Firehouse.com

--

Mar. 19--Sandra Salinas was in a panic.

Salinas, executive director of the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, awoke Friday morning to news that a fire was ripping through the facility she manages, near Durango Road and Grand Teton Drive in the northwest part of the valley.

As she arrived, tears streamed down her face as she rushed to a group of Las Vegas firefighters and sanctuary board members who huddled near the entrance. The blaze had just been extinguished, but firefighters were not yet allowing staff inside.

BATON ROUGE, La. --

Every day across Louisiana, firefighters are busy battling blazes and, in some cases, saving lives.

Soon, firefighters may take on a new role if lawmakers in Baton Rouge approve a new proposed bill.

"It would be firefighters practicing medicine without oversight … no oversight by the gubernatorial-approved EMS commission," said Dr. Jullette M. Saussy.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.

--

Is it boys being boys or bad behavior in a firehouse? Two Orange County firefighters have been fired for making prank phone calls. Those calls were made to the firefighters' female boss, a lieutenant, and they were sexual and crude.

The same lieutenant also claimed there were dirty pictures of women posted inside the firehouse and she felt like some of the firefighters were targeting her.

Feuding emergency responders? Say it ain't so.

Actually, John Wilson, general manager of American Medical Response and Medic West Ambulance, says it is so, although not yet to the point of that 1976 comedy "Mother, Jugs & Speed," in which competing ambulance services wrangled over who would transport customers in Los Angeles.

Here it's not rival companies. It is public vs. private sector.

NEW YORK
--

A federal judge wants to hear from ground zero workers about a multimillion-dollar legal settlement for people sickened by dust from the World Trade Center.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein is trying to decide whether to approve a deal. It would pay $575 million to $657 million to about 10,000 police officers, firefighters, utility workers and laborers.

The judge has scheduled a Friday afternoon hearing on the settlement, which was signed last week.

MORGAN COUNTY, Ga. --

A Morgan County firefighter is recovering at Atlanta Medical Center after his vehicle rolled over Friday morning, officials said.

Morgan County Fire Chief Chris Byrd said firefighter Kevin Stephenson was on the way from home to the fire station when he was involved in a single vehicle crash. Stephenson was going to the station to respond to a call.

Today, Friday, March 19, the third round of FY 2009 Fire Prevention and Safety grants were announced.

Click here to view the list of announcements

--

Mar. 18--A tanker truck carrying 2,600 gallons of diesel fuel overturned about 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon on eastbound U.S. 40 near Contractor's Road in Rosedale, spilling "all or most" of its load, according to Baltimore County fire officials.

Motorists were advised to avoid U.S. 40 until further notice. Eastbound U.S. 40 was closed between Contractor's Road and Berk Avenue, and the accident also brought traffic to a standstill in the westbound lanes.

--

Mar. 18--A longtime boarder died and another was injured after a Detroit hotel fire investigators believe may have started due to an illegal electrical hookup.

Travis Marshall, 26, who has worked the front desk at the hotel for seven years, said he tried to put the fire out with an extinguisher when he spotted flames at about 4:30 a.m. When the fire spread, he tried to clear out the daily guests downstairs and the six boarders upstairs. At least two people jumped from the second story, leaving one in critical condition.