From the category archives:

National Fire Rescue News

Pre-midnight blaze wakes up quiet neighborhood

October 20, 2009

At approximately 11:30 pm, October 17; the Wood-Ridge (NJ) Fire Department was dispatched for a working house fire at 484 Center Street. Once on the scene; the Chief confirmed that he had heavy fire on the #1 floor and issued an immediate 2nd alarm.
The fire was rapidly advancing, blowing out the rear window on the [...]

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Exclusive: ‘No cuts’ Ohio chief speaks out on dismissal

July 20, 2009

Editor’s Note: Earlier this month, Ohio Fire Chief Donald Barnes was dismissed after balking at orders from his mayor to make a new round of cuts in the fire department’s budget. The Shaker Heights Fire Department had already been forced to shed four firefighters earlier this year. But when Chief Barnes was then told to [...]

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Fast-moving fire guts Paterson home

July 13, 2009

A mid morning fire destroyed a 2½ story wood frame home at 272 Jefferson St. on Friday July 10. An alert neighbor phoned 911 at approximately 10:30am to report the fire. Initial police unit on the scene reported heavy fire on the #1 floor. First due fire units arriving just minutes later, confirmed a working [...]

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White firefighters were victims of discrimination, Supreme Court rules

June 29, 2009

Reporting from Washington — The Supreme Court ruled today that white firefighters who lost promotions in New Haven, Conn., were victims of illegal racial discrimination, holding that employers should not rely on “raw racial statistics” to set aside a fair test. The 5-4 decision clarifies the federal job-discrimination laws for employers, both private and public, [...]

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Fire damages half-century old business in Wayne

June 22, 2009

An alert passerby notified authorities of flames coming from the second floor of a 75′ X 125′ strip mall at 1459 Route 23 South at approximately 7:45am today, Thursday, June 18. Township companies 5, 2 and 1 were dispatched and the first arriving chief declared a working fire and requested remaining companies 3 and [...]

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Oregon Governor Signs Fire Fighter Cancer Presumption Bill

April 28, 2009

April 28, 2009 – Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski has signed state legislation (HB 2420) expanding the list of cancers presumed to be work-related for Oregon fire fighters. The law is effective January 1, 2010.
“This was a very proud moment for Oregon fire fighters,” says Oregon State Fire Fighters Council (OSFFC) President Kelly Bach. “Over the [...]

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Firefighting Aircraft Crew dies when Tanker Crashes

April 28, 2009

An air tanker (Neptune Tanker 42) under contract to the United States Forest Service was lost when it crashed in the Oquirrh Mountains, Utah. The crew of three was lost in the incident.  Neptune Aviation mourns the loss of the crew of Tanker 42 on April 25, 2009.
Flynn, Michael Wayne Buss / Brian, Joseph / [...]

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Paterson N.J. block nearly wiped out by fire

April 21, 2009

Two firefighters injured, four alarms, five hours, six homes, eight-inch water main problems, twelve mutual aid towns, nearly thirty pieces of
apparatus, fifty people homeless and scores of firefighters! That’s what it was like at the scene of a general alarm fire which broke out just before 4:00pm on Friday, April 17, allegedly originating in the [...]

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Houston Firefighters die in overnight house fire

April 12, 2009

Two Houston firefighters – one just out of the academy and an experienced veteran – were killed fighting a house fire in southeast Houston early this morning.
The fallen firefighters have been identified as Capt. James Harlow, 50, and Damien Hobbs, 29. Harlow was hired by HFD in August 1979 and has been a captain at [...]

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Firefighting Pilot dies in Wisconsin

April 10, 2009

Van Handel, Heath
Age: 36
Cause of Death: Vehicle Collision
Rank: Pilot
Nature of Death: Trauma
Classification: Wildland Full-Time
Emergency Duty: Yes
Incident Date: 04/08/2009
Duty Type: On-Scene Fire
Incident Time: 14:26
Activity Type: Driving/Operating Vehicle/Apparatus
Death Date: 04/08/2009
Fire Dept: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Initial Summary: A multiengine Cessna 337 being used during wildland fire suppression operations in coordination with Pittsville firefighters working [...]

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