Death came in an instant. And as never seen before in California history. The Redding firefighter who died on July 26 as the fast-growing Carr Fire hit its apex was in fact killed by a fire tornado, the most intense tornado ever in the state, according to a report The Chronicle obtained Wednesday. The monster tornado with a base the size of three football fields and winds up to 165 miles an hour swept down upon Jeremiah “Jeremy” Stoke in mere seconds, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection report.
- PUB DATE: 8/16/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle

As many as 71 people overdosed in the city in 24 hours — many on the Green Wednesday — as emergency crews raced to save lives and one man was arrested as a “person of interest” in the case, police said Wednesday. The man, whom investigators identified only as a person “believed to be connected to at least some of the overdoses,” was found in possession of drugs, police said.
- PUB DATE: 8/16/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New Haven Register

East Syracuse Fire Chief Jim Brewster has been removed as the village's fire chief by its board of trustees after he used the N-word in a comment on Facebook on June 28, according to East Syracuse Mayor Robert Tackman. Brewster has also been removed from his position as the senior caretaker of the fire department, Tackman said.
- PUB DATE: 8/16/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Syracuse.com

With the impending retirement of Hoquiam Fire Chief Paul Dean Oct. 1 and now a letter of support from the presidents of both the Aberdeen and Hoquiam firefighters unions, discussions between the two cities about consolidating fire and EMS services seems to be picking up steam. The letter was presented to the Hoquiam City Council Monday.
- PUB DATE: 8/16/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Daily World

After an extended and potentially dangerous squabble over which agency is better equipped to handle air rescues, Orange County fire and sheriff’s officials said Wednesday they’ve come up with a plan that emphasizes teamwork and will enable safer and more efficient emergency responses. The joint plan emerged following a bitter, months-long feud between sheriff’s deputies and firefighters over rescues that involved the use of helicopters, and which in some cases led to delays in transporting injured people to hospitals.
- PUB DATE: 8/16/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orange County Register