A former Oklahoma City Fire Department assistant chief and member of the “Original 12” died Friday. Carl Holmes, 90, began his service with the department in 1951 as one of 12 black firefighters hired that year. Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson said in a time of racism and discrimination, Holmes and the other men were faced with profound challenges and worked to excel past the normal expectations associated with the job, with many rising through the ranks of the department.
- PUB DATE: 11/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NewsOK.com

The Orlando Fire Department plans to hire 25 paramedics, a move opposed by the city’s firefighters union but which Chief Roderick Williams says will help the agency handle the increased demands of a growing city. It would mark a shift for OFD, which currently doesn’t employ civilian paramedics. All of its firefighters are either emergency medical technicians or paramedics.
- PUB DATE: 11/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel

Suiting up for another tour of duty, Sean O'Rourke barely gets into his turnout gear when the first alarm comes into the station house of Tower Ladder 138 and Engine 289 in Corona, Queens. Climbing behind the wheel of the tower ladder truck, O'Rourke is the muscle driving the giant truck answering the call of the smell of gas at a home.
- PUB DATE: 11/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WABC-TV 7online.com

A fire crew attended a boy with autism’s birthday party after none of his classmates showed up. FOX News reported that Holden Bridges, 7, invited his entire class to his birthday party, and began crying when he realized no one was coming. “He kept saying his friends were just getting ready, going to get presents, that’s why they were late,” Holden’s mom Amanda said.
- PUB DATE: 11/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1

A former volunteer is facing multiple charges after allegedly embezzling federal money from a volunteer fire department. Kathy Gwinn, of Hurricane, is charged with federal program theft, embezzlement and stealing federal monies. According to federal court documents, Gwinn embezzled more than $75,000 through checks she wrote to herself from the Teays Valley Volunteer Fire Department, while she was a treasurer at the department.
- PUB DATE: 11/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSAZ-TV