A study of the Spokane area showed shocking numbers when it comes to fire danger in the region. The study showed 50 percent of Spokane’s structures are at risk of burning in a major wildfire. City officials said this study took many city council members by surprise. However, Spokane fire officials said they are prepared for the worst.
- PUB DATE: 2/22/2018 6:52:50 AM - SOURCE: KREM-TV CBS 2

During a nearly three-day fire caused by re-flash, 58 fire departments from areas surrounding Northrop (MN) aided in combatting the fire by volunteering their apparatus and manpower. More than 20 of the responding departments used equipment from Midwest Fire Equipment & Repair Company (Midwest Fire).

“Every day our team works diligently to build firefighting apparatus that will be used to protect communities all over the United States and Canada,” said Midwest Fire CEO and Owner Sarah Atchison. “Unfortunately, this fire was very near to us. We never want something as horrible as this fire to occur, but it gives us great comfort knowing that 26 of our apparatus were there on-site providing aid to extinguish this blaze. We thank God no one was hurt and that when called upon, the Midwest Fire apparatus helped our local heroes get home safely.  In the history of our company, this is the most of our apparatus ever assembled to combat a large fire. We are thankful, when called upon, our equipment did exactly what we created them to do.”

Just before noon on Thursday, December 28^th, 2017, an explosion caused by grain dust igniting took place at the LB Pork grain bin in Northrop, Minn. Three local fire departments initially succeeded in suppressing the fire after several hours. At 5:45 the following morning, the building re-flashed and was fully engulfed upon arrival. Response from the numerous fire departments lasted 62 hours from start to finish in temperatures as low as -16 without wind chill. Nearly four million gallons of water were pumped into the fire to suppress and control the situation. There were no significant injuries during the initial explosion or the following re-flash.

RELATED: Rescue Considerations for Grain Bins | Minnesota Fire Department Uses New Grain Bin Rescue Tools, Training to Save Farmer | Area Fire Department Receives Grant for Grain Bin Rescue Tube

More: http://midwestfire.com/

Six former commanders and two firefighters at a San Francisco fire station who were reassigned amid a sexual harassment investigation in 2016 sued the city Wednesday, saying they were discriminated against because the alleged harassment victim was having an affair with a battalion chief. Firefighters at Station 2 on Powell Street in Chinatown were accused of waging a three-month campaign of sexual harassment against a female co-worker starting in late 2015, in which they allegedly taunted her, urinated in her bed and smeared feces in her bathroom.
- PUB DATE: 2/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: SFGate.com

A firefighter was in serious condition after being pulled from a South Side building following a "mayday" call Wednesday afternoon. Chicago Fire Media tweeted a mayday for a lost firefighter was called around 1:30 p.m. in the 4300 block of King Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The fire was reported on the fourth floor of an apartment building, where a firefighter became "disoriented" in heavy smoke and was separated from his company.
- PUB DATE: 2/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NBC Chicago