Barberton may not save money by laying off firefighters and could end up paying more in firefighting costs because of overtime, the head of the city’s fire union says. “I don’t understand how layoffs are going to help the city because to keep services, that’s going to require a large amount of overtime,” International Association of Fire Fighters Local 329 President Rick Schwenning said Wednesday.
- PUB DATE: 1/31/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Ohio.com

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Tuesday directed a team of fire chiefs to push ahead with a plan for a possible countywide sales tax measure this fall to pay for more firefighters, equipment and stations. The board also authorized spending $1.6 million a year to help fund the county’s newest fire agency, to be formed from the consolidation of four existing departments that cover Santa Rosa’s outskirts and Windsor.
- PUB DATE: 1/31/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Press Democrat

Emergency-medical-service (EMS) paramedic units for AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, N.J., will be able to leverage the e-Bridge Mobile Telemedicine application from General Device (GD) and Sonim Technologies’ XP8 ultra-rugged smartphones in an effort to save critical treatment time for patients.
- PUB DATE: 1/31/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Urgent Communications

In a move designed to increase safety, communication and oversight, the Philadelphia Fire Department is putting more chiefs in the field through the restorations of Battalions 5 & 6 and Division 3. In the same way police operate in districts, the Fire Department divides the city into battalions. Each one is led by a Battalion Chief, who responds on emergency calls to supervise firefighters.
- PUB DATE: 1/31/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: City of Philadelphia

Remember those annual reminders to check your smoke alarm batteries when you turn your clocks back? Those will become a thing of the past when a new state law takes effect April 1. The law requires that all new or replacement smoke detectors sold in New York state be either powered by a 10-year, sealed, non-removable battery, or hardwired to the home.
- PUB DATE: 1/31/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Elmira Star Gazette