Public health data shows the opioid crisis in the Seattle region continues to worsen as EMS crews have already responded to 1,046 overdose calls in King County since the start of the year. There have been 198 drug and alcohol deaths, most of those involving fentanyl, according to data from Seattle-King County Public Health.
- PUB DATE: 2/24/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

Firefighters with the Spokane County Fire District 3 (SCFD 3) mopped up a house fire southwest of Spokane Thursday evening. The fire began as a chimney fire at about 4:30 p.m. and began to spread to the attic. Spokane Fire Department and SCFD 10 firefighters joined the efforts to suppress the fire. All crews were eventually removed from the building to take a "defensive strategy," meaning they prioritized preventing the fire from spreading.
- PUB DATE: 2/24/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

It’s difficult to pinpoint how Dr. Leonard Cobb came up with the idea to train firefighters in emergency medical care, but friends and family believe one particular afternoon more than 60 years ago played a role. Cobb and his wife, Else, had stopped at a market in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood for a frozen snack when they noticed a man slumped over in a nearby car.
- PUB DATE: 2/24/2023 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Seattle Times - Metered Site

Seattle firefighters were called to the Ballard area to rescue a worker who was pinned on an elevated conveyor belt Thursday. The fire department first tweeted about the rescue at Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel, in the 5200 block of Shilshole Avenue Northwest, at 8:42 a.m. David Cuerpo, public information officer with the Seattle Fire Department, said a construction worker was stuck under a metal plate on the conveyer belt.
- PUB DATE: 2/23/2023 4:08:00 PM - SOURCE: KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

Binghamton’s new central fire station is preparing to start answering calls soon, binghamtonhomepage.com reported.

The new central station located on Court Street downtown is expected to be fully staffed in the coming days. There is already a fire truck stationed there and some personnel working in the building, the report said.

The $6.5 million, 20,000-square-foot facility features five bays with a drive-through design, allowing fire trucks and other emergency response vehicles to enter from the rear and exit out onto Chapman Street, not far from Mirabito Stadium, according to the report.

The headquarters for Binghamton Fire also boasts bunk areas for firefighters, a kitchen and dining area, and a decontamination room to prevent hazardous toxins from spreading, the report said.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place in August 2021. A spokesperson for the city says an official opening date has yet to be set, the report said.