's Office. Charles Waterbury was an active member of the Orford Fire Department for about 10 years. While fighting a brush fire in Lyme, Waterbury suffered a medical emergency and was taken to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon.
- PUB DATE: 7/25/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WMUR-TV ABC 9 Manchester

Judge: First responders in Tennessee train derailment didn’t volunteer for reckless risk

Police, firefighters and other first responders sign up for inherently dangerous work, but that doesn't give citizens or businesses a blank check to harm them without financial consequences, a federal judge has ruled in the case of a Maryville train derailment. Chief U.S. District Judge Tom Varlan has turned aside a bid by CSX Transportation Inc.
- PUB DATE: 7/25/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: knoxville news sentinel

Philadelphia Firefighter Dies While on Duty

Firefighter Gabriel Lee, who died during a night shift in North Philadelphia Saturday, was a kind and soft-spoken father of three who had worked in the department for more than 20 years, his family said Sunday. Lee, 42, of East Germantown, was also an accomplished amateur boxer, said his mother-in-law Faustine Myers, and he was recently baptized at Second Baptist Church of Germantown, the same church where his son sings in a choir.
- PUB DATE: 7/25/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: philly.com

Missouri firefighter dies after response to vehicle fire

The Missouri Fire Service is reporting a death in the line of duty for a firefighter responding to a call Sunday morning in rural Livingston County. The fire service reported the death of Ed Cosgrove of the Green Township Fire Protection District, five miles west of Chillicothe. Cosgrove is described as a 15 year veteran of the fire department.
- PUB DATE: 7/25/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: kttn.com

Texas fire lieutenant suspended for ‘neglect of duty,’ memo says

The city’s fire chief considered firing or demoting an Austin Fire Department lieutenant based on his attitude toward Austin-Travis County EMS medics and dispatchers, according to a memo she wrote to the civil service director. Austin fire Lt. James Crowther was ultimately suspended from duty for 60 days, a time period that ends Sept.
- PUB DATE: 7/25/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: statesman

Top New York county fire official killed after being struck by truck

The top fire official in Tioga County was killed Wednesday when a county pickup truck struck him while backing up, officials said. Tioga County Fire Coordinator John Scott, 71, of Campville, was one of several employees who were performing maintenance at a county radio tower on Carmichael Road in the Town of Owego when he was struck around 3 p.
- PUB DATE: 7/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: press connects

New Orleans fire union calls for end to door-to-door smoke alarm installations in wake of police killings

In the wake of killings of police officers in Baton Rouge and Dallas, the New Orleans firefighters union is pushing back against sending its members door-to-door to install smoke detectors, arguing that the practice could put them at risk of being targeted. Fire Superintendent Tim McConnell said Thursday, however, that the policy has put no one in danger and will not be changed.
- PUB DATE: 7/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The New Orleans advocate

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