Kelley Whitelens hiked a steep hill toward the backyard of a home on Coyote Road in Santa Barbara, one hand wiping the sweat from her face, the other pulling up her sagging pants. Whitelens is the only female firefighter in a 19-person team from South Dakota fighting the fierce Thomas fire — which, at 281,620 acres spread across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, is California’s largest wildfire on record.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Los Angeles Times

A Lacey firefighter who helped lead a firefighting camp for teen girls has died. Crystal Murphy passed away at her home over the weekend, according to the Lacey Fire Department. “She will be greatly missed,” the fire department wrote in a Facebook post. Service arrangements will be announced at a later date.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: king5.com

Taberg (NY) Fire Company stainless steel pumper. Spartan Metro Star cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 400-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon tank.

Taberg (NY) Fire Company stainless steel pumper. Spartan Metro Star cab and chassis; Cummins ISL 400-hp engine; Hale Qmax 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 1,000-gallon tank.

Clark County Fire District 6’s internal accounting system led to more than $9 million in errors in calculating its liabilities in 2015 and 2016, according to the State Auditor’s Office, which blamed the problems on district staff’s lack of training in the system and knowledge of state reporting requirements.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2017 7:50:07 PM - SOURCE: Vancouver Columbian