First Responders

FEMA has provided a $1.5 million grant to a team at FSU and University of Arizona, which will study links between the proper fit of protective wear and occupational cancer for women firefighters.

The school district is the first in the state to launch the integrated technology that uses existing surveillance cameras and links them to police and EMS.

Public safety groups are warning voters about the property tax cut amendment that will appear on ballots this November.

An advocacy group is teaching basic American Sign Language to cut down on misunderstandings between deaf people and emergency personnel.

The psychological toll of recovering the bodies of flood victims in Texas is drawing increased attention as the death toll rises.

First responders make up 1.4% of Florida’s workforce, but their suicide rate is more than two times higher than other working-age Floridians. The 2nd Alarm Project deploys teams to communities to help.

The "halo law" requires people to stay back 25 feet if a law enforcement officer gives a warning, and local governments have to decide on permit applications within about 30 days to avoid automatic approval.

Among them is one that would restrict access to social media for children, but a federal lawsuit means it will not be immediately enforced.

According to a Florida Policy Institute analyst, the law puts an unfair burden on those who are singlehandedly supporting children, parents or people with disabilities.

The anonymous hotline to give police, firefighters or EMS a way to seek help for trauma they receive on the job.

Last year, 64 police officers were fatally shot in the line of duty. There were 160 who took their own lives. Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez now stands as a tragic example of where mental health and policing intersect.

The law allows qualified CNAs to administer “routine” medications to residents, freeing up registered nurses to provide other needed care.