Firehouse.com

Firefighters charged with setting fires, cheating scandals, thefts of fire department funds and equipment, responding to incidents after drinking alcoholic beverages, harassment and discrimination.

With these incidents occurring in fire departments across the nation, it may be time to adopt a code of ethics, according to the Fire Service Reputation Management White Paper released Tuesday morning.

"The nation's fire service has long been held in justifiably high esteem. This reputation has been hard earned.

PENN TOWNSHIP, Pa.

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Police in one Westmoreland County community said three men have been charged with starting a farmhouse fire and one of the accused is a firefighter.

Penn Township police said Eric Penska, who is a volunteer firefighter for Irwin Borough, along with Jeffrey Caprino and Jaime Wright, admitted to setting the fire on Friday.

Police said no one was inside the building in the 3800 block of Baker School Road at the time of the fire.

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Mar. 8--A meth lab led to a fire that caused significant damage at a Tulsa hotel and sent guests scrambling Sunday night, according to authorities.

The flames destroyed 11 units at the America's Value Inn, where investigators later discovered meth-related items, Fire Department spokesman Bill French said.

Firefighters arrived at the motel in the 10100 block of East 11th Street about 9:10 p.m. to find flames billowing from the first and second floors.

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Mar. 8--KNOXVILLE — A motel guest was being treated tonight at University of Tennessee Medical Center after being pulled unconscious from a burning North Knoxville motel room, fire officials said.

Other guests of the Super 8 Motel, 341 Merchants Drive, were evacuated, and the American Red Cross was seeking to arrange accommodations for them for the night. At least two-dozen people were cleared from their rooms.

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TUCKER, Ga. --

Firefighters blamed a buildup of methane gas for a series of explosions that blew at least three manhole covers into the air Sunday night along Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker.

Southbound lanes of Lawrenceville Highway near Jimmy Carter Boulevard were still closed on Monday morning.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Before President Barack Obama or other dignitaries take the stage, tour a factory or walk through a scorched field, a team led by the Secret Service has a myriad of plans in place.

The success of the team's work -- a safe visit -- isn't possible without the cooperation of local fire, EMS and law enforcement, SS Specialist David Lebowitz said during a session at EMS Today last week.

BLANCHARD, Okla.

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Police said three people were airlifted to hospitals after an explosion at a house in Blanchard.

Witnesses said the blast could be felt from miles away and flattened the home.

"It's nothing but kindling. I've never seen anything like it," said Cindy Peters.

She said all three people were in the house at the time of the explosion and that a woman and her 2-year-old daughter were spared by a mattress.

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Mar. 7--GROVE CITY -- A Saturday afternoon blaze turned a Grove City landmark and Mercer County tourist attraction into a blackened shell despite efforts from numerous fire departments.

Heavy smoke could be seen from miles away after a fire started in the Madison Avenue workshop of historic Wendell August Forge, which makes handcrafted metal gifts.

ROCK HILL, SC

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Firefighters worked for several hours Saturday to contain a fire on the campus of Winthrop University.

Officials said the fire started around 3 p.m. in the attic of Owens Hall. York County Emergency Management officials said the fire posed some challenges because crews had to break open the roof in several places to find the flames.

"It's quite scary actually knowing it's one of the newer buildings on campus," said freshman Miguel Martinez. Firefighters worked late into the night to put out hot spots.