The Austin EMS Association is worried there aren’t enough ambulances in the city to quickly respond to emergencies. Leadership representing the medics of Austin/Travis County EMS said they were disappointed they didn’t see any new vehicles in the budget released on Monday. “We are seeing at least 50 calls per day that are related to COVID-19,” said Austin EMS Association President Selena Xie.
- PUB DATE: 7/15/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KXAN-TV NBC 36 Austin

VIDEO: A Raleigh firefighter is an unofficial Guinness World Record holder, pending paperwork. 5,297. That's how many burpees Nick Christopoulos said he did on Sunday in an un-air-conditioned gym. "It was as it sounds, awful...yeah." His venture to hold the title started simply enough- for every call at his firehouse, he'd do 100 burpees.
- PUB DATE: 7/15/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WTVD ABC 11 Raleigh

The Madison City Council on Tuesday created a task force to address systemic racism in the city and began pursuing alternative ways to respond to mental health crises instead of resorting to calling police officers. The council unanimously agreed for a task force made up of African American community groups to review city policies with an eye toward identifying “critical issues” affecting Madison’s Black residents.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 9:36:11 PM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

Record high water levels, along with the pandemic, prompted the De Pere Fire Department to begin water rescue training Tuesday. Heavy rain in the forecast only adds to concerns about the potential for water rescues. The waters near Voyageur Park and its popular fishing piers have welcomed a steady stream of people this year, even as sidewalks are swallowed up by rising water along the Fox River in De Pere.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 4:47:36 PM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

A building design, to house both Tomah fire stations and the Tomah Area Ambulance Service, was introduced at the City of Tomah Committee of the Whole meeting on July 13. Keller Inc. presented the possible new facility to committee members last night. According to a Facebook post from Tomah Fire Chief Tim Adler, “We have simply outgrown all three of the current facilities and all three buildings are in need of upgrades for energy efficiency.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 11:41:44 AM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse

Green Bay firefighters have contained a house fire on the city’s east side. At about 7 a.m., crews from several departments responded to a home in the 800 block of S. Quincy St. There was smoke coming from a hole in the roof of the home. Several engines responded to the scene. Firefighters did not find anyone inside the home.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 6:49:38 AM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

VIDEO: Firefighters are trained to rescue people from burning buildings, and they do it without hesitation. It's much more personal when it's one of their own. Dekalb County firefighter Viv Evans was battling a blaze in Stone Mountain when she got injured. Evans says even while flames were swirling around her, she knew without a doubt her fellow firefighters would get her out.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WAGA-TV FOX 5 Atlanta

A fire suppression system was inoperable when a blaze erupted aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego, so sailors fought the blaze with water, a top Navy official said Monday. Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck said the Halon gas system had been turned off because it was being worked on while the amphibious assault ship was undergoing maintenance work.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KUSI-TV 51 San Diego

VIDEO: A tense rescue unfolded on Monday morning at a high-rise building in North Palm Beach. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Derek Wiley said rescuers were dispatched to a 23-story building in the 100 block of Lakeshore Drive about 10 a.m. Wiley said a window washer was hanging from the 15th floor of the building, yelling for help.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPTV NBC 5 West Palm Beach

The UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health have launched the Heroes Health Initiative to help support the mental health of first responders and health care workers during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The app is available through the App Store/Google Play Store in the United States, free of charge to first responders, health care workers and their organizations.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Knowing which mask is best to prevent person-to-person transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus is still an open question for most, but slow-motion video shared on YouTube early in July provides a visual basis to judge how best to keep safe amid the global pandemic. Professor Joe Hanson of the YouTube channel "It's Okay To Be Smart" released a video earlier in July, reviewing the basics of why people should wear masks — in a visual review and primer and recent studies on the effectiveness of masks to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
- PUB DATE: 7/14/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Interesting Engineering

After losing both his legs in a tragic accident in February, Dan Franecki visited the Milwaukee fire station to meet and thank the first responders who saved his life. On Feb. 20, Franecki, a 35-year-old utility worker, was standing by his van near 6th Street and State Street when he was struck by an impaired driver.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 3:57:00 PM - SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Wheatland firehouse design is still a work in progress, but a special meeting of the electors is scheduled Aug. 10 to vote on spending up to $2.5 million for an addition to existing station. Town Chairman Bill Glembocki made a motion to determine if the $2.5 million price tag would fly with residents.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 1:05:32 PM - SOURCE: Lake Geneva News

"Extremely challenging." That's how Neenah-Menasha firefighters describe the overhaul of a house fire scene on Broad St. On Monday morning, crews responded to a home engulfed in heavy smoke and flames. The residents escaped without harm. "Fire crews made a quick knock down of the fire however overhaul was extremely challenging due to the many void spaces," reads a statement from the department.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 9:37:53 AM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

A 7-year-old died in a drowning at Chapparal Campground Splash Waterpark in rural La Valle, according to information released Saturday by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Chip Meister provided information about the drowning in a news release. Around 3:45 p.m. Friday, deputies, Elroy Police officers, La Valle first responders and members of the Reedsburg Ambulance Service were called to the scene after a call reported a girl had been found in the water not breathing.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 5:32:45 AM - SOURCE: Lacrosse Tribune

More than a dozen sailors and several civilians have been hospitalized following an explosion on a Navy ship in San Diego on Sunday, officials said. A fire broke out aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard sometime around 8:30 a.m. local time, said officials with the Naval Surface Forces. The blaze escalated to a three-alarm fire, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, which assisted in battling the fire along with base and shipboard firefighting teams.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: ABC News

A fight for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder coverage years in the making has ended with a win for Cleveland paramedics, EMTs and dispatchers. A union contract for Cleveland EMS just passed, including about $3.7 million in back pay for employees and mental health language, addressing PTSD. CARE has been negotiating their contract since March of 2016.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WOIO-TV CBS 19 Cleveland

There are many statistics available regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, although they aren’t necessarily well coordinated at the national level. With so many numbers being available, it can be difficult to understand what they mean, how they work together, and how to apply them. However, experts say a more unified, national approach is essential in getting the pandemic under control.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Healthline

San Antonio firefighters handled a crash of their own on Sunday. One of the department’s fire trucks rolled down the street with no one inside and firefighters chased it down in hot pursuit. The incident happened on Stafford Street near Fire Station 5. A fire official said they’d parked the truck at New Braunfels and Stafford when the truck started rolling down Stafford.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KSAT-TV ABC 12 San Antonio

VIDEO: Wildlife officers and firefighters managed to come up with a solution after a bear fell asleep in a tree after being tranquilized. Colorado Parks and Wildlife first responded to a home on Alameda Parkway and Bear Creek Road at 9 a.m. on Saturday for a call about a bear in a tree. Twelve hours later, the 350 lb.
- PUB DATE: 7/13/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KCNC-TV CBS 4 Denver