Jim Mallardo and Billy Morrisey are part of a group of residents who have mobilized to help put out fires lit by rioters following protests that have increasingly transformed into violence in downtown Kenosha at night. What they want people to know is that they’re not against the protests. These fire stoppers don’t want their city to burn at the hands of those who are set on destroying it.
- PUB DATE: 8/28/2020 1:06:56 AM - SOURCE: Kenosha News

A coalition of environmental organizations is calling on Wisconsin’s natural resources policy board to approve temporary regulations on the use and storage of firefighting foam containing hazardous chemicals known as PFAS. The Natural Resources Board earlier this month voted to table a rule that would establish guidelines on containment and disposal of the chemicals, which have been linked to cancer and other illnesses and don’t break down in the environment, after industry groups and some Republican lawmakers objected to some of the proposed standards.
- PUB DATE: 8/27/2020 1:09:55 PM - SOURCE: Kenosha News

Far fewer people voted in Wheatland on a binding resolution to authorize funding for firehouse construction than voted in a non-binding referendum in February seeking support to build a new station. But, the result was the same. Their answer was “no.” This time, by a larger margin. In February, 426 residents, or 58%, voted against a plan to spend up to $3.
- PUB DATE: 8/26/2020 1:04:13 PM - SOURCE: Lake Geneva News

Following a third straight night of violent protests in Kenosha, the most recent of which turned deadly, law enforcement officers in the city will be getting even more assistance from the National Guard as well as from federal agencies. On Wednesday, Gov. Tony Evers doubled the number of members of the National Guard who will be deployed to Kenosha, announcing 500 soldiers will be activated.
- PUB DATE: 8/26/2020 12:27:09 PM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

Several Northwoods first responder groups have picked up grant money to help their agencies. The Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) is providing a total of $50,000 through its Rewarding Responders Grant to 27 emergency response agencies in this region. Among this year’s recipients is the Tomahawk Fire Department, which is purchasing two new automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
- PUB DATE: 8/26/2020 5:16:16 AM - SOURCE: WXPR-FM 91.7 Public Radio

As Madison police used chemicals and less lethal weapons to disperse crowds damaging downtown buildings Monday night, proposals moving through the city’s legislative process would seek to limit those tools. Madison Fire Department Chief Steven Davis said this equipment is needed, at times, to “protect life, protect property.
- PUB DATE: 8/25/2020 7:56:33 PM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times - Metered Site

The Sparta Area Fire District responded to a house fire late Monday night in Sparta. On August 24 at 11:49 p.m., crews were dispatched to a fire at 114 South Thayer Street. The initial call reported everyone was out of the house, but when firefighters arrived at the scene, Sparta Police Officers were rescuing a resident from the roof.
- PUB DATE: 8/25/2020 1:00:46 PM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse

Dozens of business owners are cleaning up after a night of unrest in Kenosha. Protesters broke windows and started fires after police shot Jacob Blake, 29, multiple times. Vandals torched dozens of vehicles at a car dealership. A former employee recorded video of the scene. "All cars are done for.
- PUB DATE: 8/24/2020 11:21:57 AM - SOURCE: WISN-TV ABC 12 Milwaukee

Officials from the city and town of Milton on Wednesday took another step toward possibly consolidating fire services with Janesville by agreeing to drill down on the cost and what an agreement would look like. The two communities last met jointly in 2017 to discuss an intergovernmental agreement to expand shared services between their fire department and the Janesville Fire Department.
- PUB DATE: 8/24/2020 9:02:05 AM - SOURCE: Janesville Gazette

Authorities are investigating a brush fire that closed down Riverside Drive in Allouez early Saturday morning. Green Bay Metro Fire says it was dispatched for a report of a brush fire near HWY 172 and Riverside Drive at around 5 a.m. On arrival, the first crews found a 25 x 50 foot shed on fire and spreading to surrounding brush and grass.
- PUB DATE: 8/22/2020 5:43:19 AM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV CBS 5 Green Bay

The Stoddard Bergen Fire Department Firefighters Labor Day Picnic Fundraiser will not be held in the Stoddard Village Park this year. According to a letter that was sent to members of the community and published on the fire department’s website, the decision to cancel the 61st annual event was made “based on several factors, all of which could impact the health and safety of our community: Roadwork construction on Hwy.
- PUB DATE: 8/22/2020 1:04:01 AM - SOURCE: Vernon Broadcaster

The Superior fire department was given a big gift this week. Husky Refinery in Superior donated $50,000 dollars to the fire department to help buy a new tower truck for the station.Though talks about funding the truck came before the refinery explosion in 2018, Fire chief Scott Gordon says having a truck like this would have been helpful in an incident like the refinery's.
- PUB DATE: 8/21/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WDIO-TV ABC 10 Duluth

Firefighters responded to a vehicle fire on westbound I-90 Thursday around 2:30 a.m., a release said. According to the release, a vehicle crashed and one person was seen walking away with a head injury. The car was fully engulfed in flames when Engine Co. 8 arrived. The flames from the car extended to the grass and a nearby tree, the release said.
- PUB DATE: 8/21/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

It was back to class for some area firefighters Wednesday night in Fall Creek. Fire & Industrial Response Enterprises - or FIRE - hosted an emergency response, live propane fire training session. Roughly 50 firefighters from the Fall Creek Fire Department and surrounding areas took part. The training included several fire scenarios - all of which are meant to prepare fire crews for what they can expect when a real call comes in.
- PUB DATE: 8/20/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV NBC 13 Madison

Cambridge Area EMS is looking for community support and input to help generate more than 6 million dollars for a station remodel. According to Director Bob Salov, with an increase in population growth in the over 70 acres they serve the need for emergency services has increased but their facility simply can’t keep up.
- PUB DATE: 8/19/2020 8:37:56 PM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

Firefighters from four counties were called to the scene of a large brush fire northeast of Pilgrim and Mequon roads on Tuesday afternoon. The fire was originally reported as an all-terrain vehicle on fire in a field near Vicksburg Avenue and Potomac Circle in Germantown. The first Germantown fire crews to arrive reported that the fire had spread beyond the ATV into a brushy area that included a cattail swamp, and that gaining access to the fire was going to be difficult, according to emergency radio traffic provided by Broadcastify.
- PUB DATE: 8/19/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal Sentinal

The Grand Chute Fire Department announced on Tuesday the Town Board has unanimously voted to move forward with a referendum on the November ballot seeking a levy limit increase to fund nine additional firefighter/paramedic positions. Fire officials says this referendum was proposed after extensive discussion and careful evaluation of the current and future public safety needs within the Town of Grand Chute.
- PUB DATE: 8/18/2020 10:19:45 PM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV CBS 5 Green Bay

While assisting the Cudahy Fire Department with a deadly fire at Lake Shore Tower Apartments early Aug. 16, the South Milwaukee Fire Department also helped save a swimmer in Lake Michigan too tired to make it back to shore. While crews were assisting with the multi-alarm fire, other South Milwaukee Fire Department personnel rescued an exhausted swimmer from Lake Michigan that got caught up in rip currents, according to a statement from the department.
- PUB DATE: 8/18/2020 1:08:23 PM - SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A dwindling number of volunteers coupled with a lack of eligible recruits is forcing a 146-year-old fire department in rural Dodge County to shutter its doors. A large majority of Wisconsin’s fire departments are run mostly or entirely by volunteers. It’s getting harder for many departments to recruit those volunteers, fire service leaders said, especially in rural communities.
- PUB DATE: 8/18/2020 8:45:01 AM - SOURCE: Watertown Daily Times

The De Pere City Fire Department is currently investigating a garage fire that took place on Monday afternoon. According to the fire department, at around 5:30 p.m., crews responded to a report of a fire at a home located on the 400 block Erie Street in De Pere. Upon arrival, firefighters say they found a garage in flames and were able to extinguish the fire in about five minutes.
- PUB DATE: 8/17/2020 10:34:23 PM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV CBS 5 Green Bay