Council allocates federal, city money for firefighter equipment

Spokane leaders have set aside almost $1 million to buy equipment to help firefighters breathe inside burning structures.

The Spokane City Council on Monday agreed to accept $736,000 in federal money from the Department of Homeland Security to buy self-contained breathing devices and related equipment.

To get the money, the city is required to spend an additional $184,000 on the purchase. Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said that money will come from fire bond money approved by voters in 1999.

The city’s current devices, which allow firefighters to work inside burning buildings for about 15 minutes, are about 10 years old.

Schaeffer said the department needs 152 of the breathing devices, which will cost about $6,700 each, but the grant and city bond money won’t cover the full cost. The department likely will request the rest in a new fire bond expected to go to voters later this year.

Schaeffer said the new equipment will provide firefighters a few extra minutes of breathing time and has better systems that warn when air is running out.

Coeur d’alene

NIC concerts honor Stewart

North Idaho College is launching a concert series to celebrate the spirit of longtime instructor and human rights leader Tony Stewart.

“In the TS Spirit: Neighbors” will be performed by the college’s jazz ensemble and small jazz choir and will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

Stewart retired last year after 38 years with the college. All concerts in the series will have the “In the TS Spirit” title but will have different themes.

For the “neighbors” concert, representatives from community agencies will set up tables in the lobby and present information on their services. Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Mike Kennedy will present the city’s 10-year plan for handling homelessness, according to a news release.

“Part of the reason we’re doing this is to show that North Idaho College is full of civic-minded people who do a lot for the community,” NIC band Director Terry Jones said in the release.

“We want to be part of the solution and show that we are concerned about the issues that face our community.”

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call (208) 769-3276.

WAPATO, Wash.

Man died of blow to head

An autopsy showed that a man found dead on a basketball court in Wapato was killed by a blow to the head.

KNDO-TV reported that 23-year-old David Miller was believed to be a member of the Yakama tribe

The FBI is investigating the death, discovered Sunday at a housing complex owned by the tribe.

From staff and wire reports