Governor Ivey signs proclamation recognizing Dothan as the state’s first HeartSafe City

Governor Ivey signed a proclamation recognizing Dothan’s HeartSafe initiative, Tuesday. Leaders from the Southeast Health Medical Center and Dothan Fire Department visited the state capitol for Governor Ivey to recognize Dothan as the state’s first HeartSafe city. The HeartSafe program has trained over 7,000 people for CPR. Over 70 businesses are also receiving training. The Southeast Health Foundation and the Fire Department are hopeful this will inspire other cities in the state. ”This project, this initiative, has taken us 6 years since its inception. It is really nice to be recognized for the efforts,” Amy Bunting with the Southeast Health Foundation said. ”There are over 350,000 sudden cardiac deaths a year. By having trained people in our community, having someone that can start hands-only CPR or CPR on a patient that needs it, increases the survivability of our community which makes us safer and whole, and a better community all together,” Dothan Fire Chief Chris Etheredge said.
WTVY-TV CBS 4 Dothan

Students participate in Birmingham Fire Expo

VIDEO: Wednesday, Birmingham City School’s Fire Science students participated in the second annual fire expo and challenge with the Birmingham Fire Department. Schools such as Carver, Parker, Huffman, and Wenonah competed, and some of them even got job opportunities. The hard work and dedication of these students impressed their teachers, who are retired firefighters and worked with the Birmingham Fire Department for about three decades. Teachers have been training these students for the last few months while sharing their valuable experiences with them. The students from Wenonah High School were crowned champions of the expo for the second year in a row. Some seniors even spoke to the personnel board about joining the fire department’s recruit class after their graduation this month.
WBRC-TV FOX 6 Birmingham

New state bill makes EMS and paramedics eligible for hazardous duty time

VIDEO: On Tuesday, Governor Ivey signed a bill that now gives hazardous duty time to EMS and paramedics. House Bill 71 recognizes the contributions of emergency medical services and paramedics to public safety by awarding them hazardous duty time. That is the time when there is a risk of serious injury or even death. ”What this bill does is puts these emergency medical technicians in the same category as police and fire where for every five years they work, they get an extra year of retirement,” Rep. Steve Clouse said. It started with Ozark public safety director Charles Ward. This bill is an amendment to section 36-27-59 of the code of Alabama, otherwise known as the Stretch Bill—a benefit police and firefighters have been receiving.
WTVY-TV CBS 4 Dothan

Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue battles house fire

PHOTO: Crews battled a large house fire Tuesday afternoon in southern Tuscaloosa County. It was reported around 2 p.m. on Woodbank Way off Alabama Highway 69 South. Smoke could be seen from miles away. The house was engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived. Six fire units had to respond to the scene to bring the flames under control.
WVUA-CD 7 Tuscaloosa/Northport