VIDEO: A former Oneonta firefighter who died after rescuing his fiancé and nephews from a burning apartment in December was recognized by the New York State Senate on Tuesday. State Senator Jim Seward honored John Heller with a special New York State Senate Resolution. He was granted the state senate’s Liberty Medal, the highest honor given by the New York State Senate.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: 12 NEWS WBNG

VIDEO: Governor Charlie Baker signed Senate Bill 2633 on Wednesday to make sure first responders aren't penalized for seeking counseling after a traumatic experience. Under the new law, crisis intervention services will be required at police and fire stations across the state. Critical incident stress management teams will help first responders who are coping with psychological stress or trauma.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WWLP.com

Three Spokane Valley Fire Fighters were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon after being exposed to chemicals from bug bombs. The firefighters were responding to a fire alarm around 1 p.m. at Central Park Condominiums near South Eastern Road and East Sixth Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they saw no fire or smoke, but saw an overturned wheelchair and crawled through a window to find if someone was in the apartment, said Greg Rodgers, spokesman for the Spokane Valley Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Spokesman Review

For the first time since the November election, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday sat down with the head of the firefighters union and said he is willing to negotiate a plan to phase in raises mandated by the voter-approved charter amendment that requires the city to pay firefighters the same as police of equal rank and seniority.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

The city of Charleston is limiting fire truck responses on non-life threatening medical calls, following in the footsteps of other local municipalities who’ve done so for several years. Fire personnel in Charleston will now only respond to the non-life threatening 911 calls — like nausea and earaches — when Emergency Medical Service workers either request assistance or the anticipated EMS response time is longer than 10 minutes.
- PUB DATE: 1/17/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Post and Courier