A hike among four friends turned tragic Feb. 15 when one of the young men fell into the raging waters of Big Beef Creek and drowned. The Kitsap County Coroner's Office confirmed the identity of the victim as Lucas Earl Weaver, 18, of Seabeck. The initial report of the incident was dispatched just before noon.
- PUB DATE: 2/16/2016 2:02:03 AM - SOURCE: Bremerton Patriot

Yonkers firefighters tried desperately to save an off-duty police detective after the veteran cop's SUV crashed head-on into a ladder truck early Sunday, officials said Monday. Yonkers Police Det. Frank Fernandez was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 3 a.m. after a collision with Ladder 75, which was responding to a call to the Rosemarie Ann Siragusa School, or School 14, on Crescent Place.
- PUB DATE: 2/16/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NY Journal News

Liberty Fire District Assistant Chief Tony Roy’s refusal to send a tanker truck to a burning home in another jurisdiction has sparked discussion in Walton County over local mutual aid agreements. At 3:30 p.m. Nov. 25, Walton County Fire Rescue requested that Liberty dispatch a truck to a house fire at 169 Lorenz Drive near DeFuniak Springs.
- PUB DATE: 2/16/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Ft. Walton Beach: Northwest Florida News

As Augusta Fire Chief Chris James heads out the door to a new job, members of the local firefighters union issued a letter Friday criticizing him for a contract he negotiated to buy several fire trucks they claim require constant maintenance. The Augusta Professional Firefighters Association claims members warned James years ago about the purchase of eight KME “prototype” fire trucks costing $6 million that now require frequent maintenance.
- PUB DATE: 2/16/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: augusta chronicle

The International Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation (IAFCF) has received a $10,000 grant from Emergent BioSolutions to provide 12 scholarships for qualified hazmat response professionals to attend the International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference, June 16-19 in Baltimore. The scholarships will provide a full conference registration and a $250 travel/housing stipend for each recipient.
- PUB DATE: 2/16/2016 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs