A former Old Orchard Beach fire chief pleaded guilty Wednesday to arson for setting a fire last year that burned 42 acres of wetlands. Ricky Plummer, 61, entered the guilty plea to the Class A felony in York County Superior Court in Alfred. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 9, said Deputy District Attorney Justina McGettigan.
- PUB DATE: 10/26/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Portland Press Herald

VIDEO: Leaders from the Department of Workforce Development made a stop in Merrill Wednesday to highlight the Merrill Fire Department for their dedication to employing individuals with disabilities. Deputy Secretary Georgia Maxwell and Assistant Deputy Secretary Dave Anderson presented the department with the Exemplary Employer Award from Governor Walker.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2017 2:17:24 PM - SOURCE: WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau

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

On October 23, 3 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

On October 21, 12 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

Response time is crucial when it comes to first responders. In fact, response time is the rock upon which their house is built. This holds true for fire, police and rescue personnel across the board. It doesn’t matter if you’re serving a rural, suburban or metropolitan area: You have to react fast when the need arises.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2017 1:49:34 AM - SOURCE: Lake Geneva News

A 31-year-old Stanhope firefighter died Monday evening during a drill at the Sussex County Public Safety Academy in Frankford, according to officials. Edward J. Frenenski, an active member of Stanhope Hose Company No. 1, suffered a medical emergency as he took part in a vehicular extrication drill that involved his entire fire department around 8:20 p.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New Jersey Herald

Former Naples Fire Chief Steve McInerny has filed a lawsuit over his firing last year, alleging that city and union leaders "concocted a scheme" to bring him down. He is demanding a jury trial and seeking damages. His long list of defendants includes former Naples Mayor John Sorey, current and former City Council leaders, Naples firefighters and members of their union Local 2174, along with the city's TV channel and the city.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Naples Daily News

With so many concerns on the minds of our nation's firefighters -- training, tactics and protocols; not to mention putting their lives on the line -- it's understandable if something as simple as being cautious with an email is overlooked during a stressful day. One small slip, however, and an entire fire department can fall victim to a hacking attack which can cripple internal communications and data storage or compromise sensitive information for both department members and everyday citizens.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Firehouse

More people in Champaign County could survive cardiac arrest with the help of a free smartphone app designed to mobilize the public to start treatment in the first critical minutes. The PulsePoint Respond app was launched Monday in Champaign County by Presence Regional EMS and METCAD, the local emergency dispatch agency.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The News-Gazette

A former firefighter recruit is suing San Diego for discrimination, harassment and retaliation because she was fired last year after speaking up about lewd comments and penis drawings in the Fire Academy locker room. Nicole Pappas, 31, claims male members of her 2015 recruiting class criticized her weight, commented on her butt and forced her to look at penis drawings by taping them on the wall, emailing them and posting them on social media.
- PUB DATE: 10/25/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Diego Union-Tribune

It involved homework, but the rewards were worth the effort when the 36 local elementary school students names were drawn to be honorary firefighters at the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department. The students were among 468 students who completed their assignments given to them by the Sturgeon Bay firefighters during the 2017 Grade School Fire Prevention Program conducted by the department during September and October.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 10:15:51 PM - SOURCE: Green Bay Press-Gazette

On October 24, 0 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

VIDEO: Manitowoc Noon Rotary Club recently announced its selections for Firefighter of the Year and Citizen of the Year. Manitowoc Fire and Rescue motor pump operator Brad Olivera was selected as Firefighter of the Year. He was nominated by a fire department captain for two off-duty incidents during which he stepped up to make a difference and save lives.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 12:40:08 PM - SOURCE: Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter

Northern Door firefighters received an opportunity to work through some of the new challenges presented when rescuing motorists from newer cars. The construction of cars has changed drastically over the last few years with new metals and technology being instituted in the process. Firefighters from Sister Bay/Liberty Grove, Gibraltar, Egg Harbor, and Baileys Harbor got a chance to practice on these cars, providing invaluable experience according to Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Chief Chris Hecht.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 11:42:32 AM - SOURCE: Door County Daily News

Five Three Lakes Elementary students stepped into a fire truck to get to school this morning. The Three Lakes Fire Department drove the lucky students to school in two fire engines. The kids won the chance to catch a ride to school in a fire truck through a coloring contest. This is the seventh year the Three Lakes Fire Department held the "Ride to School Program.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 8:35:57 AM - SOURCE: WJFW-TV NBC 12 Rhinelander-Wausau

The Beaver Dam Administrative Committee met Monday night to begin deliberations on a proposed 2018 budget with a net tax levy of 6.4 percent increase ($10.5 million) amounting to more than $630,600 over the adopted 2017 budget. Beaver Dam Fire Chief Alan Mannel said these were some tough cuts. “Everyone is fighting for the same piece of the pie,” he said after the meeting.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 1:42:58 AM - SOURCE: Beaver Dam Daily Citizen

Last night's NBC News segment featured an in-depth look at firefighter occupational cancer. The segment featured an interview with a Boston firefighter who is battling blood cancer and Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn, who called cancer rates in the fire service an "epidemic." According to the segment, three active or just-retired firefighters are diagnosed with cancer each month.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1

The end of a nearly yearlong dispute between Mayor Lloyd Winnecke's office and the police and fire departments was reached Monday with a six-figure settlement. City Council approved using $300,000 of income tax revenue to end the lawsuit between the unions and city over the changes to the 2017 health insurance plan the city offered employees.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Evansville Courier & Press

The motorist who first reported the Canyon Fire 2 said Monday, Oct. 23 that he described the Oct. 9 incident as a fire, not as smoke. The distinction matters because Orange County Fire Authority officials confirmed Monday that the dispatcher’s first response was to send a single fire engine with lights and sirens off, a deployment known as a low-priority “smoke check.
- PUB DATE: 10/24/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orange County Register