by: Erika Orstad

My Panhandle…

Panama City Beach Paramedic and Firefighter Capt. Jacob Gorman demonstrates how to use the Lifeline ARM hands-free CPR device during a recent training with Bay County.

Panama City Beach Firefighters received a call from dispatch around 8:30 on a recent Friday morning.

CPR was in progress on a middle-aged man at a hotel on Front…

Four leading firefighting associations released a joint position statement opposing EMS degree requirements this week. 



Joint Position Statement: https://bit.ly/2CLXR5z

IAFC's Detailed Explanation: …

Early Saturday morning, a deputy with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office took his own life in the backyard of his Clearwater home.

Deputy Carlos Felipez, 46, had served on the force since February of 2014. He died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His death is now the fourth first responder suicide in the Tampa Bay Area since…

Henrico County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of a beloved deputy who passed away on Wednesday evening.

Deputy Sheriff Rick Slough was outside playing with his children when he suddenly collapsed. He was then transported to an area hospital, where he later died. The exact cause of death is unknown at this time.

Deputy Slough began his…

A South Philadelphia firehouse is among the first to get a new washing machine and dryer for their gear. The heavy-duty commercial grade 'extractors' get rid of harmful carcinogens that firefighters encounter in the line of duty.

At Engine 53 at 4th Street and Snyder Avenue, Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel says it's sobering to think about the cancer death…

Story Written by: Cathy Womble is a staff writer for the Lake Okeechobee News.

Florida Forest Ranger Robert Smith was born in Arcadia but says because his family was in the ministry, he was fortunate to be able to travel and explore most of Florida and Georgia during his childhood. In 2009, his family settled in Okeechobee, and…

Dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies face the same risks as their human handlers. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States and the number of shooting incidents, violent crimes and terrorist attacks continues to rise.

It’s clear why K9s are frequently used by law enforcement…

Robert "Robbo" Pisani is a Captain in the North Hudson Fire Department and member of North Hudson Fire Officers IAFF Local 3951. His coworkers and friends describe him as the type of person that would drop whatever he's doing to help a friend in need.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary for firefighter safety. However, PPE is heavy, bulky, and increases the physiological burden of firefighting. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have found that firefighters make errors in perception when judging their abilities to navigate obstacles while wearing PPE. These types of errors could increase the risk for injury on the fireground.…

A recent study investigated the relationship between sleep quality and three popular shift schedules — 24on/48off, 48on/96off, and Kelly (on/off/on/off/on/off/off/off/off) — at six fire departments in three southwestern U.S. states. Shift schedules that disrupt circadian rhythms contribute to poor sleep quality; the greater the disruption, the poorer the sleep…

Has your organization recently acquired new fire rescue equipment or vehicles?

Is the old equipment or vehicle(s) still in serviceable condition?

Would your organization like to donate the fire rescue equipment and/or vehicle(s) to a Volunteer Fire Department; but, you’re concerned about any potential…

On Monday, June 18, 2007, the Charleston Fire Department lost nine brave firefighters while battling a devastating blaze at a furniture store. These heroes were memorialized on June 22, 2007. A procession of more than 300 fire engines, ladder trucks, ambulances, and command vehicles stretched approximately 7.5 miles (12 km) and moved single-file along a route which passed each of the three fire stations from which firefighters were lost, as well as…

We greatly appreciate your help!

All fire personnel across the state of Florida are invited to participate in an important online…

First responders have downloaded more than 10,000 copies of a guide to commercially available, hand-portable biodetection technologies created to help them determine what they might be up against in the field. Since many first responders do not always have immediate access to a computer, a mobile version of the guide is now available for cell phones and tablets.

The…

Violators of the statewide Do No Call List, problems at the gas pump and motor vehicle repair problems were the top three complaints received in November at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The majority of the 2,965 complaints received concerned the pesky calls consumers want to avoid.

The agriculture department added 12,396 telephone numbers…

We're into October now and for many of you, that means Homecoming Weekend is right around the corner. This particular weekend is definitely one of the most fun for college students because of the many parties and get togethers with friends, the big football game and other sporting events. It's also a time when fire safety couldn't be more important especially when we bring the…

Every year, wildfires burn more than 130,000 acres across Florida, threatening the lives of Floridians, as well as their homes and businesses. Firefighters bravely risk their lives to battle these blazes and protect others. Providing them…

Ariel Castro

He just couldn’t face a millennium behind bars.

Ariel Castro — the monster who held three women as his personal sex slaves for a decade in a Cleveland house — committed suicide last night by hanging himself in his prison cell, officials said.

The sick fiend was being kept in protective custody in Ohio’s Corrections Reception Center in Harrisburg after being sentenced last month to more than 1,000 years in…

For many people, the…