The ball is officially rolling on the Hinesville (GA) Fire Department’s new station.

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, the ground-breaking ceremony was held.

The facility, approved in January, is being built at the same location as its predecessor.

Earlier: Hinesville (GA) Fire Department Getting New Station

The 17,000-square-foot station will be more than double the size of the last one, and will feature five drive-through bays, 13 dorm rooms, and an administrative building.

See the live stream above.

An on-duty female firefighter was shot dead outside of her Johannesburg station, east of Pretoria (South Africa), reports ewn.co.za.

The 59-year-old Sonile Mnguni received a phone call just after 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and then she went outside to meet the other person, the report says.

Related: Protea Glen (South Africa) Fire Station Opens, Receives 10 Apparatus

Her colleagues say they heard several gunshots, went outside, and found her body about 330 feet from the station.

Police are investigating, though it’s the latest in a string of similar crimes, the report says. Tembisa Hospital nurse Lebohang Monene was recently shot dead by her policeman boyfriend after he asked her to meet him in the hospital’s parking lot.

Eastside Fire & Rescue is partnering with King County Public Health to bring the Naloxone Leave-Behind Program to their service area. The program aims to prevent opioid overdose with the help of the CORE Connect program to connect people with resources for care, treatment, and recovery. The current pandemic combined with the rise in fentanyl use has caused a substantial increase in overdoses in King County.
- PUB DATE: 2/17/2022 1:16:46 PM - SOURCE: Bothell Reporter

Cheyenne (WY) City Council recently voted to approve a nearly $15 million loan that will go toward the construction of three new fire stations, the replacement of old apparatus, and a new irrigation system for the city’s cemeteries, reports capcity.news.

The loan, for $14,890,000, is an interfund transaction within the city—it’s going from the One Percent Sales Tax Capital Projects Fund to the Special Purpose Option Sales Tax Capital Projects Fund, the report says.

Related: Cheyenne (WY) Breaks Ground for Fire Station

Officials say the loan must be repaid within four years and that interest will accrue at a 1% rate until fully repaid.

The first new fire station is expected to be shovel-ready by June, the report says.

Several Worcester (MA) firefighters who have been diagnosed with cancer filed a federal lawsuit over so-called “forever chemicals” in firefighter turnout gear, according to the Telegram and Gazette. A separate lawsuit was also filed on behalf of firefighters with the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).

Filed on Tuesday, the lawsuit alleges that the perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances in the firefighters’ personal protective equipment (PPE) caused their illnesses, and that the corporations who sell the products are engaged in a “continuous and ongoing public deception” regarding their risks.

Retired Brockton Deputy Fire Chief Joins Lawsuit Claiming Protective Firefighter Gear Caused Cancer

A recent study confirmed researchers’ concerns over PFAS in bunker gear. “You guys [firefighters] are getting occupational doses and until now, nobody knew about it,” said Dr. Graham Peaslee of Notre Dame, who also conducted studies on the chemicals and firefighter gear. “This paper is going to re-emphasize that we treat this gear with respect—that we keep it sequestered from our other laundry, that we rewash it before we wear it, that we keep it sequestered from other use if you’re not actively using it.”

In addition to firefighter PPE, firefighting foam also contains PFAS and numerous cases of groundwater contamination have been identified around the country. In late 2021, the North Carolina Department of Justice filed suit against more than a dozen manufacturers of firefighting foam, citing groundwater contamination at four sites across the state.

• Researcher Responds to Claims About PFAS, Firefighter PPE
• It’s Time for Firefighters to Demand PFAS-Free PPE
• Your Gear, Your Life: Firefighter PPE Toxins and What to Do About Them
• NFPA Rejects Appeal from IAFF on Firefighter PPE and PFAS

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PFAS break down very slowly over time and can build up in people, animals, and the environment. The EPA also notes that PFAS may lead to an increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers, as well as reproductive issues, immune system and hormonal deficiencies, and developmental problems in children who are exposed to the chemicals.

The lawsuit says the Worcester firefighters involved in the suit had lab tests that confirmed “significantly elevated” levels of PFAS in their blood, according to the Read more

• 155
• 0
• Article rating: No rating