A lot has been published recently about harassment and discrimination. However, much less is being said about the problems of bullying in the fire and EMS industries. Yet, these problems have equally-serious effects on their victims. I was recently at a state EMS conference and heard a speaker give a very poignant discussion on suicide in EMS.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1

When Orlando Police and Orange County Sheriff’s Office tactical teams used explosives to break through the wall of Pulse nightclub to confront gunman Omar Mateen, some Orlando Fire Department personnel — including its arson and bomb squad — thought the shooter was the one who set off the blast. That detail was among several examples of inadequate communication and outdated training policies that hampered the multi-agency response to the June 12, 2016 massacre at Pulse, creating confusion between OFD, Orange County Fire Rescue, police and the Sheriff’s Office, according to a report released Wednesday.
- PUB DATE: 11/15/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel

As a third body was discovered among the ashes of a home in Agoura Hills, residents in nearby Malibu questioned fire officials about the division of resources and rushed evacuation notices during the Woolsey fire’s devastating march through Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The body, which has not been identified, was found by a cadaver dog searching a burned-out home in the 32000 block of Lobo Canyon Road with law enforcement Tuesday.
- PUB DATE: 11/15/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Los Angeles Times

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Chief Charles Gordon is ending his tenure as the city’s 21st fire chief. Gordon, 57, will retire effective Dec. 28 after 30 years with department. However, his last day on the job will be next Tuesday. Gordon joined the department in January 1989 and rose through the ranks until he was appointed chief by former Mayor William Bell in September 2014.
- PUB DATE: 11/15/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: AL.com

A woman with developmental disabilities who befriended a Portland firefighter but then was ordered to stay away from him and certain fire stations under threat of a criminal trespassing charge is suing the city for alleged discrimination. Brandy Tuchscherer first encountered firefighters while rowing with the Wasabi Paddling Club’s “Special Dragons’’ team.
- PUB DATE: 11/15/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Portland Oregonian, Hillsboro Argus, Oregon Live.com