John R. Hawkins, who for 12 years was chief of the Cal Fire Riverside Unit and the Riverside County Fire Department, was suddenly removed from his post on Friday, a Cal Fire spokesman said Friday night. Daniel Talbot, a deputy chief, on Friday took over as interim county fire chief until a permanent replacement is found, said Mike Mohler, a Cal Fire spokesman.
- PUB DATE: 1/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Riverside Press-Enterprise

AN FDNY lieutenant immortalized in a photo at Ground Zero has filed a complaint against the head of the fraternal group representing black firefighters, sources told the Daily News. Lt. Daniel McWilliams, who is white, filed the equal employment opportunity complaint after he appeared as part of the ceremonial unit at a memorial service Nov.
- PUB DATE: 1/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Daily News

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has taken over the county’s helicopter rescue operations after talks disintegrated with the county fire authority in the turf war over who should conduct air rescues. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said this week that her department has not renewed an agreement that named the Orange County Fire Authority as the primary agency in handling air rescues in remote wilderness and park areas.
- PUB DATE: 1/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orange County Register

Vending style machines are making an appearance at Chesapeake fire stations, but they are not there to supply the firefighters with chocolate bars and soda. The machines at three stations are part of a new, secure, web-based vending system for medical supplies. Chesapeake is the first fire department in Hampton Roads and just the fourth one in the commonwealth to adopt the supply dispensing system UCapIT.
- PUB DATE: 1/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Virginian Pilot

The City of East Liverpool is getting closer to having the area’s first public-private ambulance service. This comes after several incidents where no ambulance was available for emergencies — some of which ended in tragedy. East Liverpool’s fire crew is looking forward to the department’s new additions.
- PUB DATE: 1/19/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WKBN.com