VIDEO: Many volunteer fire departments rely on members who’ve grown up in their community. But for the Factoryville Fire Company in Wyoming County, some helping hands came from across the pond.

“We just said, ‘Oh, so how’s the fire service work here?’ Then, he said, ‘ Oh, it’s all volunteer.’ We were like, could we volunteer? And he was like, yeah. And so we did,” said Former Factoryville Volunteer Firefighter Alex Boirand.

While playing soccer and pursuing a degree at Keystone College in 2007, Alex Boirand and Jamie Ellis of England became volunteer firefighters.

“It was something I always wanted to do when I was younger is be a fireman before we came over here. So coming to college and then having seen it, we had an opportunity to do it here,” said Former Factoryville Volunteer Firefighter Jamie Ellis.

Nearly two decades later, the two men came back for an alumni soccer game at their alma mater and to take a quick tour of a newer Factoryville fire station.

WNEP-TV ABC 16 Scranton

The post An overseas education in Pennsylvania turns two men from the UK into volunteer firefighters appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO: A morning fire in an electrical room at Boston Medical Center in Brighton prompted hospital officials to evacuate dozens of patients to other hospitals on Wednesday, officials said.

Fire officials say the fire was first reported in an electrical room around 1:30 a.m. but has since been brought under control. There were no reported injuries.

Because the fire knocked out power to some parts of the hospital, 26 patients were being transferred to other hospitals, including Boston Medical Center’s main campus. Twenty-four of those patients were in the Intensive Care Unit, two were transferred from the emergency room.

Family members of those who were transferred to other hospitals have been notified. The hospital is currently being powered by a generator while repairs are being made and it is operating under a Code Black, which means no ambulances are bringing patients in but people can walk in if they need help.

As a result of the incident, some planned elective procedures and outpatient appointments are being rescheduled. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

WHDH-TV 7 Boston

The post Fire prompts evacuation of some patients from Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

The Department of Natural Resources has begun training seasonal firefighters in preparation for the upcoming wildfire season, with the peak of wildfire season still a few months away. The agency triples the amount of firefighters it has on staff by bringing on over 500 seasonal firefighters to ensure they are ready to respond to wildfires. The training includes fuel reduction work, which serves as preparation for actual fire response.

“What we’re doing behind me right now is doing a fuels reduction work, and that’s a training opportunity that should a wildfire move through, we can build a fuel break that will stop those wildfires, slow the intensity of those wildfires and make it easier to fight on the ground when fire season does arrive,” said Ryan Rodruck, wildfire communications manager for DNR.

The seasonal firefighters come from diverse backgrounds and are motivated by community service. “Some folks are straight out of high school, straight out of college. Some have other day jobs. And they’re here training today to help serve their community, and help keep us safe from wildfires throughout the state of Washington,” Rodruck said. The comprehensive training program covers multiple aspects of firefighting that crews will need when responding to active fires.

KAYU-TV FOX 28 Spokane

The post Department of Natural Resources begins seasonal firefighter training ahead of wildfire season appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A small electrical fire outside a Leavenworth tobacco shop Tuesday morning was quickly contained after a passing off-duty fire official spotted the flames. The fire was reported around 6:13 a.m. at a shop located at the 200 block of Highway 2 in Leavenworth by Deputy Chief Mike Smith with Chelan County Fire District 3, who was on his morning run at the time. Crews arrived to find flames burning near the front of the building.

Smith said the fire appears to have been caused by a malfunctioning electrical component, possibly an LED light strip. The flames were mostly limited to the exterior, causing minor damage to the facade and breaking a front window. Firefighters checked inside the wall to make sure the fire hadn’t spread further. Smith said the owner, who lives in a residential space above the business, was home at the time but was safely evacuated and allowed to return once crews cleared the scene.

The Wenatchee World – Metered Site

The post Leavenworth firefighter spots fire during morning run appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A new Life Flight Network hangar opened at the Walla Walla Regional Airport with the goal of getting emergency crews into the air faster across the region. Leaders said the new facility put crews closer to their aircraft and helped connect patients to urgent medical care more quickly. Before the upgrade, crews had to cross the airport to reach the helicopter. Leaders said that added about 10 to 15 minutes during emergencies.

“That’s extra 15 minutes that really impatient could lose pulses, or things can change really quickly,” a speaker said. Life Flight nurse Kylie Vanarsdale said crews previously had to use a side-by-side vehicle to get to the aircraft. “We would have to get in a little side by side and drive down there, and it was extending our time probably about 10-15 minutes beforehand. It makes a huge difference between life and death I’d say,” said Kylie Vanarsdale. The new hangar kept pilots, nurses and paramedics in one place and ready to respond quickly.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

The post Walla Walla hangar aims to cut emergency flight response times appeared first on Daily Dispatch.