When Lt. Davis Odell Jr. walked out of Fire Station No. 5 to observe the scene of an emergency call at the Pulse nightclub just two doors down, he knew this emergency was different than the countless others he'd seen in his 35-year career. "I could see people just running like crazy and screaming across the street," Odell said.
- PUB DATE: 6/23/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: orlando sentinel

A Salt Lake City Fire captain has filed a notice of claim at City Hall alleging fraud, state fire code violations, cover-ups and retaliation by top brass in the department. Martha Ellis, a 21-year veteran and former battalion chief and fire marshal, says in her June 6 notice she was demoted recently after raising concerns, including allegations aimed at members of the department's executive team engaging in personal activities on city time, payroll fraud, a lack of smoke detectors at Fire Station 2 that caught fire and installation of bicycle lanes on 300 South that yielded a roadway narrower than required by the state and city fire code.
- PUB DATE: 6/23/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: salt lake tribune

Two dozen firefighters and ten fire instructors will join researchers at the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) beginning Saturday to continue studying the effects of fire, exposure and contamination on firefighters. “This year’s study builds on last year’s efforts to better understand firefighters’ exposures to contaminants, heat stress and cardiovascular strain.
- PUB DATE: 6/23/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: firehouse

The City Council Tuesday voted 12-1 to approve paying $14,000 to an Agawam woman for injuries she said she suffered in a vehicle accident after a former fire chief had dispatched a truck to a fake emergency to teach a few firefighters a lesson. Marilyn Garcia had filed a lawsuit against the city June 10, 2014 in Hampden County Superior Court in Springfield that named former provisional fire chief William P.
- PUB DATE: 6/23/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Springfield Union-News & Sunday Republican

The International Association of Fire Chiefs is urging all members of the fire service to take a short survey created by the Firefighter Safety Through Advanced Research (FSTAR) Health to gather information on the medical monitoring and care of firefighters. The survey is open until June 30, 2016.” Research indicates that firefighters are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, musculoskeletal injuries, behavioral health issues, lung disease, sleep disorders and infectious diseases.
- PUB DATE: 6/23/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs