As the Spring and Klein community continues to grow in population and property, local fire departments have ramped up efforts to maintain service levels while facing volunteer shortages. Since each organization's founding in 1951 and 1953, respectively, the Klein Volunteer Fire Department and Spring Fire Department have grown to provide service for a combined 114 square miles of unincorporated northwest Harris County. While the area is home to about 152,000 people, throughout the course of the day, an additional 25,000-30,000 people work in the area, SFD Chief Scott Seifert said. To keep up with this growth, both fire departments recently hit service milestones within a four-month period. At a swearing-in ceremony July 20, the KVFD hired Michael Gosselin as the first paid fire chief in the department's history.  

A Plano Fire-Rescue fire engineer was found dead in his home in McKinney Thursday morning. Brent Cuba, 43, was scheduled to work at Plano's Fire Station 4, but he did not arrive by the department's 6:30 a.m. shift change. After attempts to contact him failed, a department employee went to Cuba's home, but his knocks on the door went unanswered. The McKinney Police were called to Cuba's home, forced entry, and discovered Cuba's body. Cuba's body was transported to the Collin County Medical Examiner's office by Plano Fire-Rescue personnel for an autopsy. Plano Fire-Rescue's Honor Guard and fire personnel will remain with his body in silent guard until his burial. No foul play is suspected in Cuba's death. Cuba began his career in the fire service in 2001 with the DeSoto Fire Department. He was hired as a firefighter by Plano Fire-Rescue in 2006 and was promoted to Fire Engineer in 2013.  

Waco Fire Chief Bobby Tatum announced Thursday he will retire at the end of the year, stepping down fewer than four years after he took the post and catching firefighters by surprise. Tatum, 54, submitted a notice of his retirement plan to the city of Waco on Thursday, writing that "it has been an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Waco for the past 3½ years." In a letter to all fire personnel, he wrote that he would not be leaving if he did not think he "was leaving the department in good hands." "This decision was really based on the timing being right for me and my family," Tatum said in an interview. "We had goals we had set for a retirement date and things we wanted to accomplish when we came to Waco, so when the date started to approach us, we decided this was the right time."  

The San Antonio Fire Department released memorial information for SAFD firefighter Greg Garza who died after being hit by a truck at the scene of a fire Tuesday. A visitation and prayer vigil will be open to the public at Porter Loring Mortuary on 1101 McCullough Avenue between 5 and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The funeral service will be held on Thursday at noon at Community Bible Church but is not open to the public. "This is stunning for our organization. We are hurt right now," Fire Chief Charles Hood said Tuesday. Paramedics at the scene worked to revive Garza. He was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center, where he later died. KENS 5 is holding a phone bank Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. to benefit the 100 Club of San Antonio which supports the families of fallen law enforcement and firefighters in Bexar County.  

Fallen firefighters were remembered at a special ceremony in College Station Thursday morning. The city held its annual memorial ceremony at College Station Fire Station 6. The agenda included an honor guard, the playing of "Taps" and the laying of a wreath. State Rep. Kyle Kacal (R-District 12) also read a resolution in memory of College Station Deputy Fire Marshal Lance Norwood, who recently passed away from cancer. "We're you know honored to be here remembering Lance as well," said Chief Jonathan McMahan of the College Station Fire Department. "We'll always honor and remember Lance." "These men and women put their life on the line, and they're lost in the line of duty," said Rep. Kacal. "The State of Texas and their communities need to stand behind those families."  

Valley Mills Volunteer Fire Department has received a $15,000 grant through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program administered by the Texas A&M Forest Service. The grant was used to help purchase rescue tools. "Our department is very grateful to receive an HB 2604 cost-share grant for rescue equipment that includes a cutter, spreader and two saws that will be very useful in rescuing victims from vehicle accidents," said VFD President Christian Hillin. "The new hydraulic tools are commonly known as Jaws of Life and this new set has already been used to rescue someone from a vehicle accident." According to Hillin, the tools are easier to use and do not require the setup time like the older units. "There are many benefits in having the battery powered tools over the gas powered ones," Hillin said.  

Two city EMS veterans were in critical condition Thursday after a bizarre episode where one suffered a stroke behind the wheel — and the other an aortic aneurysm while headed to assist his colleague, authorities said. The double dose of tragedy began when Liam Glinane, a 28-year FDNY veteran, was stricken while driving around 1 p.m. on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, with his ambulance veering slightly off the highway as it rolled to a halt. Glinane was alone in the emergency vehicle at the time, officials said. He was transporting it from one FDNY site to another. Lt. Raymond Wang, 47, was on a ride-along with a Elmhurst Hospital doctor when the call about Glinane came across. The pair drove to the scene to assist the ailing EMT, officials said. But 19-year fire department veteran Wang was struck by an aortic aneurysm once they arrived, leaving the doctor to treat both firefighters while waiting for additional help.  

VIDEO: One year ago, a man shot himself after setting a fire that destroyed several homes in Springfield, and today the first responders are looking back. "We started getting ready to fight fire. As we were pulling up on scene, glass exploded through the cab and something hard hit me in the left chest," said Captain Craig Degarlais with Eugene Springfield Fire. At first many of the firefighters thought the noises, shattering and force were all coming from the fire. But as the seconds wore on, the true danger became clear -- they were being ambushed. As the fire call turned into a firefight between a gunman and the first responders, they were forced to take cover, causing the fire to grow even larger. They all went back to the station just a block away after all five of the firefighters were hit.  

The Burlington Rescue Squad will dissolve at the end of the year due to difficulties keeping up with increased call volume and a decline in volunteerism, Mayor Jeannie Hefty has announced. The dissolution will leave the City of Burlington Fire Department to pick up rescue services for city residents. Town of Burlington officials, meanwhile, are negotiating with the city regarding a likely contract for EMS service after Dec. 31. Both municipalities have their own fire departments. The city's department will hire three additional full-time and two additional part-time fire/EMS staff, City Administrator Carina Walters wrote in an email. She did not say the anticipated cost of those additions. With the additions, the city Fire Department's paid staff would be comprised of: five full-time and 12 part-time fire/EMS staff and one part-time administrative assistant, Walters wrote.  

As an emergency medicine resident at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Zachary Wettstein, MD, has seen the effects of wildfires firsthand. On days when it's really smoky, he says, "I'm not surprised that I'm seeing more people with shortness of breath." Densely smoky days certainly are growing as wildfire season worsens, experts say, spurred in part by such environmental changes as earlier snowmelts that can cause drier, hotter conditions. A few years ago, Wettstein and his colleagues suspected that raging fires — and the smoke and fine particulate matter they spawn — also were causing increased cardiovascular problems. "Whenever we have a bad wildfire season like we did last summer here, it definitely seemed like we were seeing an uptick in the number of strokes," he says. So he decided to study the issue.  

In 2020 Arkansas' minimum wage goes up 75 cents: from $9.25 an hour to $10 an hour. For firefighters starting out in Harrison, they currently only make $9.40 an hour. "Roughly 10 members of our department were going to fall below that minimum wage if we didn't do something," said Harrison Fire Chief Marc Lowery. So the fire chief with the help of the city's chief financial officer is asking city council members to change that before the new year. "It actually takes the entire pay grid up. So all the firefighters will see an increase," said Harrison Chief Financial Officer Luke Feighert. Firefighters' pay is a bit different than a typical city employee's. "The fire service traditionally works roughly 800 more hours a year than a 40-hour work week person," said Lowery. They work 24 hour shifts, then are off for 48. "So they do have additional overtime that is mandatory. We built that into their pay, so they actually get paid about $33,000 starting out," said Feighert.