VIDEO: When Meridian Fire Department Chief Kris Blume got into the career almost 25 years ago, he did not think about the health risks. “I never had even an awareness that cancer was something that we needed to be aware of,” he said. But cancer risk is definitely something he is aware of now. A recent 2022 study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer found occupational exposure as a firefighter causes cancer.
- PUB DATE: 12/12/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTVB-TV NBC 7 Boise

A structure fire on north Broad Avenue caused some alarm when what sounded like gunshots was heard in the area. However, Spokane Fire Department (SFD) arrived quickly to the scene and determined the loud pops came from gun powder stored inside a burning garage which was cooked off in the flames. The fire was reported around 2:30 on Sunday afternoon, with a large number of units headed to the scene.
- PUB DATE: 12/12/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

At least 18 people were injured in a multi-vehicle crash on the southbound I-5 express lanes in Seattle Monday morning. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) first reported the crash near Mercer Street just before 7:15 a.m. The crash initially blocked two right lanes of the southbound I-5 express lanes and the off-ramp to Stewart Street.
- PUB DATE: 12/12/2022 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

The Ottine Volunteer Fire Department will be able to purchase a new cab and chassis for its 18-year-old brush truck, thanks in part to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority, GonzalesInquirer.com reported.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $40,804 in matching funds from the department, will allow Ottine VFD to renovate its oldest brush truck to provide a faster and more reliable response to emergency calls and a safer vehicle for firefighters, the report said. The truck also will be used to respond to medical emergencies.

The department currently has an engine, tender and two brush trucks. Engines are primarily used for structure fires, wrecks and extrication, while brush trucks are used off-road to battle wildfires, according to the report. The tender is used for water supply for all apparatus.

A fire truck that served for more than 30 years will be replaced by a new pumper in Seaside Park, with the borough council having voted unanimously last week to approve the acquisition of a new vehicle from a Michigan-based manufacturer, Lavallette-Seaside.Shorebeat.com reported.

The council approved a lease-purchase plan to buy the truck for $620,000 from HME Inc., the report said.

Earlier this fall, officials from the Seaside Park Volunteer Fire Company recommended the purchase of the HME Silverfox pumper truck, saying it represented the best mix of price, capability and availability, the report said. HME specializes in selling “off the shelf” fire trucks that can be customized with a number of options rather than a more complicated bespoke ordering process that can take an extended amount of time, often measured in years, according to the report.