A local fire department has received upgraded safety equipment. The Halfmoon-Waterford Fire Department was awarded around $300,000 in federal funding to buy new self-contained breathing apparatuses, also known as air packs. The new equipment has an alarm that makes it easier for firefighters to find someone who may have been hurt while responding to an emergency. They also have new masks, which are easier to see through. Asst. Fire Chief Chris Putnam said the new equipment has both physical and mental benefits for firefighters. "Being able to be confident that the pack that you've got on your back, that it's giving you the air that you're breathing when you're going into that building, to know that that's reliable, that you're as safe as you can be while you're doing your job is really important," he said.  

Members of the Gouverneur Fire Department rescued two kayakers on Yellow Lake Wednesday afternoon. Volunteers were called to the lake at 3:22 p.m. for a report that two people on the shore had been exposed to cold water after a "kayaking incident." Three firefighters and two emergency medical service providers traveled by boat to rescue the pair. The people were taken by ambulance to Gouverneur Hospital for treatment of possible hypothermia, officials said. Fire crews said they recovered one kayak and that a second one sank. "We would like to remind everyone that you should have a life jacket on while enjoying time on the water. The water temps are very cold in the spring and will cause hypothermia," the fire department said on its Facebook page.  

A Sheepshead Bay high school is honoring the legacy of a graduate who died in the line of duty with a new scholarship for students dedicated to service. Earlier this month, St. Edmund Preparatory High School announced the launch of the inaugural Steven H. Pollard '06 Memorial Scholarship. Offered in partnership with the Steven H. Pollard Foundation, the award will go to two junior students each year — one male and one female — who administrators said will be selected on the basis of good character, demonstrated community service, academic effort, and financial need. The half-tuition scholarship will be given in memory of Pollard, a firefighter and graduate of St. Edmund's Class of 2006. Pollard served as a member of Ladder Company 170 in Canarsie and was just 30 years old when he died responding to a motor vehicle accident on the Mill Basin Bridge on Jan. 6, 2019.  

FDNY employees took part in National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day on Thursday, April 25, at FDNY Headquarters. The young visitors were treated to fire and life safety lessons, a tour of department apparatus and interacted with department members, including firefighters and EMS personnel. "It was a wonderful day meeting with the children of staff at Headquarters," Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said. "Educating children on fire and life safety is important, and it's always special when we get to show them what their parents do every day to keep us safe." The national day takes place annually on the fourth Thursday in April and encourages parents to bring their children to work for the day.  

Firefighters were called out Thursday afternoon to battle an inferno at the far end of the iconic Oceanside Pier. The fire was reported shortly after 3 p.m. and the firefight stretched overnight and into Friday. A massive plume of smoke quickly filled the sky, and two fire-fighting boats arrived on scene shooting water cannons at the structure at the end of the pier, where it broadens to support two structures and is called the hammerhead. A lone lifeguard vehicle was seen posted up at the foot of pier, with a long fire hose, possibly two, running the length of the pier. Although smoke obscured the scene, the building at the end of the pier was burning furiously. The structure was once the site of the Ruby's Diner, which has stood empty since the business closed three years ago.  

VIDEO: The town of Vernon is proudly billing itself as the first community in the country to adapt what is called the VRNA EMS System to assist first responders. The system, created by nearby East Hartford-based VRSim, uses virtual reality to better train firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and police officers for an array of medical incidents. Matthew Wallace, the president and CEO of VRSim, said, "The goal is to give them a repetition and training tool that will both attract and entice people to the industry." Michael Purcaro, the Vernon town manager and emergency management director, added that the town is hoping "our first responders will be able to sharpen their skills in a safe controlled virtual environment so that when they are needed in the real world, they will be better prepared to respond."  

VIDEOS: It's been an interesting couple of days for a Holladay neighborhood. On Tuesday, resident Robert Eliasoff and many others were told to evacuate after old dynamite was found at a home near 6200 South and 2300 East. "An officer approached my door and told me I needed to evacuate and I asked him, 'How much time do I have?' and he said, 'Just get what you can and let's go'," Eliasoff recalled. Unified Fire Authority says an elderly woman whose husband had died came across the explosive materials. According to officials, the dynamite had been passed down from generation to generation before the current homeowner found it. "She knew it was dangerous, she didn't know the extent, but knew she needed help taking care of it," said Unified Fire Authority Assistant Chief Riley Pilgrim.  

Grand Junction Fire Department Captain James Kavanaugh has recently taken on a new and novel job for a firefighter: podcast host. "Going Interior," GJFD's new wellness podcast, aired its first episode April 1. Kavanaugh, who oversees GJFD's academy, said the department's communications staff has had the idea for a podcast for a while, they just didn't know the format. "I think it's been valuable, it's felt like going out on a limb for sure," Kavanaugh said. "This is an uncomfortable spot, but I'm hopeful pushing ourselves to this point and opening up and sharing these stories opens things up and creates a better connection with both the people we serve and the people within our workplace." The show was created during some downtime in between the department's academies.