For years, Rohnert Park had a bad reputation among local fire departments. Fire bosses in neighboring cities said Rohnert Park’s firefighters lacked training and supervision, were understaffed and relied too heavily on outside agencies to extinguish fires and call the shots. City Hall and public safety officials have flatly dismissed the criticisms.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: santa rosa press democrat

Austin city officials announced the temporary suspension of a fire battalion chief for being involved in what they described as a preventable car crash involving one of the fire department's vehicles. Battalion Chief Jeff Pine was suspended for three days, with his suspension starting Tuesday, a disciplinary memo from Austin fireChief Rhoda Mae Kerr said.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: firehouse

Town Council voted Monday night to bring charges against two of its four remaining suspended volunteer firefighters. The unspecified charges will be handled by a hearing officer, who will decide the firefighters' fates in the company, officials said. Town Solicitor Brian Howell, who along with Town Business Administrator Jerry Barberio has investigated allegations against six firefighters, did not name the two who will face a hearing.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: press of atlantic city

Fire Chief Lee Soptich announced Monday that Eastside Fire and Rescue had selected Deputy Chief Greg Tryon as interim fire chief following Soptich's retirement. Soptich called the selection "right for all the right reasons." "He has the institutional knowledge, professional skills and well-tuned abilities to take on this next personal challenge and will not be one to just fill the seat.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Issaquah Reporter

Flames swept through an auto shop in Woodland early Tuesday morning, destroying the vehicles that were inside the building. Fire crews arrived to find fire coming from the commercial building. Officials upgraded the incident to a 2-alarm fire. "The fire moved from the work part of the shop to the paint section, where we were dealing with paint, solvents.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: katu