The Okanogan County fairgrounds have been taken over by thousands of firefighters and support crews. Local leaders are struggling to figure out what to do about the county fair, which is scheduled to be held at those same fairgrounds in two weeks. Officials estimate around 1,800 people are living there while battling the Okanogan Complex.
- PUB DATE: 8/28/2015 10:50:52 AM - SOURCE: KREM-TV CBS 2

Austin Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr, a fourth-generation firefighter, was installed today as president and chair of the board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). Pledging to focus on reducing firefighter deaths and related firefighter safety and health issues, she becomes the first women to lead the IAFC in its 142-year history.
- PUB DATE: 8/28/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs

A veteran Chicago paramedic is taking on the Chicago Fire Department over how he wears his bullet proof vest. Pat Fitzmaurice currently wears the vest he bought with his own money over his uniform. The fire department says that is against policy. Fitzmaurice is a 40-year Chicago Fire Department veteran - a paramedic field chief who works the West Side, where gunfire is an unwelcome, but frequent reality.
- PUB DATE: 8/28/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WLS-TV ABC 7 Chicago

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) today released a new report exploring best practices for responders using privately owned vehicles (POV) for emergency service organizations (ESO) responses. The report is a joint effort of the IAFC’s Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS) and Safety, Health and Survival Section (SHSS) and the NVFC.
- PUB DATE: 8/28/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs

Cal Fire has agreed to soften the discipline it imposed on three former captains who were demoted in the wake of a high-profile scandal at the department’s Ione Academy, according to settlement documents released Thursday to The Sacramento Bee. Salvador Bruno, Cole Periera and Michael Roe were all demoted from fire captain to fire apparatus engineer earlier this year for allegedly drinking while on duty at cadet graduation celebrations and allowing subordinates to do the same.
- PUB DATE: 8/28/2015 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: sacramento bee