EMS agencies and officials are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the nation's first paramedic act, signed in California on July 15, 1970. The Wedworth-Townsend Act, signed by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan 50 years ago on Wednesday, legally recognized the practice of paramedicine and protected paramedics administering intensive prehospital care in the state, the California Ambulance Association and National EMS Museum recounted in a news release marking the anniversary.
- PUB DATE: 7/16/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: EMS1

A new tool developed by Georgia Tech allows people to look up their risk of encountering COVID-19 at event, based on the county they live in. The interactive map allows users to choose a county anywhere in the United States, choose the event size (anywhere from 10 people to 10,000), and then calculate the risk that at least one COVID-19 positive person will be present.
- PUB DATE: 7/16/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WTHR-TV NBC 13 Indianapolis

VIDEO: More than 50 children in the U.S. died from heatstroke after being left in hot cars last year. Rising temperatures during the summer are one reason why parents must be more alert than ever when driving with children in the back seat. “It doesn’t take as long as you think it will to build up to a dangerous situation inside a car,” said Gulfport Fire Chief Mike Beyerstedt.
- PUB DATE: 7/16/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WLOX-TV ABC/CBS 13 Biloxi

Today, First Lady Melania Trump made an unannounced visit to Engine Company 9 fire station in Washington, D.C. to deliver a donation of boxed lunches prepared by the White House chefs, Be Best tote bags, reusable face masks and hand sanitizer. The First Lady met with firefighters and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel from Engine Company 9 and policemen and women from the neighboring DC Metropolitan Police Department Third District.
- PUB DATE: 7/16/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Whitehouse.gov

Fire crews around the Inland Northwest are on high alert on Thursday and Friday as wind speeds increase with a passing cold front. The combination of hot, dry and windy weather increases fire danger dramatically. The dry front will produce some cloud cover but temperatures will only cool by a few degrees, keeping afternoon high temperatures in the 80s over the weekend and possibly pointing to 90s by early next week.
- PUB DATE: 7/16/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KREM-TV CBS 2 News Spokane