VIDEO: New Mexico State Police said 22 people were taken to the hospital after possible exposure to an “unidentified substance” at a home in Mountainair.

Four people were found unresponsive inside a residence on Wednesday; three of them are dead from a suspected overdose. While responding, 18 first responders began experiencing symptoms and, along with the surviving person in the residence, were taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital for treatment.

According to Mountainair Mayor Peter Nieto, three of the four EMTs from Mountainair EMS have been released from the hospital. EMS Chief Josh Lewis will stay overnight for observation.

NMSP said 25 people were exposed. Three died, 18 have been discharged from the hospital, one is in the process of being discharged, and three have been admitted for further treatment.

Mayor Nieto said that carbon monoxide and natural gas has been ruled out as causes. Albuquerque Fire Rescue Hazmat teams are working to identify the substance.

Investigators believe it may be passed through contact and not through the air. NMSP said that there is no threat to the public. People were asked to avoid the area. Officials are still working to identify the substance.

KRQE-TV CBS/FOX 13 Albuquerque

The post Three dead, 18 first responders taken to the hospital after possible hazmat situation in New Mexico appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: Milwaukee firefighters battled a 5-alarm fire Wednesday night, May 20, at a vacant warehouse near 32nd and Hampton. The Milwaukee Fire Department said calls came in around 6:12 p.m., and crews were on scene in under five minutes.

No injuries were reported. “This was an all-hands-on-deck thing,” Milwaukee fire chief Aaron Lipski said. Lipski said the building had been vacant for years and was built in a mill construction style, making it especially dangerous once engulfed in flames because of the amount of wood inside.

Crews found fire on all four floors of the old building, Lipski said. The southwest corner of the building collapsed. Lipski said investigators did not yet know what caused the fire. He said the building did not have gas or electricity, making the chances of something starting on its own “pretty slim.” The Milwaukee Police Department and MFD’s fire investigation unit were on scene.

WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

The post Crews battle 5-alarm fire at vacant Wisconsin warehouse appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO: A wildfire in Yakima County burned about 20 to 30 acres this afternoon. Selah Assistant Fire Chief Jacob Stuker said crews had the Sage Trail Fire under control and out by 7:00 p.m. He said no structures or power lines were damaged. Several agencies helped fight the fire, including the Selah Fire Department, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Yakima Training Center, Gleed Fire Department and Naches Fire Department. The cause remains under investigation.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

The post Sage Trail Fire in Yakima County blackens 20-30 acres appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Avista announced on Wednesday that it will temporarily adjust power line operations in Washington and Idaho during the summer. According to a press release, the reason for the change is due to dry conditions and increasing wildfire danger in the region. The operational change is called Fire Safety Mode.

Avista says Fire Safety Mode modifies how its system reacts to faults, such as tree branches or other debris hitting a power line, during high-risk weather. The standard procedure would have the power lines automatically try to re-energize, but with Fire Safety Mode, it requires a physical inspection before the power line gets re-energized. This process will lengthen the amount of time it takes to restore power outages.

“At Avista, we understand that safeguarding our communities from wildfire risk requires ongoing commitment,” said Heather Rosentrater, Avista president and CEO. “By continually enhancing our systems and working closely with local partners, we ensure that safety remains at the forefront of everything we do.”

According to the press release, Avista has “undertaken a range of grid-hardening initiatives” that target high fire-risk areas. Avista says they have taken the initiative to replace wooden transmission poles with steel alternatives, installing fire-retardant mesh on pole bases and substituting wooden crossarms with fiberglass components.

KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

The post Avista adjusts power line operations in WA and ID to counter wildfire risks appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Kitsap County residents now have a dedicated number to call for routine public safety issues that are not emergencies, a change officials say will help keep 911 lines open for urgent calls.

Kitsap 911 and Aurelian, a technology platform built for emergency communications centers, announced that Kitsap 911 has deployed “Ava,” Aurelian’s virtual assistant, on a new non-emergency line for Kitsap County.

The public can now call 360-328-7711 for non-emergency public safety matters.

The deployment marks the first time the county’s approximately 278,000 residents have had a dedicated non-emergency contact option. Kitsap County, located on the Kitsap Peninsula across Puget Sound from Seattle, includes Bremerton, Silverdale, Port Orchard, and surrounding communities that rely on Kitsap 911 for emergency communications.

KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

The post Kitsap 911 launches dedicated AI-powered non-emergency line appeared first on Daily Dispatch.