VIDEO: What would you do if your community had no fire protection? For residents in Franklin County back in the 1950s, it meant petitioning for a fire district and buying a firetruck. After Franklin County Fire District #3 formed in 1953, the district bought their first firetruck in 1955, a brand new International ‘tanker’.
- PUB DATE: 3/24/2020 4:45:59 PM - SOURCE: YakTriNews

Fire departments in Arizona went straight to the state Capitol Monday after a workers' compensation insurance company said their firefighters would not receive coverage if they contracted COVID-19 on the job. A voicemail was sent to Arizona's Family confirming that's what 7710 Insurance said, but the company is now admitting they made a mistake.
- PUB DATE: 3/24/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTVK-TV 3 & KPHO-TV CBS 5 (azfamily.com)

After weeks of protests and motions from City Council trying to prevent it, Engine 11 in the South End has been decommissioned. New Bedford Firefighters Local 841 sent out a statement about the closure on Sunday, highlighting the fact that the closure happened during a pandemic. The statement said the closure adds to response times and reduces the level of preparedness that the city needs amid the current time of uncertainty.
- PUB DATE: 3/24/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New Bedford Standard-Times

In the battle against coronavirus, first responders are stocking up on the tools they need to stay safe, including personal protective equipment and ultraviolet lights that zap the potentially deadly COVID-19. Upper Pine Fire Protection District began using two portable ultraviolet lighting devices, which cost about $6,000 total, to disinfect ambulances and fire stations.
- PUB DATE: 3/24/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Pine River Times

The California Highway Patrol has closed its academy because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Cal Fire says its training academy in Ione is staying open for classes for its recruits. “These are essential classes that we need to continue with,” Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said. “We are very cognizant of the situation and we will constantly re-evaluate the situation as conditions change.
- PUB DATE: 3/24/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Sacramento Bee