America's drug epidemic is the deadliest it has ever been, new federal data suggests. More than 100,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States during the 12-month period ending April 2021, according to provisional data published Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- PUB DATE: 11/18/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KTVK-TV 3 & KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix (azfamily.com)

VIDEO: The nation’s capital is suffering a surge in the number of fires and fire department responses to encampments for people experiencing homelessness. A News4 I-Team investigation revealed fire department calls more than doubled at encampments already this year. The problem is posing a risk to the safety and health of people living in encampments and in nearby neighborhoods.
- PUB DATE: 11/18/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WRC-TV NBC 4 Washington, D.C.

VIDEO: Many firefighters will go their whole careers without seeing a train crash, derailment, or train hazard spill. But it’s the one time it does happen, and being prepared for it, that can mean the difference between life and death. “You can actually YouTube a video of a tank car imploding," said a Norfolk Southern Railway instructor.
- PUB DATE: 11/18/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WGCL-TV CBS 46 Atlanta

It has been more than a year since the Thelma Orr Community-Oriented Policing (COP) House in Racine was destroyed by arson. On Wednesday, Nov. 17, the house rose from the ashes. "I worked on the case of the arson that happened here. It just, I think speaks volumes about the endurance this philosophy has," said James Pettis, Community-Oriented Policing Unit.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 4:26:34 PM - SOURCE: WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

Firefighters and EMS personnel regularly train to meet the challenges involved in responding to residential fires and motor vehicle crashes. However, they often encounter new and more difficult challenges when responding to accidents on Wisconsin farms. “I grew up on a farm, and the equipment now is much larger,” said Pittsville Fire Chief Jerry Minor, who’s spent 43 years in the fire service.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 4:10:34 PM - SOURCE: Wisconsin State Farmer

Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire Tuesday afternoon at Gunderson Cleaners, 41 Main St. Crews headed to the scene around 1:45 p.m., where Assistant Chief Shane Krueger said they found a fire in a commercial dryer. A investigation showed the fire was caused by a failure within the dryer system.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 1:01:32 AM - SOURCE: Post Crescent

After captain Paul Mattlin with the Stevens Point Fire Department was diagnosed with colon cancer, his department started 'Mattlin Mondays' in honor of him. The Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department soon followed suit. Even though, Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department does not work with Mattlin everyday, their support can be shown in their t-shirts, helmet stickers, and wearing of other custom merchandise brandishing the firefighter's number and name.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WAOW-TV ABC 9 Wausau

The South Milwaukee Fire Department (SMFD) is investigating a house fire that displaced a family. It happened at a house on Sherman Ave around 9:17 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 15. The SMFD arrived at the home to find an attached garage fully engulfed. The fire was extending through the breezeway into the house.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee

VIDEO: Suffolk County police say a fifth person has been found dead after a large fire swept through house in Riverhead, Suffolk County. The five victims were all found on the top floor of a 3-story home with four apartments that went up in flames just after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters arrived at the home on East 2nd Street to find fire shooting through the roof after an eyewitness walking his dog called 911.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WABC-TV ABC 7 New York

Austin-Travis County EMS revised its job application by removing a disqualification for prior marijuana use in hopes of increasing applicants as they struggle to fill positions. Saving lives isn't an easy job. The president of the Austin EMS union, Selena Xie, said doing it short-staffed is even harder.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KVUE-TV ABC 24 Austin

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A group of volunteer firefighters gathered to demonstrate just how delicate of a balance deep frying that holiday turkey can be. Local fire and rescue squads from Blanche and Boonshill in Lincoln County, Tennessee set up a flaming example to warn anyone who plans to fry their bird this Thanksgiving to take as many precautions as possible.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WHNT-TV CBS 19 Huntsville

VIDEO: Tuscaloosa firefighters are working on new hydraulic extrication rescue equipment they said is much more advanced. Firefighters said the new tool in their toolbox could literally save your life one day. The new jaws of life is a little lighter, and just as powerful as the old one. Tuesday, firefighters spent the better part of the day training on it.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WBRC-TV FOX 6 Birmingham

Mike Alstott is remembered for his plays out on the field with the Buccaneers but for several years now, he’s created a special bond with firefighters that truly reflects the meaning of the holidays. “Most of us grew up watching him on Sundays and representing the Bucs and being the “A-Train” and then seeing the personal side of Mike, giving back to the community and giving back to our firefighters in Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, it’s an experience that we are all proud to be a part of,” said Jon Dougherty, Deputy Chief of Operations of the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.
- PUB DATE: 11/17/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFLA-TV NBC 8 Tampa

A home near Blanchardville is a total loss following a fire Tuesday evening, the Blanchardville Fire Department said Tuesday night. The fire happened at a single-family home on State Highway 78 near Sunnyside Road, Fire Chief Rolly McGowan said. When firefighters got to the scene, the home was fully engulfed in flames.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2021 11:16:08 PM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

A three-year-old child has been located after reportedly wandering away from home after seeing lights and sirens. The Beaver Dam Police Dept. posted on Facebook that investigators believe the child was intrigued by the lights and heard the sirens coming from the police cruisers and fire trucks. After starting off that way, the youngster became disoriented and went into an unlocked apartment.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WMTV NBC 15 Madison

In addition to helping out Kaukauna residents, firefighters have been know to rescue an occassional cat from a tree or duckling from a storm grate. But over the weekend, it was a bird in a tree that was the focus of the fire department’s rescue efforts. Sunny, a sun conure, or sun parakeet, is a tropical bird and can die from temps under 65 degrees, according to owner Ken Hurst.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Kaukauna Community News

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: Two firefighters were injured while battling a massive house fire in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County early Tuesday. The firefighters were taken to the hospital with burn and trauma injuries, though their injuries are not life-threatening, according to officials on scene. Multiple other firefighters have been treated at a paramedic staging area on scene as the 3-alarm blaze in the 3000 block of Barrington Lane continues to burn hours later.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFMZ-TV 69 Allentown

VIDEO: A crew assigned to film a Harford County Volunteer Fire & EMS Association training session captured a rescue mission when a man drove his vehicle into the water in Havre de Grace on Sunday. The First Arriving film crew was filming Susquehanna Hose Company's rescue boat and dive team for HCVFA when a man drove his vehicle off the marina parking lot and into the water next to the fire boat.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WBAL-AM 1090 Baltimore

VIDEO/PHOTOS: When the Huntersville Fire Department sent out letters asking the community for donations to cover the cost of new equipment for firefighters, a 5-year-old broke open his piggy bank to help. Literally. Huntersville fire posted on Facebook that 5-year-old Brian wrote back and included $3 from his piggy bank.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WCNC-TV NBC 36 Charlotte

Jerry Sanford retired to Naples, Florida, after a 29-year career as a New York City firefighter, but the city managed to call him back to help his brothers right before one of the most critical times in the history of the United States: 9/11. Although Sanford later developed cancer potentially associated with the fumes and toxins surrounding Ground Zero, he felt it was important to recount his experiences from the weeks leading up to and following 9/11 in his book, “It Started With a Helmet: A Retired Firefighter’s Return to New York City the Day Before 9/11.
- PUB DATE: 11/16/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cure Today