Fire and EMS departments nationwide are struggling to find volunteers, including in York County. “It’s more of a crisis than people realize it is," said Chad Deardorff, president of the York County Fire Chiefs and Firefighters Association. That’s why the county is taking big steps in an effort to help.
- PUB DATE: 1/19/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPMT-TV FOX 43 York

As Brittany Jones and her fiancé Mike Freeland drove down a road in Jacksonville on Aug 16, 2019, they spotted a car on fire. As a seasoned newsperson, Jones was familiar with pulling over to cover spot news, but this situation was different. She was not working. While her Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighter fiancé also was off duty, there was no way he was going to pass a motorist in great distress and not help.
- PUB DATE: 1/19/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Florida Courier

VIDEO: The Walla Walla Fire Department announced on Facebook that the department has responded to 421 service calls during the first half of January. WWFD says that 314 of the calls were emergency medical service calls, 48 were fire-related calls and 59 were community paramedic contacts. The department notes that fire responses include vehicle collisions, fire alarm activations, public service calls, smoke investigations and building fires.
- PUB DATE: 1/19/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KNDU-TV NBC 25 Richland

VIDEO: East Pierce County Fire crews saved a dog that was trapped on the ice on Lake Tapps just before 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Callers to 911 reported seeing the dog fall through the ice twice near the 20400 block of Church Lake Drive East in Bonney Lake. The dog had managed to pull himself out both times, but would not come back to shore.
- PUB DATE: 1/18/2024 11:59:00 PM - SOURCE: KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, fire stations across the nation are seeing an increase in calls each year. According to Franklin County Fire District #3 Fire Chief Mike Harris, 2023 saw a 10% increase in calls with 882 calls reported. According to Harris, a fire station of their size would typically see between one and two calls a day, but are now seeing an average of 2.
- PUB DATE: 1/18/2024 6:51:00 PM - SOURCE: KNDU-TV NBC 25 Richland