COVID-19 has changed many aspects of life for all of us. It's also causing a well-known Brown County 911 dispatcher to call it a career sooner than planned. The pandemic pushed Tracy Ertl into early retirement from what she calls a mission, not a job. "I've helped deliver babies over the phone. I've talked people out of taking their lives.
- PUB DATE: 7/6/2020 7:45:17 PM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

Looking back at the holiday weekend, numbers show it was a busy weekend for first responders in our area. Over the holiday weekend (from Friday to Sunday), the Brown County Emergency Dispatch Center fielded 174 calls related to fireworks. That’s almost as much as they fielded in all of June this year.
- PUB DATE: 7/6/2020 3:45:30 PM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

A house incurred extensive damage and firefighters coped with trying conditions due to the hot weather at the scene of a fire Monday afternoon. Caledonia and South Shore firefighters were dispatched just after 2 p.m. Monday to the residence located at 6821 Beechnut Drive, just south of Six Mile Road.
- PUB DATE: 7/6/2020 3:44:00 PM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

Fire officials were called to a house fire near S. West Avenue and Richard Street around 10 p.m. Sunday, July 6th for a report of the smell of smoke in the building. Upon arrival crews found smoke coming from the roof of a two-story, four-family building. Fire crews immediately entered the building and assisted one resident out.
- PUB DATE: 7/6/2020 1:30:39 PM - SOURCE: WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

Improperly discarded fireworks caused a house fire on Madison’s west side Sunday night, according to a release from the city’s fire department. Crews were dispatched to a home along the 400 block of Seven Nations Drive around 11 p.m Saturday for reports of a porch on fire. Firefighters arrived to find flames and smoke coming from the front of the house, the release said.
- PUB DATE: 7/6/2020 10:03:40 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

A fire destroyed a detached garage and caused significant damage to the exteriors of two homes on Appleton’s southeast side Sunday evening. Firefighters found the two-stall garage engulfed when they responded to the report of a fire on the 1200-block of S. Walden Ave. at 6:45 P.M. They had the fire out in 10 minutes, but it took another 45 minutes to cool down the hot spots.
- PUB DATE: 7/6/2020 5:51:13 AM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

A barn is considered a total loss after a fire in Dodge County. According to the Reeseville Fire Department, crews were called to W10409 Highway I around 7:40 P.M. Friday night. Fire Chief Nic Gay said upon arrival the barn was engulfed in flames and a nearby shed was also on fire. Initial reports said that four people were accounted for as they went back into the barn to rescue animals, according to firefighters.
- PUB DATE: 7/5/2020 5:38:51 PM - SOURCE: WMSN-TV Fox 47 Madison

The Lake Mills Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of its own. Capt. Mark Bentheimer, 55, died this week after battling leukemia for four months. He was the department's most senior captain. "His passion was definitely the fire department, his family, his grandkids," said his wife, Peggy Bentheimer.
- PUB DATE: 7/5/2020 4:41:50 PM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee

Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue crews responded to three fires involving garbage and recycling containers in a matter of two hours on Saturday, July 4 into Sunday, July 5, officials say. Crews were called to the area of Western Avenue and S. Brooke Street for a report of a dumpster fire around 12:20 a.m.
- PUB DATE: 7/5/2020 10:37:51 AM - SOURCE: WITI-TV Fox 6 Milwaukee

Firefighters said they responded to a house fire caused by improperly discarded fireworks Saturday around 11:45 p.m. The Manitowoc Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) said the fire was on the 900 block of North 22nd Street. First responders reported flames and smoke visible from the garage that were extending into the home.
- PUB DATE: 7/5/2020 9:46:02 AM - SOURCE: WGBA-TV NBC 26 Green Bay

Nine people have been displaced after a fire starts within a 16 unit apartment building on Saturday night. According to the Green Bay Metro Fire Department, at around 8:30 p.m., crews responded to the 2700 block of Humboldt Road for a report of a fire in a 16 unit apartment building. Arriving crews said they observed fire coming out of a second-story window and due to the fire being within the apartment building and the hot weather, additional fire units and ambulances were requested.
- PUB DATE: 7/5/2020 7:44:45 AM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV CBS 5 Green Bay

La Crosse Fire Chief Ken Gilliam’s Annual Community Report for 2019 reflects optimism, even as he acknowledges that 2020’s continuing COVID-19 curse presents whole new challenges. Among the highlights of the year were responding to an increased annual volume totaling more than 6,800 incidents, recording no civilian fire casualties in 2019 and achieving cardiac arrest survival rates far above national averages, Gilliam wrote.
- PUB DATE: 7/1/2020 4:39:55 PM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse

The new Onalaska fire chief has a familiar face: The city hired Troy Gudie, who had been assistant fire chief/fire inspector since 2003 and, most recently, interim fire chief. Gudie, who assumes the new post immediately, began his firefighting career in Onalaska in 1989 as a paid, on-call firefighter/first responder.
- PUB DATE: 7/1/2020 1:50:51 PM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse

More Beloit residents have tested positive for the coronavirus than in any other Rock County municipality, but Janesville claims the higher mortality rate. After months of back and forth between county and municipal leaders, the Rock County Public Health Department has started publishing community-specific data on its website for Janesville and Beloit.
- PUB DATE: 6/30/2020 8:01:13 PM - SOURCE: Janesville Gazette

A resident and a firefighter were injured after a home went up in flames in Janesville Tuesday afternoon. The Janesville Fire Department says firefighters responded to a home in the 400 block of North Terrace Street and found smoke coming from the home. The residents had already evacuated, and the firefighters were able to extinguish the flames “after an aggressive attack,” according to a report from JFD.
- PUB DATE: 6/30/2020 7:44:34 PM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

Fire crews from three departments on Monday battled a house fire in hot and humid conditions in West Allis. Firefighters from West Allis arrived at the scene of the blaze at 1024 S. 74th St. three minutes after receiving notification of the fire at 10:52 a.m., said West Allis Assistant Fire Chief Jason Schaak.
- PUB DATE: 6/30/2020 1:03:17 AM - SOURCE: Greenfield West Allis NOW

A brat, dip in the pool, and fireworks are all part of the perfect 4th of July. But they do come with risks. That’s why both the Merrill and Wausau Fire departments are urging residents to take precautions in their 4th of July celebrations this week. “Do things cautiously. Think about what you’re doing.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2020 3:43:28 PM - SOURCE: WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau

A Janesville man was arrested after starting his house on fire following a standoff with police, according to a release by the city’s police department. Officers were called to a home located along the 100 block of Cherry Street around 3 a.m. Monday. Responding officers arrived to find Raymond Gross outside the house armed with a knife, the release said.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2020 7:38:04 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

One firefighter was taken to the hospital while fire crews battled a house fire Sunday afternoon on Mill Street. Fire crews responded around 2 p.m. to the 300 block of North Mill Street in Merrill, according to the Merrill Fire Department. Fire crews found smoke coming from the home and started extinguishing the fire from outside.
- PUB DATE: 6/29/2020 3:51:18 AM - SOURCE: Wausau Daily Herald

The coronavirus pandemic didn't get in the way of a special birthday celebration in Kenosha Sunday, June 28. Dozens came out to recognize a retired firefighter on his 90th birthday. Will Rice retired in 1993, but still has a lot of friends with the Kenosha Fire Department, and on Sunday, they celebrated him in a big way.
- PUB DATE: 6/28/2020 7:42:47 PM - SOURCE: WITI-TV Fox 6 Milwaukee