Persistence may soon be paying off for firefighters across the Commonwealth. They have pushed for expanded cancer coverage as many are developing it at an high rate. Now, after five years of legislation, this year’s bill looks like it will become law. Firefighters said state lawmakers were no longer able to overlook the problem in front of them and that’s why they think they are the closest they’ve ever been to getting it passed.
- PUB DATE: 2/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSLS-TV NBC 10 Roanoke

The Mesa Fire and Medical Department has become the first fire team in Arizona to receive the designation of being a Certified Autism Center. The designation was granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards and comes after the staff, firefighters and other first responders at the department received position-specific training to "enhance their understanding and sensitivity when helping individuals with autism or other sensory sensitivities," according to a press release by the organization.
- PUB DATE: 2/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com & KPNX-TV NBC 12 Phoenix

With tight budgets and dwindling amounts of volunteer help, interior fire departments struggle with maintaining staffing. In 2011 the Steese Volunteer Fire Department came up with an idea to help -- they began providing scholarships and a place to live for students who are going to UAF. "We are able to staff two stations, two ambulances, two engines, with these scholarship folks to serve the community for minimal amount of money," said Captain Ruth Church.
- PUB DATE: 2/18/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTVF-TV NBC 11 Fairbanks

A body has been found inside a charred Issaquah home where an armed man had held his sister and her family hostage for hours this weekend, according to the Washington State Patrol. A medical examiner arrived to an Issaquah home Monday afternoon after a cadaver dog found human remains. Investigators believe the remains to be the 28-year-old gunman that held his sister, her boyfriend, and two children ages 5 and 8 hostages Saturday night.
- PUB DATE: 2/17/2020 6:36:27 PM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13

One person was injured when several small propane tanks exploded at a homeless camp in Bellingham, police said. Bellingham Firefighters reported the fire just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday in the area of Barkley and Brandywine, officials said. There they found several small propane tanks had exploded with several more threatened nearby.
- PUB DATE: 2/17/2020 8:37:47 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle