Spotsylvania County mourns the loss of Volunteer Fire Chief Norman Brooks, Sr, who passed away Wednesday, February 13, 2019. Chief Brooks dedicated his life to serving and helping others. He remained focused on fulfilling that mission until the end of his life. Chief Brooks was part of a county team overseeing final inspections and acceptance testing of Tower 1 and Rescue Engine 8 this week in Wisconsin when he suffered a sudden medical emergency.
- PUB DATE: 2/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fredericksburg Today

The Burlington County Board of Freeholders began reorganizing a first responders’ advisory board Wednesday over objections from some fire and emergency services associations who fear the changes could politicize the group. The resolution approved by the freeholders Wednesday amended the advisory board’s makeup so that it consists of three members from the fire service, three from the emergency medical service and three from police, plus the county Public Safety Director and another representative from the county Department of Public Safety.
- PUB DATE: 2/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Burlington County Times

A city fire captain seriously injured while fighting a Newell Street arson fire last year has filed suit against the two men who started the blaze. Theodore G. Kolb III filed state Supreme Court action Friday against John H. Long and Scott Munson, both of whom are serving 2 1/3- to 7-year state prison sentences imposed in November in Jefferson County Court for third-degree arson and first-degree reckless endangerment convictions stemming from the Feb.
- PUB DATE: 2/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Watertown Daily Times

Fire departments across the United States have long struggled with outdated federal reimbursement policies which fail to reimburse fire departments for the cost of providing EMS treatment without transportation and prohibit transporting patients to alternative destinations like urgent care clinics. However, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced today that they will begin testing a model policy in which CMMI reimburses fire departments for the cost of providing Medicare beneficiaries with treatment-without-transportation and transporting patients to alternative destinations.
- PUB DATE: 2/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: IAFC.org

Allegations that the Thorndike Fire Department leadership is unprofessional and has endangered the lives of firefighters from other communities are having an incendiary effect on the small town and its volunteer-run department. The allegations came in the form of a Jan. 23 letter sent by four Waldo County emergency response officials to the Thorndike Select Board and town residents.
- PUB DATE: 2/20/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bangor Daily News