BEMS Mission - To protect the health and safety of people requiring emergency medical services; promote improvements in Arizona's EMS and trauma system through research and education of the public and EMS providers; and provide courteous, professional and responsible service to the public and EMS providers.

http://www.azdhs.gov/bems/2008Odyssey/AEMS8thAnnualOdyssey.doc

by Brent Whiting - May. 28, 2008 04:28 PM
The Arizona Republic
Two Peoria men, both motorcyclists, were killed over the Memorial Day weekend in separate traffic crashes, Peoria police said Wednesday.

One of the victims, Gregory Jenness, 36, was killed early Saturday when he plowed into the rear of a Southwest Ambulance unit, said Mike Tellef, Peoria police spoksesman.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/peoria/articles/2008/05/28/20080528gl-peocrashes0528-ON.html

The Friday afternoon before Memorial Day brought rain and slick roads to Queen Creek and Gilbert — and crashes that called Lee Barns’ ambulance to the scene. Barns is among Queen Creek’s new paramedics, as the town gets used to operating its own fire department.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/117308

By: Mara Reyes, The Independent
05/27/2008

Kristina Coffman
This is the fourth of a five-part series profiling the recipients of the Veterans of Foreign Wars awards for Law Enforcement, Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians of the Year.

PINETOP-LAKESIDE - When asked to nominate a peer for EMT of the Year, the Lakeside Fire Crew didn't hesitate to name 21-year-old Kristina Coffman. She may be young, but "Kristi has been an asset to the department due to her dedication and efforts to excel," Division Chief Tim Van Scoter said.

http://www.wmicentral.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19717073&BRD=2264&PAG=461&dept_id=506173&rfi=6

Posted: May 27, 2008 11:09 PM MST

Updated: May 27, 2008 11:32 PM MST




Smoke and dozens of firefighters swarm an empty building tonight with all the smoke it looks like a massive fire but looks are deceiving.

There is no actual fire going on but they do have artificial smoke generators to create similar fire conditions inside the building. This is as real as is gets.

http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8387337

Reported by: Deborah Stocks
Email: dstocks@abc15.com
Last Update: 9:45 am

Fire at Arrowhead Town Center Mervyn's A Glendale department store filled with smoke before firefighters could find the source of an early morning fire Wednesday.

Fire crews discovered the fire under an escalator inside the Mervyn's at the Arrowhead Town Center near 75th Avenue and Bell Road.

Last Edited: Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 5:07 AM MST
Created: Tuesday, 27 May 2008, 8:15 PM MST


FOX 10's Sarah Acevedo reports.
A brush fire that started along the Agua Fria river bottom near 118th Avenue and Thomas scorched about 3 acres. No homes were evacuated and firefighters say things are now under control. The cause of the fire is not known.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=6639000&version=5&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1

by Elias C. Arnold - May. 22, 2008 06:36 AM
The Arizona Republic
Avondale firefighters started training this week on the city's first ladder truck, which is expected to go into service about July 1.

The ladder truck and crew will support fire engines assigned to structure fires and traffic collisions. Avondale firefighters previously relied on ladder trucks from Glendale, Goodyear or Phoenix to cut collision victims out of cars or cut holes in roofs during a fire.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2008/05/22/20080522swv-laddertruck0523.html

Union endorses new ordinance to guarantee minimum staffing

By John Rudolf
Sunday, May 11, 2008 8:20 PM MST

Pushing back against a proposed budget cut that they argue will leave the city’s fire engines undermanned, the city’s firefighter’s union is advocating a new ordinance that would set minimum staffing levels for the fire department.

In response to the need to trim the budget in the face of sharply falling tax revenues, the city manager has proposed slashing the fire department’s overtime budget by almost $400,000.

http://www.havasunews.com/articles/2008/05/11/news/doc4827b71cf40eb962636449.txt

Check out this link to watch the episodes from NBC.

http://www.nbc.com/Vintage_Shows/Emergency/video/episodes.shtml#vid=233787

AEMS 8th ANNUAL EMS ODYSSEY CONFERENCE
MAY 29-30, 2008


BEMS Mission - To protect the health and safety of people requiring emergency medical services; promote improvements in Arizona's EMS and trauma system through research and education of the public and EMS providers; and provide courteous, professional and responsible service to the public and EMS providers.

http://www.azdhs.gov/bems/2008Odyssey/AEMS8thAnnualOdyssey.pdf

(Adopted July 26, 2005)

PURPOSE


The Arizona Rural EMS Consensus Project grew out of a strategic planning group formed in the summer of 2003 during the Arizona EMS conference. The Purpose is to form a collaboration among tribal and non-tribal rural EMS groups, and the Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility Program to agree on a rural EMS agenda for the future.

The Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (“Flex” Program) is administered by the Rural Health Office at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. The Flex Program was created by Congress, under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, in order to improve the financial viability and stability of health care in rural areas across the nation.

The purpose of the Rural EMS Agenda for the Future is to determine the most important directions for the future of rural EMS development in the state, within a three to five year time period.

The Consensus Project includes input from EMS communities and organizations throughout the state, and will be expanded, during the implementation phase, to include a broad, multidisciplinary spectrum of EMS stake-holders. This document is intended to provide guiding principles for the continued evolution of a rural EMS agenda, as well as ideas for future action.

http://cah.arizona.edu/Initiatives/ems.aspx

B. POOLE
Tucson Citizen
The Coronado National Forest plans to torch 11,000 acres of mostly grass and scrub brush just east of Tucson on Monday to make it better for wildlife.
The two-day prescribed fire - which will be three miles into the Forest - will send a plume of smoke over the Rincon Mountains, said Heide Schewel, a Coronado spokeswoman.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/breakingnews/84767.php

Commissioners OK Arizona American’s rate increase proposal for Sun City
May 8, 2008 - 10:26AM
Erin Turner
Daily News-Sun
The Arizona Corporation Commission Wednesday ruled in favor of Sun Citians opposed to paying for an improved fire-flow network when it stripped the request for new pipes and hydrants from Arizona American Water Co.'s rate increase proposal.

http://www.yourwestvalley.com/news/rate_2526___article.html/increase_city.html

by Lily Leung - May. 9, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Ladder trucks are considered the Surprise Fire Department's 80,000-pound toolboxes. Using golf terms, these specialty vehicles are akin to caddies for golfers.

These support trucks have the gear to slice through roofs to ventilate fires, pump water to high-reaching areas and secure electric and gas utilities.

However, Surprise Fire Capt. Randy Frassetto also noticed that a ladder truck's complexity created a variety of effective ways to accomplish its varied tasks.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/05/09/20080509wvcommittee09.html