A woman who was hiking over the weekend in the Columbia River Gorge said Tuesday that she happened across a teenager who threw "a smoke bomb" into Eagle Creek Canyon, igniting the now 10,000-acre Eagle Creek fire. Liz FitzGerald, 48, of Portland said she's fairly certain that she heard the teenager's friends -- including a boy who was video-recording with his cellphone and some girls in the group -- giggle as the firework dropped down a cliff and into the trees below.
- PUB DATE: 9/6/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Portland Oregonian, Hillsboro Argus, Oregon Live.com

City Council tonight approved an agreement that will expand the Rockford Fire Department’s mobile integrated health program, could reduce congestion in area emergency rooms and decrease the number non-emergency ambulance rides. Chief Derek Bergsten said under the program, Rockford firefighter paramedics will provide what is sometimes called “paramedicine.
- PUB DATE: 9/6/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Rockford Register Star

A Raytown Fire Department station was burglarized on Labor Day while firefighters were raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Police were dispatched to the station at 6020 Raytown Trafficway about 2:30 p.m. A Fire Department employee discovered that his wallet and other items were taken from his bedroom at the station while he had been participating in the fundraiser.
- PUB DATE: 9/6/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Kansas City Star

PHOTO - A Tinder date ended worse than anyone could have expected when firefighters had to rescue a woman from in between two window panes. According to his GoFundMe campaign, Tinder user Liam Smith and his date went to his house after dinner to watch a documentary. Smith said his date used the restroom, and came back with a panicked look on her face.
- PUB DATE: 9/6/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: FireRescue1

Hundreds of Florida’s emergency responders are returning home to prepare for Hurricane Irma just days after they headed to Texas to help with the Hurricane Harvey relief. ome firefighters and paramedics face the task of jumping from one disaster to preparing for potentially another as their home state readies for a possible hit.
- PUB DATE: 9/6/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel & SouthFlorida.com