Kids learn life-saving skills at Youth Preparedness Camp in Boone County

VIDEO: First responders taught high school students from across Boone County the ABC’s of safety through the Youth Preparedness Camp. "They're learning CERT training, which is Community Emergency Response Team. They're learning some very basic first aid skills, fire suppression skills, and learning how to work as a team in their communities during a disaster," said Gary Ragen, the community preparedness coordinator with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. The camp is a group effort between North Arkansas College, the Boone County Office of Emergency Management, and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. And many local officials like the Harrison police, fire department, and Air Evac come in to teach the students valuable skills. "I wanted to get involved in this camp in case anything was to ever happen in our town, then I would be able to help if disaster were to strike," said Kourtney Alverson, who goes to Bergman High School
KYTV-TV NBC 3 Springfield

Land purchased probable site for Judsonia fire station

The city of Judsonia won ownership of 4.98 acres at 904 Arkansas Highway 367 N. after bidding $20,500 at a live bid, according to Mayor Stan Robinson. The mayor said that the city does not have concrete plans for what it wants to do with the property, but that it will more than likely serve as the location for a new fire station. "We don't have other things in mind for the property at this time. We're pretty certain that that'll be the route we'll be interested in taking," Robinson said. Fire Chief Ronnie Benton "thought that would probably be the best spot," the mayor said. "It's right there on the highway. Easy access, there's a fire hydrant on the property. He was pretty excited. "We've got a station here downtown. It's just small, we've outgrown it. We just need a better facility than what we've got." The Judsonia City Council discussed bidding for the land July 9 at a council meeting, and the overall opinion was that the property would be a good spot for a fire station.
The Daily Citizen

Retroactive raise planned as a ’thank you’ in North Little Rock

North Little Rock's city employees did extra work and put in long hours without complaints during flooding in June and more recent damaging storms, Mayor Joe Smith said Wednesday. As a "thank you," Smith said, he will propose two resolutions at Monday's City Council meeting that would make 2.5% raises that took effect June 1 retroactive to Jan. 12, the first pay period of the year. One resolution is to approve the change, and the other is to amend the budget to include the change. The change would affect full-time, nonuniformed salaried and classified employees, and the police and fire chiefs, assistant police and fire chiefs, fire battalion chiefs and the city fire marshal. Uniformed police and fire personnel and information technology employees, all of whom received raises earlier this year, are excluded, as are all elected officials. "It's just saying thank you," Smith said Wednesday.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette & Arkansas Online

Man dies after suffering ’medical issue’ at Riceland facility in Jonesboro

A 29-year-old man died after suffering a medical issue Wednesday while working at a Riceland facility in Jonesboro, officials said. The Jonesboro Fire Department received a call just before 10:30 a.m. regarding a man suffering a medical emergency at the facility, 216 Gee St., Fire Chief Kevin Miller said. Medics transported the man to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to Craighead County Coroner Toby Emerson. Officials declined to identify the man Wednesday afternoon, whose body was taken to the state Crime Lab to determine the cause of his death. A call to a Riceland spokesman in Stuttgart was not immediately returned Wednesday.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette & Arkansas Online