A grain silo has caught fire near the intersection of Stacey Avenue and 7th Street. Witnesses say the fire has spread to the next door feed and supply store, M & E Seed and Grain. One injury was reported, an employee who was inside and made the original 911 call, reporting an explosion. He was taken to the hospital.
- PUB DATE: 5/26/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

Don't have a life jacket for this summer? You can now borrow one from the Spokane River Centennial Trail. The new life jacket loaner board, which was started by a Spokane Boy Scout, was completed on May 22. Walker Jones, a Boy Scout from Troop 439, learned of the need for life jackets along to Spokane River, to increase safety for kids participating in water sports such as boating, swimming, paddle boarding, and other water sports.
- PUB DATE: 5/26/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

Chief Brian Schaeffer said neighbors called in the fire and when fire crews arrived, there were flames as high as 50 feet shooting from the home. They found the man dead just inside the front door. Crews searched the rest of the home and found no one else inside. Chief Brian Schaeffer said neighbors called in the fire and when fire crews arrived, there were flames as high as 50 feet shooting from the home.
- PUB DATE: 5/25/2022 11:48:00 PM - SOURCE: KXLY-TV ABC 4 Spokane

SUN PRAIRIE, WI – Trachte Building Systems, Inc., parent company of Fire Facilities, Inc., has once again earned a positive assessment of its fabrication facility. Since 2007 the company has continually passed the independently-conducted audit, which leads to compliance with the requirements of Canadian Standards Association (CSA) A660-10 “Certification of Manufacturers of Steel Building Systems” by CWB Group, a non-profit organization providing welding certification, management system registration and training services.

The CSA-A660 Standard was developed at the request of the Canadian Steel Building System manufacturers and provides assistance to code enforcement officials in the process of reviewing building permit submissions incorporating a steel building system, ensuring the purchasers obtain a quality building. This standard audits all aspects of the manufacturer’s process, including engineering design methods and personnel, materials control, fabrication, warehousing, packaging, shipping, erection documentation, and quality assurance in the plant.

“This review covers the scope of design and manufacture of steel building systems, which is the key focus of all Trachte operations,” says Michael J. Kasten, PE, customer experience manager at Trachte Building Systems, Inc. out of Sun Prairie, WI. “Very specifically, it covers the products that we make and sell into Canada, including our Fire Facilities towers and structures.”

Fire Facilities training structures are made in Wisconsin. The conclusions of the annual quality assurance audit have again resulted in the independent certification of materials used in Fire Facilities structures to meet strict CSA standards for engineering, procedures and materials.

“This designation and third-party audit clearly states to potential fire departments in Canada that our structures meet guidelines needed for clearing their use in Canada,” says Aaron Adams, president of Fire Facilities, Inc. “When a community looks to invest in dependable, top-quality fire towers and training units, this assessment tells them that Fire Facilities provides certifiably dependable steel products.”

Fire Facilities, Inc. (FFI), an ISFSI corporate sponsor, manufactures a full line of steel fire training structures engineered to withstand real-life firefighting conditions. From mobile units to burn rooms to high-rise towers, FFI training models are available in a multitude of configurations. Our parent company, Trachte Building Systems, is one of the largest and oldest manufacturers of steel self-storage systems in the industry.  For more information, visit www.firefacilities.com or call 800-929-3726.

A cancer diagnosis is a gut punch every time. Not only for the patient receiving the news and contemplating their future but also for their loved ones whose worlds are shaken to the core.

The good news for firefighters and EMS professionals is that they never have to face this fight alone. The Firefighter Cancer Support Network has made sure of that, and the Fire Dept. Coffee Foundation is honored to donate $5,000 to help FCSN continue its incredible work to support our brothers and sisters, as well as their families, to confront cancer with every possible resource at their disposal.

We’ve seen the impact that the Firefighter Cancer Support Network can have because they were massively supportive when our own chief roaster, retired fire captain David McWilliams, was diagnosed with advanced malignant melanoma in 2018.

He’s just one example of the many people whose burdens have been lessened by the services, resources and constant support of Firefighter Cancer Support Network. 

FIREFIGHTER CANCER SURVIVORS HELPING OTHERS BECOME SURVIVORS

The Firefighter Cancer Support Network was established in 2005 by Los Angeles County Firefighter Paramedic Michael Dubron, a survivor of stage IV colon cancer. Many of its leaders are also cancer survivors and all are passionate about helping those who are facing the challenges laid before them by a cancer diagnosis.

Sadly, firefighters and EMS professionals are, statistically, at a greater risk than most. Research from the CDC and the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety shows that firefighters face a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than the average person — and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer.

The first thing that FCSN does when learning of a new diagnosis is deliver, free of charge, a cancer-support toolbox comes with a Firefighter’s Guide to Cancer Survivorship filled with resources to help firefighters and their families cope with the cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery phases.

FCSN also offers badge-to-badge peer support, connecting them with one of the network’s 200+ peer support mentors, nearly all of whom are firefighters and cancer survivors. The organization also offers peer-to-peer support for spouses and children, helping them learn to take care of themselves even as they take care of their loved one.

The FCSN website is also a treasure trove of valuable resources focused on awareness, prevention, treatments and more. 

We never want to see one of our brothers or sisters diagnosed with cancer, but it’s comforting to know that, thanks to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, they will always have an incredible team supporting them along the way.