Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1029086
SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2018 UCW 27 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM CUMBERLAND T he Cumberland County Fire Chiefs Association has purchased ballistic protective gear as part of its active shooter response plan. All county volunteer fire departments are being issued the equipment and firefighters are receiving specialized training in the Rescue Task Force Concept, which integrates fire department and EMS with law enforcement to rapidly care for and extract injured victims in active-shooter incidents. e Chiefs Association unveiled the gear during a press conference Sept. 4 at the Courthouse. e Chiefs Association spent approximately $90,000 for the gear. Funding came from the 1.25-cent Special Fire District Tax in the unincorporated county fire districts. e personal protective equipment includes Kevlar helmets; provides ballistic frontal chest and side protections; and comes with striker plates capable of stopping AK-47 and other assault rifle velocity weapons. "Based on research from active assailant incidents, emergency responders needed to change the active shooter response model to save more lives. We must be prepared to move in and get the victims out," said Johnson, who cited the North Carolina Active Assailant and Mass Violence Work Group White Paper for Integrated Public Safety Response to the Active Shooter/Active Assailant released in 2017. Volunteer Fire Departments Get Protective Gear From le, Stoney Point Firefighter Mark Gooden, Stoney Point Volunteer Firefighter Vanessa Hernandez, Cumberland County Fire Chiefs Association President Freddy Johnson Sr., Stoney Point Division Chief Brandon Hanzal, Stoney Point Volunteer Firefighter Ashante Oliphant-El and Commissioner Jimmy Keefe. e Cumberland County Public Library will host the Let's Talk About Book Discussion Series "Myth-Making in Popular Fiction through November. All events will be held at Headquarters Library, located at 300 Maiden Lane. e series will focus on myths in American fiction built from significant moments in history and popular literature, which are the primary sources for creating, reflecting, supporting or undermining these myths. Series dates are as follows: Sept. 25 - e Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Oct. 9 - Shane by Jack Shaefer Oct. 23 - Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier Nov. 6 - Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Library Hosts 'Myth-Making' Book Discussion Series News for Cumberland County Residents co.cumberland.nc.us Cumberland Matters