Knowing how to properly handle all the equipment that's used to fight fires is a crucial part of a firefighter's job. Joseph Cross looks like he's adept and ready to go to battle, but he is actually not a firefighter – yet. He is training to become one after fighting some personal demons and ending up in prison.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bay News 9

Looking a the numbers at the end of the first year of the Racine Fire Department’s home visit program, department Division Chief Brian Wolf said he’s seen how the program “is greatly needed.” For its first year, the program has been focused on cardiac patients. Fire Chief Steve Hansen said the department’s partners in the program at Advocate Aurora and Ascension All Saints would like to see the program expanded, but the department’s plan is to grow the program incrementally.
- PUB DATE: 12/27/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Journal Times - Metered Site

Here in Wisconsin the US Fire Administration estimates about 90 percent of our firefighters are volunteers. And if you talk to just about any rural fire department they'll tell you, trying to find those volunteers is getting more difficult. That's in part why Senator Tammy Baldwin has sponsored the Volunteer First Responder Housing Act, a bill that would give lower income volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMT's loan guarantees to purchase homes.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 4:43:48 PM - SOURCE: NBC26

Local firefighters are responding to a chimney fire at a residence in Pleasant Springs, according to Dane County Dispatch. Firefighters from Stoughton and McFarland are working to put out the fire at 2056 Skaalen Road, dispatch confirmed. The call came in at 9:16 a.m. There are no reported injuries, according to dispatch.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 8:41:52 AM - SOURCE: WISC-TV Channel 3000.com Madison

Fire destroyed a home in Calumet County Christmas night. At about 10:17 p.m., Harrison Fire Rescue was called to a home on Lake Shore Dr. Heavy smoke and flames were coming out of the roof. The homeowners and family they were hosting for Christmas escaped the fire without injury. Harrison's Fire Chief says due to the home's location, firefighters had to pump water from locations up the road.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 7:45:37 AM - SOURCE: WBAY-TV ABC 2 Green Bay

Looking at the numbers at the end of the first year of the Racine Fire Department's home visit program, department Division Chief Brian Wolf said he's seen how the program "is greatly needed." For its first year, the program has been focused on cardiac patients. Fire Chief Steve Hansen said the department's partners in the program at Advocate Aurora and Ascension All Saints would like to see the program expanded, but the department's plan is to grow the program incrementally.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 5:32:09 AM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

Much of a Long Island firehouse was destroyed after going up in flames Christmas morning, leaving the chief in tears as he described the loss of two pumpers, a ladder truck, an ambulance and the volunteer department’s firefighting equipment. A passing state trooper noticed the blaze at the unoccupied North Massapequa fire headquarters at 1000 N.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Post

Spartanburg County’s fire service needs have failed to keep up with the growth of more than 50,000 residents over the past 20 years, the county’s leading fire official says. That’s primarily because the county’s master fire service plan has not been updated in more than 20 years, according to Barry Frost.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Spartanburg Herald Journal

VIDEO: Firefighters battled a five-alarm blaze at a commercial building in Mahwah shortly before 5 a.m. Christmas Day, working for hours to get it under control, officials said. The fire occurred at the Arzee Building Supply Center at 37 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah Police Chief Stephen Jaffe said. All five Mahwah fire department companies, township police and firefighters from mutual aid support from Rockland County in New York responded to the call, officials said.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Firehouse.com

The Pell City Fire Department is working on a new partnership with local businesses for 2020. The department will ring in the new year with its new Fire and Life Safety Program. This program will mainly entail the inspections of all business in the city during the new year. Ahead of these inspections, the city is also asking that businesses complete a few minor steps that will help both them and the department in the long run.
- PUB DATE: 12/26/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: St. Clair Times

Fire crews from Jefferson County and surrounding areas were called around 7:20 a.m. for a 5th Alarm fire in a large commercial building near US-18 and Co. Rd. D in Helenville on Dec. 25. According to Helenville Fire Dept., the fire appears to have started inside the building, which has had multiple renovations and additions over the years.
- PUB DATE: 12/25/2019 11:46:26 AM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee

More fires have recently broken out on La Crosse's south side. The La Crosse fire department is looking at a site for a new station in that area, but was unable to get enough money to start building one. "I know Mayor (Kabat) and (city) council we're trying to get it done, but it just wasn't in the cards," fire department Chief Ken Gilliam said.
- PUB DATE: 12/24/2019 3:44:08 PM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse

Santa made a special visit to a home in Plymouth that needed some extra holiday cheer this year. This Christmas Eve Santa and his elves are ready to embark on their once-a-year mission, but the sleigh didn't need reindeer, just firefighters. A group of volunteer firefighters from the Glenbeulah Fire Department loaded up their fire truck with presents and made their way to the neighboring town of Plymouth with only one stop on the list: the Oberreich family home.
- PUB DATE: 12/24/2019 2:49:53 PM - SOURCE: WISN-TV ABC 12 Milwaukee

Former Baraboo firefighter Tate Robinson described his emotions as he rushed to his co-worker Andy Hansen in one word: “terror.” That feeling was mixed with uncertainty. Robinson had just been approached by a resident of the Pewaukee neighborhood where he was trimming trees. The bystander told Robinson that Hansen had been injured by a chainsaw.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 2:38:42 PM - SOURCE: Baraboo News Republic

First responders in Racine County came together to create a special video and experience for the children of a Union Grove-Yorkville firefighter who died just after Halloween after suffering a heart attack at a fatal crash scene. According to a post shared on social media by the Village of Sturtevant Police Department, the video was created through the collaboration of the Sturtevant Police Department, Union Grove-Yorkville Fire Department, Racine Honda, and the Racine area community.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:42:44 PM - SOURCE: WITI Fox Channel 6

The City and Town of Burlington have reached an agreement for the city’s Fire Department to provide emergency medical services to town residents beginning Jan. 1 after the Burlington Rescue Squad officially disbands. The Rescue Squad’s assets will also be distributed to various area fire agencies under an agreement ratified Tuesday night by the City Council.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 4:49:15 AM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

A nine-foot tree outside Fairfax County’s Public Safety Headquarters is not only celebrating the holidays but honoring those who served. “The cumulative impact of stress from being a first responder starts to creep up on you,” said Fairfax County Police Chief Ed Roessler. Two years ago, stress caught up with the Chief after some of his friends died in the line of duty and by suicide.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WJLA-TV ABC 7

As the city continues to stay mum on the plan to encrypt tens of thousands of police radios in New York City, yet another group is expressing concerns that they will also be shut out of the NYPD feed — volunteer firefighters and ambulance companies. Dozens of volunteer ambulance groups currently respond to help New Yorkers around the city, and they monitor police radios to provide assistance.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: amNewYork

Mike Berthiaume, 31, a Franklin firefighter, was transferring a patient at the hospital when he suddenly felt pain in his knee. The injury would cause him to miss work, his one true passion, for the next year. “I basically just twisted my knee the wrong way, it was like a compression and twisting injury, and from there it just escalated,” said Berthiaume.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Boston Herald - Metered Site

One community is getting into the holiday spirit in an unconventional way. Grayson firefighters saw a video of a fireman in New York, dressed as Buddy the Elf, starting pillow fights with random people. They said it looked like too much fun not to try themselves. When people see the Clark Griswold car approaching blaring music from the National Lampoon Vacation films, it's only a harbinger of the surreal Christmas experience that's about to literally strike them.
- PUB DATE: 12/23/2019 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WSFA-TV NBC 12 Montgomery