Firehouse.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Metropolitan Police Department is now handling the investigation of a paramedic who was in charge of the care for two-year-old Stephanie Stephens when a decision was made not to take the little girl to the hospital in the early morning hours of February 10th. A second crew transported Stephens to Children's National Medical Center about nine-hours later. She died the next day at the hospital. Her family says the girl had pneumonia.

The former D.C. fire chief tasked with merging his firefighting and emergency medical services divisions to improve a beleaguered ambulance service now says the department should be divided, in large part because the "culture" of the historically white fire service makes employees indifferent to treating needy city residents.

EMMITSBURG, Md. -- While changing the culture of the fire service is a daunting task, it is achievable.

That's the message advocates heard repeatedly while attending the third annual Everyone Goes Home Safety Summit this past weekend at the National Fire Academy.

"I think we are making progress," said Bob Colameta,

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Mar. 11--Be careful when burning yard debris. The season for brush fires is already upon Brunswick and the Golden Isles.

State and county firefighters have been busy knocking down brush fires, including one Wednesday at New Hope Plantation on U.S. 17 that nearly prompted Glynn County public safety officials to evacuate residents. That proved to be unnecessary.

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Mar. 10--The Hempstead Village fire chief and an off-duty New York City firefighter are facing criminal charges for allegedly detaining, frisking and interrogating a man at gunpoint after jumping from a fire department SUV in a case police characterized as vigilantism.

LONDONDERRY, N.H.

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A firefighters union has filed a lawsuit against the organization that administers its health insurance plan.

This is the second time the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire has filed suit against the Local Government Center. This time, it's claiming the LGC is not using taxpayer dollars for their designated purpose.

ELON, N.C.

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An Elon fire captain assaulted a fellow firefighter in December, but the incident wasn't reported until Feb. 6, Elon Police Chief Lavell Lovette said Thursday.

Lovette said Joel Brian Hurdle, 52, was charged with simple physical assault and communicating threats.

Hurdle and the victim, William Grant Andrews Jr., 23, had been horsing around, and at some point Andrews took the keys off Hurdle's keychain, Lovette said.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- A paraplegic who struck and killed Delaware City Firefighter/Paramedic Michelle Smith was sentenced to life in prison plus 26 years today, according to The News Journal.

Smith was tending to an injured motorcyclist on Dec. 20, 2008 when she was hit by Joseph M. Taye Jr., who was operating his car's pedals with a stick.

New York City Fire Department officials say they are going forward with their budgets cuts, even as City Council members vowed to fight the closing of fire companies.

During testimony at a City Council hearing Wednesday, Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said 20 fire companies are facing closure as a result of the mayor's 2011 budget plan.

The state's additional upcoming budget cuts to city aid could force a total of 62 fire companies onto the chopping block.