A coordinated effort to improve ambulance service for rural residents is on the ballot this November in five neighboring communities. If voters approve, the five communities will pool their resources to hire paramedics so that people calling for an ambulance throughout the region will get a faster response and improved services.
- PUB DATE: 9/29/2020 1:13:58 PM - SOURCE: Lake Geneva News

A 68-year-old Pleasant Prairie man died Monday in a house fire on the 8300 block of Old Green Bay Road. Pleasant Prairie Police Chief David Smetana said that a relative of the man who died called 911 at about 4:25 p.m. Monday after returning home to find smoke coming from the second floor of the house.
- PUB DATE: 9/29/2020 8:24:49 AM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

Police are investigating a fire that took place over the weekend in a downtown neighborhood as a possible hate crime. The fire happened in the early morning hours Sunday, though police didn't release many other details, describing it only as a "serious incident involving a possible arson that damaged a home," according to a post on the Appleton Police Department's Facebook page.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2020 1:02:06 PM - SOURCE: Appleton Post-Gazette & Post Crescent.com

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has reported 117,588 total positive coronavirus test results in the state and 1,283 total COVID-19 deaths. Of Wisconsin’s total COVID-19 cases, 19,560, or 16.6%, are active, according to DHS. Yesterday, 19,050, or 16.4%, of Wisconsin’s total COVID-19 cases, were considered active.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2020 12:38:07 PM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV ABC 5 Green Bay

Fond du Lac Police are investigating a fatal crash that occurred over the weekend. Authorities say they responded to a report of a car striking a moped at the intersection of South Pioneer Road and Forest Avenue shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26. Officers arriving on the scene found the operator of the moped – 62-year-old Thomas Norton – with life-threatening injuries.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2020 12:38:06 PM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV Green Bay

Over 50 firefighters from more than 10 departments responded to a large structure fire near Valders on Saturday. According to Valders Fire and Rescue, crews from Valders and St. Nazianz Fire Department received a call for a fire on Middle Road at around 4:45 p.m. Dispatch reported it as a barn fire.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2020 10:33:18 AM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV ABC 5 Green Bay

Authorities announced one person died early Friday morning following a mobile home fire in the Village of Argyle. Just before 5 a.m, the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office received a call for a mobile home fire at 400 Galena Street. The Argyle Fire Department, Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, Argyle Police Department, Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and the Wisconsin Fire Marshal’s Office all responded to the scene.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2020 10:29:29 PM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

No injuries were reported following a fire at Behr Iron and Metal, 201 Wheeler Ave., on Saturday afternoon, according to South Beloit Fire Chief Dan Zerfass. The department responded at around 2:02 p.m. and requested mutual aid from area departments after encountering heavy fire and plumes of smoke at the scene.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2020 8:42:15 PM - SOURCE: Beloit Daily News

One person is dead and three others have been displaced after a house fire in Green Bay on Saturday afternoon. According to the Green Bay Metro Fire Department, at around 3 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to the area located in the 800 block Harrison Street for reports of a structure fire. Upon arrival, firefighters say light smoke was seen coming from the first floor and basement areas of the structure.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2020 7:30:15 AM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV CBS 5 Green Bay

Twelve adults and four children are now displaced after a Milwaukee home caught fire and flames spread to two other neighboring homes Friday evening. Milwaukee Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian Gardner said at a press conference that the fire began at the home that eventually become fully engulfed in flames, near 33rd and Cherry around 3:30 p.
- PUB DATE: 9/25/2020 6:04:37 PM - SOURCE: WTMJ-TV NBC 4 Milwaukee

Milwaukee Fire Department Chief Mark Rohlfing announced Friday that he is retiring effective Oct. 30. "The firefighters of the Milwaukee Fire Department are second-to-none; they are truly caring and selfless professionals. Thank you all for letting me become a member of the Milwaukee Fire Department family," he said in a statement.
- PUB DATE: 9/25/2020 3:45:08 PM - SOURCE: WISN-TV ABC 12 Milwaukee

Firefighters pulled two people from a burning Menasha home Thursday afternoon. Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue was called around 2:15 p.m. Thursday to a house fire in the 700 block of Second Street in Menasha, according to a news release. Firefighters searched the house and removed two people. The fire department did not say whether the two people survived the fire or were injured.
- PUB DATE: 9/25/2020 1:56:48 AM - SOURCE: Appleton Post-Gazette & Post Crescent.com

Firefighters risk potential exposure to the coronavirus when responding to calls, but their equipment doesn’t always provide full protection. Thanks to a $1,200 grant from the SSM Health St. Clare Foundation, the Baraboo Fire Department will be able to equip its first responders with new “adaptive filters” that snap onto their air masks, blocking more particles than an N95 mask and providing full-face protection, representatives said.
- PUB DATE: 9/24/2020 4:41:27 PM - SOURCE: Baraboo News Republic

Bellevue village leaders voted unanimously Wednesday to consider a merger with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department. Bellevue has its own fire department with 9 full-time and 24 part-time employees and it’s contracted with County Rescue for rescue services through 2021. It started 24/7 staffing in January (see related story).
- PUB DATE: 9/24/2020 3:48:31 PM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

The Kilbourn Fire Department in Wisconsin Dells is gearing up for fire prevention month to raise awareness about averting kitchen fires and beginning its year-long smoke alarm program. This year’s theme for fire prevention week, which runs October 4-10, is “Serve up Fire Safety in the Kitchen” to raise awareness of kitchen fires.
- PUB DATE: 9/24/2020 10:08:50 AM - SOURCE: Wisconsin Dells Events

To better improve its efforts on the mental health of employees and community members, Western Lakes Fire District has started a K9 therapy program. Assistant Chief Matthew Haerter called it an "expansion of an aggressive pursuit for better employee mental health." "It's something that has been in the district's sights for a couple of years," Haerter said.
- PUB DATE: 9/24/2020 7:07:17 AM - SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

More witnesses described the chaos and panic the night Racine Police Officer John Hetland was killed. Investigators said Hetland was off-duty on June 17, 2019 when he jumped over the counter at Teezers Bard to intervene during an attempted robbery. Dalquavis Ward, 27, is on trial for Hetland's death, facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide (use of a dangerous weapon), armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- PUB DATE: 9/23/2020 2:45:32 PM - SOURCE: WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

Two people have been charged with attempting to damage and destroy two commercial buildings by setting them on fire during the civil unrest on Aug. 25 in Madison. U.S. States Attorney Scott C. Blader reported that Anessa Fierro, 27, and Willie Johnson, 45, were charged in two-count complaints filed in the U.
- PUB DATE: 9/23/2020 1:57:36 PM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

A new centralized Riverside fire station will be built in Rothschild next year, with completion by late summer. Earlier this month, the Rothschild village board approved the new station plans. Riverside Station No. 2 is located at 18 Alexander Ave. And station No. 1 is located at 1325 Schofield Avenue in Schofield.
- PUB DATE: 9/23/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau

One woman is dead after a house fire in Green Lake County on Saturday morning. Green Lake County dispatchers received a call for a report of a house fire on 131 West Main St. in Princeton shortly after 7 a.m., according to the news release. The Princeton Fire Department and emergency medical services were paged as Princeton police and Green Lake County deputies responded to the fire.
- PUB DATE: 9/23/2020 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison