By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• The Boston Fire Department reversed a recent pause and placed a new order for plastic fire hats for children following scrutiny over budget cuts.
• Distribution of the hats had been halted earlier this month as the city froze discretionary spending amid a $48.4 million budget gap.
• The hats are part of the department’s Fire Prevention Education Unit outreach at firehouses and community events.
• City officials and councilors criticized the initial pause in the program, prompting the department to resume ordering the items.

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Fire Department has placed a new order for plastic fire hats for children after temporarily halting distribution due to city budget constraints, officials said.

Fire Department spokesman Brian Alkins said a directive earlier this month paused the distribution of the hats at firehouses and events when the city froze discretionary spending to address a $48.4 million budget gap.

The plastic hats are given to children through the Fire Prevention Education Unit as part of community outreach and fire safety education.

Boston city councilors had criticized the pause in the program, prompting the department to move forward with a new order for the hats, which will soon be available again at firehouses.

Officials said the resumption of the order comes as the department adjusts its spending and planning amid ongoing budget discussions.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A five-alarm fire in the Belmont section of the Bronx killed two people and injured 11 others Tuesday afternoon, fire officials said.
• The blaze erupted in a five-story mixed-use building at 660 E. 187th St. and prompted a large response from the Fire Department of New York.
• Injuries included firefighters and civilians; several were taken to hospitals for treatment.
• Fire marshals are investigating the cause of the blaze while displaced residents seek assistance.

BRONX, NY — Two people were killed and 11 others were injured Tuesday afternoon in a five-alarm fire that tore through a five-story mixed-use building in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, fire officials said.

Fire Department of New York units responded around 1:30 p.m. to reports of a fire at 660 E. 187th St., where heavy flames quickly spread through the residential and commercial structure.

The fire escalated to a five-alarm assignment, bringing more than 200 firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics to the scene, FDNY said.

Among the 11 injured were multiple civilians and firefighters, some of whom were treated at local hospitals for smoke inhalation and other injuries, officials reported.

Fire marshals from FDNY’s Fire Investigation Unit are working to determine the cause of the blaze, which also left dozens of residents displaced and receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.

Officials said the building’s interior stairwell and portions of the roof collapsed as the fire advanced, complicating firefighting and evacuation efforts.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• The Boston Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Education Unit paused distribution of plastic fire hats for children because of budget cuts.
• The change was disclosed in an internal email citing current budget limitations.
• Boston city councilors raised concerns about spending priorities amid a significant deficit.
• The city is operating under directives for department budget reductions for the fiscal year.

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Education Unit has stopped distributing plastic fire hats to children due to budget constraints, department officials said.

Officials notified firehouses by email that the unit will not issue hats “at this time” because of current budget limitations.

Two Boston City Council members publicly questioned the decision, saying it raises concerns about fiscal priorities as the city faces a combined budget deficit in excess of $100 million.

The fire prevention unit, which provides community outreach and education to school-age children, said it will update firehouses if the situation changes.

City department heads have been directed to submit budgets that include cuts for the upcoming fiscal year, according to council sources.

City officials, including representatives of the Boston Fire Department and the mayor’s office, did not immediately comment on when the program might resume.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• The Summerville Fire Department in South Carolina added 18 new firefighters ahead of a proposed shift to a 24-72 duty schedule, officials said.
• The hiring is intended to support transition planning and maintain emergency response staffing levels.
• The department’s board approved the hires as part of its annual budget and staffing strategy.
• Officials said the additional personnel will allow flexibility in staffing and help address recruitment and retention challenges.
• Public feedback is being solicited before a final decision on adopting the 24-72 schedule.

SUMMERVILLE, SC — The Summerville Fire Department has added 18 new firefighters as it prepares for a proposal to shift to a 24-hours-on, 72-hours-off duty schedule, department officials said.

The additions were included in the department’s annual budget and are designed to bolster staffing levels to maintain response capabilities during and after a possible transition to the 24-72 schedule.

Officials said the increased staffing will give the department greater flexibility in scheduling and help address ongoing recruitment and retention challenges common across fire service agencies.

The proposed 24-72 schedule, which would involve shifts of 24 hours on duty followed by 72 hours off, is under review, and the department is gathering public feedback before the Board of Fire Control makes a final decision.

Department leadership said the additional personnel are part of a strategic staffing plan to ensure sufficient coverage and readiness, regardless of whether the shift change is implemented.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• Washington state firefighters have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider their case challenging the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
• The petition seeks review of a U.S. Court of Appeals decision that upheld enforcement of the mandate in certain settings, including some fire department facilities.
• Firefighters argue the mandate’s application was unlawful and exceeded federal authority under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rules.
• The petition was filed after lower federal courts declined to block the mandate in litigation involving healthcare professionals.
• The Supreme Court’s decision on whether to hear the case could influence similar legal challenges nationwide.

SEATTLE, WA — A group of Washington state firefighters has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review a legal challenge to the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, including those serving in fire department emergency facilities.

The petition asks the high court to overturn a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals that allowed enforcement of the mandate under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rules covering medical settings where firefighters provide care.

Firefighters and their attorneys argue that applying the vaccine requirement to their roles was unlawful, exceeding the authority granted to federal agencies and improperly affecting local emergency responders.

The case stems from earlier litigation in which lower federal courts declined to block implementation of the mandate for healthcare personnel, prompting the firefighters to seek review by the nation’s highest court.

If the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, its ruling could affect similar challenges to vaccine mandates involving first responders and healthcare workers across the country.