The Spokane Valley Fire Department isn’t losing a single firefighter with an exemption over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. It worked out accommodations for the 22 who had a medical or religious exemption approved. The biggest change is those who are unvaccinated and staying on the frontlines will be separated from the rest of the department.
- PUB DATE: 10/13/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KXLY-TV ABC 4 Spokane

A Spokane County paramedic will keep his job after the Fire District 8 Chief made the decision to accommodate his vaccine exemption. State employees, including first responders, are required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, get an approved exemption, or risk losing their job. Spokane County paramedic Cory Miles applied for a religious exemption which was approved by the fire district 8 board of fire commissioners.
- PUB DATE: 10/12/2021 8:50:30 PM - SOURCE: KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

A fire at the Almira School Tuesday left it a total loss. The volunteer fire chief, Denny Pinar, said the fire department got a call at about 4 p.m. for reports of smoke and flames at the corner of the building. The sheriff’s office said there was nobody in the building when the fire broke out. The students were not in class because of electrical issues.
- PUB DATE: 10/12/2021 6:24:19 PM - SOURCE: KXLY-TV ABC 4 Spokane

A fire broke out at Dunellen Defender Fire Company No. 1, reports NJ.com.

The fire department posted to Facebook, “This afternoon we suffered a loss at our own firehouse. We are still assessing the damage and the cause is being investigated by the Middlesex County Fire Marshal’s Office. There were no reported injuries and we are still assessing the damage.

Thank you to the many mutual aid departments that responded. We are ensuring mutual aid coverage from neighboring departments until we can restore our apparatus to full service.”

The Township Committee unanimously approved a bond ordinance authorizing the purchase of a new pumper fire engine, reports TAP Into Springfield.

The funds include $800,000 for original apparatus and equipment. The oldest current truck in the fleet was destroyed during the flooding from Tropical Storm Ida.

The township had $155,000 set aside to finance a new truck eventually, but a replacement was needed sooner than the township had expected. The vehicle will be ordered in November and will take about a year to arrive.