By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• City officials in Norwich, Connecticut, shut down the Yantic Volunteer Fire Engine Company No. 1 over its refusal to sign an agreement under a new unified fire command structure.
• The volunteer department, in operation for about 179 years, was removed from 911 dispatch and its funding frozen.
• Norwich Fire Chief Samuel Wilson and the city manager directed the unified command initiative to standardize training, communications and emergency response.
• City personnel have been stationed to cover the Yantic area’s emergency response following the closure.
• The Yantic department has filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s actions as officials plan further talks.

NORWICH, CT — The City of Norwich has suspended operations of the historic Yantic Volunteer Fire Engine Company No. 1 after leaders declined to sign an agreement to join a unified fire command structure created to integrate volunteer and paid fire services, officials said.

City officials announced the directive last August intending to standardize training, communications and emergency response protocols under a centralized command led by the city’s fire chief and manager. However, the Yantic department resisted the changes, arguing it would lose autonomy over its operations.

On Monday night, city leaders set a deadline for the department to sign a “fire and emergency services agreement” agreeing to comply with the unified structure. When the deadline passed without a signed contract, the city removed the volunteer department from 911 dispatch, froze its budget and revoked access to its credit cards, officials said.

Norwich fire officials have positioned paid personnel in the Yantic district to ensure continued emergency coverage, with authorities noting there have been no interruptions in service and response times remain within established time frames.

Representatives of the volunteer company said they lacked sufficient time to review the contract with their membership and contend that signing would violate their bylaws. The department has filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s action, and discussions toward a resolution are expected to continue.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• Homeland Security officials warned lawmakers that a potential funding lapse for the Department of Homeland Security could disrupt disaster aid reimbursements, training and cybersecurity response operations.
• The short-term funding extension for DHS is set to expire soon amid stalled negotiations in Congress, raising the possibility of a partial shutdown.
• FEMA officials said its disaster relief fund can support ongoing emergency responses but long-term planning and catastrophic disaster response would be strained.
• Acting cybersecurity officials warned that a lapse in funding would reduce the agency’s ability to provide timely guidance on cyber threats.
• Officials also cautioned that many DHS personnel could continue working without pay, potentially impacting morale and recruitment.

WASHINGTON, DC — Federal homeland security officials testified before a House panel Wednesday that the looming expiration of a short-term funding extension for the Department of Homeland Security could hinder key disaster response and cybersecurity operations if a funding lapse occurs.

Congress has passed full-year appropriations for most of the federal government, but DHS remains on a short-term continuing resolution set to expire soon amid stalled negotiations over immigration enforcement changes.

Officials said the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund has sufficient balances to support current emergency response activities, but long-term planning and the ability to respond if a catastrophic disaster strikes would be “seriously strained” under a shutdown scenario.

Acting cybersecurity leadership within DHS emphasized that cyber threats do not pause during funding lapses and warned that reduced capacity to provide guidance and training could diminish response to evolving risks to public and private sector networks.

Representatives from the Transportation Security Administration, Coast Guard and other DHS components noted that while essential operations would continue, members could be required to work without pay, potentially affecting morale, recruitment and retention if the stalemate persists.

Lawmakers were briefed on potential impacts including delayed reimbursement of disaster relief costs to states and interruption of long-term preparedness programs, underscoring the wide range of services that could be disrupted without a funding resolution.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A 19-year-old man in Dover, North Carolina, faces multiple felony charges after driving through an active fire scene and running over a charged fire hose, officials said.
• The incident occurred Jan. 31 during a snowstorm while fire departments were extinguishing a house fire.
• Craven County Sheriff’s Office identified the driver as Brian James Carrell, who admitted to consuming alcohol.
• Carrell’s blood-alcohol level was about .11%, above the state’s .08 legal limit, and he allegedly attempted to spit on deputies.
• Charges include driving while impaired, malicious conduct, damage to property, and underage alcohol offenses.

DOVER, NC — A 19-year-old man has been charged with multiple felonies after investigators say he drove through an active fire scene in the Dover community, ran over a charged fire hose and resisted deputies during a Jan. 31 incident, officials said.

The Craven County Sheriff’s Office reported that while firefighters from multiple departments were working to extinguish a structure fire amid a snowstorm, a vehicle bypassed blocked fire apparatus and struck a fire hose being used in firefighting operations.

Authorities identified the driver as Brian James Carrell, 19, of Jacksonville. Carrell admitted to consuming alcohol, and a sobriety test indicated his blood-alcohol concentration was approximately .11%, above North Carolina’s legal limit of .08%.

When deputies confronted him at the scene, Carrell allegedly attempted to spit on law enforcement, the sheriff’s office said.

Carrell was arrested and charged with felony malicious conduct by a prisoner, driving over a fire hose, damage to property, possession of an open container, consuming alcohol underage and driving while impaired.

Officials did not immediately release information on a court date or whether Carrell has retained an attorney.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Board voted to proceed with the process to potentially terminate Fire Chief Tim Sendelbach.
• A personnel committee will draft a letter of intent to terminate that will be considered at a special board meeting Thursday.
• Sendelbach was placed on paid administrative leave Jan. 28 amid ongoing disagreements with the board.
• Assistant Chief Greg Ward was appointed acting fire chief during Sendelbach’s leave.
• Firefighters, union leaders and some community members spoke in support of Sendelbach at the meeting.

LOVELAND, CO — The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Board voted Monday to continue the process that could lead to the termination of Fire Chief Tim Sendelbach, officials said.

In an online special meeting, board members approved asking the authority’s personnel committee — composed of Board Chairman Jeff Swanty and Loveland City Manager Jim Thompson — to prepare a letter of intent outlining reasons to terminate Sendelbach, which the full board will consider at a special meeting scheduled for Thursday.

Sendelbach was placed on paid administrative leave on Jan. 28 amid ongoing disagreements with the board over organizational matters, including long-standing disputes about the authority’s funding model, officials said.

At Monday’s meeting, the board ratified previous personnel decisions, appointed Assistant Chief Greg Ward as temporary fire chief and discussed a possible 10% pay increase for Ward if he remains in the acting role for more than two weeks.

Nearly 300 attendees participated in the meeting, during which firefighters, union representatives and community members spoke in support of Sendelbach and urged transparency in the process.

Under the authority’s employment agreement, after the Thursday meeting the board is expected to formally present the letter of intent to Sendelbach and then hold a public vote on his termination.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• Ten firefighters from Carl Junction and Joplin, Missouri, were treated at a hospital after exposure to a caustic liquid while fighting an industrial building fire Friday.
• The incident occurred about 11:54 a.m. at Black Cat Trucking on North Black Cat Road west of Joplin.
• Firefighters reported skin irritation and caustic liquid melted parts of their boots, officials said.
• Mutual-aid departments from Galena, Kansas, also responded to the blaze.
• The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and fire marshal investigators were assisting on scene; the fire’s cause remains under investigation.

CARL JUNCTION, MO — Ten firefighters were sent to a Joplin hospital Friday as a precaution after exposure to a caustic liquid that melted parts of their boots while battling an industrial building fire, officials said.

The fire was reported at about 11:54 a.m. at Black Cat Trucking, 300 N. Black Cat Road, west of Joplin near the Joplin Athletic Complex, according to Carl Junction Fire Chief Joe Perkins.

Firefighters from both the Carl Junction Fire Protection District and Joplin Fire Department reported skin irritation following contact with a caustic substance inside the burning structure, Perkins said. Portions of their boots were damaged by the liquid, prompting transport to a hospital for evaluation and decontamination.

Galena, Kansas, fire crews also assisted at the scene. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources was on site to help contain runoff from firefighting efforts and prevent the spread of hazardous materials, Perkins added.

A Missouri state fire marshal’s investigator and a private hazardous-materials contractor were assisting with monitoring air quality and determining the origin of the blaze, which was largely brought under control in about an hour.

Officials have not released specifics about the chemical involved, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter was injured after falling from a ladder while battling a house fire in the Arlington Heights neighborhood on Feb. 6.
• The blaze was reported just before 5:15 p.m. at a two-story home on the 1500 block of South Wilton Place.
• Crews operated in offensive mode and no other buildings were immediately threatened, officials said.
• The firefighter sustained injuries, but the department has not released further details on the condition or extent of injuries.
• Investigations into the fire’s origin and the circumstances of the fall are underway, the department said.

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter was injured after falling from a ladder while responding to a residential fire in the Arlington Heights area on Saturday evening, department officials said.

The house fire was reported just before 5:15 p.m. Feb. 6 on the 1500 block of South Wilton Place, according to an LAFD news release. Crews initiated offensive operations at the two-story structure, and officials said no neighboring buildings were exposed to the fire.

During operations, the firefighter fell from a ladder. The department identified the injury but has not provided additional specifics on the nature of the injury or whether the firefighter was transported for medical care.

Video footage shared from the scene showed the firefighter falling several feet from the aerial ladder while engaged in firefighting efforts. Officials later reported that the firefighter sustained a minor injury and was expected to be OK.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said an investigation is underway into both the cause of the house fire and the circumstances surrounding the ladder fall.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A proposal to add civilian ambulance drivers to the fire-based EMS system in Lockport, New York, has sparked a public dispute between the fire chief and the city board.
• The plan would allow civilian drivers to staff ambulances, a shift from current staffing practices, officials said.
• Firefighters and union representatives raised concerns about overtime, accountability and staffing models.
• Fire Chief Rick Mancuso questioned the proposal and public commenters expressed dissatisfaction.
• The debate unfolded during a Lockport City Board meeting on Monday.

LOCKPORT, NY — City of Lockport officials and the fire department clashed this week over a proposal to introduce civilian drivers for ambulance service in the city’s fire-based EMS system, officials said Monday.

The plan, discussed at a Lockport City Board meeting, would allow the use of civilian drivers to staff ambulances, a departure from the existing model in which firefighter personnel operate emergency vehicles.

Fire Chief Rick Mancuso and others expressed concerns about the implications of the proposal, including how it might affect overtime, staffing levels and accountability within the department.

Firefighters and union representatives at the meeting questioned whether the change would address operational needs and criticized aspects of the plan during public comment.

The issue remains under review, and city board members did not immediately announce further action or a timeline for implementation.