Kevin Leago, the trailblazing Houston firefighter with cancer who fought City Hall to provide workers compensation benefits for his illness — and won — died Thursday. He was 40. Leago’s victory in court over city lawyers who argued his illness was unrelated to on-the-job carcinogen exposure set a precedent for dozens of current and retired Houston firefighters stricken with cancer, Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association President Marty Lancton said.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

VIDEO: A new public service announcement from the Honolulu Fire Department that began airing recently features a wake up call on the dangers of house fires. The PSA shows a boy, his father and pet dog asleep while actually succumbing to the impacts of smoke ? without even knowing it. “This boy is dying.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Hawaii News Now

Every firefighter knows a call can come at any time. But the Rev. Dave Driesch and the Rev. Tim McGill serve a God as well as their community — meaning their pagers go off while they’re praying or leading a service. Driesch, a veteran firefighter and Catholic priest who is prior of Daylesford Abbey, is helping newbie firefighter and Southern Baptist minister McGill, pastor of Paoli Community Church, balance both worlds.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Philadelphia Inquirer - Metered Site

The union representing Chicago firefighters wants a Cook County judge to halt the promotion of more than a dozen department members to battalion chief. The Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 filed a motion for an injunction in Cook County Circuit Court on Tuesday that seeks to stop the promotions — set to take effect Dec.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Chicago Sun Times

Unable to find a candidate willing to take on the role as their new fire chief, the city of Falcon Heights voted Wednesday to have Rose­ville’s fire department assume the chief’s responsibilities for one year. The unanimous vote by Falcon Heights’ City Council comes several weeks after Roseville’s council agreed to the $40,000 contract, in which they would take responsibility for all administrative and command services, as well as a department-wide audit.
- PUB DATE: 12/13/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Twin Cities Pioneer Press