VIDEO: Nearly 80 percent of Wisconsin’s fire departments are made of up volunteer firefighters according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Now, the standards for training professional and volunteer firefighters in the state of Wisconsin will see some changes in the coming months. Starting on October 1, the new standards will remove a 2 year grace period to train new firefighters and it will also eliminate a one-year grace period for fire officers to obtain more comprehensive training.
- PUB DATE: 7/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV NBC 13 Eau Claire

James Zadroga, the NYPD detective who gave his name to the original 9/11 bill after dying from exposure to Ground Zero, is getting some partners. The names of late Det. Lou Alvarez and Firefighter Ray Pfeifer are being added to the new bill to restore the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, lawmakers are announcing Monday.
- PUB DATE: 7/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Daily News

Despite orders from the Spokane City Council to maintain an independent dispatch crew for firefighters, the city is now relying on a new regional system to handle emergency calls. As it prepares for the rest of the county to move forward with a new regional 911 dispatch system, the city has lost so many fire dispatchers that it can no longer fully provide fire dispatch services to itself or its neighbors.
- PUB DATE: 7/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Spokesman-Review

Volunteer firefighters in the Commonwealth will be able to save much needed money from some of their fundraisers, thanks to a bill that passed in this year's budget. In many towns, you'll see a fire hall, fully staffed with volunteers, selling BBQ chicken dinners. "We usually have five, six a season, so this is one of the half a dozen we have a year," said Fire Chief Nate Tracey, with Goodwill Fire Company.
- PUB DATE: 7/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WHP-TV CBS 21 Harrisburg

After about 40 hours of pumping an estimated 2.5 million gallons of water, firefighters waging a battle against a large warehouse fire on Champion Ferry Road were finally able to declare the fire under control at 7:15 p.m. Friday. But even after the fire was deemed out, it was expected there would be some puffs of smoke worth monitoring and plenty of work remained.
- PUB DATE: 7/9/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Gaffney Ledger