Former Montgomery firefighter Kenneth Bolling wants his day in court. The longtime fire employee — along with former firefighters Ted Clark and Kyle Blake — are suing the city of Montgomery. The former MF/R employees are bringing three separate cases related what they say were forced resignations for several issues, including discrimination, wrongful termination, breach of contract and due-process violations.
- PUB DATE: 4/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Montgomery Advertiser

VIDEO: The city of Sacramento is looking to add a small fleet of bicycle medics to their toolbox. “They found it to be a great little tool to quickly maneuver around downtown as opposed to a large vehicle when you're trying to navigate large crowds,” said Captain Keith Wade, Sacramento Fire Dept. Trucks and engines are not always the best tool for the job, especially in large crowds.
- PUB DATE: 4/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOVR-TV CBS 13 Sacramento

Decatur Fire Chief Mike Richardson has asked the county to look at a more equitable funding formula for local fire departments. During Monday’s workshop, Richardson shared with the Decatur City Council a presentation on fire department funding and the challenges faced by departments in areas where the population is growing.
- PUB DATE: 4/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Wise County Messenger

Mayor Greg Fischer's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year will include steep cuts to public safety, but the cuts will not be as severe as what Fischer hinted at earlier this year. The proposed fiscal year 2020 budget unveiled by Fischer on Thursday calls for about $9.6 million in cuts to public safety and the elimination of 81 public safety positions.
- PUB DATE: 4/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Louisville Courier Journal

On April 25, 2 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

Paramedics, firefighters and law enforcement from across Wisconsin are learning how to treat critically injured animals--including police K-9s and family pets. Demand for emergency animal training has surged since Green Bay K-9 Pyro was stabbed April 7. Pyro's doctors say Green Bay police officers used their training to help save the critically injured K-9's life.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 7:45:44 PM - SOURCE: WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau

A fire destroyed a house and a garage on Hogsback Road in western Rusk County Wednesday afternoon, April 24. A caller reported a garage on fire in the 16000 block of Hogsback Road at 12:41 p.m. Chetek Fire Department was dispatched to the scene, along with Chetek Ambulance Service. Department of Natural Resources forest rangers also responded.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 4:26:29 PM - SOURCE: Chetek Alert

No injuries were reported in a residential fire reported Wednesday in the 1700 block of Wisconsin Avenue, according to the Beloit Fire Department. Fire crews were able to contain the blaze to one unit of the duplex, but individuals who lived in two units were displaced, the department said. The American Red Cross is assisting both families.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 7:52:48 AM - SOURCE: Beloit Daily News

PHOTOS: The cause of a fire that destroyed a house in Schofield on Thursday morning is still under investigation. The fire was reported around 7:15 a.m. on the 1800 block of Grand Avenue near the Wausau County Club. The front of the home was engulfed when firefighters arrived on scene. Crews said the fire started near the attached garage and continued spreading to the home.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 6:53:32 AM - SOURCE: WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau

More than 200 Houston firefighters will be laid off after the City Council approved the measure Wednesday during a heated debate. The decision comes as the city tries to implement voter-mandated pay parity between the local police and fire departments. Mayor Sylvester Turner has said that the measure will cost the city $307 million from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2023.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Public Media

This fire company was a staple in the community for 110 years. Now, it’s gone. Millbourne Fire Company in Delaware County voted to shut down Tuesday night following five years of financial instability. Chief Joseph Artmont Jr. has been at the fire company since 1982 and became chief three years ago.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NBC 10 Philadelphia

Listener Roberta "Bobbie" Brown recently emailed the Curiosity Desk, after reading a story in the paper about Boston firefighters. In the piece, the author referred to them as "jakes." She wanted to know where that term comes from and how it came to refer to firefighters in the region. Like our curious listener, I too have seen firefighters called “jakes” in the papers.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WGBH

VIDEOS: A Union Pacific freight train carrying ethanol careened off its tracks in a Fort Worth neighborhood Wednesday and burst into flames, prompting an evacuation of nearby homes and a hazardous materials response. It happened at about 12:40 a.m. near the 3200 block of Yuma Street, on the city's southeast side and near Echo Lake.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

More than 120 current and former Conway police and firefighters will receive money payment before the end of the year after the city agreed to settle the class action lawsuit for $1.15 million. The Conway City Council voted on Monday in a special-called meeting to give Mayor Bart Castleberry the OK to request a preliminary approval in the suit that was filed against the city in 2012, a case Castleberry inherited when he was voted in as mayor in 2016.
- PUB DATE: 4/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Log Cabin Democrat

A fire caused an estimated $65,000 in damage early Tuesday morning to a house in the 200 block of First Street, according to the Waterford Fire Department. A call for a structure fire came in at 1:47 a.m. Five minutes later, an off-duty firefighter responded to the blaze and deployed an X-Tinguish FST, a device that deploys chemicals to control fires.
- PUB DATE: 4/24/2019 9:05:19 PM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

A historic building in De Pere that housed a restaurant, apartments, a yoga studio and photography business, has been destroyed by massive fire. Firefighters rushed to the scene about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday and found smoke in the Ogan restaurant on the first floor. Fire Chief Alan Matzke says about 20 people living in second-floor apartments were evacuated and all made it out safely.
- PUB DATE: 4/24/2019 7:54:31 AM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee

On April 22, 7 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

On April 19, 3 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

VIDEO: In 2016, Ashland hired three additional firefighters for the first time since 2001 in response to service demands. Due to a $2 million budget deficit, those brand new positions could be eliminated in the 2019-2021 budget. Ultimately, that would affect service levels in the city and reduce the number of staffed crews from about 10 members to a maximum of nine members.
- PUB DATE: 4/24/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTVL News 10

VIDEO: Concerns over title transfers and insurance lead the City of Howardwick to file a lawsuit against the volunteer fire department that protects it. In a recent lawsuit, the City of Howardwick contends a former city secretary improperly transferred the titles of three fire trucks and an ambulance to the Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department instead of to the city.
- PUB DATE: 4/24/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KFDA News 10 Amarillo