Ground Emergency Medical Transport (GEMT) is a program that allows fire departments to recover costs of treating and transporting Medicaid patients.  Currently, when a fire department responds and treats a Medicaid patient, the department only recovers a small portion of the actual costs of the response.   GEMT is a federally-funded, entitled program that has no impact to the local taxpayer or to the state.  Why are fire departments being allowed to do this?  These federal programs have been operating for 50 years and, in the past, it was never considered that a fire department could participate.  With GEMT in place in Washington, fire departments will be using the same programs that public hospitals and public health care clinics have had in place for decades.  This program is established for public agencies (fire departments) but doesn’t have a negative impact to private ambulance companies.  Public fire departments that contract with private ambulance companies within their jurisdiction may collect reimbursement for Medicaid transports within their jurisdiction performed by private ambulance which helps the fire department maintain the contract at a reasonable price.

The State Building Code Council (SBCC) has adopted emergency rules regarding marijuana extraction facilities. The emergency rule went into effect on July 1, 2015. 

This new rule establishes specific requirements for the handling of hazardous materials, establishes inspection standards and provides construction and permit requirements to ensure life/safety for occupants, first responders and the public. 

I encourage you to have your fire prevention officer or other applicable staff review the regulations which apply to both new and existing facilities...

Emergency personnel responding to a report of an explosion found a fully-involved house fire in east Clark County north of Washougal. A 911 call was made from the 30800 block of Northeast Staufford Road, where an explosion was reported to the north on Northeast 37th Street at about 7:50 a.m., according to emergency radio traffic.
- PUB DATE: 7/8/2015 8:23:26 AM - SOURCE: Vancouver Columbian

Toledo resident Dave Germain started going to meetings of the Lewis County Medic One Interlocal Board in January and openly shared his opinions and ideas about the paramedic service’s unstable financial situation with the board. “I’m not afraid to stand up and talk to folks,” Germain said. The retired paramedic and firefighter’s willingness to speak his mind got him noticed.
- PUB DATE: 7/8/2015 3:14:26 AM - SOURCE: Centralia Chronicle

Capt. David Collard said his firefighters regularly make emergency calls to help people who have fallen. But the one they answered Friday afternoon was a little different. Leroy Conley, 73, who lives on Market Street on the north side, had fallen and needed help getting up. Conley told the firefighters that he had become ill, and after walking inside his residence, they understood why.
- PUB DATE: 7/8/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: fort worth star-telegram