NEWS STORY (Circulation Under 100,000)

FIRST PLACE: “Slow Burn” 

“On the national front, since 9/11, local fire department staffing and equipment problems have emerged as part of a more general failure to back up swagger and political posturing about ‘homeland defense’ with money….”

This article is a thought-provoking story investigating the issues behind fire department understaffing and political agendas. The story cites the imminent dangers of cutting budgets and jeopardizing public safety and the horrific consequences of undermining the importance of fully funded fire departments.

Pulse of the Twin Cities
Written by: David Rubenstein
Submitted by: St. Paul, MN Local 21

SECOND PLACE: “Worker Wellness”

“We must realize the value of the service we provide to others and recognize the service we must provide to ourselves. If we fail to change current attitudes and complacency, emergency service worker illness and death will remain constant.”

Former paramedic and author Hinds brings to the forefront the serious, yet often ignored effects of on-the-job stress for emergency workers.

EMS Magazine
Written by: Larry Hinds
Submitted by: Suncoast, FL Local 2546

HONORABLE MENTIONS: “In the Heat of the Day”

This article alerts readers to the reality of training to prepare fire fighters for their jobs and highlights the dangers and difficulties of practicing with live fires and the risks that all fire fighters face when entering a burning building.

Muscatine Journal
Written by: Stephen Byrd
Submitted by: Muscatine, IA Local 1672

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