A Saturday afternoon house fire in West Racine caused an estimated $40,000 in damage but no injuries, the Racine Fire Department reported. Fire crews were dispatched to 608 Monroe Ave. for a call that came in at 2:27 p.m. The found smoke coming from the house. After a “quick” interior search of the home, a heating/air-conditioning duct showed heavy smoke damage to the second floor.
- PUB DATE: 9/29/2018 6:46:09 PM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

VIDEO: A dispute over a clause in the contract for Janesville Firefighters is causing a rift between the department and the city. In March, Jason Daskam the president of Janesville's firefighter union-Local 580, said the city issued a new rule saying city employees could not use city resources to wash their personal vehicles.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 8:35:30 PM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

Firefighters were called to a report of structure fire in Madison on Friday morning. Cynthia Schuster, a spokesperson with the Madison Fire Department, said firefighters responded around 7:35 a.m. to a home in the 3800 block of Nakoma Road. No word on how much damage the fire caused. No one is believed to be injured.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 7:46:30 AM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

Governor Walker declared September 27, 2018 as First Responders Appreciation Day. Our sister station NBC 15 visited the Sun Prairie Fire Department and the Middleton Police Department asking them to reflect on the appreciation they’ve seen after two tragic events hit their communities. "You get into this job to help people and that's exactly what we did on that day but you never really know what magnitude your response has on people,” said Middleton Police Sergeant Jessica Quamme.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 6:47:51 AM - SOURCE: WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau

Holmen Area Fire District Association board members say they recognize the Holmen Area Fire Department has some catching up to do. To adequately staff and equip the department to meet the demands of the district, fire board members say they realize funding for operations needs to increase by double digits.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 1:45:19 AM - SOURCE: Coulee News

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), if you have a reported home fire today, you are more likely to die than you were in 1980. This startling fact is attributed to several factors, including the way homes are built and the contents in them. “Open floor plans and a prevalence of modern synthetic furnishings make homes burn faster and the fires produce deadly smoke and gases within moments,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of Outreach and Advocacy.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NFPA.org

A fire truck hit a tanker truck on U.S. Route 36 just east of state Route 258 around 3 p.m. Wednesday, according to Sgt. William Bower of the State Highway Patrol. The firefighter driving the Newcomerstown Fire Department truck, Heather Stein-Wells, 42, was ejected from the truck. She suffered a broken hand, scrapes and required stitches at Coshocton Regional Medical Center.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Times Reporter

FirstNet provided the city of Whiteville, N.C., with critical voice and data communications throughout Hurricane Florence and subsequent flooding in the area, passing a “big test” regarding the resiliency and flexibility associated with the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN), according to a Whiteville official.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Urgentcomm

Former Fire Chief Mark O’Brien says he will fight his firing by the town manager, and will likely seek a public hearing before the Board of Selectmen, saying in an interview Thursday he “has nothing to hide.” Town Manager Pat Finnigan confirmed O’Brien’s employment was terminated Sept. 18, but would not provide further details, citing personnel privacy laws.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Seacoastonline.com

Easton's firefighter union says it does not want the city to start hiring part-time employees. The union laid out its grievances with possible part-time hires in a Facebook post on Monday. In the post, the union says hiring part-timers would equate to a cut in staffing and says the city isn't willing to send-part time employees to the Allentown Fire Academy for training, something Mayor Sal Panto denies.
- PUB DATE: 9/28/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFMZ-TV Channel 69

Racine Fire Bells Inc. is celebrating its 70th anniversary of service to southeastern Wisconsin. The Fire Bells mission is to preserve firefighting history by maintaining the newly renovated Firehouse 3 Museum and provide fire service support through emergency rehab operations in Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties by providing food, beverages and temporary shelter from the environment during a fire for firefighters and fire victims alike.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 10:22:53 AM - SOURCE: Racine Journal Times

On September 21, 10 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

VIDEO: Happening this weekend, some of our area's first responders are getting ready to put on a show. Everyone will get the chance to check out a fleet of emergency vehicles, tour the fire station, and you just might see Sparky the Fire Dog out there at the De Pere Fire Department's Open House. Fire Chief Al Matzke says the annual open house is a tradition dating back more than 30 years.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 7:29:03 AM - SOURCE: WFRV-TV and WJMN-TV Green Bay

Spending $5.5 million to build a new, combined Town Hall and fire station is too expensive, Wheatland Town Chairman Bill Glembocki said at the recent Town Board meeting. “I was just in shock when we got (that) bid,” Glembocki said, encouraging officials and Fire Chief Lou Denko to consider some alternatives.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 1:47:50 AM - SOURCE: Kenosha News

Bellingham Fire Department personnel made 15 training attempts to intubate a dead man as he lay in a body bag on the floor of the apparatus bay at Station 1, according to an investigation into the incident submitted Sept. 4 by a Seattle law group and released by the city Wednesday to The Bellingham Herald.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bellingham Herald

Like their colleagues in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Chicago, firefighters in Buffalo believe there's a link between hearing loss and the sharp, piercing sounds of the sirens that accompany them to fires. But four years later, the lawsuits they filed against the siren maker are ending and no one on either side is claiming victory.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Buffalo News

Firefighters are supposed to wait for Dallas police before they go into a dangerous situation. It's a new policy. "Gunshot with victim with shooter in vicinity. Do you see police?” says a dispatcher. Sunday night when firefighters responded to a home near Fair Park, they had a tough decision to make.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFAA.com

After what they called a "tough" budget process, the mayor and aldermen approved their FY19 budget. One of the hotly debated items was restructuring the fire and police department, creating a public safety director who would oversee both fire and police departments. Members of the fire department spoke to the mayor and aldermen in executive session where they expressed their desire for Chief Tommy Posey to remain their leader.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: gulflive.com

Calling 911 for medical problems in Minneapolis generates a big response. The city Fire Department dispatches a half-million-dollar fire engine with several firefighters, even for minor issues like a sprained ankle. A smaller vehicle operated by the Minneapolis Fire Department may begin responding to some health emergencies around downtown next year, one way the department is dealing with its growing volume of medical emergency calls.
- PUB DATE: 9/27/2018 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Star Tribune

VIDEO: As the season starts to change and temperature continues to drop, it's important to make sure the heating equipment in your home is working properly. De Pere Fire Chief Alan Matzke said having your equipment serviced by a professional on a regular basis can help you avoid fires. "According to the National Fire Fighter Association the number one cause for fires is cooking, the number two cause is heating equipment," said Matzke.
- PUB DATE: 9/26/2018 8:37:13 PM - SOURCE: WLUK TV Fox 11