First responders have been increasingly strained as changes in peoples’ mobility, living and work habits undercut the framework that has made this system possible.
“There’s a problem and we’re looking for people,” said Endeavor Moundville Fire Chief Mike Bordeau. “We put a thing out on our Facebook page looking for recruits and we got one recruit out of it, but getting word out is one of the hardest parts. - PUB DATE: 5/14/2017 7:31:47 PM - SOURCE: wisc news
James Knowles III is the new Assistant Fire Chief of Training and Safety after a meeting of the Police and Fire Commission of the City of Fond du Lac Thursday. According to a release from the commission, the appointment was made unanimously. Knowles is a 20-year veteran of the fire service and has risen up through the ranks, previously serving as a lieutenant and captain. - PUB DATE: 5/13/2017 10:56:57 AM - SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter
VIDEO: The Milwaukee Fire Department is investigating after a fire destroyed multiple garages on the city's southside. The fire broke out around 4 am on Saturday morning near 25th and Mitchell. Fire crews at the scene tell 12 News say when they arrived two garages were fully engulfed. The fire quickly spread to four other garages. - PUB DATE: 5/13/2017 9:17:30 AM - SOURCE: WISN-TV ABC 12 Milwaukee
The Holmen Area Fire Department gave residents in the fire district a chance May 6 to see the improvements the emergency service has made in recent years during it’s first Family Fun Day event. “We’re trained, equipped and proud,” said Mike Durkin, HAFD firefighter and organizer of the event. The department decided to hold the event in lieu of its annual dance fundraiser. - PUB DATE: 5/12/2017 2:45:35 AM - SOURCE: Onalaska Holmen Courier Life
Keys and dollar bills changed hands in the Enbridge parking lot Wednesday. Four of the energy company's retired fleet vehicles were donated to Douglas County fire departments and a Superior High School mentoring program, for $1 apiece. "Our long-term goal is to turn it into a brush truck," said Lakeside Fire Chief Nova Nordrum of the donated 2008 Chevy Silverado extended cab. - PUB DATE: 5/12/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Superior Telegram
The town of Necedah is still looking for a new emergency management director. Town officials are looking to replace Gerry Ganther, who resigned from the position in early March. Juneau County does have an emergency management director who oversees the entire county, but with severe weather season in full swing, if the town would get hit with a tornado or wildfire breakout, it could be in trouble. - PUB DATE: 5/11/2017 10:27:50 PM - SOURCE: wisc news
VIDEO: It took firefighters about 7 hours to put out a fire at a business in the Town of Seneca in Wood County. The Vesper Fire Department received the call just after 1:30 p.m. Thursday of a fire at TJ's Auto. When they arrived they found fire in the ventilation system, walls and ceiling of the building. - PUB DATE: 5/11/2017 8:51:36 PM - SOURCE: WAOW-TV ABC 9-Wausau
VIDEO: Heroics come in all forms and Greenfield firefighters were ready to answer the call of some stuck ducks. Some ducklings had fallen into the sewer but there's a twist to the story we never anticipated. This all unfolded along Honey Creek Driver near Elm Dale Elementary School. Firefighters were able to scoop up several of the baby ducks, but there was one that was just too far away. - PUB DATE: 5/11/2017 4:35:09 PM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee
One person died in a fire at an apartment complex in Manitowoc. It broke out shortly before 4:00 p.m. Wednesday at Parkview Haven on N. 8th Street. Firefighters needed to break windows to get excess smoke out of the building. Manitowoc fire chief, Todd Blaser, tells WLUK the amount of smoke made it difficult to fight this fire. - PUB DATE: 5/11/2017 6:55:39 AM - SOURCE: WNCY-FM Y100
Fire departments across the Northern Door County received a boost in recruits recently when 23 students graduated from Emergency Medical Response training. As volunteer fire departments across the country struggle with staffing, the program held in Northern Door County addressed the critical shortage of first responders in the area. - PUB DATE: 5/11/2017 5:20:18 AM - SOURCE: Door County Daily News
A Lodi Area emergency services building may be inching closer to fruition, but the current Lodi Fire Department needs unavoidable repairs, according to a report at a Fire/EMS April 24 meeting. The future of the fire department was on the table at a special joint midterm meeting of the town boards of Lodi and West Point, the city of Lodi council, the Lodi Area Fire Commission and the Lodi Area Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Commission. - PUB DATE: 5/11/2017 2:02:09 AM - SOURCE: Lodi Enterprise
VIDEO: Gov. Scott Walker signed Executive Order #242 Wednesday declaring a State of Emergency in response to elevated wildfire conditions. Wisconsin is experiencing above average fire occurrence levels leading to a statewide wildfire threat. “This is a precautionary measure we’re taking to help protect the people of our state,” Walker said. - PUB DATE: 5/10/2017 5:33:04 PM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV 13 News
One person was taken to a local hospital Tuesday evening after a fire broke out near downtown Sheboygan. The cause of the fire, inside a home at 713 N. 4th St., is still under investigation, but officials late Tuesday night estimated damages at about $120,000. The incident was reported shortly before 5:30 p. - PUB DATE: 5/10/2017 7:10:33 AM - SOURCE: Sheboygan Press
The cause of a Tuesday night house fire at 11959 N. Old Highway 26 in the town of Milton, has been ruled “undetermined and accidental,” said Pete Mory, deputy chief of the Milton Fire Department. Firefighters were dispatched at 7:05 p.m. when they found two adult female tenants and a dog outside the single-family, two-story wood structure, he said. - PUB DATE: 5/10/2017 6:58:57 AM - SOURCE: Janesville Gazette
VIDEO: Fire crews are looking into a fire that tore through a home early Wednesday. Crews responded at about 1:30 a.m. to a home on State Park Road, according to the Village of Harrison Fire and Rescue. Everyone inside the home made it out safely. "I heard some loud bangs, came down, looked out my door and saw the garage engulfed in flames," said Rick Burdick, a resident of the burned home. - PUB DATE: 5/10/2017 6:36:45 AM - SOURCE: WLUK-TV FOX 11
The size of a new north side Eau Claire fire station will depend on bid prices for building the structure, city officials said Tuesday. The Eau Claire City Council approved a resolution authorizing moving forward with design plans and seeking bids for a new station along Malden Avenue, just north of Birch Street. - PUB DATE: 5/10/2017 4:52:43 AM - SOURCE: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
The Riverside Fire District has announced that Kelly Hanink will be its new Fire Chief. Hanink had been serving as the Assistant Fire Chief for the Eden Prairie Fire Department in Minnesota. Hanink will take command of about 30 volunteers within the department. She will also manage the over $700,000 budget the department has. - PUB DATE: 5/9/2017 12:42:03 PM - SOURCE: WIZD-FM Rock 94.7
Firefighters on Tuesday morning, May 9th responded to the scene of a building fire on Milwaukee’ south side. Crews were called out to the area of 8th and Orchard shortly before 6 a.m. No additional details have been released — including the cause of the fire or the amount of damage sustained. - PUB DATE: 5/9/2017 6:59:28 AM - SOURCE: WITI Fox Channel 6
A bomb threat was found written on the wall of a bathroom at North Shore Middle School on Monday, May 8. Authorities received a call around 1:44 p.m. of the threat at the school, located at 800 North Shore Drive. Scanner traffic appeared to say the threat mentioned a bomb was to go off at 2 p.m., but authorities did not comment on exactly what the threat stated. - PUB DATE: 5/8/2017 7:18:50 PM - SOURCE: Livinglakecountry
A Merrill man accused of arson of another family's home is expected to avoid a jury trial and take a plea deal in July. 23-year-old David Ostrowski is accused of starting a fire that destroyed the house and endangered seven people. Only one person was burned that night back in October of 2015. Ostrowski was charged with five felonies - arson, recklessly endangering safety, burglary, injury by negligent handling of a weapon and bail jumping - for the fire at the corner of First and Hope streets. - PUB DATE: 5/8/2017 5:04:37 PM - SOURCE: WSAU-AM 550
