VIDEO: African American firefighters played a key role in developing a staple of the firehouse: the sliding pole. In honor of Black History Month, CBS 2’s Derrick Young spoke with a retired fire chief turned author. Dekalb Walcott served on the Chicago Fire Department for more than 30 years, retiring as a battalion chief in 2009.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CBS Chicago

VIDEO: A Shreveport councilman is calling for an investigation into the city’s Fire Department. Councilman Willie Bradford says he’s received several credible complaints of alleged racial and gender discrimination within the department as well as alleged retaliation. If a resolution is passed Tuesday, the council would appoint a special committee to examine the allegations and report back to them.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KSLA-TV Shreveport News 12

Firefighters help people and save lives every day, but they turn to Roger Baker when they need a few minutes of rest from doing their physically-demanding jobs. Baker operates Rehab Five out of his home near Andover Street with assistance from volunteers who rush with him to an estimated 130 fires annually.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: ItemLive.com

San Diego is planning a firefighter hiring spree to shrink ballooning overtime costs that are creating budget problems at City Hall. The city’s goal is to increase the number of firefighters from about 900 to more than 1,100 over the next five years. That may be a challenge, with retirements on the rise and more firefighters leaving for other agencies with higher pay, a union leader said.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Diego Union-Tribune - Metered Site

An Alaska Airlines flight bound for Orange County from Seattle was diverted back to Sea-Tac Airport after a cabin odor caused symptoms among the flight crew Tuesday morning, officials said. According to the FlightAware commercial plane-tracking service, Alaska Flight 1506 departed Sea-Tac at 9:06 a.
- PUB DATE: 2/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000