National News

  • 9-alarm fire starts in vacant Boston building, spreads to 7 homes, 7 firefighters injured officials say
    VIDEO: A nine-alarm fire tore through a Lower Mills neighborhood in Dorchester on Saturday, displacing 14 residents, according to Boston fire officials. The Boston Fire Department said nine people, including seven firefighters, were treated and transported to a hospital by Boston Emergency Medical Services.
    - PUB DATE: 6/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WCVB-TV NBC 5
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  • California fire union launches TV ads as it presses governor to hire more firefighters
    VIDEO: The union that represents state firefighters is airing commercials in Sacramento this week with a two-pronged message: Cal Fire’s firefighters are overworked and you should take steps to protect your home. The 30- and 60-second spots are meant to be informative, but Cal Fire Local 2881 President Tim Edwards said more aggressive commercials could follow if fire conditions worsen without the state dedicating more money to firefighters.
    - PUB DATE: 6/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Sacramento Bee - Metered Site
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  • Rash of fires in New Jersey puts spotlight on decline in volunteer firefighters
    After a rash of devastating fires over the past year, including one that claimed the life of an 89-year-old woman, some city residents are calling for a career company to take over the local volunteer fire department. But the city is standing behind its crew, arguing a career department isn’t necessary with mutual aid agreements already in place.
    - PUB DATE: 6/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Press of Atlantic City
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  • FDNY Union says no to oversized mechanical spaces
    The Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York has come out in strong support of state-level legislation aimed at limiting the ability of real estate developers to use "mechanical void spaces" to game zoning codes into allowing them to construct taller buildings. In a strongly-worded memo, circulated by the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts group, the Fire Department of New York union says, "Void spaces, often entire floors in buildings put hazardous equipment such as High Voltage Air Conditioning and heating equipment in the middle of buildings, many floors above street level.
    - PUB DATE: 6/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Archinect News
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  • Maine Has First Fire Department to Digitally Track Turnout Gear Cleanliness
    The Bath Fire & Rescue Department has adopted a high-tech solution to protect their firefighters from carcinogens. By adding the “FireLinc” app to its new extractor system, Bath becomes the first department in the state to track detailed information about every wash. “In the past few years, cancer has been recognized as one of the major killers of career and volunteer firefighters,” said Bath Fire Chief Lawrence Renaud.
    - PUB DATE: 6/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: City of Bath
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  • IAFF union head calls on White House to back 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
    The head of the nation's largest firefighters union is calling on the Trump administration to back a bill that would grant additional funding for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund until 2090. Harold Schaitberger, who is general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), said Thursday that even though the bill boasts strong bipartisan support in Congress it could use more help from the White House.
    - PUB DATE: 6/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Hill
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  • Louisiana will allow first responders to use PTSD for workers’ compensation
    VIDEO: Starting Aug. 1, current and past first responders may use a medically documented post-traumatic stress disorder to apply for workers’ compensation. This is part of Louisiana Act No. 112, which unanimously passed through both the Louisiana House and Senate. “It helps from the standpoint if they require inpatient treatment," said Licensed Professional Counselor Craig Kennedy.
    - PUB DATE: 6/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KALB-TV NBC/CBS 35 Alexandria
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  • Media Investigation: Recordings by Elton John, Nirvana and Thousands More Lost in Hollywood Fire
    Eleven years ago this month, a fire ripped through a part of Universal Studios Hollywood. At the time, the company said that the blaze had destroyed the theme park’s “King Kong” attraction and a video vault that contained only copies of old works. But, according to an article published on Tuesday by The New York Times Magazine, the fire also tore through an archive housing treasured audio recordings, amounting to what the piece described as “the biggest disaster in the history of the music business.
    - PUB DATE: 6/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The New York Times - Metered Site
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  • Firefighting is all in the family for the Munroe’s in Maine
    First responders never know what they’ll encounter when the call comes in – and so they practice. They participate in training drills on a regular basis. Firefighters, paramedics, troopers and police officers are all a big family– one that has each other’s backs in the face of any emergency. Ralph Munroe works on Ladder 3 out of the Stevens Avenue station – and the notion of family hits pretty close to home for him.
    - PUB DATE: 6/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WCSH-TV NBC 44 Portland
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  • VIDEO: Massive fire injures 2 as it destroys $2M mansion in Texas
    Two people are in the hospital after a massive fire destroyed a $2 million mansion in The Woodlands on Palmer Woods. About 15 units from the Woodlands Fire Department were on scene trying to get the flames under control. The conditions were bad upon arrival so the firefighters went into defensive mode, but officials say it will be a total loss.
    - PUB DATE: 6/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTRK-TV ABC 13 Houston
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