Botetourt County Fire & EMS Chief Jeff Beckner died Friday morning at the age of 57. Beckner worked in fire and EMS for more than 30 years, and he was known for his strong leadership and hands-on style. He worked in Roanoke before becoming chief in Botetourt County in September 2014. “He’s the kind of fire chief that doesn’t come around very often,” Roanoke Fire-EMS Chief David Hoback said.
- PUB DATE: 6/8/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Roanoke Times

Companies spanning the telecom, tech, and security industries announced a partnership on Tuesday that seeks to win a $6.5 billion contract to build a national emergency network. Their bid also contains a major economic twist that could, if successful, see the companies shake up how companies buy and sell precious wireless spectrum.
- PUB DATE: 6/8/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: fortune.com

Five Huntsville firefighters were injured Tuesday morning when a balcony collapsed from under them during a training exercise. The incident happened around 10:15 a.m. as Huntsville Fire & Rescue participated in the last day of fire training at one of three donated structures at 4020 Independence Drive.
- PUB DATE: 6/8/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: al.com

Yvonne Johnson was home in Silver Spring one afternoon last month when she got word her husband of 58 years had collapsed of a stroke. She ran across the street to a neighbor, who drove her to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Northwest Washington. By the time she arrived at the Johns Hopkins-affiliated hospital, Ramon Johnson, 77, was nearly alert, and doctors said he had an excellent chance of making a strong recovery.
- PUB DATE: 6/8/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: washington post

Whitestown (IN) Fire Department, 78-foot rear-mount aerial quint. Typhoon cab and chassis; Cummins ISL9 450-hp engine; eMAX 1,500-gpm pump.