Former paramedic charged in 37-count indictment with wire fraud, making false statements and identity theft regarding the theft of controlled substances. Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced the unsealing of a 37 count indictment against Jason Laut, 39, of O'Fallon, Illinois. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in East St. Louis, Illinois on January 18, [...]

A snowplow in New York caught fire next to a fire station on Tuesday morning- and there was no way for the firefighters to put out the blaze. Local firefighter union FL280 in Syracuse used a photo of a burning snowplow truck to drive home the harsh reality of budget cuts. "Pretty embarrassing when a [...]

Jan. 26--OTTUMWA -- The Ottumwa Fire Department appears to have largely dodged a certification scandal that left 1,700 Iowa firefighters with invalid certifications. And Ottumwa Fire Chief Tony Miller said public safety was never compromised. One former employee with the Fire Training Safety Bureau faces charges in the case. John McPhee is accused of improperly issuing more than 2,000 certifications between 2012 and 2016. The certifications are not [...]

Jan. 26--MANCHESTER -- Unions representing city firefighters and district fire chiefs announced an impasse in contract negotiations with the city on Wednesday, saying there is no possibility of reaching an agreement at this point in negotiations. "It has become apparent that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen are not willing to consider reasonable cost-of-living increases -- the exact [...]

Jan. 27--ALBANY -- To address the health issues confronting first responders, state Sen. Catharine Young (R,C,I- 57th District) joined her Senate colleagues to pass legislation that would improve health care coverage and protect families in the case of a tragic accident. "Our dedicated volunteer firefighters set aside their personal health and safety to assist others in need. They never waver [...]

Jan. 27--Several of Darien's volunteer firefighters quit in protest after the new city manager replaced the fire chief last week. Timothy Sweezey characterized the move as a cost-cutting measure for the city's always-tight budget, but he assured residents this week that there are plenty of firefighters to cover Darien in case of fire. "I've got 23 firefighters on call right now," [...]

Jan. 25--Portsmouth will give police officers, firefighters and other emergency workers $1,000 apiece to keep working in the city. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to give the one-time stipend next month to those employees, as well as paramedics and dispatchers. The proposal, submitted to the council by human resources director Elizabeth Gooden, says Portsmouth will spend about $860,000 on the incentive without [...]

Jan. 25--Medics followed protocols and will not be disciplined after their ambulances were stolen in two unrelated incidents last month, a Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services investigation concluded. "They were doing their jobs," EMS Chief Ernie Rodriguez said. The incidents happened "while the vehicles were running during loading and unloading." Rodriguez said the agency is now looking to install [...]