VIDEO: When someone gets lost or hurt in the rugged terrain of western Washington, every minute counts.

Now, Seattle Mountain Rescue is testing technology that could shave critical time off a response: wearable exoskeletons that power a rescuer’s legs through the mountains.

The team is one of only two in the country using the devices — made by the company HyperShell — on actual missions.

In just the past month, the exoskeletons have already been deployed three times in the field.

“If we can get to a subject a half an hour or an hour earlier, that could mean the difference between a positive and a negative outcome,” said Wes Cooper, advanced technology director for Seattle Mountain Rescue.

The device straps around a rescuer’s waist and legs.

Once on, it senses the wearer’s movement, anticipates their next step and adds mechanical power in sync with every stride — reducing fatigue and helping small teams cover more ground, even in terrain where other tools like e-bikes cannot go.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: A new set of murals is giving the El Paso Fire Department’s downtown station a fresh look — and a public tribute to the firefighters who serve the city.

El Paso muralist Babak Tavakoli painted five murals on 30-foot walls at the fire station on South Florence Street. Tavakoli said the department asked that its special teams be represented throughout the artwork.

“They wanted all of their special teams represented in this mural and various parts. So that’s really what it is, is like each team and what they do and kind of in an artistic way, put it on the wall,” Tavakoli said. “I want to make sure that whenever you’re looking at these scenes, you know, oh, you’re in El Paso.”

Tavakoli said he worked local elements into the murals, including “local wildlife, local scenery, landmarks,” aiming for details that “are not too cliche but definitely clue you in. This is El Paso.”

He also said the project was meant to honor firefighters and their work.

KFOX-TV FOX 14 El Paso

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VIDEO: When someone gets lost or hurt in the rugged terrain of western Washington, every minute counts.

Now, Seattle Mountain Rescue is testing technology that could shave critical time off a response: wearable exoskeletons that power a rescuer’s legs through the mountains.

The team is one of only two in the country using the devices — made by the company HyperShell — on actual missions.

In just the past month, the exoskeletons have already been deployed three times in the field.

“If we can get to a subject a half an hour or an hour earlier, that could mean the difference between a positive and a negative outcome,” said Wes Cooper, advanced technology director for Seattle Mountain Rescue.

The device straps around a rescuer’s waist and legs.

Once on, it senses the wearer’s movement, anticipates their next step and adds mechanical power in sync with every stride — reducing fatigue and helping small teams cover more ground, even in terrain where other tools like e-bikes cannot go.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

The post Seattle Mountain Rescue deploys exoskeletons as second team in U.S. to use the tech appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Fire crews responded to a building fire in downtown Tacoma Tuesday afternoon, according to the Tacoma Fire Department.

The fire was reported around 4:19 p.m. in the 00 block of St. Helens Avenue.

Tacoma Fire said the blaze was extinguished by 7:30 p.m.

Tacoma Fire spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd said crews believed the fire to be at the Temple Theatre building, adding on social media that the flames were contained to a deck on top of the roof.

Crews responded initially with a standard one-alarm response, but quickly upgraded the response to a two-alarm to assist with the high-rise fire.

In a social media post, Tacoma Fire urged the public to be cautious around the building as crews remained on scene into the evening.

No one was hurt in the fire, and investigators were working to determine a cause.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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VIDEO: First responders from across the Tri-Cities gathered Wednesday, May 13, at the Southridge Sports and Events Complex in Kennewick to recognize the partnerships behind emergency medical care ahead of National EMS Week.

Representatives from the Kennewick Fire Department, AMR, Life Flight Network, Trios Southridge Hospital, and Kadlec Regional Medical Center highlighted the teamwork required to respond to medical emergencies throughout the region.

Officials said the event was meant to recognize the many agencies involved in emergency response and to educate the public about the role emergency medical services play every day.

Kennewick Fire Chief Michael Heffner said EMS calls make up a significant portion of the department’s workload and can range from minor injuries to life-threatening emergencies.

KEPR-TV CBS/CW+ 19 Pasco

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