Never before has a sunny and 65-degree day been so uninviting to be outdoors. Thick wildfire smoke that has been draped over parts of the Pacific Northwest for weeks due to relentless fires burning in the Cascades and eastern Washington has become even worse over the Seattle and Portland metro areas, not only rating as the region's worst air quality of the year, but rating as the worst air quality measured anywhere in the world.
- PUB DATE: 10/21/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13 Seattle

One person is dead after a fire broke out at a home in the Larson Housing area of Moses Lake on Thursday night. Grant County Fire Marshal Nathan Poplowski confirmed that the blaze killed one person and injured another. The cousin of the man who lived in the burning home told iFIBER ONE News that his cousin was airlifted for smoke inhalation and severe burns; his cousin's wife was killed in the blaze.
- PUB DATE: 10/21/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: iFiber One News

Greencastle’s Rescue Hose Company has a little extra financial breathing room after receiving a federal grant for nearly a quarter-million dollars to replace self-contained breathing apparatus, Echo-Pilot.com reported.

The department recently was awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the amount of $241,880 for operations and safety from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the report said. The money will be used to replace the breathing apparatus that is reaching the end of its service life, according to a fire official.

The money will be used to replace SCBA equipment bought with an AFG grant in 2011, the report said. That grant of $182,875 paid for 36 units, while the new grant will cover 32.

Officials with the Randall County Fire Department will host an event Thursday evening, celebrating a new engine that the county recently received, MyHighPlains.com reported.

According to a news release from the Randall County Fire Department, the department will have a “push-in” ceremony at 6 p.m. Thursday at Station No. 2 of the Randall County Fire Department, located at 9451 2186 in Amarillo. According to the release, this ceremony is being conducted after the county recently received its new Engine Two.

Officials said the new engine is a 2022 Spartan, the county’s first new custom cab fire apparatus. The release said this will give members of the department more available storage space for equipment, along with added safety features for fire personnel.

The Board of Fire Commissioners of Lakewood Fire District No. 1 along with Fire Chief Jonathan Yahr announced the delivery of two new Fire Engines: Engine 1 and Engine 5. These new fire engines are the most recent example of the Board of Fire Commissioners’ commitment to investing in the infrastructure and equipment needs of the Lakewood Fire District as they seek to modernize the fleet.

These engines will be replacing current engines in the fleet which have reached the end of their life. Engine 1 and Engine 5 were designed with a short wheelbase to accommodate tight narrow streets. The low overall height increases safety by reducing the center of gravity and allowing the engine to pass under obstacles that previous specifications could not. These engines are another step in making all LFD engines identical. This will benefit the department in deploying resources as needed as well as reducing the cost of ownership. Numerous improvements were made to previous specifications to increase reliability and decrease maintenance costs.