Seattle firefighters worked to secure a carbon dioxide leak after an alarm activated in a commercial building in Ballard Saturday morning. The Seattle Fire Department said it sent a hazmat response to a building in the 5400 block of Ballard Avenue Northwest at around 10:30 a.m. after reports of a carbon dioxide (CO2) alarm activation.

Hazmat crews entered the building to investigate and, according to the department, detected dangerous levels of CO2. Firefighters worked to secure the leak while additional crews ventilated the building. At around 12:30 p.m., the leak was secured, hazmat crews monitored the air within the building and determined it was safe to reoccupy, fire officials said. No injuries reported.

KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

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Sen. Patty Murray visited the Colville Tribes as recovery continued after wildfires burned on the tribe’s reservation this summer. Murray visited Nespelem and toured fire-damaged areas. She also met with the Colville Business Council to discuss the tribe’s needs and concerns.

The Kaiser Canyon and Modrite fires destroyed at least 33 homes. They also affected 150 cultural sites. The fires damaged forest land that supports the tribe’s forestry program. That program is a source of revenue and jobs. Murray pointed to the recovery effort in a statement. “There is not a single dollar i won’t pursue if it means helping communities across the state recover and rebuild from these devastating fires,” Murray said.

KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

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Rising costs and federal cuts are prompting fire departments across our state to tighten budgets, and some are facing layoffs. “As a union, we just want to make sure that we are able to keep enough people on the line every day- that we can respond,” said Jacob Schreiber, a firefighter and President of Mason County Professional Firefighters Local 2394.

Firefighters, with Central Mason Fire and EMS, fight fires across 186 square miles and provide emergency medical services for most of Mason County. But facing a budget shortfall, the elected board of the Central Mason Fire & EMS Board of Commissions says 17 firefighters may be laid off, according to the union.

“17 members is 25% of our effective response force. So we’d be going from 68 down to 51,” Schreiber said. “The public will very likely see a decrease in the service that our agency is able to provide.” In August, residents voted to lift the lid on property taxes to generate more money for the fire department.

But in a letter to the public, Fire Chief Brandon Searles said later that same month, the department was notified it would receive less federal funding than expected. KIRO7 has reached out for specifics. Neither the chair of the board of commissions was available for comment Friday.

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

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Five Oakland County townships are asking voters to approve police and fire millages after August rejections.

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Dallas voters will decide on a $443 million bond for police and fire projects.

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