The Bethel Police and Fire Departments are teaming up to battle arson. They've created the Bethel Arson Investigative Task Force, aimed at figuring out what or who caused fires in Bethel, and prosecuting arsonists if they are found. Acting Fire Chief Daron Solesbee says that he came up with the idea for an arson task force after several large fires destroyed buildings in Bethel a few years ago and investigators were unable to determine the cause. "The Kilbuck School fire, that was one of my big pushes to do this," Solesbee said. Acting Police Chief Amy Davis says that the number of unsolved fires in Bethel is declining. She reported that the department made more arrests for arson this last year than in the past, and she says that's due to one change. "Well, we actually have an arson investigator, and in years past we haven't," Davis said. "We actually have someone that can tell us cause, and that helps us as far as charging someone."  

When Ed Parkinson was named the acting CEO of the First Responder Network Authority in October of 2018, his assignment related to public safety broadband that has represented a full cycle from a committee policy staffer to overseeing the program he helped legislatively create. During the fifteen months after the new post, he manages a program with a federal budget of $81 million as monitor of a contract with AT&T. Ed gained the trust of first responders and his colleagues across the industry as FirstNet partners with AT&T to deliver dependable communications solutions to police, fire, and EMS officers around the country. Ed has been part of FirstNet since its inception. As a staff member of the House Homeland Security Committee prior to the passage of the legislation, Ed was instrumental in writing draft legislation and bringing attention to the need of public safety broadband.  

The Sunbury Steam Fire Engine Co. Number 1 is facing a 60-day shutdown because the firefighters need more training, city Fire Chief Brad Wertz said. Wertz told City Council that he decided to pull the company, located at Center and Penn St., out of service because he discovered that six of the eight volunteer firefighters were not properly trained. Wertz said the department is working on getting the proper training and he is personally helping get them back in service. "I decided it was a liability at this time to keep the department running," he said. "For now it is just safer for everyone until they receive the proper training." Wertz said the company would show up at scenes but he would have to send them away because they were not allowed to perform certain tasks. "I appreciate the people that want to help and become volunteers but we just need to get everyone trained properly." Wertz said no one at any scene was in any danger of being hurt.  

As legislation continues to move swiftly through the Florida Legislature to allow increased governmental use of drones, Florida's fire chiefs are seeking to get on board. On Tuesday the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee took up, and swiftly approved, HB 659, which would allow use of drones by Florida wildlife and forestry officials for two purposes: to monitor invasive species encroachment on public lands, and to help manage and fight wildfires. The latter purpose came by way of an amendment introduced and tacked on Tuesday. The provision is identical to one added to the Senate counterpart of the bill in a Senate committee hearing on Monday. At both stops, the Florida Fire Chiefs' Association spoke up with an "us too" request, citing the same rationales for drones' use in structure fires that had been cited for the wildfires amendment: that the aerial camera devices could help firefighters understand what is going on with the fires, and that the drones could help improve safety for firefighters at the scene.  

Chris Owens turned the key but the engine in the fire truck would not start. It wasn't the first time. The Town Creek Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department's equipment has fallen into disrepair as the department faces significant financial challenges. "We'll jump that truck first," said Owens looking at the pumper truck which still bore the Sipsey name from it's former home. "Then we'll use that truck to jump this one and then we'll be out of here...time is of the essence" Jumping the trucks can often take 10 minutes, longer than it can take a mobile home to be destroyed in a fire. On Saturday, the department resorted to asking for donations to pay for new truck batteries. Owens said they have requested $35 in fire dues last year from the more than 500 residents which they serve. Only 25 voluntarily paid according to the chief.  

VIDEO: Remember the good ‘ol days when kids collected and traded baseball cards? A few folks at the Amarillo Fire Department remember those days too. But they're version of trading cards features their fire engines and trucks. These cards are helping highlight our local heroes and connecting them with our local kids. Amarillo Fire Department Community Liaison Jeff Justus says, "So I used to ride a fire truck with one of the retirees, and he always carried around Fire Department fire truck trading cards, they weren't our trucks, but they were just generic, borrow trading cards to give the kids and I always thought it'd be cool if we had some for our fire trucks." Actually, Jeff Justus thought the trading cards were a really cool idea. So when he started handling community relations for the Amarillo Fire Department he brought the idea to life.