COVID-19 cases in Maryland continue to skyrocket and as of Monday, 2,746 people are hospitalized with the virus. Not only is it overwhelming hospitals, but it's impacting fire and EMS operations. "We've noticed an increase call volume in EMS, primarily patients who believe they are experiencing symptoms of COVID," said Shannon Stallings, chief of the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 1/4/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WMAR-TV ABC 2 Baltimore

For John Alley and Luke Barron, being firefighters and varsity wrestling coaches isn’t simply a matter of balancing two jobs. It’s more like a double-dip in intertwined vocations. Alley is an engineer for the Westminster Fire Department, while Barron is a firefighter for the Denver Fire Department. They’ve coached at Columbine High School together for six years, the past two as co-head coaches.
- PUB DATE: 1/4/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Denver Post - Metered Site

In celebration of its 150th anniversary, The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York is giving itself a new name. As of this month, the group will be known as The Firefighters’ Association of the State of New York (FASNY). The organization’s board voted unanimously to change its name at a December meeting.
- PUB DATE: 1/4/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Times Union

Ever since the pandemic began, public health experts have warned about the possibility of getting COVID-19 and the flu at once. With flu cases jumping up across the country after a very mild season last year, doctors are warning that so-called “flurona” can happen—and Israel just had its first documented case, which may be the first in the world.
- PUB DATE: 1/4/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Prevention

What began as a call for a backyard fire Sunday led Spokane firefighters to find 11 children living in deplorable conditions. That included six-foot piles of garbage and human feces throughout the home. The call came in for a fire at 6th and Crestline just before noon on Sunday. The fire department’s report details what firefighters saw when they entered the home, which led them to believe the children were in danger.
- PUB DATE: 1/4/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KXLY-TV ABC 4 Spokane