The Civil Service Commission has denied an appeal from District Fire Chief Samuel Richesson who, despite scoring highest on the Civil Service exam, was passed over for promotion to deputy chief after his performance in an interview. “The preponderance of the evidence shows that Mr. Richesson performed poorly during his interview,” Christopher C.
- PUB DATE: 8/6/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Paramedics in an Indianapolis suburb will begin providing laughing gas instead of powerful opioid painkillers to patients. Fishers officials say the use of nitrous oxide is expected to reduce the amount of fentanyl administered to injured patients by about two-thirds. Fishers Fire Capt. John Mehling tells The Indianapolis Star using the gas commonly given in dentist offices will reduce the risk of addiction and harmful side effects with fentanyl.
- PUB DATE: 8/6/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Northwest Indiana Times

Responding to a conflict-of-interest controversy, the Oakridge City Council voted Thursday evening to consider terminating the contractor serving as its fire chief. The council voted 5-1 to meet with city attorneys in a nonpublic session to discuss potentially ending its contract with Michael Hansen.
- PUB DATE: 8/6/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Eugene Register-Guard

Six people trapped in their apartments were rescued by firefighters from a burning three-story building Sunday afternoon in a fire that required “a massive effort” by the entire force of 88 firefighters on duty. Acting Deputy Assistant Chief Stephen Houle said firefighters arriving at 155 Elmwood Ave.
- PUB DATE: 8/6/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Providence Journal

VIDEO: Madison's hometown heroes took to the field Sunday for a flag football game to benefit local students. The Madison Fire Department went head-to-head against the Madison Police Department in the first-ever First Responders Bowl at Breese Stevens Field. The first responders participating say it was a good opportunity to show the kids they're normal people.
- PUB DATE: 8/5/2018 8:01:02 PM - SOURCE: WKOW-TV 27 ABC

Crews battled a fire in downtown Clintonville Friday morning. It broke out at a warehouse in the area of Main and 8th Street. The Clintonville Fire Chief believes the building is a total loss. This is what firefighters encountered when they got to the fire, "Some of the main electrical lines and transmission lines were close to the building as well as the lines behind the building were arcing on fire.
- PUB DATE: 8/3/2018 4:51:23 AM - SOURCE: WLUK TV Fox 11

For more than four hours, no one heard from Braden Varney. The 10-year veteran of California’s firefighting force had been dispatched to bulldoze a firebreak on a precarious ridge near Marble Point in Mariposa County, an effort to contain the stubborn Ferguson Fire near Yosemite. It was before dawn on July 14, and the blaze that ignited a day earlier in Sierra National Forest was pushing toward the tiny town of Jerseydale.
- PUB DATE: 8/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle

More than 10,000 fire and emergency service leaders, experts, exhibitors, guests and industry partners from around the globe will assemble August 8-11 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, for Fire-Rescue International (FRI), the annual conference and expo of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).
- PUB DATE: 8/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs

Authorities say a St. Louis man broke into a Kinloch firehouse for five hours Monday, ate a tub of ice cream, took a shower and stalked the building with a butcher knife and a fireman's tool before he was discovered. Thomas Robertson, 28, of the 400 block of Thomas Street in St. Louis, was charged Tuesday with felony second-degree burglary.
- PUB DATE: 8/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Much like Class D fires, political fires require special resources to extinguish ... water doesn’t work well. For all of the hyperbole about how “things burn differently in my town,” we hear all so often, there are some things affecting the fire service that do indeed “burn differently” from community to community.
- PUB DATE: 8/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1

A city firefighter faces a felony theft charge after he allegedly forged several doctor's notes to receive paid sick time off last year. Bethlehem officials said it cost more than $4,500 to pay James Delgrosso Jr., 40, of Bethlehem for the missed time and for someone to cover his shifts. Delgrosso was also charged Monday with forgery for the notes he allegedly submitted to get time off from February through November, according to Northampton County court records.
- PUB DATE: 8/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Allentown Morning Call

A Layton firefighter who was severely injured during SWAT training this week is now recovering in the hospital. Brian Cunningham’s wife called it a “freak accident” during a simple training exercise. The team was practicing busting open doors with small explosives when one of them backfired. Cunningham is now recovering after major reconstructive surgery on his face.
- PUB DATE: 8/3/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Abc4

Donations are continuing to flood in for the Sun Prairie community. The Cashton Fire Department, which is near La Crosse, held a fill-the-boot fundraiser. All of the donations raised went to the Sun Prairie Fire Department. On Thursday, Cashton firefighters presented Sun Prairie firefighters with a check for $3,000.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 8:53:01 PM - SOURCE: WMSN-TV Fox 47 Madison

A firefighter who was critically hurt after being hit by a vehicle while on the job is back to full duty. Joe Sabol returned to duty with the Delton Fire Department Wednesday, according to a Facebook post from the department. The post reads, "Please join us in congratulating Joe Sabol on returning to full duty and also his promotion to Lieutenant.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 3:06:34 PM - SOURCE: WKOW-TV 27 ABC

La Crosse firefighters were on the scene for four hours as they battled a fire at the Xcel Energy French Island plant Thursday morning. The department was called shortly after 3 a.m. to the plant. When they arrived, flames were visible from the top of a containment bin. Crews were able to contain the fire to the bin and conveyor belt.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 9:31:47 AM - SOURCE: WXOW-TV ABC 19 LaCrosse

Several crews responded to a fire at Banbury Place in Eau Claire early Thursday morning. Firefighters were called to the American Phoenix shop, where industrial rubber is mixed, just after 2 a.m. Our photographer at the scene could see smoke billowing out of the building on Galloway Street. The Eau Claire Fire Department said a material in a machine inside the business caught fire, but it was quickly put out.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 7:03:38 AM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV 13 News

The North Lake community lost one of its most dedicated residents July 28, when Terrence "Tapey" Stapleton died at the age of 79. Aside from a stint in the Maine Crops which took Stapleton to Guam and Japan, he spend his entire life in North Lake, since his birth in 1939. He was best known for his dedication to the North Lake Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as chief for over 35 years.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 12:04:56 AM - SOURCE: Livinglakecountry

The massive wildfires burning across California have highlighted long-standing strains on the state’s mutual-aid system, which is designed to quickly rally support from nearby fire agencies to help protect homes and save lives. From Tuesday through Saturday last week, requests for more than 900 fire engines from commanders around California went unfilled, according to state officials, leaving emergency responders in many communities with far less help than they had hoped for.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle

The president of the Syracuse police union said it's ridiculous that Ted Ackerman would fear police officers might shoot him as he hid after a fatal hit and run last year. Ackerman, a city firefighter, fled the scene of a fatal accident he witnessed, then hid in the basement of Pastime Athletic Club while police banged on the door upstairs.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Syracuse Post-Standard & Syracuse.com

It took a legal battle lasting more than two years for Tanja Vidovic to return to her job as a Tampa firefighter in early April. But after only three months back at Tampa Fire Rescue, her future at the department is in doubt again. Vidovic, who won a federal discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the department in December, is now accused of being untruthful and creating a hostile work environment, her husband Jared Vidovic told the Tampa Bay Times.
- PUB DATE: 8/2/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Tampa Tribune and TBO.com