PHOTO: On Friday evening, members of five local fire departments were engaged in a fierce fight — not with a fire, but with each other. Instead of their usual tools — hoses, axes and ladders — they were chucking foam balls at each other, playing dodgeball.
It was a strange sight to see. Firefighters from the Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Bloomingdale, Paul Smiths-Gabriels and Duane volunteer fire departments packed into the gymnasium of the Citizen Advocates building (the former Pius X high school) in Saranac Lake, paying dodgeball in full firefighting gear. - PUB DATE: 4/20/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Adirondack Daily Enterprise - Metered Site
VIDEO: Firefighters in Niagara Falls responded to the scene of a large fire early Sunday morning on Niagara Street, near 20th Street.
Massive flames and a large plume of smoke could be seen around 6 a.m. from 2 On Your Side's camera on top of the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino.
City of Niagara Falls Fire Chief Joe Pedulla says upon arrival, the fire was venting through the roof of the former Frosted Mug bar and restaurant. - PUB DATE: 4/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WGRZ-TV NBC 2 Buffalo
More than 10.3 million acres of land were scorched by wildfires nationwide in 2020. Firefighters battling the harrowing flames often work shifts that exceed 24 hours, and they stay in close quarters in remote locations for weeks at a time, offering a prime opportunity for COVID-19 to spread.
In addition, firefighters in urban areas as well as in wildlands routinely are exposed to smoke, carbon monoxide, toxins from structure fires and other hazards to lung health. - PUB DATE: 4/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Fairfield Sun Times
VIDEO: Two people were killed Saturday night in a fiery crash involving a Tesla, according to Harris County Pct. 4 Constable Mark Herman.
This happened at about 11:25 p.m. in the Carlton Woods Subdivision on Hammock Dunes Place.
Constable Herman said the 2019 Tesla Model S was traveling on a roadway and at some point, the vehicle, which deputies said was traveling at a high rate of speed, came to a slight curve. - PUB DATE: 4/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHOU-TV CBS 11 Houston
The 1906 earthquake in San Francisco struck on April 18 at 5:12 a.m., registering a massive 7.9M on the Richter scale — killing more than 3,000 and leaving a trail of fires that destroyed 80% of the city. Sunday morning, San Francisco erupted in celebration to commemorate the day but to also usher in hope. - PUB DATE: 4/19/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: SFIST
VIDEO: Most San Diego firefighters spend the majority of their career fighting house and brush fires, but this week, dozens are practicing for something very different - a plane on fire at the airport.
“In a house is what we call a Class A fire, typically materials, linens, and wood,” Capt. Derrin Austin with San Diego Fire-Rescue said. - PUB DATE: 4/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KFMB-TV CBS/CW 8 San Diego
VIDEO: All lanes of SR-112/Airport Expressway are back open after a fiery crash involving a tractor-trailer and a Florida rapper shut them down early Thursday morning.
The accident happened near NW 12th Avenue shortly after 3:30 a.m. The driver of the tractor-trailer, who lost his shoe escaping his burning truck, said the other vehicle involved had been speeding on the shoulder when the crash happened. - PUB DATE: 4/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFOR-TV CBS 4 Miami
Chattanooga city leaders came together Thursday afternoon to discuss their commitment to public safety and emergency response.
This project is called Power to Protect. It's a joint initiative between the city and EPB.
Mayor Andy Berke said he doesn't know of another community in the country doing this. - PUB DATE: 4/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WRCB-TV NBC 3 Chattanooga
They sit behind multiple computer screens their entire shift, but they could save your life. They are the operators of 911 dispatch. And although National Public Safety Telecommunications Week is under way, their jobs have not become any less stressful.
Longview Police Department Communications Manager Matt Ainsworth says if anyone deserves a week named for them, it’s 911 telecommunicators. - PUB DATE: 4/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KLTV ABC 7 Tyler
The Cleveland Fire Fighter's Association said it has safety concerns when it comes to the city's aging fleet of fire trucks.
Fire union President Francis Lally pointed to Cleveland's latest annual report on the fire department, which indicated 13 of the city's 42 fire trucks are listed in "poor condition," with eight of the trucks having more than 120,000 miles on them. - PUB DATE: 4/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WEWS-TV ABC 5 Cleveland
VIDEO: Pasco County rescue crews got a unique training experience Wednesday aboard the historic American Victory Ship docked in Tampa.
Pasco County Fire Rescue Special Operations Division bought all three shifts of crews to do some advanced confined-space training 60 feet down in the ship’s hull – training they might not otherwise be able to get at home. - PUB DATE: 4/15/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WTVT-TV Fox 13 Tampa
VIDEO: A fire caused heavy damage Wednesday morning to an apartment complex on the city’s North Side.
When firefighters arrived at the complex in the 3200 block of Nacogdoches Road, they found heavy flames and called in a second alarm.
San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said between 60 to 100 occupants will need to find another place to live. - PUB DATE: 4/15/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KSAT-TV ABC 12 San Antonio
Some associate post traumatic stress disorder with members of the military, but those on the frontlines at home also deal with it.
“I’m a retired firefighter myself, and after 20 years on the job I’ve seen two of my brothers lost to suicide and two other suicide attempts,” Robert Coleman said.
After several years, one bill finally passed through the West Virginia Legislature that lawmakers believe will save lives. - PUB DATE: 4/15/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WCHS-TV ABC/FOX 8 Charleston
Seven volunteer fire companies in Niagara County are signed up to take part in the 12th annual Recruit NY Weekend organized by the Firemen's Association of the State of New York. Recruit NY Weekend is April 24-25.
Participating companies include Rapids, Middleport, Terry's Corners, Shawnee, Adams, Active Hose and Wendelville. - PUB DATE: 4/15/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Lockport Union-Sun Journal
VIDEO: Two years ago, the Orange County Fire Rescue Division created an Apparatus Committee with the expectation of taking a look at its current apparatus, and specifically its fire engines, in order to find ways to become more efficient. The results were recently revealed in impressive fashion.
“Efficiency and safety were our two main goals when we went to redesign the engine,” said Battalion Chief Brian Beechner. - PUB DATE: 4/14/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Orange County Government
VIDEO: Electric cars are better for the environment but can pose a hazard for firefighters.
El Paso Fire Department Captain Manuel Maldonado said electric cars are not necessarily more dangerous, but require a different approach when trying to put out fires caused by a crash or any accident.
He said that the initial extinguishing of the fire is the same: the firefighters wear the same protective equipment to extinguish the flames, but they take one additional step after. - PUB DATE: 4/14/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTSM-TV NBC 9 El Paso
A federal appellate court said Tuesday that prosecutors can retry a man whose conviction in the 1995 deaths of three firefighters in the East Hills was overturned.
In a 19-page opinion, the three judge-panel from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the federal retrial of Gregory Brown Jr. - PUB DATE: 4/14/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: TribLive.com/Tribune-Review
PHOTOS: When firefighters arranged to conduct search and rescue training on a vacant house in memory of Dominic “Bama” Hunt, who died in a Sylvania Township house fire in February, Mr. Hunt’s fiancée Teresa Laney wanted to be there.
“We had to be here as part of the healing process,” Ms. Laney said. - PUB DATE: 4/14/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Blade
The 19-year-old man accused of stealing a Dallas Fire-Rescue ambulance earlier this month visited the fire station the day before and inquired about becoming a firefighter, police say.
Felix Lopez is currently facing a second-degree felony charge of theft of property after being accused of stealing a $230,000 ambulance from Dallas Fire Station 53 on April 5 and leading multiple police agencies on an hourslong chase that only ended when the emergency vehicle got stuck off-road with flat tires. - PUB DATE: 4/13/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTVT CBS 11 Fort Worth
PHOTO: A Vietnam veteran in Stafford County received an unexpected gift from the same first responders who came to his aid when his house caught fire nearly two months ago.
On Friday, Robert Mihalak was presented a traditional military shadowbox that contained all of the personal military decorations he earned in the 1960s, but then lost in the Feb. - PUB DATE: 4/13/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Free Lance-Star
