A mattress fire forced the evacuation of residents from a downtown Spokane apartment building early Thursday morning. It happened around 3 a.m. at The Delaney apartments on W Riverside Avenue. According to fire crews on scene, the fire was on the second floor and was put out by the building’s sprinkler system. There is some significant water and smoke damage to some units in the building. Fire crews remained on scene for a while Thursday morning to assess that damage and air out impacted units. A few people were treated for smoke inhalation injuries.

KXLY-TV ABC 4 Spokane

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VIDEO: A Washington-based team that supports first responders on the frontlines is preparing for what could be another demanding wildfire season— and whatever other disasters may come. “In a time of emergency, every second matters,” said Chandler Martello, manager of Verizon’s Frontline Crisis Response Team. Martello leads one of dozens of teams across the country that remain on call 24/7, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. A former volunteer firefighter in Pierce County, he says he understands firsthand how critical communication is during emergencies.

“I understand the demands and the needs for communication in a time of emergency,” Martello said. “So it’s super important for me that I’m there when I’m called upon.” Based in Buckley, Martello’s team can respond anywhere in Washington, pulling from multiple equipment locations strategically placed across the state to speed up response times. “This is just one of many different locations we have response equipment in around the state of Washington,” he said. “So we’re able to rapidly respond and grab that equipment that is near that emergency.”

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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The Fort Wayne Fire Department plans to purchase a new 100-foot ladder truck, following city council funding approval,.

The post Fort Wayne (IN) OKs Buying $2.5M Ladder Truck appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Understanding rigging capabilities and limitations is crucial for a safe outcome.

The post Heavy Rigging “Lingo” and Other Considerations appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Be bolder in showing and explaining what we do. With public understanding and support, the funding requests become a little easier.

The post Keeping It Safe: Our Equipment and Customer Service appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.