Jeff and Matthew Barger were headed toward Dubuque on Monday afternoon when they saw thick black smoke and flames rising into the sky ahead. As the father and son continued south on U.S. 35/61/151, they soon saw a semi-tractor trailer engulfed in smoke in the distance. They drove past the line of cars pulled over to the side of the road, worried there might still be someone in the truck. - PUB DATE: 10/30/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Dubuque Telegraph Herald
A division chief with Fond du Lac Fire & Rescue was honored last week with state-level recognition.
Troy Haase was named Fire Inspector of the Year — a prestigious award delivered by the Wisconsin Fire Inspector's Association.
Fire Chief Peter O'Leary nominated Haase for the title for his work seeking code compliance throughout the city — including preventive measures and the need for working smoke alarms in homes — through public education. - PUB DATE: 10/28/2018 5:57:01 AM - SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter
The call volume goes down during the late fall and winter months in Door County, but volunteer firefighters hope there is more interest in joining their departments. Summer temptations disappearing make it easier for potential recruits to commit to the trainings and meetings required to become a volunteer firefighter in the county. - PUB DATE: 10/27/2018 3:59:07 PM - SOURCE: Door County Daily News
An unattended fire caused $3,000 in damages to local property on Friday night. The Chippewa Falls Fire and Emergency Services responded to an unattended camp fire that burned down a fence and a small shed at 8 North Culver Street. By the time firefighters arrived there was a 30 by 30 area burning and they got the fire under control shortly. - PUB DATE: 10/27/2018 10:07:56 AM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV 13 News
A Racine teen is accused trapping two women in a house and lighting it on fire, intentionally attempting to murder them. Ja’quale G. Dennis, 16, of the 300 block of Park View Drive, is facing two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, which carries a sentence of up to 60 years imprisonment, two counts of false imprisonment, one count of arson and one count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, all of which are felonies. - PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 6:30:42 PM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times
Police are investigating vandalism that caused at least $2,000 worth of damage to the Pittsville fire station. Fire chief Jerry Minor said on Wednesday they discovered the rooftop furnace over a meeting room had been vandalized sometime in the recent past. It is believed the vandals accessed the roof by climbing up the nearby radio tower and then attempted to pull natural gas lines out of the furnace, a Facebook post by the fire department said Thursday. - PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 7:24:22 AM - SOURCE: Stevens Point Journal
Appleton firefighters might get more training for medical calls. Fire Chief Jeremy Hansen says many of them are certified as first responders and he wants to upgrade them. He says they want to bring the department up to what is considered the norm for fire service. He says almost all of them are EMT Basic or higher. - PUB DATE: 10/26/2018 4:37:09 AM - SOURCE: WHBY-AM 1150 News Talk
VIDEO: An arson case in Racine has led to much more serious charges. A 16-year-old is accused of holding two girls at knifepoint before lighting a home on fire. The victims say he intended to trap them inside. "We woke up and the room was full of smoke," said Andrew Logan. Tuesday morning, Oct. 23 near 6th and Jones in Racine, Andrew Logan spotted a fire. - PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 9:39:01 PM - SOURCE: WITI Fox Channel 6
An amendment has been passed that will staff a new fire station with a firefighter/paramedic 24/7 in the absence of an ambulance, according to a blog post from an alderman. Earlier this month, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin rejected a request to add an ambulance to Fire Station 14 near Stoughton Road. The new fire station was built to cut down response times to a portion of Madison’s far east side. - PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 1:46:40 PM - SOURCE: WMSN-TV Fox 47 Madison
VIDEO: A West Bend man accused of attacking an off-duty firefighter is not mentally fit to go to trial. A judge made the ruling in the case of Robert Ryan. Police say Ryan punched the firefighter in the head while he was performing CPR on a woman in August. The woman died at the hospital. - PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 9:29:55 AM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee
The Deerfield Fire Department is investigating what caused an early-morning house fire on Thursday. Multiple departments were called to the home at 3334 County Highway W, just south of Schuster's Farm, at 4:24 a.m. Thursday. When crews arrived at the scene, they saw heavy amounts of smoke and flames. - PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 3:13:43 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV Channel 3000.com Madison
When you drive past the Kansasville Fire and Rescue station on Highway 11, the electronic sign often reads “Firefighters and EMTs needed. Apply Now!” Similar advertisements are seen nationwide, as full-time and volunteer fire departments alike struggle to fill their rosters. The National Volunteer Firefighter Council found that, from 1984-2015, the number of volunteer firefighters in the U. - PUB DATE: 10/25/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times
The busiest fire station in Eau Claire will soon get a second bathroom for employees and visitors to use. Allyn Bertrang, deputy fire chief, said Fire Station No. 5, 2500 Patton St., was built in 1975 when three firefighters — all men — worked from there. “We didn’t have females working in the fire service at that time,” he said. - PUB DATE: 10/24/2018 2:16:47 PM - SOURCE: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
Douglas County is joining a statewide effort to persuade the governor and Wisconsin Legislature to provide funding to upgrade emergency 911 systems for the digital age using revenue generated by fees paid by telephone users. According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the police and fire protection fee is charged to consumers for each voice communications connection with an assigned telephone number including landlines, cellular phones and communication services provided by a VoIP connection. - PUB DATE: 10/24/2018 12:21:32 PM - SOURCE: Daily Telegram-Superior
October is National Fire Prevention Month and Oct. 7-13 was National Fire Prevention Week, and Dells area fire departments are partnering with the Nation Fire Protection Association to promote fire prevention. Started in 1922 following the Great Chicago Fire as fire prevention week, and later expanded to last the month of October, it is the longest running public health and safety observance on record according to the NFPA. - PUB DATE: 10/24/2018 8:35:54 AM - SOURCE: wisc news
More than 12 Sheboygan area fire agencies responded to a house fire near Elkhart Lake Tuesday night. The fire broke out just after 5:45 p.m. at W5666 Keystone Road, according to a press release from the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office. No residents of the home or firefighters were injured during the blaze, according to the sheriff's office. - PUB DATE: 10/24/2018 5:26:02 AM - SOURCE: Sheboygan Press
VIDEO: The Stevens Point Fire Department was awarded nearly $80,000 for new equipment, due to a federal grant from FEMA that will allow the department to better help in emergencies. The new equipment will increase the department's ability to extract people from vehicles, farm equipment and heavy machinery. - PUB DATE: 10/24/2018 4:26:21 AM - SOURCE: WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau
VIDEO: La Crosse city officials are unsure what to do with hundreds of used needles found in a dumpster. A business owner was shocked to find them in the trash and frustrated that first responders weren't able to remove them. It's not unusual for the La Crosse Fire Department to receive a call about used syringes found in the community. - PUB DATE: 10/23/2018 5:11:59 PM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse
PHOTO: When Somerset residents Michelle and Scott Beauvais saw smoke and fire coming from a home along Highway 35, the couple immediately called 911 and took a detour to see what they could do to help. "There was not even a thought about if you do or don't stop to help. That is just who we are. There wasn't even a conversation between my husband and I," said Michelle Beauvais. - PUB DATE: 10/23/2018 1:32:22 PM - SOURCE: Rivertowns
A proposal from Brussels-Union-Gardner firefighters was refined by the department's Board of Directors, calling for the purchase of a new pumper truck and the installation of a replacement body on one of the fire service tankers. The total price was pegged at $523,404 during last Wednesday's fire board meeting by a manufacturer of apparatus — Custom Fab and Body from Marion, Wisconsin. - PUB DATE: 10/23/2018 10:09:56 AM - SOURCE: Green Bay Press-Gazette
