PHOTOS: For the first time, an electric fire truck will be responding to emergencies in Charlotte leaving from the city’s first all-electric fire station. The city held an uncoupling ceremony Tuesday at Fire House 30 where Charlotte Fire and city leaders officially welcomed the new station into service.

According to Chief Reginald Johnson, the station replaces a 35-year-old fire house known affectionately as “Grandma’s House” that the department has long out-grown.

“The new firehouse represents the same commitment now matched with the resources needed for today and the flexibility needed for tomorrow,” he said. The new station cost $10.3 million to build and includes all electric appliances, a geothermal heat pump system and a rooftop solar array that provides enough energy to offset about 29% of the building’s power.

The station will also be home to the city’s first electric fire truck. Charlotte’s Chief Sustainability Officer Heather Bolick said this truck will serve as a test to see how well trucks like this can meet the needs of the city. “We definitely want to see this in action,” she said.

The post North Carolina: Charlotte’s first all-electric fire station is ready for service appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring Jan. 7 as a day of remembrance for the victims of the Los Angeles fires. In honor of the day, flags at all state buildings will be flown at half-staff.

“One year ago, fire tore through Los Angeles, shattering ordinary days and forever changing the lives of tens of thousands of people in Malibu, Altadena, Pasadena, and the Pacific Palisades,” the proclamation stated. “In a matter of hours, neighborhoods were reduced to ash, families were displaced, and 31 lives were taken — each one irreplaceable, each one deeply loved.”

The proclamation emphasized the ongoing impact of the fires, noting that the loss leaves “wounds that time cannot heal.”

It also highlighted the broader context of wildfires in California, referencing past fires such as the Tubbs, Camp, and North Complex fires. “The past decade has seen fires on a scale once unimaginable – driven by hotter temperatures, prolonged drought, and the accelerating realities of a changing climate,” Newsom said.

The post California governor declares Jan. 7 as remembrance day for Los Angeles fire victims appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Six people were hurt, almost all of them firefighters, when giant orange flames tore through a residential building in Queens overnight, displacing residents and raining debris, authorities say.

According to the FDNY, a 3:30 a.m. call came in about fire on the first floor of a two-story home in Ridgewood, on Madison Street between Seneca and Onderdonk avenues.

Video posted to the Citizen app showed firefighters encountered heavy flames. Four buildings were impacted in total. It took hours to at least contain the fire, which escalated to five alarms at its peak; by 8:45 a.m., officials said the fire still wasn’t considered under control.

Operations were ongoing throughout the early morning hours Tuesday. Displaced residents in Red Cross blankets were seen standing on the side of the street, watching the firefighting effort.

One of the injured firefighters had an air conditioner topple out a window and fall on him at the scene. He was taken to a hospital with “significant” pain, officials said. The firefighter is expected to be OK.

The post VIDEOS: Firefighter hit by falling AC unit, 5 others hurt in New York inferno appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A year after twin infernos tore across opposite ends of Los Angeles County, the scars are still visible. Thousands of homes were reduced to rubble, with rebuilding slow, and the death toll showed how a wildfire under extreme weather conditions can turn catastrophic.

The Palisades and Eaton fires ignited within hours of each other on Jan. 6, 2024. These figures show how fast the disaster unfolded and the toll it left behind:

The speed of predicted wind gusts in mountain areas, equivalent to 145 kilometers per hour. Red Flag warnings were issued Jan. 6 for severe wildfire danger as Southern California was buffeted by the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds. Grass and brush were tinder dry after months with little or no rain. The National Weather Service warned it could be a life-threatening wind event. Firefighting assets were pre-positioned in areas deemed to be at especially high risk for fires.

The post These numbers tell the story of the Los Angeles wildfires, one year later appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Flames tore through the Lake House Inn Sunday night, destroying a historic supper club near Edgerton that had stood for generations as a place for family gatherings and community connection.

The Lake House Inn was deemed a total loss after crews were called to the property at 8:28 p.m. for reports of smoke in the area, according to Rock County Communications.

When firefighters arrived, they saw flames coming from the structure. Lakeside Fire Rescue requested mutual aid, prompting multiple agencies to respond, including the Rock County Sheriff’s Office. Officials urged nearby residents to close doors and windows due to heavy smoke. By 11:30 p.m., flames had been extinguished, though WMTV crews on scene could still see smoke rising from the remains of the building as firefighters continued their work overnight.

The sheriff’s office said the business was closed at the time of the fire and confirmed no one was inside. Investigators later determined the building was a total loss. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The post VIDEO: Historic Wisconsin supper club destroyed in fire appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: A massive fire that tore through a three-story apartment complex under construction in Denver on Friday evening was still smoldering over the weekend as crews battled hotspots.

The blaze erupted at the Harker Heights building site at around 6:45 p.m. Friday near S. Leetsdale Drive and S. Forest Street, forcing street closures, evacuations and injuring one firefighter. No other injuries were reported. S. Leetsdale Drive remains closed between S. Forest and S. Holly streets.

Evacuations were issued for residents behind the construction site on Friday evening due to heat from the fire. Officials said 12 families stayed at an emergency shelter overnight from Friday into Saturday, but the shelter closed around noon on Saturday.

“We just all were rushing into the car, and my dad was grabbing drinks because we didn’t know if we were going to have to stay out of our house all day,” said an evacuee.

The post VIDEOS: Massive fire tears through apartment complex under construction in Denver appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO: Construction is underway on Boone County’s first child care center built exclusively for first responders. The 10,000-square-foot facility will feature multiple classrooms, indoor and outdoor play areas, and room for future expansion.

“I love this job, but at the end of the day, family comes first,” said Matthew Goodspeed, a single father and emergency telecommunicator said. “I have to do what’s right for my family. Being able to be flexible with child care and being able to work odd or different hours at times will definitely open up some doors.”

The new child care center is being built with a $2.5 million funding agreement appropriated by the Missouri General Assembly and approved by the Boone County Commission. This money covers roughly half of the project’s cost.

“We see this as a way to show our first responders within Boone County government that we have their back, that they can continue to go out and do their critical work each and every day, knowing that their most important asset — their child — is safe at a facility right there on site with them receiving high-quality care,” Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick said.

The post Child care center for public safety workers in one Missouri county hopes to help family come first appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: Multiple buildings were destroyed in a massive fire in the heart of downtown Arcata on Friday afternoon. According to Arcata Fire officials, the fire began in a two-story commercial structure in the 800 block of 10th Street around 2:30 p.m., with apartments above and businesses below.

The fire, exacerbated by high winds and a ruptured gas main, caused devastating damage to businesses including Northtown Books, Dandar’s Games and portions of Hensel’s Ace Hardware, as well as the apartment dwellings, the Arcata Fire District and Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department said.

The Arcata Fire District quickly responded to the fire with assistance from agencies from Ferndale, Loleta, Samoa, Kneeland, Westhaven, Fieldbrook, Humboldt Bay, Fortuna, Rio Dell and Blue Lake, as well as support from Cal Fire Trinidad, Cal Fire Weott, Arcata Police, CHP and PG&E for the ruptured gas line.

The post VIDEOS: Large fire erupts in northern California coastal city; multiple structures destroyed appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Crews have the large fire at a Roselle Park flooring company under control. Police are still blocking off the area in front of the Crossfield Products Corporation. News 12 is told the building makes resin for floors. Crews responded to the fire on Valley Road near the corner of Westfield Avenue around 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

Mayor Joseph Signorello Jr. says thankfully there have been no reports of any injuries so far. Mutual aid from surrounding towns stayed through the night to get the fire under control. The fire did not spread to any other buildings in this residential area.

Multiple homes were evacuated as a safety precaution, and some did lose power but the lights are back on in the neighborhood. Roselle Park Police asked residents to keep windows and doors closed because of poor air quality from the heavy smoke.

There were reports of strong odors from the chemicals. This morning there is very little smoke. The mayor added that crews are going to bring in heavy equipment to safely address any remaining concerns with the building and officials have not yet given a cause.

The post VIDEOS: Crews bring large New Jersey fire under control appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Volunteer fire and EMS departments in Dubuque County have a new avenue to fund first responders — and possibly a helpful tool for recruitment and retention.

The state recently allocated $1.5 million to volunteer firefighters, emergency medical service providers and reserve peace officers through a program that requires a local match. First responders can receive an up-to-$500 benefit each, but the amount depends on how many departments apply.

“The Length of Service Award Program was designed as a way to enhance recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters,” said Mike Lambert, director for the Key West Community Fire Department. “Once our firefighters realize that this could be a benefit, maybe it’ll increase participation from our volunteers. With any organization, we always want to increase the participation.”

The post ‘Step in the right direction’: Iowa program offers funding for volunteer firefighters appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO: Around 40 people are dead and around 115 others were severely injured after a fire broke out during a New Year’s Eve celebration at a bar in a Swiss Alps resort, authorities said Thursday.

Calling it an “unprecedented tragedy,” Valais canton police commander Frédéric Gisler said many of the injured are in critical condition.

“The priority will be to identify those who lost their lives,” Gisler said at a news conference. Swiss President Guy Parmelin said that many of the victims were young people and the victims include Swiss residents as well as tourists from neighboring countries and elsewhere.

“Behind these numbers are faces, names, families, destinies brutally interrupted,” Parmelin said at the press conference.

The new year was less than two hours old when the fire that devoured the Le Constellation in the town of Crans-Montana was first reported around 1:30 a.m. (7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday), Gisler said.

The post International News: Around 40 dead after fire sweeps through Swiss ski resort bar appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A CSX train derailment on Tuesday morning forced residents to evacuate their homes or shelter in place after a railcar leaked molten sulfur, creating a dangerous gas plume. The Trenton Fire Department reported that fewer than 100 homes were impacted by the incident, which occurred around 6:30 a.m.

Chuck Sadler with the Trenton Voluntary Fire Department received a page stating that several CSX cars had rolled off the tracks. He was one of the first people on the scene. “The accident scene was within a mile of my house, less than a mile. So, we were there pretty quickly,” Sadler said.

“Two or three of us got there, and it was quite a bit more than we expected.” “There was some smoke, low-hanging smoke, and did notice like a little irritation to the throat, but nothing severe. And we just got upwind of it and stayed there.”

As firefighters realized one of the rail cars was leaking molten sulfur, they began alerting those who live within a mile of the derailment, telling residents to leave their homes or shelter in place with their HVAC systems turned off. Frank Amaro lives near Highway 41, about a mile from where the train derailed.

The post VIDEO: Train derailment forces evacuations in Kentucky appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Franklin’s Fire Department over the past three weeks has said goodbye to five high ranking officials who have retired after a combined 146 years of service.

“Each of these leaders has played a significant role in shaping the department and mentoring the firefighters who will carry our mission forward,” said Fire Chief Glenn Johnson. “Through their leadership, professionalism, and dedication, they strengthened both our culture and the level of service provided to the Franklin community. We are grateful for their contributions and proud of the legacy they leave behind.”

Some of the positions have already been filled. Battalion Chief Jose Periut was promoted to fill the position vacated by Battalion Chief Joe Polenzani. Additional promotion announcements are expected soon.

Here’s more about the five retirees and what they expect to do with their newfound free time:

Lieutenant Todd Stapleton (31 years) – Stapleton originally started his career in the Franklin Fire Department by accident. The Brentwood native was invited by a friend to a volunteer meeting in 1989 and then he and his identical twin brother Scott joined the Williamson County Rescue Squad (WCRS) as volunteer firefighters. Five years later, Stapleton was hired by the FFD. He plans to take a little time to get back to what would be considered “a normal schedule” before deciding what comes next.

Battalion Chief Joe Polenzani (27 years) – ​​Polenzani began his career in 1992 as a volunteer firefighter with the Ashland City Fire Department, where he served for 10 years, until he got married and moved to Williamson County. He then joined the Franklin Fire Department in 1998. He plans to remain active with the State’s Type 3 All-Hazards Incident Management Team, continue teaching at national training conferences and hopes to spend more time playing music, especially with the Nashville Fire Pipes and Drums.

Lieutenant Dave Metcalf (28 years) – After Metcalf’s military service in the United States Air Force, he entered the fire service as a volunteer in 1990 with Bullion Fire, later becoming a paid/call firefighter with the Nevada County Consolidated Fire Protection District while also working in construction. When his family relocated to Middle Tennessee, Metcalf followed and joined the Franklin Fire Department in 1997. Metcalf is planning to travel and spend more time with his four grandchildren.

Assistant Fire Chief Greg Baltimore (33 years) – Baltimore joined the Franklin Fire Department in 1992 and progressed through the ranks from firefighter to engineer, lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and assistant fire chief. He served 13 years as a battalion chief before being promoted to assistant fire chief in December 2020. During his tenure, he was a key leader in maintaining the department’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class 1 rating, a distinction earned by only the top one percent of fire departments nationwide out of more than 37,000 evaluated. He plans to spend time with his wife, his son, who is a high school senior, along with his adult son and daughter-in-law and their newly born daughter.

Captain Tom Chaffin (27 years) – A graduate of Franklin High School, Chaffin began his fire service career in 1992 as a volunteer firefighter in Bowling Green, Kentucky, while attending Western Kentucky University. After graduating, he returned to Franklin, joined the Williamson County Rescue Squad in 1994 as a volunteer firefighter, and was hired by the Franklin Fire Department in 1998. He considers one of his proudest accomplishments to be maintaining a strong family life throughout his career. He and his wife, Mindy, have two children, Alyssa (20) and Aaron (15). Chaffin looks forward to “our family’s adventure” of what comes next.

The post Tennessee: Franklin Fire Department leaders retire with combined 146 years of service appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

A crew of firefighters Tuesday morning was able to contain a large fire at a cannabis grow facility in East Oakland.

The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. on 44th Avenue and San Leandro Street. About 35 firefighters responded to the scene and were quickly able to put out the flames within 30 mins.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and thankfully there were no reports of injuries. The property, which was previously a ship maintenance and repair facility, was recently listed for sale.

The post VIDEOS: Crews quickly contain large fire at California cannabis grow facility appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: Winter weather caused a series of accidents along I-196 near Saugatuck, including a major truck crash. Smoke and flames covered the icy roadways early Monday morning, after a tandem trailer semi-truck barreled through thick concrete barriers and exploded on impact with the ground below.

Saugatuck Fire Chief Greg Janik says the call came in around 7 a.m. when high winds and icy conditions created low visibility for drivers. Witnesses say the truck was driving alone in the northbound lanes when it suddenly jackknifed, sending it off the highway and onto Old Allegan Road.

Jared Slenker was stuck in standstill traffic in the southbound lanes when he saw the crash happen in a matter of seconds. “When he hit the ground and the fireball went up for the first time, I felt it through the windows of my van,” he said. Slenker was one of several bystanders who took the unconscious driver up the hill. Shortly after, Slenker heard the second explosion.

The post VIDEOS: Driver taken to hospital after semi-truck crashes through I-196 overpass in Michigan, catches fire appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: Swan Valley Fire was called to a trailer house fire Monday afternoon where they found flames coming from a bedroom window. The fire started around 12:50 p.m. at 3481 Swan Valley Highway. Firefighters quickly arrived. But as they started fighting the fire, the homeowners tried to go back into the burning trailer to recover items.

Firefighters had to physically stop them. Crystal said the homeowners attempted to re-enter the buildings several times after being told to stay back for their own safety. Fire Chief Travis Crystal said two mobile homes were joined together. Crystal said at one point, one of the homeowners climbed a ladder and was on the roof with an ax, trying to keep the fire from spreading to the attached house.

Firefighters were attempting to spray water on the buildings at the time. There are conflicting reports on whether or not the man was knocked off the building or if he jumped. When he was on the ground, he was restrained by firefighters. Chief Chrystal says that during that altercation, one of the firefighters was punched in the face. The firefighter was treated on the scene and released.

The post Idaho firefighter punched by homeowner while trying to stop them from entering burning home appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Google’s self-driving effort, Waymo, is at the forefront of the robotaxi movement. The company is already offering commercial service, with its distinctive white Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, in several American cities, with more to come in 2026. But robotaxis have not quite mastered all the human traffic world’s nuances yet.

So we’ve seen Waymo vehicles doing things such as driving around a parking lot honking at each other incessantly, bringing traffic to a halt by getting into standoffs, and, potentially more dangerously, driving passengers directly through an armed police standoff. It’s definitely still a work-in-progress.

Teaching the machines to interact with humans will require more time and effort. So in the meantime, Waymo decided to help diffuse some incidents by teaching human first responders how to interact with the machines. Waymo announced a partnership with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) to create an online training program for police, EMS, and other first responders.

The post Waymo is training first responders to interact with autonomous vehicles appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: Two people were reportedly hospitalized after a large fire broke out at a house connected to a star NASCAR driver in North Carolina on Sunday. The blaze was sparked the night of Dec. 28 along Blacksnake Road in Gaston County. Lucia-Riverbend firefighters said several fire departments from across Gaston and Lincoln counties were called to the home.

Pictures shared by the Lucia-Riverbend Fire Department showed the main part of the house engulfed in tall flames, with much of the home gone by the time the fire was out. “We are thankful for the multiple agency response and ask that the public be in prayer for the affected family and our first responders in fire, GEMs and police,” the department wrote on Facebook.

Tax records connected the property to a company owned by NASCAR star Denny Hamlin, as well as his father, Dennis Hamlin. The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi reported that two people were hospitalized after the fire, although it was not immediately clear who, nor how bad their injuries were.

The post VIDEO: Huge fire at house tied to star NASCAR driver leaves 2 hospitalized in North Carolina appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

VIDEO: The Buffalo Fire Department on Saturday marked the 42nd anniversary of the deadliest tragedies in its history, honoring the lives of five firefighters and two civilians killed in a propane tank explosion in 1983. Firefighters, families of the victims and community members gathered at the memorial site on North Division Street, where the explosion leveled a warehouse and destroyed an entire city block just days after Christmas.

The call came in at 8:23 p.m. on Dec. 27, 1983, reporting a propane gas leak inside a warehouse. Moments after firefighters arrived on scene, the tank exploded. “Being on the fire department, you never know what you’re going to run into,” recalled Fred Langdon, who was Buffalo’s fire commissioner at the time

“I was at a dinner, and I came right away,” Langdon said. “In fact, we felt the explosion where I was, and I spent the night there,” Langdon said. The blast killed firefighters Michael Austin, Michael Catanzarro, James Lickfeld, Anthony Waszkielewicz and Matthew Colpoys — and the civilians, Alfred and Jessie Arnold. In the decades since, the corner has remained a permanent memorial to their sacrifice.

The post Fire community in New York remembers lives lost 42 years after propane explosion appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

PHOTOS: Firefighters battled to contain a massive blaze that sparked Friday evening at a historic wharf in Portland, Maine. One building was destroyed in the fire, and others were damaged in the blaze that broke out on the Custom House Wharf, FOX 23 reported.

The Old Port in Portland was a major 19th century and early 20th century hub for the commercial fishing industry in the area and is now a popular tourist area with restaurants and shops; working fisherman still keep their boats there.

“Unfortunately, it looked like the fire had a pretty good head start on us when we got down here, but the first companies did a great job. And they made a really aggressive attack to keep it from spreading down the rest of the wharf,” Deputy Fire Chief Jon Hendricks told FOX 23.

The post VIDEOS: Massive blaze engulfs historic Maine wharf; firefighters race to contain flames appeared first on Daily Dispatch.