Is Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti willing to play dirty pool in order to get significant union money and votes for his re-election as well as for his anticipated future campaigns for either Governor or Senator? Does anyone doubt that the Los Angeles Times – formerly known as the newspaper of record for Southern California – is willing to aid and abet him in that mission? It certainly seems so in reading the Times’ August 24th article by Paul Pringle and Ben Welsh entitled “LAFD Fire Marshal Steps Down after Criticism that He Cut Corners on Safety.
- PUB DATE: 9/9/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Citywatch

Standing just a few blocks from the World Trade Center site, Governor Andrew Cuomo addressed a roomful of hundreds of firefighters Thursday, praising them for their bravery and citing the heroism of those who rushed toward the burning towers. "They knew exactly where they were going, and they kept going," Cuomo said.
- PUB DATE: 9/9/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NY1.com

As the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the IAFC has voted to support the enhancement of communications for responders. "...More than 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers died as a result of the attacks at the World Trade Center on 9/11. As the 15th anniversary approaches, the IAFC joins the families of these fallen public-safety officers in vowing that the sacrifices of 9/11 will not be in vain," officials said in a statement Thursday.
- PUB DATE: 9/9/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Firehouse.com

Mark Johnson was elected chief of the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company this week, the pinnacle of a volunteer fire service career that started 18 years ago as the result of seeing an ad in the newspaper. Johnson, a resident of Bel Air, was 34 years old, with two young children, in 1998 when he was sitting in the Bagel Works restaurant near the main South Hickory Avenue firehouse, reading The Aegis.
- PUB DATE: 9/9/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Baltimore Sun

At around 10:26 this morning, McClure Elementary School was evacuated after the smell of gas filled classrooms. "Luckily staff pulled the pull box, evacuated the kids and no one was injured, but we did have a little bit of a gas odor inside of the building," said Jeff Pfaff, PIO for the Yakima Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 9/8/2016 9:21:13 PM - SOURCE: kndu