Sparky the Fire Dog, the official mascot of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), celebrates his 70th birthday this month, reflecting on a legacy and impact that spans the generations: Kids know and love him, parents grew up with him and grandparents remember his messages of fire safety. “For seven decades, Sparky has worked hard to make communities safer from fire.
- PUB DATE: 3/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Mount Desert Islander

VIDEO: Firefighters had walked back and forth between their trucks and the pile of cars where passengers were trapped so many times they began to instinctively know where to step, or not to step — a sunroof that wasn’t stable or a hood that was too slick. Much their icy walk was done on top of vehicles caught in the 133-car pileup near downtown Fort Worth.
- PUB DATE: 3/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The three Powhatan firefighters behind the newly formed Triple Tap Coffee plan to live up to their company’s name. When a firefighter hooks three hoses up to a fire hydrant, the goal is to maximize water flow to create high performance hydrant operation, said Jeffrey Wallace, a career lieutenant paramedic with Powhatan County Fire and Rescue.
- PUB DATE: 3/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Richmond Times-Dispatch

PHOTO: Minneapolis Fire Capt. Scott Coffey was on scene at a 2010 house fire when a backdraft explosion blew fellow firefighter Jake LaFerriere across a room, leaving him with severe burns and ending his career. Coffey never forgot the trauma of that day, but he also found inspiration in the way LaFerriere moved forward after his recovery and launched Firefighters for Healing, a nonprofit that supports burn victims and first responders.
- PUB DATE: 3/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: ECM Publishers - Metered Site

VIDEO: Many in the Veteran, active-duty military, police officer, firefighter, and other first responder communities struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress. The usual treatment is a 15-minute consultation and a handful of prescriptions, but that’s not working! The suicide rate is extremely high, and for many the PTS drugs seem to do more harm than good.
- PUB DATE: 3/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KUSI-TV 51 San Diego