The Houston Firefighters Union is suing the City of Houston as their dispute over a new contract drags on. Hundreds of frustrated firefighters also rallied outside City Hall on Wednesday. The lawsuit accuses the city of breaking a state law that directs cities to pay firefighters on par with what they’d make at a similar private sector job.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHOU-TV CBS 11 Houston

VIDEO - Four people, including two firefighters, were injured Wednesday morning in a violent crash involving an LAFD ambulance and a civilian vehicle in Pacoima, officials said. The collision occurred shortly before 11 a.m. in the 12000 block of Osborne Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: abclocal.go

With more than a hundred firefighters from across the state watching, Syracuse's fire chief Wednesday rejected a state union's decision to censure him. Firefighters from Buffalo, New York City, Syracuse and beyond lined up to watch Syracuse Fire Chief Paul Linnertz speak Wednesday morning during a news conference outside the South State Street fire station.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Syracuse Post-Standard & Syracuse.com

Reducing the amount of paid time off for Muskegon firefighters and cutting back retiree benefits will be the city's top priorities at the bargaining table now that nearly $700,000 in cuts have been approved. High overtime costs, prompted by the level of vacation and sick time, and skyrocketing pension and retiree health costs are the primary problems facing the department's budget, according to City Manager Frank Peterson.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: MLive

Two months before 36 people died in the Ghost Ship fire, an Oakland Fire Department employee entered the warehouse and observed exposed electrical wiring, recommending tenants fix the hazard, according to an amended lawsuit filed Wednesday by attorneys representing victim families. The 179-page amended lawsuit adds the city of Oakland, Alameda County and state of California to a growing list of defendents, and alleges the agencies failed in their duties to shut down the crowded fire trap and its illegal parties.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: East Bay Times