VIDEO: Firefighters in Emmet County are taking exception to cuts in funding for life-saving equipment. Emmet County Commissioners approved a budget that slashes funding for local fire departments in half, and could take it all away next year. “We felt we should voice our concern about this and bring it to the commissioners’ attention,” Resort Bear Creek Fire and Rescue Chief Al Welsheimer, said.
- PUB DATE: 3/13/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WWTV-TV 9&10 News

The Freeport City Council on Monday discussed a potential ordinance change that would allow the Fire Department to bill insurance companies for auto accidents. If approved, the Fire Department would start billing the responsible driver’s insurance company $500 for every accident that firefighters are dispatched to and $1,400 if the driver is extricated from the vehicle.
- PUB DATE: 3/12/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Freeport Journal-Standard

VIDEO: Several Kansas City firefighters are in Washington, D.C. this week for the largest legislative conference among all labor unions. Mental health is one of the topics they will be focusing on with members of Congress to encourage support on this issue. As they protect our communities, professional firefighters are also facing threats to their own safety and well-being.
- PUB DATE: 3/12/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KCTV-TV CBS 5 Kansas City

The challenges of running a volunteer fire department — the budget constraints, cancer risks and difficulty recruiting young people — highlighted a meeting of fire officials Saturday in Albertson. State fire officials emphasized the problems of keeping up with the changing landscape of volunteer firefighting, as they briefed about 75 local first responders on state legislative priorities.
- PUB DATE: 3/12/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NewsDay.com

A bill introduced in the Tennessee legislature would allow emergency medical responders and firefighters to carry handguns for their safety, but some emergency response leaders aren’t sure that’s such a good idea. As written, the bill “authorizes any person employed as a firefighter or emergency medical technician (EMT), that has received a written directive from their supervisor and completed an annual eight-hour firearm training, to carry a handgun while engaged in the performance of the person’s official duties.
- PUB DATE: 3/12/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Johnson City Press