The Mattoon City Council and the firefighters union may temporarily reduce the emergency medical technician (EMT) certification requirements for new firefighters to expedite hiring. The council will consider approving a memorandum of understanding with Mattoon Firefighters Local 691 during the council meeting at 6:30 p.
- PUB DATE: 10/7/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Journal Gazette Times Courier

In May, doctors announced they were seeing a new and rare coronavirus complication in children. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta warns, it’s appearing in adults, too. Called MIS-C, which stands for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, the complication manifests roughly two to four weeks after a coronavirus infection.
- PUB DATE: 10/7/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Atlanta Journal Constitution

VIDEO: Crews are at the old Royal Coach building in Hastings Wednesday morning battling a massive fire. Due to the fire, thousands in the Hastings area are without power. According to Lt. Lani Forbes with the Freeport Fire Department, Barry County Central Dispatch alerted authorities around 3:30 a.m.
- PUB DATE: 10/7/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WZZM-TV ABC 13 Grand Rapids

Four people have been displaced after a duplex fire in Janesville on Tuesday afternoon. A news release said firefighters were sent to 828 Benton Ave. at 3:35 p.m. in response to a residential fire. Dispatchers had reported flames and smoke that were visible from the back of the building. Officials said the first and second floors of the residence had fires in the interior that extended to the attic.
- PUB DATE: 10/6/2020 8:56:54 PM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

Two city of Beloit employees, including one firefighter in the Beloit Fire Department, tested positive for COVID-19. The city completed contact tracing for the firefighter, a release said. The individual did not have any public exposures through his position. He wore full personal protective equipment on his last shift.
- PUB DATE: 10/6/2020 8:59:42 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

PHOTOS: A five-alarm fire in Elizabeth left two young girls dead and two adults hospitalized in critical condition Monday, a city official said. The children who died were approximately 7 and 11 years old, according to city spokeswoman Kelly Martins. The blaze began around 6 p.m. in the 800 block of Elizabeth Avenue and was under control about two hours later.
- PUB DATE: 10/6/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New Jersey Journal

When Ray Tannatta first introduced the Highrise Lifeline in the early 1990s, it seemed to be all the rage, being repeatedly featured on national TV. “I got a lot of attention. I had people calling me from all over the country, all over the world,” Tannatta said. “At the time, I thought my product was working and the message is getting out there and people should be buying it.
- PUB DATE: 10/6/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Spectrum News

First responder sirens were wailing nearly non-stop as Hurricane Isaias churned above eastern Pennsylvania. Listening to dispatches about people trapped by flood waters, motor vehicle accidents, and a commercial structure fire, I was concerned and praying for the first responders during this storm. As Isaias swept northward, a cascade of agencies responded.
- PUB DATE: 10/6/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: IN Public Safety

Salt Lake City firefighters were warned not to expect police officers as often as they have before because of a regular backlog of calls, according to a leaked department memo. The note, penned by Assistant Fire Chief Mike Fox, begins by saying the police department has changed some of their responses “due to COVID” and that they are experiencing “regular days when they have a backlog of calls.
- PUB DATE: 10/6/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KUTV-TV CBS 2 News Salt Lake City

A new drone technology program launched Monday at Great Oaks Career Campuses, and it's the first of its kind in the world. Through the program, first responders can become drone certified as an emergency services drone operator. “It’s opening up doors to programs beyond your traditional law enforcement and firefighter basic training academy.
- PUB DATE: 10/6/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WLWT-TV NBC 5 Cincinnati

Village leaders have walked back a decision they made in early summer to leave their current fire district. Back in June the Village of Weston Board of Trustees voted to leave the SAFER fire district. Trustees voted to leave the district due to concerns about management and personnel. But on Monday afternoon the board voted to rescind their June decision and continue their contract with SAFER.
- PUB DATE: 10/5/2020 8:20:18 PM - SOURCE: WRIG-AM Fox Sports 1390

We all know the basics.. stop, drop and roll, but there are a different set of rules when it comes to kitchen fires. This week, the La Crosse Fire Department is teaching fire safety on the stove. The La Crosse Fire Department is serving up fire safety, in the kitchen. “Kitchen fires are the leading cause of fires in the home and fire related injuries,” said Pat Corran, of the La Crosse Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 10/5/2020 3:52:27 PM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse

The roof of a commercial building collapsed in East L.A. after a large fire broke out on Sunday night. A sign that read, “Casa Olympica,” the name of a vintage clothing store, was seen in flames. Several other storefronts were also involved. Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said the two-story strip mall is located in the 4700 block of East Whittier Boulevard near Arizona Avenue.
- PUB DATE: 10/5/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KCBS-TV CBS 2 Los Angeles

PHOTOS: Fire stations across Hampton Roads are honoring fallen firefighters by participating in the nationwide “Light the Night” event as part of National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. The Virginia Beach Fire Department arranged for the red light illumination of the VB Emergency Operations Center (Bldg.
- PUB DATE: 10/5/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WAVY-TV NBC 10 Portsmouth

Only three US states are reporting a decline in new COVID-19 cases compared to last week, as the country hit its highest daily rate of new cases in almost two months. As of Saturday night, new cases were down in Texas, Missouri and South Carolina, while 21 states reported a rise in cases and a little more than half held steady compared with the week before.
- PUB DATE: 10/5/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CNN

PHOTOS: A volunteer firefighter was injured Saturday evening when he swerved to avoid another vehicle and overturned the firetruck in Breezy Point, Queens, FDNY fire officials said. The injured firefighter was taken to Community Hospital in Brooklyn where his injuries were not considered serious. The crash occurred at 5:27 p.
- PUB DATE: 10/5/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: AM New York

PHOTOS: A dozen hot air balloon pilots were in the air over Battle Creek Saturday to thank those working during the pandemic. The flight was part of a world-wide effort by balloon pilots to honor front-line workers. Called "Lifting Spirits Around the World," the flights were to say to front-line workers "that we are all very grateful and thankful for them," according to Tom Brown, one of the organizers of the Battle Creek flight.
- PUB DATE: 10/5/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Battle Creek Enquirer

It is the end of an era for the Milwaukee Fire Department. Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing will retire at the end of October -- and he sat down with FOX6 News to talk about his tenure in Brew City. This is not the first time Rohlfing has retired. But the outgoing fire chief is confident it will be the last.
- PUB DATE: 10/4/2020 9:27:21 PM - SOURCE: WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

PHOTO: Fire destroyed a detached garage shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday on Janesville’s near east side. Firefighters were called at 1:08 p.m. to 460 Glen St. Battalion Chief Ryan Murphy said no one was injured, and a cause was not immediately determined. The garage, with two cars inside, was engulfed in flames when Janesville firefighters arrived.
- PUB DATE: 10/4/2020 5:17:44 PM - SOURCE: Janesville Gazette

The Janesville Fire Department says an estimated $420,000 in damage was caused by a corn dryer fire at the Metcafe Brothers Farm Saturday. The JFD and Milton Fire Department were dispatched to 5300 block of E. County Trunk MM for a corn dryer fire. Additional resources were requested and the JFD worked with farm personnel to extinguish the fire and unload remaining corn from the dryer.
- PUB DATE: 10/4/2020 11:40:18 AM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison