In April 2015, St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue received a FEMA grant from AFG (Assistance to Firefighters Grants) to install a vehicle exhaust removal system. The primary goal of the AFG is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire-related hazards by providing direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments. This grant assisted in paying for critically needed resources to equip and train emergency personnel in order to enhance operations efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.

Now that the vehicle exhaust systems have been installed and the fire personnel have been trained, these systems went into use on Friday, March 18, 2016. The system that is being used is the MagneGrip Vehicle Exhaust Removal System, which will remove harmful emissions produced when fire apparatus engines are engaged inside the engine bay area. It will provide added protection in the stations when vehicles move in and out of the engine bays. This is accomplished by the direct capture and removal of harmful vehicle exhaust fumes that otherwise would be released into the open air while the engines are operating. This system will help ensure the highest quality of indoor air possible.

MagneGrip system meets NFPA 1500 for "no less than 100 percent effective capture of exhaust emissions." MagneGrip effectively protects the health of the firehouse personnel and it is fully automatic. When a fire apparatus starts up inside the engine bay, a wireless sensor automatically switches the MagneGrip exhaust fan on. Then all of the toxic exhaust soot and gases are extracted through sealed ductwork and safely dispersed outside the building, making a cleaner and safer working environment.

Photo by: Lt. Steven Lawrence, Deputy Fire Marshal

Former IFD Chief Brian L. Sanford died Monday at the age of 59 following a years-long battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. Sanford served as a firefighter in Indianapolis for 32 years He served as chief of the Indianapolis Fire Department from 2008-2014. Doctors diagnosed Sanford with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2011.
- PUB DATE: 3/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WRTV-TV ABC 6 Indianapolis (The Indy Channel)

A jury awarded a former Vallejo firefighter more than $2.3 million Friday at the end of a nine-week long trial in a case against the city. Todd Milan, 47, sued the city alleging retaliation in 2013 after his employment was terminated in 2012. The jury took about two days to deliberate before awarding Milan $2,357,089, $400,000 of which for emotional distress, while the rest is for past and future wage lost, said his lawyer Leslie Levy.
- PUB DATE: 3/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Vallejo Times-Herald

Last year, one Bangor resident called for emergency assistance 171 times. Another person called first responders to their home only to ask the firefighter to hand them an out-of-reach TV remote control. In response to a growing number of calls for aid that Bangor’s emergency responders say shouldn’t be necessary, the Fire Department wants the city to start charging fees to people or institutions who frequently call for help when no one needs to be taken to a hospital.
- PUB DATE: 3/22/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: bangor daily news