The Union for the Kansas City Fire Department says they are already short 60 firefighters. Cutting 4.5% of the department budget would mean close to $9 million. That would have dangerous impacts on public safety. “I believe that fire department cuts and public safety cuts should be the last to be made,” to International Association of Firefighters local 42 President Tim Dupin said.
- PUB DATE: 6/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KCTV CBS 5 Kansas City

VIDEO: Thursday marks 13 years since nine Charleston firefighters were killed in a fire at the Sofa Superstore on Savannah Highway. It was June 18th, 2007 at 7:09 p.m. when the alarm sounded – firefighters sprang into action. Black smoke was seen pouring from the furniture store and warehouse, and as firefighters began to battle the flames, a 911 call comes in saying an employee is trapped inside.
- PUB DATE: 6/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSPA-TV CBS 7 Spartanburg

FirstNet, the dedicated public safety communications network built by AT&T through a public-private partnership, is getting more than $200 million for enhancements to its portable assets and core network for 5G. The First Responder Network Authority Board at its quarterly meeting yesterday signed off on $218 million for strategic investments targeting two areas: initial core network upgrades as the first phase of moving to 5G, and expanding FirstNet’s fleet of deployable assets.
- PUB DATE: 6/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fierce Wireless

More than 30,000 gallons of toxic fluorochemical foam has been collected from municipal fire departments and commercial airports in Michigan in an effort that state officials believe is the nation’s largest collection and disposal program of its type. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and the state fire marshal’s office announced the milestone for their per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, foam disposal program on Wednesday, June 16.
- PUB DATE: 6/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: MLive

When a call came in for volunteer firefighters of the Federal Way Fire Department in the 1970s, you could count on Bill Brand to arrive within minutes, quickly pulling up outside of the fire station in his little yellow truck. William “Bill” Brand, a longtime Federal Way resident, died May 12 from health complications with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- PUB DATE: 6/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Federal Way Mirror - Metered Site