PHOTOS: A home in Wapato has been burned to the ground and fire fighters say the owner risked her life running back into the burning building to try to rescue her pets from the flames. Firefighters were called out to the fire on the 200 Block of North Track Road at 7:50 a.m. Tuesday. Before fire crews could arrive they say the owner of the home had first escaped the house, but then ran back inside to try to save her pets that were still inside.
- PUB DATE: 12/8/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KIMA-TV CBS/CW+ 29 Yakima

By purchasing a vacant building in Klickitat County, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (Washington DNR) hopes to provide a prompt, full-scale response to wildfires in the Columbia River Gorge. The Dept. of Natural Resources is acquiring a 3.6-acre property from the Lyle School District that previously housed Dallesport Elementary School.
- PUB DATE: 12/8/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: YakTriNews

Bullard, the 123-year-old company known for its invention of the hard hat, introduced its new TXS^TM Thermal Imager. The most affordable thermal imager in its class, Bullard’s TXS Thermal Imager makes it possible for fire departments to have life-saving, decision making imagers in the hands of more of their firefighters.

The TXS Thermal Imager is lightweight and palm-sized, weighing just 1.6 pounds. The device has been designed for ease of use, with simple one-button operation, and features a 3.5-inch display with 320×240 resolution to provide firefighters with a superior optimized, clear and sharp thermal image. Intended for multi-use operations including fire attack and detail, the TXS Thermal Imager is powered by a long run-time Li-ion Battery.

“Each day that they go to work, firefighters risk their lives to help others. Tools like the TXS Thermal Imager play a critical role in improving on-the-job safety for these brave men and women, by equipping them with the information they need to make what could truly be life-or-death decisions,” said Wells Bullard, President and CEO of Bullard. “At Bullard, we’ve worked hard to create a decision-making thermal imager that can provide the high-quality thermal imaging necessary for keeping firefighters safe, while remaining budget friendly. Our hope is that, by making the TXS Thermal Imager available at an affordable price, more firehouses will be able to equip more firefighters with the life-saving power of thermal imaging.”

The superior value and ease-of-use of the TXS make it a perfect tool to incorporate into a broader thermal imaging strategy. By equipping more firefighters with access to thermal imaging technology through the TXS, and simultaneously continuing to use Bullard’s XT-series thermal imagers for more demanding situations and roles, firehouses can dramatically increase the on-the-job safety of their firefighters.

“We designed TXS to be a thermal imager that is used on every call, getting more eyes on the fire, and more imagers in the hands of firefighters,” says Martijn Bosch, Bullard Thermal Imaging Product Manager. “By offering a clear and detailed image even in the toughest conditions, firefighters can make decisions based on the details and easy-to-understand temperature colorization TXS provides. It’s an indispensable tool for firefighters.”

As with all Bullard Thermal Imagers, the TXS Thermal Imager has been designed for durability and reliability no matter the environment.

Additional information about Bullard’s TXS Thermal Imager is available here.

The Spokane City Council begrudgingly pulled $3.4 million from city reserves to compensate for the Fire Department’s massive use of overtime pay this year. The city has pledged to conduct a review of its sick leave usage after overtime pay surged this year, exacerbating an issue members of the City Council have been calling out for several years.
- PUB DATE: 12/7/2021 6:32:09 PM - SOURCE: Spokane Spokesman-Review - Metered Site

The Colorado Springs (CO) Fire Department expects to spend upwards of $8.5 million on a new station in the northeast part of town, near a heavily contested proposed subdivision that’s been delayed by wildfire evacuation concerns, reports gazette.com.

The new facility, to be located near Colorado Highway 83 and Interquest Parkway, expects to serve an area boasting 1,000 emergency calls per year, the report says. The station will fall in the 7-mile gap between Stations 19 and 22.

The city was planning for the station before residents began opposing a new 250-home subdivision in that area over evacuation concerns, officials say. The yet-to-be-approved Kettle Creek North subdivision—to be north of the Powers Boulevard and Old Ranch Road intersection—is on the outskirts of the agency’s goal response times, the report says, which would be ameliorated by the new facility.

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The funding for the new station came via voters who allowed the city to retain up to $20 million for wildfire suppression efforts, according to the report. It also allowed the city to reset its Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap, which allowed it to budget an additional $17 million for 2022.

The city expects to break ground on the northeast station next year and finish it in 2023, officials say. It will have one engine and brush truck staffed by