Overdoses in Jacksonville are increasing at an alarming rate, and the pandemic only made the situation worse. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said 2020 was the highest year it’s seen for overdose calls: the department responded to 5,050 overdose calls. Another 2,800 calls were reported as opioid-related.
- PUB DATE: 6/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WJXT-TV News 4 Jacksonville

A home under construction in Tacoma was destroyed in an early morning fire Friday. Tacoma fire crews were called to the1200 block of South Ferry Street around 3:30 a.m. The home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. No one was inside. Firefighters started battling the flames in defensive mode from the outside to keep the flames from spreading to nearby homes.
- PUB DATE: 6/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

When a supermassive smoke plume blanketed Washington last September, all eyes turned to the Washington State Department of Ecology. “People were all sucking in this superthick smoke for a little over a week and kept asking, ‘When is it going to change?’ ” says Andrew Wineke, a communications representative with Ecology.
- PUB DATE: 6/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Crosscut

Local authorities are actively looking for a suspect accused of burning a residential building just outside of Benton City in March. The suspect’s name is James Gaines. He is a 37-year-old man from Burbank, Washington and he is suspected of committing Arson to the first degree. A nationwide extraditable warrant was issued for his arrest.
- PUB DATE: 6/3/2021 7:39:33 PM - SOURCE: YakTriNews - Metered Site

Merrill Fire Department tested out new fire equipment through using blocks of woods, reports WAOW.

The fire department posted to Facebook, “Ever play extrication Jenga? Well that’s what A Crew did last week. It was a fun way for staff to familiarize themselves with our new Genesis extrication tools and practice the fine motor skills necessary to operate the tools with finesse.”

The equipment was donated by the Bierman Family Foundation.