VIDEO: They’re often near the front lines while clearing a path and working side by side California’s firefighters. “It’s a big opportunity,” said an inmate firefighter. But after serving a prison sentence, inmate’s careers are over. “When they leave that service they’re told that they will never ever be allowed to be a firefighter,” said Assemblymember Eloise Reyes.
- PUB DATE: 2/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CBS13

Crews are investigating multiple reports of people smelling natural gas on Madison's west side Tuesday, fire officials said. The Madison Fire Department said its crews, along with Madison Gas and Electric crews, are in the area of Old Sauk and High Point roads. The MFD crew was first dispatched to the intersection of North High Point Road and Wolf Street at 11:59 a.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 10:06:37 PM - SOURCE: WMSN-TV Fox 47 Madison

On February 26, 7 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

After months of being short-staffed, the Rice Lake Fire Department will continue to go without another full-time firefighter position. In October, the Rice Lake City Council elected not to fill a vacant firefighter position due to a budget deficit. During a meeting Tuesday, the city council was asked to re-consider that decision.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 8:18:36 PM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV 13 News

Two adults and eight children are without a home after a house fire in Neenah. Crews were called around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday for smoke filling up a home. It happened near the intersection of Louise Street and Shannon Street. When crews arrived they found heavy smoke and flames. According to Neenah-Menasha Fire Chief Kevin Kloehn, crews had a hard time putting out the fire because it had burned the first and second floors of the home.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 7:36:07 PM - SOURCE: WLUK TV Fox 11

Franklin and Greenfield are funding a study focusing on where the two fire departments might be able to share services, such as personnel training or vehicle maintenance. It's the second time in seven years the two participated in such a study, and more communities may still participate. During the week of Feb.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 1:13:22 PM - SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Ten people were displaced following an apartment building fire Monday, Feb. 26 in Mount Pleasant. The call came in around 12:15 a.m. According to South Shore Fire Department, the fire broke out at a 16-unit apartment building near Kinzie Avenue and Oakes Road. When crews arrived on scene, there was heavy smoke and fire on the first floor.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 7:38:02 AM - SOURCE: WITI Fox Channel 6

On February 24, 8 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

The good news: technology is making firefighter protective clothing more lightweight, breathable and effective. The bad news: it's not cheap. Consider a recent donation of 57 protective hoods to the Cottage Grove Fire Department by the city's public safety board. In an unusual move, the board footed the entire $5,800 cost.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 4:00:26 AM - SOURCE: RiverTowns.net

Plans for a new $3.8 million fire station were unveiled at the Wheatland Town Board meeting Monday. The concept — which includes eight bays, a 64-seat training room, a kitchen, a locker room for turnout gear, showers, and a day room and sleeping quarters — is a scaled-down version of a plan presented last year.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 1:43:03 AM - SOURCE: Kenosha News

VIDEO: Comedian Jon Stewart is bringing a serious message to Congress, this time: Extend the compensation program for survivors of and responders to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The former "Daily Show" host, union officials and survivor groups are scheduled to visit Washington on Monday to call on Congress to provide additional funding for and make permanent the Victim Compensation Fund, according to the office of Rep.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CNN

VIDEO: African American firefighters played a key role in developing a staple of the firehouse: the sliding pole. In honor of Black History Month, CBS 2’s Derrick Young spoke with a retired fire chief turned author. Dekalb Walcott served on the Chicago Fire Department for more than 30 years, retiring as a battalion chief in 2009.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CBS Chicago

VIDEO: A Shreveport councilman is calling for an investigation into the city’s Fire Department. Councilman Willie Bradford says he’s received several credible complaints of alleged racial and gender discrimination within the department as well as alleged retaliation. If a resolution is passed Tuesday, the council would appoint a special committee to examine the allegations and report back to them.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KSLA-TV Shreveport News 12

Firefighters help people and save lives every day, but they turn to Roger Baker when they need a few minutes of rest from doing their physically-demanding jobs. Baker operates Rehab Five out of his home near Andover Street with assistance from volunteers who rush with him to an estimated 130 fires annually.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: ItemLive.com

San Diego is planning a firefighter hiring spree to shrink ballooning overtime costs that are creating budget problems at City Hall. The city’s goal is to increase the number of firefighters from about 900 to more than 1,100 over the next five years. That may be a challenge, with retirements on the rise and more firefighters leaving for other agencies with higher pay, a union leader said.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Diego Union-Tribune - Metered Site

A new mural on the wall of fire station 1 in Sun Prairie is to honor fallen firefighter Capt. Cory Barr. He was killed while responding to a gas leak that triggered an explosion in downtown Sun Prairie in July 2018. The assistant to the fire chief, Amy Klotz, told NBC15 it took three days to draw and paint.
- PUB DATE: 2/25/2019 3:09:52 PM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

State utility regulators have opened a formal investigation into last summer’s fatal Sun Prairie natural gas explosion that killed a firefighter and leveled several buildings in the city’s downtown. The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to investigate a complaint filed by USIC Locating Services, the company that was contracted to mark the locations of underground pipes.
- PUB DATE: 2/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Wisconsin State Journal

State utility regulators have opened a formal investigation into last summer’s fatal Sun Prairie natural gas explosion that killed a firefighter and leveled several buildings in the city’s downtown. The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to investigate a complaint filed by USIC Locating Services, the company that was contracted to mark the locations of underground pipes.
- PUB DATE: 2/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Wisconsin State Journal

Alabama law enforcement officers have been the target of gun violence recently. Several officers have been shot or killed in Auburn, Birmingham, Mobile and Selma. Now, there’s work to add protection to law enforcement officers and first responders. Under existing law, the murder of a first responder is not a capital offense.
- PUB DATE: 2/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WBRC-TV Fox 6 Birmingham

This is how bad things have gotten in Julian since San Diego County took control of the region’s last volunteer fire department eight months ago. When first responders went out on a call, someone would paint over the marking that reserved the new county fire chief’s parking spot at the fire station, which used to be manned by the local volunteers who resided in the popular tourist destination.
- PUB DATE: 2/25/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Los Angeles Times - Metered Site