This isn’t your parents’ emergency medical service. This year’s National EMS Week comes amid intensifying discussions here in eastern Dane County about merging the Deer-Grove, Cambridge and Marshall EMS services. Talk of that was set to continue Thursday night, as a committee exploring the merger was expected to set a date for a community forum.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 4:16:49 PM - SOURCE: Cambridge News / Deerfield Independent

A recent audit of the Holmen Area Fire Department found that rebate funds distributed from the state to the three municipalities that support the department – Holland, Holmen and the town of Onalaska – haven’t been correctly paid to the HAFD. As a result, all three municipalities last week considered how to cover budget shortfalls.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 4:16:18 PM - SOURCE: Onalaska Holmen Courier Life

An audit of the Holmen Area Fire Department books has turned into a “fiasco” for the three municipalities that make up the fire district, according to one Holmen Village Board member. A discussion over reallocating special funds for the Holmen Area Fire Department became heated at the May 11 Holmen Village Board meeting.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 4:02:16 PM - SOURCE: Onalaska Holmen Courier Life

Fire damaged a basement in a single-family home Wednesday night. Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue was called to the 100 block of Courtney Court about 10:25 p.m. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, which was confined to the basement. "There was some fire damage but more heavy smoke damage," said Assistant Chief Mike Sipin.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 6:44:05 AM - SOURCE: Oshkosh Northwestern

Ron Blomberg narrowly avoided the devastation Tuesday that claimed the life of his neighbor at Prairie Lake Estates mobile home park. Blomberg, 27, left his trailer home about 10 minutes before a tornado ripped through the grounds, destroying two-thirds of the park’s homes, at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 2:11:34 AM - SOURCE: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram

The Portage Fire Department is kicking off the summer fundraising drive with firetruck rides Saturday morning. “We’re giving rides to kids … and adults,” said Portage Fire Inspector Craig Ratz. “You’re never too old for a firetruck ride.” The department will be bringing engines 3, 6, and 8, along with squad 2 to the parking lot of Walmart where it will be offering official Portage Fire Department T-shirts and rides on one of the trucks for $15.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 1:44:03 AM - SOURCE: Portage Daily Register

The second time an Oakland fire crew rushed to a city-owned historic building to put out a blaze, Battalion Chief James Bowron nearly lost it. He and his fire crew had been at the site two weeks earlier, on April 8, to put out a fire on the first floor of the vacant building that squatters apparently had started.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle

VIDEO - An alert Cleveland EMS crew discovered three garbage trucks on fire just after 2:30 a.m. Thursday. The fire was burning at Republic Services on Jones Road just north of the intersection of Broadway and Harvard Avenues when the EMS crew saw flame and smoke from Broadway Avenue. The three trucks were spewing thick black smoke and a few explosions were seen and heard in the area.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WEWS-TV IBS 5 Cleveland

During a brief 10 minute meeting on May 16, the Mesquite City Council cast a split vote to terminate Fire Chief Kash Christopher “without cause.” Three councilmen, David Ballweg, George Rapson and Brian Wursten, voted in favor of the action. Councilman Rich Green voted no and Councilman Geno Withelder voted to abstain from the proposal.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Mesquite Local News

Mandy Gould has spent nearly 13 years as a volunteer firefighter in Caledon, Ont. – a sprawling municipality northwest of Toronto – following her father into a vocation that she aspired to since high school. For the past 11 years, Ms. Gould has also been a full-time firefighter in nearby Brampton, a suburban city of more than half a million.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Globe and Mail

For most, a mid-life crisis consists of buying a sports car, or burying yourself in some expensive new hobby. For Jeffrey Williams, his involved a change of career into the fire service. And moving into the fire service presents some unique challenges for him, seeing as he was born with only one hand.
- PUB DATE: 5/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Arizona City Independent

VIDEO: Authorities say the victim who died Tuesday when a tornado destroyed a mobile home park in northwestern Wisconsin was a 46-year-old man. At least 25 other people were injured when a storm leveled the Prairie Lake Estate Mobile Park on State Highway 53 between Chetek and Cameron. The National Weather Service reported a touchdown in the area just after 5:30 p.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 6:51:33 AM - SOURCE: Appleton Post-Gazette & Post Crescent.com

A fire Tuesday afternoon sent two people to the hospital. Firefighters were called to 834 Goldenview Court at about 2 p.m. May 16 for a report of a fire with two people trapped inside, according to Western Lakes Fire District Chief Brad Bowen. Upon arrival, crews noticed heavy black smoke coming from the rear of the home, according to a news release from the Western Lakes Fire District.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 1:49:26 AM - SOURCE: Lake Country News

A Kenosha man faces 19 charges, including three arsons, after allegedly stealing property in New Lisbon in the spring of 2015. Arthur E. Sagel, 34, was charged with the alleged crimes on April 25. For the three arson of building charges, Sagel could be fined $100,000 or be imprisoned no more than 40 years, or both, for each offense.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 1:45:10 AM - SOURCE: Juneau County-Star Times

VIDEO: Life jacket? Check. Engine running? Check. Ability to see under water? Scott Gomoll now has that too. The 360 Side Sonar mounts in two portions on the Merrill Fire Department's search and rescue boat. Monday morning, firefighter/paramedic Gomall took the new tool out for practice and training.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WJFW-TV NBC 12 Rhinelander-Wausau

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., introduced legislation today that could help local fire departments promote part-time personnel with federal grant funding rather than being forced to hire new employees and train them. Peters introduced the legislation along with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, as a way to help save money and hire and promote first responders who have already been trained.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Detroit Free Press

All 11 members of Newburgh’s volunteer fire department quit their jobs after the town selectmen refused to reinstate the former chief, officials said. The selectmen met Monday to vote whether to reinstate former Chief Glen Williamson, who officially resigned in August. He worked for the department for more than 20 years, the last 10 as chief earning $4,000 a year, he said.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Bangor Daily News

In this, the second episode of After Action Video, we explore the Berkeley Fire’s mayday event on September 30th 2016. The event occurred at a commercial fire while crews were engaged in transitioning from offensive to defensive in their approach. This episode looks at the firefighters' mindset both before and during the event as well as highlighting the “chain” of events that contributed to the need for a mayday.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cahill Multimedia

A Seattle firefighter who says he was knocked out by the force of the Greenwood natural-gas explosion last year is suing Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and its contractor over the blast. In the lawsuit filed Friday, Jeff Markoff said he was about 90 feet from the epicenter of the alleyway explosion that leveled two buildings and damaged dozens more.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Seattle Times

Jones County Volunteer Fire Department (JCVFD) battled a Mother's Day duplex fire Sunday, where the fire completely destroyed the building. During Sunday's call JCVFD requested back-up from Laurel city firefighters, but they did not get the response it needed. The fire happened on Redbud Drive off Highway 11 around 11 a.
- PUB DATE: 5/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: My Fox 23 Hattiesburg