VIDEO/PHOTOS: The magnitude of devastation wrought by Helene intensifies by the hour as search crews discover more bodies and floodwaters slowly recede, revealing more neighborhoods obliterated by the storm. The death toll across six states soared to 119 Monday, days after Helene made landfall in Florida as a monstrous Category 4 hurricane.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CNN

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: A fire destroyed a home in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood on Saturday morning, Sept. 28. Denise and Kevin Escher were sound asleep until about 6:30 a.m. Behind the Airbnb they were staying at, a home on Hillcrest, near Ellen Street, was on fire. "Open the drapes and all of a sudden saw all these flames," said Denise Escher.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

A firefighter was treated and released after battling a fire at an industrial building early Friday morning. Around 2:18 a.m., The Fox Crossing Fire Department went to the 1200 Block of Ehlers Road for reports of a fire. Crews arriving on scene found a large industrial manufacturing building on fire with the sprinkler system activated.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

VIDEO: The Ephraim Fire Department rededicated the Ephraim Fire Museum to fallen Assistant Fire Chief William "Bill" Weborg on Sunday, after the 20th anniversary of his death on Thursday September 26. Assistant Chief Weborg passed in 2004, while responding to a boat fire. Bill Weborg comes from a family of firefighters.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WGBA-TV NBC 26 Green Bay

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: An incident at a Rockdale County chemical facility early Sunday morning has prompted orders for many area residents to evacuate and others to shelter in place. A shelter-in-place order has been given to the entirety of Rockdale County. Around 5:30 a.m., a sprinkler at the BioLab plant on Old Covington Highway in Conyers malfunctioned and sprayed water on a chemical, causing a reaction that created a large, hazardous plume, which then began drifting to the northeast, Rockdale County Fire Chief Marian McDaniel said at a press briefing shortly after 10 a.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WANF-TV CBS 46 Atlanta

Fire chiefs from Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the U.S. participated in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Urban Fire Forum (UFF) last week at NFPA headquarters in Quincy, MA, endorsing four important documents that address some of the most complex challenges facing the modern fire service.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NFPA.org

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Short on supplies, power and patience, storm victims who saw the brutal force of Helene upend their lives have emerged to a new week, facing the daunting challenge of rebuilding. Some of the roads and bridges they need to do the job aren’t there anymore. Electricity could be a week away or longer.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CNN

The number of people in the U.S. dying from drug overdoses is falling for the first time in years—and it’s falling quickly. Nationwide, overdose deaths fell 12.2% between April 2023 and April 2024 from 110,771 to 97,309, according to CDC data released in September. In comparison, overdose deaths fell by 3% between 2022 and 2023, the first annual decrease since 2018 when the number of deaths was 67,367.
- PUB DATE: 9/30/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Healthcare Brew

Weather observations showed patchy dense fog in parts of north central Wisconsin early this morning. The fog is expected to persist until 8 am or 9 am before mixing out. Until then, motorists should be prepared for visibilities as low as one- quarter mile. Patchy dense fog will result in hazardous driving conditions in north central Wisconsin during the morning commute. When driving in fog, slow down, use low beam headlights and keep a safe distance from other vehicles. Special Weather Statement 2024-09-27T05:46:00-05:00 2024-09-27T05:46:00-05:00 2024-09-27T05:46:00-05:00 2024-09-27T09:00:00-05:00 Actual Alert Met Expected Moderate Observed Vilas; Oneida; Lincoln SAME 055125 SAME 055085 SAME 055069 UGC WIZ005 UGC WIZ010 UGC WIZ018 AWIPSidentifier SPSGRB WMOidentifier WWUS83 KGRB 271046 NWSheadline PATCHY DENSE FOG IN NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN BLOCKCHANNEL EAS BLOCKCHANNEL NWEM BLOCKCHANNEL CMAS EAS-ORG WXR

Gov. Tony Evers ordered flags to be flown at half-staff Saturday in honor of firefighters who died in the line of duty. The flag-lowering coincides with the the Final Alarm Ceremony at the Wisconsin Fire & EMS Memorial. "Day in and day out, Wisconsin’s firefighters and emergency service professionals risk their own health and safety to keep us safe and serve us and our communities during our worst days, often at great personal risk and sacrifice," Evers said.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS/MyNetworkTV 3 Madison

A Milwaukee fire station on the city's south side could reopen if a proposed boost in funds for the fire department are approved by the Common Council. That proposed boost was part of Mayor Cavalier Johnson's 2025 budget plan released on Tuesday, Sept. 24 The fire station in question is Station 31 – located at 8th and Hayes.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

The Fond du Lac police and fire/rescue departments announced an arrest was made for a house fire Monday night. The house on the 200-block of Packer St. was heavily damaged by the fire which was reported at about 11 p.m. Monday. A 16-year-old girl was injured escaping the fire from the second floor.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

First responders in Florida came across an active house fire while navigating Hurricane Helene floodwaters by boat. Crews from the South Pasadena Fire Department and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office found the scene while responding to water rescues. The area was completely flooded when they found a home that was fully involved in a fire.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFTV ABC 9 Orlando

VIDEO: The Oklahoma State Firefighters Association is banning energy drinks at any and all class sites where there is hands-on training. "With the trend of energy drinks, we've seen that some firefighters are drinking a four pack of Red Bull before lunchtime," said Sheri Nickel, Deputy Director for the association.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOKH-TV FOX 25 Oklahoma City

VIDEO: History was made in New London when New London Fire Headquarters was staffed by an all-black crew. The fire headquarters is about 80 years old. After 80 years, it was manned by an all-black crew for the first time earlier this month. New London firefighters are proud of their work. “We’re a busy fire department, I’m proud of all the members I work with, I love this job and am proud to be a part of it,” said Al Mayo, New London Fire Department Lieutenant.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFSB-TV CBS 3 Hartford

VIDEO: Firefighters with the Sanger Fire Department were surprised to find a pair of boots during remodeling construction at the fire station. "Nobody knew that he would do that, and he clearly left them behind for us to find," said Sanger Fire Captain Greg Tarascou. Nobody knew, and retired Fire Captain David Gee kept his little secret for 28 years.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KMPH-TV FOX 26 Visalia

VIDEO: Five years ago Tuesday, an EF3 tornado tore through parts of the Chippewa Valley, including Elk Mound and Wheaton. On September 24, 2019, the Wheaton tornado damaged homes and uprooted lives. Roofs were ripped off and multiple storage units and homes were destroyed. It took not days, not weeks, not months, but years for some folks to rebuild.
- PUB DATE: 9/26/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WQOW-TV ABC 18 Eau Claire

Three institutions are hoping to make it easier for potential firefighters. Oshkosh Fire Department, Firefighter ABC’s and Fox Valley Technical College are partnering on a grant program to remove barriers hindering individuals from pursuing careers in the fire service. The goal of the partnership is to help prepare qualified candidates to enter the field while broadening inclusion for all within fire and emergency medical services.
- PUB DATE: 9/26/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Oshkosh Northwestern - Metered Site

Several buildings were evacuated and streets blocked off in downtown Providence Wednesday afternoon after reports of an explosion. Anthony Knasas told 12 News he was taking a photo of a mural on Clemence Street when a manhole cover erupted just feet behind him, sending flames into the air. The moment was captured on surveillance footage.
- PUB DATE: 9/26/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WPRI-TV CBS/MyNetworkTV 12 Providence

VIDEO: Uvalde police alongside other agencies are taking part in a nationally recognized training to enhance future responses to active shooter situations. The three-day training is a major component of Uvalde PD’s ongoing Guardian Initiative to overall improve the department and rebuild trust with the community following the Robb Elementary shooting on May 24, 2022.
- PUB DATE: 9/26/2024 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KENS-TV CBS 5 San Antonio