Around 20 to 25 Houston firefighters say they've been asked to cover their union and generic fire department shirts at some polling stations in Houston, despite the fact that their shirts didn't appear to violate election law, according to the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association. This comes after the Harris County Clerk's Office earlier this week instructed poll workers to not allow people wearing shirts depicting the names of three progressive groups to cast ballots, earlier reports say.
- PUB DATE: 10/29/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

The daughter of a 30-year-old woman who died after paramedics failed to transport her to a hospital or even take her vital signs has filed notice of her intent to sue Hillsborough County. And other lawsuits may be coming. The notice was sent to Hillsborough County commissioners and the county’s fire department by the Kimsey Law Firm.
- PUB DATE: 10/29/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Tampa Tribune and TBO.com (Tampa Bay Online)

A division chief with Fond du Lac Fire & Rescue was honored last week with state-level recognition. Troy Haase was named Fire Inspector of the Year — a prestigious award delivered by the Wisconsin Fire Inspector's Association. Fire Chief Peter O'Leary nominated Haase for the title for his work seeking code compliance throughout the city — including preventive measures and the need for working smoke alarms in homes — through public education.
- PUB DATE: 10/28/2018 5:57:01 AM - SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter

The call volume goes down during the late fall and winter months in Door County, but volunteer firefighters hope there is more interest in joining their departments. Summer temptations disappearing make it easier for potential recruits to commit to the trainings and meetings required to become a volunteer firefighter in the county.
- PUB DATE: 10/27/2018 3:59:07 PM - SOURCE: Door County Daily News

An unattended fire caused $3,000 in damages to local property on Friday night. The Chippewa Falls Fire and Emergency Services responded to an unattended camp fire that burned down a fence and a small shed at 8 North Culver Street. By the time firefighters arrived there was a 30 by 30 area burning and they got the fire under control shortly.
- PUB DATE: 10/27/2018 10:07:56 AM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV 13 News

On October 26, 1 residential fire fatality was reported by the Nation's news media.

A Racine teen is accused trapping two women in a house and lighting it on fire, intentionally attempting to murder them. Ja’quale G. Dennis, 16, of the 300 block of Park View Drive, is facing two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, which carries a sentence of up to 60 years imprisonment, two counts of false imprisonment, one count of arson and one count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, all of which are felonies.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 6:30:42 PM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

Police are investigating vandalism that caused at least $2,000 worth of damage to the Pittsville fire station. Fire chief Jerry Minor said on Wednesday they discovered the rooftop furnace over a meeting room had been vandalized sometime in the recent past. It is believed the vandals accessed the roof by climbing up the nearby radio tower and then attempted to pull natural gas lines out of the furnace, a Facebook post by the fire department said Thursday.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 7:24:22 AM - SOURCE: Stevens Point Journal

On October 24, 6 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

Appleton firefighters might get more training for medical calls. Fire Chief Jeremy Hansen says many of them are certified as first responders and he wants to upgrade them. He says they want to bring the department up to what is considered the norm for fire service. He says almost all of them are EMT Basic or higher.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 4:37:09 AM - SOURCE: WHBY-AM 1150 News Talk

An assistant fire chief with the California Office of Emergency Services has died after falling ill at a multi-agency coordination meeting. According to a line-of-duty death notification from the U.S. Fire Administration, Assistant Chief Ken Hood, who was 50 years old and a 34-year fire service veteran, suffered an acute medical emergency during the meeting in Quincy on Wednesday.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Firehouse

Federal authorities made an arrest on Friday in connection with the nationwide bombing campaign against outspoken critics of President Trump. It was not immediately clear who had been taken into custody, but a man was arrested in Florida, two law enforcement officials said. The arrest came only hours after the mysterious spate of pipe bombs spread further on Friday morning as federal authorities said that they had found two more of the explosive devices: one addressed to Senator Cory Booker and the other to James R.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Times

In the basement of Trinity Lutheran Church Thursday, Springfield police officers, armed with guns, ushered in three Springfield firefighters wearing bulletproof vests and neon orange medical kits. Lying in the different rooms were firefighters playing victims. Red stickers mimicked gunshot wounds. With no active shooter in sight, the police officers gave the firefighters free rein to tend to the victims.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Springfield State Journal-Register

In the last year, Eagle Fire Battalion Chief Rob Shoplock has taken calls from three fellow firefighters who had suicidal thoughts because of what they experienced on the job. All three sought counseling, but they paid for it out of their own pocket because it wasn’t covered by workers’ compensation.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Idaho Statesman

Firefighters in a rural Hamilton County township couldn’t figure out why they had no funds to buy medical supplies for their ambulance. Their property tax levy, bringing in about $220,000 annually for firefighting, should have been enough to cover the needs of the Wayne Township Volunteer Fire Department east of Noblesville.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Jeffersonville Evening News & New Albany Tribune

VIDEO: An arson case in Racine has led to much more serious charges. A 16-year-old is accused of holding two girls at knifepoint before lighting a home on fire. The victims say he intended to trap them inside. "We woke up and the room was full of smoke," said Andrew Logan. Tuesday morning, Oct. 23 near 6th and Jones in Racine, Andrew Logan spotted a fire.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 9:39:01 PM - SOURCE: WITI Fox Channel 6

An amendment has been passed that will staff a new fire station with a firefighter/paramedic 24/7 in the absence of an ambulance, according to a blog post from an alderman. Earlier this month, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin rejected a request to add an ambulance to Fire Station 14 near Stoughton Road. The new fire station was built to cut down response times to a portion of Madison’s far east side.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 1:46:40 PM - SOURCE: WMSN-TV Fox 47 Madison

VIDEO: A West Bend man accused of attacking an off-duty firefighter is not mentally fit to go to trial. A judge made the ruling in the case of Robert Ryan. Police say Ryan punched the firefighter in the head while he was performing CPR on a woman in August. The woman died at the hospital.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 9:29:55 AM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee

The Deerfield Fire Department is investigating what caused an early-morning house fire on Thursday. Multiple departments were called to the home at 3334 County Highway W, just south of Schuster's Farm, at 4:24 a.m. Thursday. When crews arrived at the scene, they saw heavy amounts of smoke and flames.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 3:13:43 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV Channel 3000.com Madison

When you drive past the Kansasville Fire and Rescue station on Highway 11, the electronic sign often reads “Firefighters and EMTs needed. Apply Now!” Similar advertisements are seen nationwide, as full-time and volunteer fire departments alike struggle to fill their rosters. The National Volunteer Firefighter Council found that, from 1984-2015, the number of volunteer firefighters in the U.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times