The Orange County Fire Authority has reversed its decision to encrypt its radio and dispatch communications that was initiated Monday. The encryption was part of the county’s upgrade of its 800 MHz Countywide-Coordinated Communications System, managed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Officials said the move was meant to improve public safety agencies’ ability to communicate with each other during an emergency, but because it blocks the public from tuning into its communications during disasters, the OCFA decided to reverse the encryption of more than 1,500 radios used by its firefighters and paramedics.
- PUB DATE: 6/21/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Los Angeles Times - Metered Site

A woman who was left living on the streets of Florida with her dog after experiencing hardships was given refuge when a trio of kindhearted firefighters pitched in to get her, and her pup, shelter from the rain. It was around 2 a.m. on Tuesday when the Broward Sheriff’s Office received a call from a disabled homeless woman who complained of pain from standing too long, according to a post from the department’s Facebook page.
- PUB DATE: 6/21/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: People

Firefighters from the Yakima Training Center and other agencies were battling a brush fire that had scorched about 3,500 acres Thursday evening. Dubbed the Alkali Canyon Fire, it was burning approximately 2 miles north of Priests Rapid Dam and is within the boundaries of the training center, said Mike Daniels, deputy to the garrison commander.
- PUB DATE: 6/20/2019 6:40:33 PM - SOURCE: Yakima Herald-Republic - Metered Site

Crews from various firefighting jurisdictions participated in a fire protection project along the Malaga-Alcoa Highway just southeast of Wenatchee on Thursday. Chelan County Fire District 1 Chief Brian Brett says a partnership with Chelan County Fire District 3, Alcoa and the Department of Natural Resources allowed a fire line dig spanning over one mile from the Alcoa entrance spanning a mile past the electric substation.
- PUB DATE: 6/20/2019 3:56:08 PM - SOURCE: iFiberOne