D.C. Wire tips us off to a new Twitter feed and Facebook page for the D.C. Fire Department and EMS services. In a nod to the Washington Post city desk’s sometimes strained relationship to blogging, they don’t actually provide you with direct links to the new features, instead just suggesting that you search for them yourself, so here you go: twitter.com/dcfireems and Dc Fireems on Facebook. DC Fire/EMS spokesperson Alan Etter told D.C. Wire he plans to post breaking news and other official department updates on the Twitter feed, which today has already garnered entertaining results. To wit:

12:44 p.m.: 2600 4th St, NW – on campus of HU – evac for chemical odor – one person with minor symptoms – units checking. Dispatched at 12:22.

12:57 p.m.: UPDATE ON HU HAZMAT – somebody burned coffee. No EMS required. Event closed at 12:55.

To whoever called in the suspicious odor at Howard University earlier, congratulations on being made to look pretty silly on the internet.

The Facebook page seems to be more designed for actual firefighters to share photos and communicate with each other.