Connect with us

New Hampshire

NH State House leaders take new safety precautions after Minnesota shooting

Published

on

NH State House leaders take new safety precautions after Minnesota shooting


The New Hampshire legislature is taking fresh safety precautions in the wake of the shootings of two state lawmakers in Minnesota, including the temporary removal of the home addresses of every legislator – 24 Senators and 400 House members – from the state’s website.

The security changes were announced in a memo sent to lawmakers Saturday by Terry Pfaff, the General Court’s Chief Operating Officer. Pfaff told lawmakers that Chris Vetter, the General Court’s Security Director, asked state and local police to make themselves aware of where legislators live, and urged them to take steps to protect themselves.

“I would suggest you stay continuously vigilant while going about your daily routines. Your situational awareness is your best tool for your personal safety. If you see something that doesn’t look or feel right say something. In doubt, err on the side of safety,” Pfaff wrote.

The call for increased vigilance comes as House and Senate negotiators are working to reach deals on a number of still pending bills, including the state budget.

Advertisement

In a statement Monday, the leaders of the House and Senate said security is their main concern as lawmakers are meeting in Concord for session ending negotiations on a host of issues, including the state budget.

“We are taking the necessary precautions to keep New Hampshire lawmakers safe,” House Speaker Sherman Packard and Senate President Sharon Carson said in a joint statement.

“Right now, security is our top priority as our elected officials are finishing up their session work and we will continue to work on keeping the General Court safe for everyone.”

In his memo, Pfaff emphasized that lawmakers could further that goal by working to ensure tense situations don’t get more inflamed.

“As a public official you will have many encounters with those who you represent. Some of those encounters may be uncomfortable, some may cross the line of decency. Be prepared to de-escalate,” Pfaff said.

Advertisement

Get more New Hampshire news in your inbox: Sign up for the free Rundown newsletter.





Source link

New Hampshire

5-year-old injured in New Year’s day Manchester, New Hampshire apartment building fire dies

Published

on

5-year-old injured in New Year’s day Manchester, New Hampshire apartment building fire dies



The child who was injured during a New Year’s Day apartment building fire in Manchester, New Hampshire has died, the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal announced on Saturday.

The 5-year-old girl had been found unresponsive in a fourth-floor bedroom by firefighters. She was rushed to a Boston hospital in critical condition and passed on Wednesday. The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has performed an autopsy to determine her cause of death.

The fire began just 30 minutes after midnight on Union Street. The flames raged on the third and fourth floors before spreading to the roof. One man was killed in the fire. He was identified as 70-year-old Thomas J. Casey, and his cause of death was determined to be smoke inhalation, according to the medical examiner.

Advertisement

One woman was rushed to a Boston hospital in critical condition. Five other people received serious injuries and were hospitalized. All the victims have since been discharged, according to the fire marshal. 

Residents could be seen waiting in windows and on balconies for firefighters to rescue them. 

“I kicked into high gear. I got my family rallied up. My son, my daughter, my wife. And I tried to find a way to get down safely off of one of the railings by trying to slide down one of the poles. But that didn’t work out,” said resident Jonathan Barrett. 

Fire investigators believe the fire is not suspicious and started in a third-floor bedroom. The building did not have a sprinkler system but did have an operational fire alarm, the fire marshal said. 

Around 10 families were displaced by the fire and are receiving help from the Red Cross. Around 50 people lived in the building.  

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

New Hampshire

New Hampshire services respond to 7-car crash

Published

on

New Hampshire services respond to 7-car crash


SPRINGFIELD, N.H. (ABC22/FOX44) – After an icy morning on Interstate 89 that saw multiple cars in a crash in Springfield, New Hampshire, responders say that they are thankful that only one person sustained injuries.

According to Springfield Fire Rescue, they originally were called at 7:40 a.m. on Friday for a reported two-car crash between Exits 12A and 13 – but arrived to find 7 vehicles involved, including 6 off the road.

According to authorities, all of the occupants of the cars were able to get themselves out and only one needed to be taken to the hospital. Their injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening.

“Springfield Fire Rescue would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to slow down and move over when emergency vehicles are in the roadway. The area where this incident occurred was very icy and we witnessed several other vehicles almost lose control when they entered the scene at too great a speed.”

Advertisement

Responders from New London, Enfield, and Springfield, as well as NH State Police, helped respond to the incident and clear the vehicles from the road, as well as to treat the ice to make the road safe.



Source link

Continue Reading

New Hampshire

Man killed in NH snowmobile crash

Published

on

Man killed in NH snowmobile crash


An Alton man is dead after a snowmobile crash in New Hampshire’s North Country Thursday afternoon.

The New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game says 63-year-old Bradford Jones was attempting to negotiate a left hand turn on Corridor Trail 5 in Colebrook when he lost control of his snowmobile, struck multiple trees off the side of the trail and was thrown from the vehicle shortly before 3:30 p.m.

Jones was riding with another snowmobiler, who was in the lead at the time of the crash, according to the agency. Once the other man realized Jones was no longer behind him, he turned around and traveled back where he found Jones significantly injured, lying off the trail beside his damaged snowmobile.

The man immediately rendered aid to Jones and called 911 for assistance, NH Fish and Game said. The Colebrook Fire Department used their rescue tracked all terrain vehicle and a specialized off road machine to transport first responders across about a mile of trail to the crash scene.

Advertisement

Once there, a conservation officer and 45th Parallel EMS staff attempted lifesaving measures for approximately an hour, but Jones ultimately died from his injuries at the scene of the crash, officials said.

The crash remains under investigation, but conservation officers are considering speed for the existing trail conditions to have been a primary factor in this deadly incident.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending