Ahmad Khan Rahami, the man suspected in bombings in New York and New Jersey, is now in custody after a shootout with police, sources said. The shootout happened Monday in Linden, New Jersey, a local and federal law enforcement official said. Rahami was taken to an ambulance in a stretcher with his right shoulder bloodied and bandaged.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CNN

A report released Thursday calls into question complaints lodged against Ocean City-Wright Fire Chief Billy Lord and Deputy Chief Scott Funchess. It states there is evidence that firefighter union members “saved up” allegations “in order to present a more damaging case,” against the two men. The complaints were at the root of the fire district’s commissioners’ decision Wednesday to suspend Lord for 45 days without pay and suspend Funchess for 30 days without pay.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Ft. Walton Beach: Northwest Florida News

Several years ago I wrote a column entitled, “Why I want to be a firefighter.” The reasons were obvious – good pay and health and dental benefits, time-and-a-half for overtime, lots of vacation days and holidays — and the perk of sleeping on the job. Retirement pay includes lifetime health insurance for the firefighter and spouse and almost equals the working salary.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has been awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to begin the development of a National Fire Data System (NFDS). The goal of NFDS is to address the priority needs of the U.S. fire service and generate quality local and national data for both operational and community risk reduction decision-making.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: National Fire Protection Association

The 1,383-acre Rock Creek Fire northwest of Naches is 80 percent contained, and the multi-agency Northwest Incident Response Team coordinating the firefighting is preparing to hand things over to local personnel. Fire behavior was minimal Saturday as crews worked to mop up hotspots along containment lines, according to a news release from the response team this morning.
- PUB DATE: 9/18/2016 10:44:01 AM - SOURCE: Yakima Herald-Republic