Voters in Jefferson County approved the East Jefferson Fire-Rescue annexation and two Port Townsend school levies by wide margins during Tuesday’s special election. The Jefferson County Auditor’s Office staff said voter turnout was low, at just 34.69 percent during the first ballot count, with 6,238 ballots cast out of 17,984 provided registered voters.
- PUB DATE: 2/14/2019 1:49:28 AM - SOURCE: Port Angeles Peninsula Daily News

Lt. Necole Dundy Pittman said her 11 years with the Bridgeport Fire Department is proof that it’s not “a man’s job.” Firefighter Mohammad Kahn said his bigger stature is proof that you don’t have to be thin and muscular. Being a firefighter, they both said, is mostly about endurance. Bridgeport is looking for new firefighters and is hoping to attract a diverse crew to become the newest of the city’s bravest.
- PUB DATE: 2/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Connecticut Post

A City Council advisory committee thinks Eugene should establish a new payroll tax to raise $22.8 million to help pay for police, fire and other services. The proposed tax would phase in over 6 years, to be paid by employers and employees. The idea traces its origins to last fall, when Councilors signed off on $9 million for the Eugene Police to hire 10 more officers to improve response times to calls for service.
- PUB DATE: 2/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KVAL-TV CBS 13

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano is reminding volunteer firefighters and the community about a tuition reimbursement opportunity through the Fireman's Association of the State of New York (FASNY). FASNY has developed the Higher Education Learning Plan, or FASNY HELP, as an incentive to recruit and retain members of volunteer fire departments.
- PUB DATE: 2/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WENY-TV ABC, CBS, CW2

Purdue University researchers are developing firefighters that look more like R2-D2 than anyone in an Indianapolis Fire Department uniform. Purdue researchers have been working on firefighting robots since 2011. In 2015, they rolled out significant improvements, with a robot that had better optics and was nearly indestructible.
- PUB DATE: 2/14/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: IBJ.com - Metered Site