VIDEO: Fire destroys RVs at dealership in Southern California

A fire destroyed more than a dozen RVs overnight Thursday at Mike Thompson's RV Super Store in Santa Fe Springs. Authorities responded to a possible burglary call at about 12:30 a.m. at the gated property on Firestone Boulevard in southeastern Los Angeles County near the 5 Freeway. Several RVs were in flames when firefighters arrived. Details about a cause of the fire were not immediately available. The property has several security cameras that investigators plan to check for video. No injuries were reported. Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading beyond the dealership. A manager told NBCLA that the damage estimate is about $2 million. The family-owned and operated company started in 1972 and became a Southern California fixture with four locations in the LA, Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino areas.
KNBC-TV NBC 4 Los Angeles

Georgia firefighter hospitalized after ‘accidental shooting’ at fire station, police say

A Union City firefighter was shot early Thursday morning and the shooting is now under investigation. A spokesman for the Union City Police Department said the shooting was accidental. They confirmed the firearm used did not belong to the injured firefighter. A representative for the fire department confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that the shooting occurred at Fire Station No. 2 off Shannon Pkwy. Paramedics took the firefighter to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. Police said the firefighter is in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.
WSB-TV ABC 2 Atlanta

House passes New Jersey Representatives-led bill supporting Fire Grants and Safety Act

On an overwhelming bipartisan 393-13 vote, the House passed a bill today sponsored by New Jersey Reps. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) and Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) that re-ups a number of key firefighter grant programs. The bill, the Fire Grants and Safety Act, reauthorizes the U.S. Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG), and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant; it also increases funding for the Fire Administration. “As a former volunteer firefighter, I know the hardship and sacrifices that firefighters make daily to quickly respond to emergencies,” Kean said in remarks on the House floor. “This bipartisan and bicameral piece of legislation demonstrates our firm commitment to the safety and the well-being of our firefighters, empowering them to overcome challenges and fulfill their mission of safeguarding our communities.”
New Jersey Globe

Augmented reality helping Illinois fire department practice fire safety

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Moline Fire Department has a new way to simulate a fire in any room and practice putting it out. The department purchased the FiAR training system, a device that uses augmented reality to test the user on operating a fire extinguisher properly. The device is a touch screen and mock fire extinguisher, which can place items like a grill, wooden pallets or a car into an environment and simulate different types of fires. "Flammable metals, oils, fats, it lets us practice putting all those types of fires out with those different extinguishers," Moline fire inspector Kevin Sorby said. FiAR grades the user on whether the right fire extinguisher was used, and the proper technique applied. "There's a saying, it's PASS — pull, aim, squeeze, sweep," Sorby explained.
WQAD-TV ABC/MyNetworkTV 8 Moline

VIDEO: Community, family remember historic Michigan roller rink after fire

PHOTOS: Fire crews battled a fierce building blaze at Ramona Roller Rink on Tuesday evening. Firefighters from several local departments were called to the rink just after 6 p.m. on reports of a working commercial fire to the nearly 100-year-old building. It will not only be remembered for today’s fire that led to the loss of this entire building, but also it was known as the place to be in the community. “It means a lot; it’s a very big staple in the community, as you can see by how many people came out,” said Jenn Schaus, daughter of the owner. “And just in my own family, generations we’ve been here, all my aunts and uncles skated. Brothers and sisters, my parents met.” The community was hurting and surrounded the street, checking to make sure they could get one last look at their childhood.
WNDU-TV NBC 16 South Bend

World Fire Congress: Firefighters from around the world collaborate in Washington, D.C., to keep citizens safer

They have come from as far as Fiji and Croatia and as close as D.C. and Fairfax County, Virginia. Firefighters packed a conference room at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown D.C. on Tuesday for the inaugural World Fire Congress to collaborate and share information to better keep citizens across the world safe. U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell said 55 countries were represented at the conference. Participants talked about “challenges that we are all facing from a global perspective so that we can see if we can bring together solutions, best practices and find some areas for collaboration going forward,” she said. The summit will focus on four distinct challenges that the firefighting community is seeing across the world: large structure fires, climate change’s effects on the job, personnel health and fires stemming from emerging technologies like lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles.
WTOP-FM 103.5 Washington, D.C.

Bipartisan bill on special districts passes with overwhelming support

The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday overwhelmingly passed the Special District Grant Accessibility Act (H.R. 7525) – legislation that would codify a first-ever definition of "special district" in federal law and ensure districts are eligible for all appropriate forms of federal financial assistance. The bipartisan bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Pat Fallon (R) who represents Rockwall County as part of the 4th Congressional District of Texas, along with Brittany Pettersen (D-Colorado). The legislation cleared the House with an overwhelming 352-27 vote and was cosponsored by a number of members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. "The consequence of current law is some communities served by special districts cannot access certain federal funding opportunities, which has a huge impact on the ability of special districts to provide vital services and meet community needs," Fallon said in a statement released by his office on Tuesday.
Royse City Herald-Banner