Jersey City lost a battle with its fire officers union last week, with an outside arbitrator ruling city officials had a "complete disregard" for its contract with the union when, in a cost-cutting move, it began using firefighters to fill captain and chief vacancies. The arbitrator also slapped the city for not giving enough notice when taking officers who usually work a Monday-Friday schedule and assigning them to a 24-hour tour of duty to fill unanticipated vacancies.
- PUB DATE: 8/13/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Newark Star-Ledger/NJ.com

VIDEO - A group of firefighters and several others are recovering after an ambulance collided with a 50,000-pound fire truck Tuesday near Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. "In 30 years on the job, this is the first time I've seen an accident at the same time of two apparatus," Miami Department of Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Pete Gomez said.
- PUB DATE: 8/13/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Local 10 WPLG

Port Huron firefighters responded to 83 fewer medical calls from June 15 to July 13 than they did during the same time period the previous year. Administrators hope the decrease in medical runs — a result of a new medical response policy — will lead to cost savings. Public Safety Director Michael Reaves said it is much too early to tell.
- PUB DATE: 8/13/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: the times herald

Firefighters working for the Navy in Hampton Roads say a manpower shortage is forcing them to work mandatory overtime that often means shifts of 72 or 96 hours straight with just a 24-hour break. Local union leaders say their members are suffering under exhausting schedules, while complaints to their civilian and Navy bosses have not yielded results.
- PUB DATE: 8/13/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Norfolk Virginian-Pilot/HamptonRoads.com

Huge explosions in a warehouse district sent up massive fireballs that turned the night sky into day, killing at least 50 people and injuring hundred in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, officials and witnesses said Thursday. That was more than double the number previously reported. Twelve of the dead were from among the more than 1,000 firefighters sent to fight the blaze set off by the explosions shortly before midnight, the official Xinhua News agency said.
- PUB DATE: 8/13/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: cbs news