$350M program to help increase fire safety in upstate airports

A new $350M grant program was announced Wednesday to help upstate New York airports dispose of firefighting foam that has polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in it. The grant also looks to decontaminate equipment and transition to alternative foams to protect New York water supplies and boost public health and firefighter safety. “Over the last few years, we have taken aggressive steps on the sustainability front at our airport to ensure we’re doing our part to protect our environment,” said Phil Calderone, CEO at Albany International Airport. “The successful disposal and replacement of airport firefighting foam containing PFAs is an important step in protecting our brave first responders, community, and environment for generations. I commend Senate Majority Leader Schumer for his steadfast leadership on this important issue and look forward to our continued partnership as we work towards our sustainability goals at ALB.”
WTEN-TV ABC 10 Albany

NYC Fire Museum closes indefinitely, citing ‘structural integrity’ of building

The New York City Fire Museum in Manhattan is closed indefinitely after an emergency evacuation Saturday due to concerns about its structural safety, according to its website. “This decision comes after an emergency evacuation on Saturday, May 11, following crane operations on Spring Street that led to concerns about the structural integrity of the building,” the notice on their website reads. “The safety of our visitors and staff is our utmost priority, and this closure is a precautionary measure while we await clearance.” The museum’s Executive Director Patti Murphy told the Daily News that on Saturday morning, employees heard a loud bang and felt the building vibrate. Its collection of around 10,000 firefighting memorabilia didn’t appear damaged, the Daily News reported.
Gothamist

After more than 2 years of advocacy, FDNY Commissioner celebrates Congressional passage of lithium-ion battery regulation

FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh is celebrating the successful Congressional passage of lithium-ion battery regulation, achieved through collaborative advocacy efforts with local, state, and federal partners. “This bill is the first step in what must be a long-term, nationwide conversation,” Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said. “Technologies like these are evolving rapidly, and public safety agencies must be part of those conversations. We need to work together, share information and ideas.” H.R. 1797, also known as the “Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act,” would require the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a consumer product safety standard for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used commonly in micro mobility devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters, to protect against fire risk.
City of New York Fire Department

Syracuse firefighters respond to fire at vacant building

Around 4:50 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, Syracuse firefighters were called to a fire at a vacant building at 400 Erie Boulevard West. Firefighters found a small fire on the first floor of the building, which was quickly put out, Syracuse Fire Department said. Crews searched the building and did not find any other fires. No victims were found inside. SFD is still looking into the cause of the fire.
WSYR-TV ABC 9 Syracuse

FDNY says ‘All Heroes Welcome’ in new recruitment campaign aiming to diversify firefighter ranks

PHOTOS: “New York’s Bravest” want to look more like New York. The Fire Department announced a new campaign Tuesday aiming to diversify its rank-and-file with hundreds of new recruits from all walks of life in the Big Apple. FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh announced the call to arms, dubbed “All Heroes Welcome,” at the department’s Downtown Brooklyn headquarters on May 14. Officials say they are urging qualified residents to transform themselves from everyday New Yorkers into the next generation of New York City firefighters. “We are looking for young people from around the city to do something special with their lives, looking for a job that is more than a job, a career that is more than a career,” Commissioner Kavanagh told amNewYork Metro. “This really is a high stakes, critical thinking job.”
amNY

Crews battle apartment building fire in West Chazy

PHOTOS: Crews battled a fire at a three-story apartment building in West Chazy on Tuesday. Volunteers from the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross aided 16 people following the fire, which affected multiple families in the building, according to officials. Red Cross volunteers provided financial assistance to 8 adults and 8 children ranging in age from 1-17. Viewer photos from the scene show the old Post Office building with heavy smoke pouring out of windows on the second floor. Mutual aid from several surrounding fire departments helped put out the blaze. No one was injured during the fire or in the response, according to the West Chazy Volunteer Fire Department. The apartment building is located at the four corners area of West Chazy at the intersection of NY-22, West Church St. and Fiske Road.
WPTZ-TV NBC 5 Plattsburgh

New bill cracking down on lithium-ion batteries introduced by New York lawmakers

VIDEO: New York lawmakers have introduced a bill that would crack down on lithium-ion batteries, which have caused a record number of fatal fires in New York City. Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act on the House floor Tuesday. The bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a safety standard for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in devices like electric scooters and bikes. "Poorly manufactured lithium-ion batteries, largely imported from China, are hidden ticking time bombs waiting to detonate in American homes and communities," Torres said. CBS New York's Lisa Rozner spoke with Torres before he went on the House floor. "One of the safety standards is to require that all lithium-ion batteries conform to UL certification, to voluntary standards of certification," he said.
WCBS-TV CBS 2 New York City

Buffalo family remaining faithful after losing everything in devastating fire

The Felix family are holding on to one another after losing their home to a deadly fire Monday evening. Jasmine Felix is a mother of four and she tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person she’s grateful none of her kids were seriously hurt. “We put the kids down for a nap then about five o'clock we came outside to play with our chickens and once we came outside about two minutes later our house was fully engulfed,” Jasmine says. And if they weren’t outside before the fire Jasmine says she wouldn’t have gotten a chance to save her children. “The firefighter actually told us that if we stayed in the house ten minutes longer we wouldn’t have made it out because our way out was the way that the fire came in,” she says. “It was electrical it started at a small area in our wall and it spread extremely fast.”
WKBW-TV ABC 7 buffalo