Category: In The News

  • Pooch Accidentally Paws Fire Alarm at IA Doggie Day Care

    Pooch Accidentally Paws Fire Alarm at IA Doggie Day Care

    Grimes firefighters received an apology letter from Birdie.

    Source firehouse.com News

    Sometimes you are just so excited you just can’t contain it.

    And, that’s just what happened to Birdie when she got to doggie day camp. 

    “She just arrived for day camp and was just bouncing around and bounced into the fire alarm, pushed it in, pulled it down and that was it,” Jessica Tapper, owner of Dogwoods Lodge, told KCCI. 

    Video footage shows Birdie jumping and pawing the alarm, prompting a visit from Grimes firefighters.

    While some of her playmates were freaking out, Birdie didn’t seem to mind at all.

    As punishment, Birdie had to “paws” and think about what she did.

    She also wore an apology around her neck, which reads, “Dear Grimes Fire Department, I’m sorry that I pulled the fire alarm today. Sincerely, Birdie.”

    Reporters noted that firefighters have forgiven Birdie.

    And, she’s also very excited that she’s allowed to return to play. 

  • Man Critically Injured in D.C. Apartment Building Fire

    Man Critically Injured in D.C. Apartment Building Fire

    D.C. firefighters found significant fire, and the blaze spread to nearby structures.

    Source firehouse.com News

    A man was critically injured in a two-alarm fire in the nation’s capital early Wednesday.

    The fire spread from one building to another, and possibly a third, WUSA9 reported.

    Crews with DC Fire and EMS found significant fire coming from the building about 4:30 a.m.

  • Men Who Supplied CAL Firefighter Fentanyl Sent to Prison

    Men Who Supplied CAL Firefighter Fentanyl Sent to Prison

    CAL Firefighter Brian Parrish, 43, who died of an overdose, became addicted to painkillers after a wreck.

    Source firehouse.com News

    Two men who supplied a CAL firefighter with fentanyl have been sent to prison.

    CAL Firefighter Brian Parish, 43, died of an overdose.

    Justin Mata, 41, was sentenced to 15 years in prison while Everett Curtis, 48, got over 12 years, CBS8 reported. 

    ‘This is a problem that is affecting all ages, all races, all socioeconomic groups…These are not people who are homeless, who are in the streets, these are everyday ordinary people.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Casper said. 

    Parrish became addicted to painkillers after being treated with opioid medications following a wreck. 

    “We are pleased with the sentence,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Maritsa Flaherty, who handled these cases. “It sends a strong message to those in the community that dealing fentanyl is a crime that will result in serious penalties.”

    Parrish’s family hopes that sharing his story will help prevent others from feeling their pain. i

    “Hopefully we can reach or inspire someone who could potentially need help to ask for help to de-stigmatize the idea that no one is out of the reach of addiction. Please know that what happened with Brian does not dictate the type of person that he was and all of the wonderful things that he achieved and all of the people who he saved in his career as a firefighter,” they said in a statement.

  • PA Fire Chief Slugs Firefighter Amid Command Dispute

    PA Fire Chief Slugs Firefighter Amid Command Dispute

    Stowe Township Fire Chief Matthew Chapman was charged with simple assault and harassment.

    Source firehouse.com News

    An apparent dispute over command decisions led to blows between a Pennsylvania fire chief and a firefighter at an incident Sunday.

    Stowe Township Fire Chief Matthew Chapman, who established command at a house fire, was in his vehicle when the argument started, according to CBS News

    The Preston firefighter was yelling profanities at the chief, and started to walk away. That’s when Chapman charged at him and punched him the face. Officers broke up the fight. 

    The chief told the officer the firefighter had been questioning him about his decision making. 

    He has been charged with simple assault and harassment. 

  • MA Firefighter Pleads for Return of Items in Stolen Car

    MA Firefighter Pleads for Return of Items in Stolen Car

    A Lawrence firefighter’s turnout gear including a prized leather helmet was in the trunk.

    Source firehouse.com News

    When Patrick Sweeney didn’t see his Dodge Charger Hellcat parked outside his apartment in Wilmington, he was hoping it had been towed.

    Unfortunately, it hadn’t. It had been stolen.

    He’s more upset about what’s in the trunk than the vehicle, WBZ reported

    Sweeney, a Lawrence firefighter, says his turnout gear including a prized leather helmet – a gift from his uncle when he graduated the academy — was in the trunk.

    “I also have my grandfather’s dog tag (engraved James Philip Sweeney) and my prayer card from when he passed away. It was just kind of an emotional thing for me to lose. That’s something you really can’t get back,” he said.

    Sweeney said he desperately wants the items returned, no questions asked.

  • PA Firefighter Struck, Killed at Crash Scene

    PA Firefighter Struck, Killed at Crash Scene

    A vehicle driven by a teen struck Mapleton Firefighter Kurt Keilhofer as he was helping at a wreck in Union Township.

    Source firehouse.com News

    A Mapleton firefighter was struck and killed Tuesday morning as he worked along a road at a crash scene.

    Kurt Keilhofer, 66, was struck on Hares Valley Road in Union Township about 7:30 a.m, WJAC reported.

    Troopers said while crews were on the initial crash scene, a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old careened into the area and struck Keilhofer.

    He was transported to Penn Highlands Huntingdon Hospital where was pronounced dead.

    On its Facebook page, Mapleton Fire Department wrote: “It is with our deepest sorrow to even begin to say we lost a member today. A member that was not only encouraging of others, willing to help with anything, and do anything for anyone, but a member with a family, with friends. We are all struggling during this hard time. Firefighters in every company are a team, a second family, whenever we lose one of our own, it’s a different kind of pain. Thank you Kurt for your service, in the period of time you were in the department you made a big impact on all of our lives, and we can’t begin to thank you enough. Kurt was a wonderful guy to work beside, one that you wished there was more people like him in this world. Please keep everyone in your prayers during this hard time, thank you…”

  • Carts Destroyed by Fire at TX Golf Course

    Carts Destroyed by Fire at TX Golf Course

    Austin firefighters found heavy fire in the building where 80 golf carts were stored.

    By Chris O’Connell San Antonio Express-News (TNS) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

    Dec. 5—A fire on Monday morning, December 5, at Avery Ranch Golf Club has led to a building collapse at the North Austin semi-private golf course.

    Austin Fire Department posted that the course’s cart barn was “heavily involved,” and that there was believed to be 80 golf carts inside the barn when the fire started. At 6:04 a.m., the Austin Fire Department tweeted that the fire had gone defensive.

    Less than an hour later, they reported that three other units were called to the site, where it was still a one-alarm fire. At that time there was a building collapse, but the fire was under control after Austin Fire Department was joined by Cedar Park and Round Rock Fire Departments. A representative for AFD tells MySA that there are no further updates at this time.

    While technically located inside Austin city limits, the master-planned community Avery Ranch is wedged between Cedar Park and Round Rock, and is served by Round Rock and Leander ISDs.

    MySA has reached out to Avery Ranch Golf Club for more information and will update this story.

  • Newly Appointed NV Chief Resigns Before Taking Oath

    Newly Appointed NV Chief Resigns Before Taking Oath

    Allegations of pending criminal charges led to Sparks officials asking for Mark Lawson’s resignation.

    Source firehouse.com News

    Less than a week after being hired to head the Sparks Fire Department, Mark Lawson has resigned. 

    His departure came after city officials learned that ‘serious criminal charges’ are about to be filed against him, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal.

    “I am here with terrible bad horrible news,” said city manager Neil Krutz in a video message to Sparks Fire Department employees Monday.

    The nature of the charges have not been released.

    Krutz said after spending time with Lawson last week discussing the future of the fire department, he was looking forward to working with him. However, when the information surfaced, he felt it was best to part ways. 

    Lawson was a former assistant chief/division chief of operations for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit. He was chosen from among six finalists who were part of a national process that involved the search services of Ralph Andersen & Associates of Rocklin, California.

    Until a new chief is selected, two division chiefs will share command.

  • New Jersey Fire Department Orders Seven Custom Pierce Fire Apparatus

    New Jersey Fire Department Orders Seven Custom Pierce Fire Apparatus

    Elizabeth Fire Department’s new apparatus will replace old and out-of-service units to better equip the department for current and future emergency call volume.

    Source firehouse.com

    APPLETON, Wis. (December 6, 2022) – Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced Elizabeth Fire Department in New Jersey has placed an order for seven custom Pierce fire apparatus, including two Arrow XT™ pumpers, a 100’ Heavy-Duty Rear Mount Aerial Ladder, two Walk-In Heavy-Duty Rescues, a Non-Walk-In Heavy-Duty Rescue tactical response unit, and a Walk-In Heavy-Duty Rescue special operations vehicle. The new fire apparatus purchase was conducted through Pierce dealer, Fire and Safety Services, and is part of a fleet replacement initiative to both upgrade current vehicles and replace some out-of-service units to best equip the department’s seven firehouses with the management of increasing emergency call volume.

    “When selecting and designing new fire apparatus, our department looks for safety, reliability, fleet continuity, sole-source manufacturing, and rugged construction which can stand up to our community’s varying terrain,” said Salvatore J. Barraco, chief of the Elizabeth Fire Department. “Adding new fire apparatus to our frontline fleet was a primary focus, but the opportunity to remove some older units and place them into reserve status was a huge benefit. 

    Elizabeth Fire Department’s new fire apparatus will feature:

    Pierce Arrow XT Pumpers

    • Arrow XT chassis
    • Cummins L9 450 hp engine
    • 700-gallon water tank
    • 2000 gpm single-stage pump
    • Husky™ 3 foam system
    • Low overall height of 10’11”

    100’ Heavy-Duty Rear-Mount Aerial Ladder

    • Arrow XT chassis
    • Cummins X12 500 hp engine
    • 8 kw generator 
    • Low overall height of 11’1”
    • 100’ heavy-duty aerial device with 500 lb tip load and short 12’ outrigger stance
    • 207’ of ground ladders 
    • Extended torque box

    Walk-In Heavy-Duty Rescue 1

    • Arrow XT chassis with 46” two-door cab
    • Cummins X15 500 hp engine
    • 25.5’ walk-in rescue body
    • Low overall height of 10’10”
    • Multiplex electrical system
    • Harrison 20 kw generator
    • Front and rear winches, multiple hitch receivers, and rope anchor points
    • 48’ of ground ladders

    Walk-In Heavy-Duty Rescue 2

    • Arrow XT chassis with 67” cab
    • Cummins X12 500 hp engine
    • 23.5’ walk-in rescue body
    • Low overall height of 10’8”
    • Harrison 20 kw generator
    • Front winch

    Non-Walk-In Heavy-Duty Rescue Tactical Response Unit         

    • Freightliner M2-107 4×4 chassis
    • 16’ Encore® rescue body
    • Cummins L9 360 hp engine
    • Low overall height of 10’7”
    • Front winch

    Walk-In Heavy-Duty Rescue Special Operations Vehicle

    • Arrow XT 6×6 chassis with 57” cab
    • 23.5’ walk-in rescue body
    • Cummins L9 450 hp engine (with engine brake)
    • Low overall height of 10’11”
    • Custom interior body storage for trench rescue equipment
    • Onan 10 kw diesel generator

    “Pierce Manufacturing and the Fire and Safety Services team has worked with the Elizabeth Fire Department for many years with sales, parts, and service support,” said Gregg Cariddi, sales representative with Fire and Safety Services. “We’ve appreciated having the opportunity to work collaboratively to analyze the department’s unique needs and help select the most advanced fire apparatus to best support each critical mission they may encounter. Our team looks forward to continuing to build our relationship and providing dedicated service support for many years to come.”

    The city of Elizabeth encompasses a population of over 135,000 people, with a wide range of street types and terrain, including residential and mixed-use roads, county highways, state and interstate highways, industrial roadways, marine shipping terminal roadways, airport grounds and more. The Elizabeth Fire Department operates seven fire stations with 276 personnel and responds to over 22,000 calls per year. The department’s fleet requires the use of heavy-duty fire apparatus that supports the varying type and volume of daily operations and specialty tasks, including technical rescue incidents.

    Chief Barraco added, “As part of the Metro Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Strike Team, which consists of multiple New Jersey fire departments and other emergency services divisions working together, our spectrum of emergency service calls is broad. Our fire apparatus must support our daily operations and specialty tasks.”

  • MD Man Finds Brother’s Dead Body in Warehouse Hours After Firefighters Leave

    MD Man Finds Brother’s Dead Body in Warehouse Hours After Firefighters Leave

    The family of a man whose body was found 10 hours after a warehouse fire in Southwest Baltimore is asking for answers.

    Source Firehouse.com News

    The family of a man whose body was found 10 hours after a warehouse fire in Southwest Baltimore is asking for answers.

    According to WJZ News, when the brother of James Craig, Jr. heard that the warehouse where he worked was involved in a fire, he called his Craig.

    When Craig didn’t respond, his brother went to the warehouse and began to look around.

    Within minutes, he claims he found Craig’s body at the top of the stairs.

    Now, the family is asking Baltimore City officials why firefighters didn’t find Craig.

    “I don’t know how dark it was, but if they would have peaked up there, they’d have seen his body,” the brother said. “I would like to know what prevented them from going in there.”

    Craig’s father, James Craig Sr., said that if firefighters would have found him at the time of the fire, he could still be alive.

    “My son was upstairs,” Craig Sr. told WJZ. “He could’ve been unconscious at the time. They could have resuscitated him, you know what I mean? And, he’d be alive right now.”  

    According to 9-1-1 dispatch calls, firefighters were ordered to evacuate the building when conditions worsened.

    The fire was put out around 1 a.m., and Craig’s body was found 10 hours later.

    “I feel like they didn’t do their job that night,” a neighbor said. “They didn’t do the walkthrough. They didn’t do what they were supposed to do.”

    The fire comes on the heels of Baltimore City’s fire chief, Niles Ford, resigning Friday after a report detailed what went wrong in a January fire that killed three firefighters.

    Among the issues addressed in the report were the department’s policies on emergency operations in vacant buildings.

    The building on West Lexington was not vacant, but fire officials told WJZ this weekend they believed it was, at first.