firefighter news

San Jose’s Bravest Tackle Condo Blaze

November 15, 2009

On Friday, November 13, 2009 shortly after 11:00 pm, units of the San Jose Fire Department responded to reports of fire in a two-story, multi-unit residential occupancy at 5506 Makati Circle on the city’s south side. Upon their arrival, firefighters were confronted with heavy fire conditions on both floors of the structure. Captain Trent Engler [...]

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Victorville Firefighters Settle Lawsuit With City

September 27, 2008

The city has decided to settle a class action lawsuit filed by the former Victorville Professional Firefighters, according to attorneys for the union. “We were able to vindicate the rights of the firefighters,” said Sanjay Bansal, an attorney with Lackie, Dammeier & McGill. There were 47 Victorville firefighters as plaintiffs in the class action suit, [...]

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EMT Background Checks Now Required in California

September 27, 2008

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Thursday that requires California’s 70,000 emergency medical technicians to undergo mandatory criminal background checks. In 2007, he zapped a similar bill after expressing disapproval about last-minute changes that would have kept secret some details about rescuer misconduct. This time, Schwarzenegger signed an Assembly bill that will modernize a patchwork licensing [...]

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Novato Firefighters Knockdown Blaze at Local Bar

September 27, 2008

An electrical fire destroyed a downtown Novato bar early Thursday morning. Thick, dark smoke was pouring out of the front doors of DeSilva’s Bar and Grille at 1535 S. Novato Blvd. when firefighters arrived at 12:56 a.m. Thursday, according to Mark Heine, fire battalion chief. The two-alarm fire was contained at 1:21 a.m. An electrical [...]

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Modesto Firefighters Facing Engine Company Closures

September 20, 2008

Modesto Mayor Jim Ridenour’s plan to shrink an $8.7 million budget gap includes a proposal to temporarily shut down a fire company when firefighters miss work instead of using overtime to keep the city’s 10 stations running at full force. That change would save Modesto $400,000. It would lead to reductions in staffing 70 percent [...]

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Fresno Firefighters Evacuate Sprinkler Flooded Highrise

September 18, 2008

A resident was arrested for allegedly setting off the sprinkler system in The Californian, which flooded three floors and forced a temporary evacuation of tenants at the residential tower in downtown Fresno early Wednesday. Fresno Fire Department investigators arrested Angel Hernandez, 56, on suspicion of felony tampering with a sprinkler device and felony vandalism, said [...]

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Meet The Country’s Only All Female Firefighting Crew

September 18, 2008

Robyn Benincasa, a firefighter at Pacific Highlands Ranch Fire Station 47, likens her fire crew to “The Brady Bunch.” The new station’s “A” crew Captain Greg George is the head of an all female outfit, including Benincasa, firefighter paramedic April Lallo and engineer Melissa Cleary; all close friends who transferred together from Point Loma. They [...]

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Salinas Fire Department Trains New Recruits

September 11, 2008

Clouds of smoke that will to rise over Salinas through Friday are probably no cause for alarm. The Salinas Fire Department will be intentionally torching abut 35 acres of land at Salinas Municipal Airport to educate seven new firefighting recruits in the nuances of wildland fire training. “This is the final stage of our 14-week [...]

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Fire District is Told it Owes Firefighter Pension Funds

September 9, 2008

A rural fire district with no firefighters is being told by a Fresno County retirement agency that it owes about $5.5 million in pension contributions on behalf of its former firefighters. The North Central Fire Protection District was told its pension held a healthy surplus before the district agreed last year to let the city [...]

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San Diego Firefighters Treat 16; Walkway Collapses

August 31, 2008

A block-long covered walkway next to a construction scaffold collapsed on Thursday, trapping and injuring 16 pedestrians, three critically. About 25 people were on the walkway when its wooden walls and roof fell in, authorities said. Some scaffolding along the 3-story building also fell. “The walls started moving, then the bang. Everything started coming down. [...]

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