Firefighter Joyce Craig made five “Mayday” distress transmissions as she became trapped in the dining room of a burning West Oak Lane home on Dec. 9, 2014. “Engine 73 can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,” Craig, 37, said in her final transmission. Nine minutes later, Craig – the first female Philadelphia firefighter to die in the line of duty – was found by her comrades with her left hand still near the nozzle of her fire hose, according to a report released Monday by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
- PUB DATE: 4/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Philly.com

After Elkhart Mayor Mike Gordon wrote a letter to the public explaining why the city council decided to sever ties with its fire department, Elkhart Volunteer Fire Chief Randy McCoy responded. McCoy disagrees with Gordon, who said the city was spending a tremendous amount of money paying for the volunteer fire department's insurance and utilities, and the history of oversight and accountability demands placed on city officials, as well as the city’s staff, were costly and time consuming.
- PUB DATE: 4/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Palestine Herald

A construction worker frantically woke residents of a two-story home in Cambridge, alerting the three people upstairs to escape as flames swept through the second floor, grateful renters said this morning. Dozens of firefighters responded to the multi-alarm blaze. Ladder trucks poured water into the second floor, shattering windows.
- PUB DATE: 4/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Boston Herald

Modesto has paid $80,000 to settle allegations that one of its firefighters tripped and fell on a third-grader and broke her arm during a Fire Department safety event called the Clown Program, in which firefighters dress up as clowns to teach schoolchildren such basics as when to call 911 and how to get out of a burning house.
- PUB DATE: 4/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Modesto Bee

A state appellate court on Monday ruled that a borough volunteer firefighter can not receive workers' compensation for a serious head injury suffered in a parking lot altercation with another firefighter. Jamie Benimadho suffered a skull fracture, hemorrhages and traumatic brain injury when his head hit the pavement in a fall during an incident that began with horseplay between two other volunteer firefighters.
- PUB DATE: 4/18/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: NJ.com

On April 17, 0 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

Several firefighters had to be treated for smoke inhalation after they responded to a chimney fire in Buffalo County. It happened in the Village of Nelson Saturday afternoon. The sheriff's department says the chimney of the home had to be torn down, and portions of the outside wall had to be removed in order to prevent the fire from spreading into the entire house.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 3:00:15 PM - SOURCE: WEAU-TV 13 News

Writing about Milwaukee history serves as a constant reminder that there's always more to learn; that no one knows it all. And surely not me. The former North Milwaukee Fire Station and Town Hall, 5151 N. 35th St., is another reminder. When I first saw an old photo of the place, I thought, "what a shame that's gone.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 10:51:19 AM - SOURCE: OnMilwaukee.com

Two men are safe after being rescued on a local lake after the boat they were in capsized Sunday afternoon. According to the Altoona Police Department, Johnny Lowe, 31, and Frank Scholl, 32, were pulled from Lake Altoona just before 1 P.M. Sunday. "Originally, when we first got here we could only see one life jacket on a gentleman and he was trying to wave his arms around out there," said Pamela Nelson who was at the beach when the boat went under.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 10:42:16 AM - SOURCE: Altoona, WI

Ellsworth fire crews battled flames at an area business Saturday afternoon. According to a press release, the Ellsworth Fire Department responded to River City Metals, located at N3941 State Road 35, for a structure fire. Fire crews said heavy fire could be spotted coming from two, pole-shed type buildings that were built together.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 9:14:47 AM - SOURCE: WQOW-TV ABC 18 Eau Claire

On April 16, 3 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

On April 14, 4 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

On April 16, 1 residential fire fatality was reported by the Nation's news media.

On April 15, 2 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

On April 14, 2 residential fire fatalities were reported by the Nation's news media.

Lightning is believed to be the cause of fire that destroyed a garage and large truck late Saturday, according to authorities. The fire was reported around 11:30 p.m. by a passerby who also alerted the renter who lives in the house at 714 172nd Ave, property owner Marcel Kuper said Sunday. Kuper’s home is nearby.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 1:43:50 AM - SOURCE: Kenosha News

Wyoming Fire District Chief James “Jim” Benken and retired Milford Fire Chief John E. Cooper, Sr. died Friday. Benken passed away suddenly, the City of Wyoming Fire & EMS posted Friday. “(He) is being mourned by all who knew him,” they said, and they expressed condolences to family and friends. Cooper, 68, died at his Milford home Friday.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WCPO-TV ABC 9 Cincinnati

Santa Rosa firefighters are suing the city in federal court, claiming they’ve been systematically cheated out of overtime for years. The city’s 118 unionized firefighters say the city is improperly calculating their overtime pay, and they now want to recoup their losses for the past three years, plus interest, costs and attorney’s fees.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Press Democrat

This Bravest is the oldest. Probationary firefighter Hazim Tawfiq has joined the FDNY at age 44 after a long battle over his rap sheet. Tawfiq failed an FDNY entry exam in 1999, then joined a federal lawsuit that successfully accused the FDNY of racial discrimination. He won a cash settlement and a second chance to be hired, but the city rejected him because of his criminal record.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: New York Post

An emotional day in Prince George’s county, as a man who shot two firefighters, killing one, faces a judge for sentencing on gun charges. The welfare check turned shooting devastated the department, and one year later, they are still feeling the impact. Darrell Lumpkin’s four-year sentence was handed down just on Friday evening, and so many firefighters showed up at the courthouse to support Lumpkin’s victims, the proceedings had to be moved to a bigger courtroom.
- PUB DATE: 4/17/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WJZ-TV CBS 13 Baltimore