Fire News Reports

News Reports
Foreclosures challenge fire departments - 11/20/2008
Fire departments are already feeling the effect of spiraling foreclosures, with lower tax revenues causing shrinking budgets. But as more people lose their homes, a host of even more direct challenges ...

Chemical Protection on the Fireground - 11/17/2008
Many in the fire service now believe that most structural fires are, in fact, mini-HazMat incidents. Given the volume of synthetic products, chemicals and other hazardous materials found at most ...

'Two-Hatters' Perform Vital Volunteer Role - 11/13/2008
Hopefully by now you have all seen the IAFC's statement supporting individuals' rights to serve their communities in multiple capacities. It is long past time that we all come together to help ...

Fire service looks ahead to Obama presidency - 11/06/2008
Barack Obama swept to victory in Tuesday's historic presidential election on a pledge of change. Now the organization that aims to enhance congressional awareness about the concerns and needs ...

Atlanta chief worried about mass retirements - 11/03/2008
The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department is bracing for the possible retirement of about 250 firefighters over the next three years. Some say the departures could start as soon as next month. Department ...

Economic downturn hits fire departments - 10/30/2008
With U.S. consumer confidence falling to a record low and global stock markets falling, the effects of the economic downturn are far-reaching. In this, the first part of a special series focusing ...

Search teams offer new life to rescued dogs - 10/28/2008
Some dogs have issues — they're normally the ones that can be found chewing anything they can get their teeth into or spinning in circles like whirling dervishes. While these character traits ...

Preparing for the Unexpected - 10/23/2008
We are being surprised by explosions, flashovers and collapse situations all too often in fires. It begs the question of whether we are really doing the necessary 360 size-up and continuously ...

Atlanta chief: 'Brownouts' not forever - 10/17/2008
Atlanta fire Chief Kelvin Cochran said Wednesday his "brownout" strategy of temporarily shutting down ladder trucks at some stations to cut costs will continue until the city is on stronger financial ...

NC firefighters get 'solid A' from USFA report - 10/09/2008
Apex firefighters and public safety workers showed "the highest level of skill and expertise" when they responded to a chemical plant fire two years ago that led to the evacuation of about 17,000 ...

Fire Prevention Week 2008 - 10/06/2008
Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record, is October 5-11. FireRescue1 has collected a range of resources and articles to help you and your department ...

Carr's appointment 'honors' fallen Charleston firefighters - 09/29/2008
Following the announcement Monday of Thomas Carr as the new Charleston fire chief, FireRescue1 approached three figures who all have unique perspective on last year's Sofa Super Store fire to ...

Radios put firefighters' lives at risk, says Pa. chief - 09/25/2008
Emergency responders say a new $2 million communications system hampered firefighting efforts during a blaze Sunday at a church. Fire Chief Rick Zupon said firefighters' inability to communicate ...

ICC passes residential sprinkler resolution - 09/18/2008
Code changes making sprinklers mandatory in new one-family and two-family homes were approved by the International Code Council Sunday.

Ronny Coleman, president of the IRC Fire Sprinkler ...

Nation marks 7th anniversary of terror attacks - 09/10/2008
The nation paused Thursday to mark the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with a heartfelt ceremony at ground zero and other solemn remembrances around the country.

Relatives ...

USAR teams respond to Hurricane Gustav - 09/02/2008
Fire Captain Ben Marra has worked in the aftermath of some of the biggest disasters across the United States in the past few years.

As a member of California Task Force 3, Capt. Marra ...

D-Block debacle: Emergency communications network stalls - 08/28/2008
When the FCC's wireless spectrum auction came to a close earlier this year, the plan to build a multi-purpose, national, wireless broadband public safety network fell short of becoming a reality.

National Firefighter Health Week - 08/21/2008
The second annual National Firefighter Health Week, an NVFC initiative to raise awareness of the issues and problems that can affect all firefighters, got under way Monday. FireRescue1 is partnering ...

Thousands gather in Denver for FRI 2008 - 08/15/2008
The IAFC's Fire-Rescue International runs from August 14-16 in Denver. FireRescue1's brings you extensive special coverage of the event.

NC fire department cited, city fined after LODDs - 08/11/2008
A state investigation says officials improperly allowed a firefighter who died to enter a burning building alone during a lumberyard blaze that killed him and another fireman. But an inspector ...

Search on for 9 victims in wildfire chopper crash - 08/07/2008
Fire raging through rugged, dense terrain is complicating rescue crews' efforts to recover victims and evidence from the remote part of a Northern California forest where a firefighting helicopter ...

Rural volunteer departments struggle for members - 08/04/2008
State and federal lawmakers are taking action to help reverse the trend of diminishing numbers of volunteers. Because volunteers are often the first responders to events ranging from floods ...

Thinking About Fires - 07/30/2008
There is something wrong with how we think about fires.

The report into a fire that killed two firefighters in San Pablo, Calif., last year was released this month. As often is the ...

Bulletproof vests – the next PPE for firefighters? - 07/24/2008
Ensuring correct PPE is being worn, being wary to the threat of projectiles exploding — these are things associated with a size-up at routine vehicle fires. But listening for gunshots?

Firefighter killed in St. Louis-area shooting - 07/21/2008
A gunman shot at firefighters responding to a report of a burning pickup truck early Monday, killing one, then opened fire on other emergency workers, wounding two.

Fire crews make progress on California wildfires - 07/17/2008
Fire crews started a controlled burn in the Los Padres National Forest in hopes of halting the massive blaze's spread through the ravaged hills of the central California coast.

A mandatory ...


'Delay to action' faulted in fatal Minn. fire - 07/15/2008
An investigation into a fire department's response to a fatal fire found ineffective communication hampered how the blaze was fought. The probe was ordered after a firefighter publicly criticized ...

Milwaukee program reduces CO dangers - 07/10/2008
Approximately one year ago, four Milwaukee Fire Department firefighters sustained CO poisoning during an EMS run. As a result of many such incidents, we have implemented the CO Meter Program

Calif. firefighter spreading word of cancer dangers - 07/07/2008
Retired firefighter Lorenzo Abundiz never smoked a cigarette in his life, but speaking during his cross-country journey, he said all the smoke and toxins he encountered on duty were just as bad ...

Chief Rusty Thomas retires from Charleston Fire Department - 06/30/2008
A group of Charleston firefighters gawked as Chief Rusty Thomas walked over to greet them wearing a sky blue golf shirt and a pair of khaki slacks.

They had never seen the chief in ...

Department Spotlight: Safety, Health and Survival Week - 06/26/2008
Fire/EMS 2008 Safety, Health and Survival Week presented a great opportunity for the fire service, at every level of organization, to focus on the unique risks that members face every day.

Now ...

Charleston: One year later - 06/19/2008
A bell tolled at the end of a memorial for nine Charleston firefighters who died battling a blaze at a furniture store a year ago Wednesday, marking their final call to duty.

104 arrested in NYC for fire code violations - 06/12/2008
City investigators and fire marshals have arrested more than 100 people in a massive sweep targeting business owners, employees and building owners who failed to appear in court.

"We ...

Mich. department implements new on-scene tracking device - 06/08/2008
Dennis Carmichael had just spoken in Detroit about his inventory-tracking technology for auto suppliers a few years ago when a fire department commander approached him with an idea.

"If ...

NIOSH: Wind a factor in Va. structure fire LODD - 06/06/2008
Excessive wind and weather should be taken into account in structural firefighting just as in wildland, according to a NIOSH fatality report.

Firefighter Kyle Wilson, 24, died in April ...

LAFD 'making headway' against harassment, discrimination - 06/03/2008
The Los Angeles Fire Department has made progress in addressing problems of harassment and discrimination, according to an audit released by the city controller.

But department officials ...

Governors get final Tahoe fire report - 05/27/2008
Emergency declarations for five counties ringing Lake Tahoe were signed Tuesday by California and Nevada governors to help speed fire-protection efforts in the scenic mountain resort area hit ...

Dallas drafts new vision for fire-EMS - 05/22/2008
Firefighters may be tackling around 50 percent fewer fires than they were 30 years ago, but it's certainly not reflected in their workload.

EMS responses are making increasing demands ...

Firefighters working to control fires across Florida - 05/20/2008
A large fire in the Everglades and other smaller fires in various parts of Florida brought smoky conditions across Florida on Sunday, even as increased humidity in some areas was helping firefighting ...

Charleston fire chief quits - 05/15/2008
Longtime Charleston Fire Chief Rusty Thomas has announced he'll resign, a decision coming nearly a year after a furniture store blaze killed nine of his men.

In a letter to the mayor, ...

Seattle pays $1.8M to firefighter injured in training - 05/12/2008
Seattle has ended its efforts to fight a lawsuit it lost in 2004 by paying about $1.8 million to a firefighter injured during training.

Charleston mayor agrees to release sofa store fire report - 05/08/2008
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley has reversed his decision to withhold a highly anticipated report on the deadly June 18 Sofa Super Store fire. The document will be released May 15, he said Tuesday ...

Wash. fire boss pleads guilty to misdemeanors for 4 crew deaths - 05/01/2008
The supervisor of a firefighting crew that lost four members in a 2001 wildfire pleaded guilty to misdemeanors Tuesday under an agreement that dropped manslaughter and other felony charges against ...

Report on Charleston firefighter deaths expected in two weeks - 04/28/2008
A team of consultants investigating the deaths of nine Charleston firefighters at the Sofa Super Store plans to release its report in two weeks, the head of the panel said Thursday.
 ...

'Stay or Go' – Australian approaches to wildfire - 04/24/2008
The 1983 Ash Wednesday Fires destroyed about 2,300 houses and shops and resulted in 83 deaths in the states of Victoria and South Australia. Following the fires, there were several studies that ...

Colo. LODDs first in wildfire since 2002 - 04/17/2008
John Schwartz became a volunteer firefighter about five weeks ago, seeing an opportunity to go from fixing neighbors' cars and trucks to being an even bigger help.

FireRescue1's Full Coverage of FDIC 2008 - 04/09/2008
With more than 340,000 square feet of exhibition space, fire service shows don't come any bigger than FDIC. But it wasn't just about the exhibits, of which there were hundreds.

Leading ...

Charleston training tapes show split between fire officials, union - 03/31/2008
Old fire training tapes that have surfaced stand as a symbol of the division and distance between Charleston officials and the union that represents about half of the city's firefighters.

Union ...

Bureaucracy hinders Tahoe wildfire prevention efforts - 03/24/2008
Steps to prevent catastrophic wildfires in the Lake Tahoe basin have been hampered for years by bureaucratic infighting according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

The ...

Atlanta chief describes response to downtown tornado - 03/20/2008
The Atlanta Fire Department had little warning of the first tornado to hit the city's downtown in recorded history — eight minutes to be exact.

But the department acted quickly Friday ...

N.C. mourns lost firefighters - 03/11/2008
A black cloth covered Salisbury's memorial for fallen firefighters Thursday.

Men dressed in white gloves and dark uniforms stood outside the funeral home where the bodies of firefighters ...

Charleston Fire Department: Up from the ashes - 03/07/2008
At the Charleston Fire Department, crews try on state-of-the-art air packs and test heat-seeking cameras. Firefighters train on larger diameter hoses and inspect a newly arrived fire engine. It ...

Tapes capture chaos of Fla. Wendy's shooting - 03/05/2008
Recordings of 911 calls made as a gunman rampaged through a fast-food restaurant capture the screams, moans and banging that ensued after he killed a firefighter-paramedic at the counter and ...

Gas suspected in Ill. plaza explosion - 02/29/2008
Some shop owners smelled gas for the last couple of days at a shopping plaza rocked by an explosion that injured at least eight people and rattled nearby buildings, authorities said.

The ...

Firefighters face ethanol hazards in alternate fuels push - 02/27/2008
The nation's drive toward alternative fuels carries a danger many communities have been to slow to recognize: Ethanol fires are harder to put out than gasoline ones and require a special type ...

Report: Drugs, alcohol not factors in Boston LODDs - 02/22/2008
One of the two firefighters who died in an August restaurant blaze in West Roxbury entered the burning kitchen with neither his face mask, which was found on a table, nor his radio, which was ...

Vt. firefighters wage campaign over smoke detectors - 02/13/2008
At a fire that killed five in Barre, Vt., in 2005, there was something peculiar: the apartment had a working smoke detector, but it wasn't sounding its alarm.

Months later, Fire Chief ...

New report outlines rural fire danger - 02/07/2008
The NFPA and USFA unveiled new measures Tuesday to reduce the high number of fire deaths in rural areas in the United States.

Communities with fewer than 2,500 residents have nearly twice ...

American LaFrance: What Does the Future Hold? - 01/29/2008
You don't get to be one of the oldest fire apparatus manufacturers around without having strength in the face of adversity.

But American LaFrance seems to be facing its toughest challenge ...


Fla. rookie recovers from life-threatening injuries - 01/24/2008
Rookie firefighter Shawn Hall's pulse pounded with anticipation as Engine 51 rushed toward a mobile home blaze. But as the engine drove through an intersection, Hall saw another truck shooting ...

Racial tensions shake up St. Louis Fire Department - 01/18/2008
Since black Fire Chief Sherman George was demoted in October, the FBI has investigated two incidents inside engine houses that were reported as possible hate crimes, one involving a stuffed monkey ...

Official: 'Miscommunication' before death of Pa. firefighter - 01/10/2008
The Scranton fire department and an electrical utility had a breakdown in communication prior to the death of veteran firefighter Capt. James Robeson, who was electrocuted Sunday, an official ...

Safety tool rescues N.Y. firefighter - 01/02/2008
Nearly three years after two New York City firefighters jumped from a burning building and plunged to their deaths, a 24-year FDNY veteran yesterday became the first to use a widely hailed safety ...

Bell tolls on final midnight Mass at ground zero - 12/26/2007
The first midnight Mass at ground zero was celebrated as workers were still clearing debris from the World Trade Center and recovering bodies after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
 ...

Plan to downplay Charleston fire probe revealed - 12/10/2007
Gov. Mark Sanford's office and state workplace officials consulted on a plan to minimize publicity surrounding the results of an investigation into Charleston's deadly Sofa Super Store fire, ...

Denver area firefighters burn the fat - 11/30/2007
Just under 10 years ago, a Denver fire department was facing the fat.

Forty-three of its 240 firefighters measured clinically obese and nine were morbidly obese. Twenty-five percent of ...


Baltimore fire chief announces resignation - 11/15/2007
Baltimore Fire Chief William J. Goodwin Jr., hailed for his early leadership but increasingly under pressure after a fatal training accident this year, has resigned.

It ended months of ...


UK firefighters form guard of honor as bodies of comrades found - 11/08/2007
Hundreds of firefighters formed an honor guard as the bodies of three of their colleagues were retrieved from a burnt-out warehouse.

Ian Reid, 44, was pulled out of the blaze, on Friday, ...


Dozens hurt in Chicago train collision - 11/03/2007
Most of the 187 passengers aboard the Amtrak train walked away unhurt after the accident on the city's South Side, which catapulted people from their seats. Four people had to be pulled from ...

S.C. firefighters remember fatal beach house blaze - 11/01/2007
Fire Chief Robert Yoho awoke Sunday morning to an unwelcome sound.

"I heard all of these tones and I wondered, 'What is this?'" he said Tuesday. "At first I thought it was a mistake."

But ...


Californians mull next step after fires - 10/23/2007
A week after a half million people fled Southern California's wildfires, shelters began closing and residents were figuring out what to do next even as firefighters kept a wary eye on the possibility ...

FEMA draws own disaster plans - 10/15/2007
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is quietly drawing up plans for a handful of disasters: devastating earthquakes beneath San Francisco and St. Louis and catastrophic storms in South Florida ...

Fire Prevention Week:
What you can do
- 10/03/2007
Departments throughout the nation are reaching out to their communities to spread the fire prevention message in a variety of ways, including open houses and school visits.

Officially ...


Foresters take fast action to mitigate future fire seasons - 09/26/2007
The nation's worsening fire seasons are, in part, a consequence of global warming and are likely to get more severe unless forest managers step up tree removal efforts and prescribed fire programs, ...

Charleston Fire Department, sofa store fined for deadly June fire - 09/21/2007
State regulators fined the Charleston Fire Department and a furniture store Thursday for violating safety standards in a blaze that killed nine firefighters.

The state Occupational Safety ...


Mass. chief suspended for budget comments after fatal blaze - 09/14/2007
A Mass. fire chief, who complained of inadequate staffing of his fire house, was reprimanded by his city in disciplinary city.

The disciplinary hearings held in July and August typified tensions ...


Six years later, 9/11 first responder illnesses still on rise - 09/10/2007
Six years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the number of first responders and workers who are ill and are seeking monitoring and treatment continues to rise, a trend that surprises the medical professionals ...

Chief responds to scandals at D.C. fire stations - 09/06/2007

D.C. fire officials said Tuesday that an investigation into reports of a prostitution ring operating out of some of the city's firehouses has also yielded three reports of employees being ...


2 Boston firefighters killed in restaurant blaze - 08/31/2007
Fire broke out inside a Boston restaurant, killing two firefighters and injuring 11 others who became disoriented in the dense smoke, officials said Thursday

N.Y. mayor defends decision to send firefighters into Deutsche Bank building - 08/22/2007
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday defended the decision to send dozens of firefighters into a blaze that killed two of them in a vacant tower next to the World Trade Center site

Fire-Rescue International 2007 - Atlanta - 08/20/2007

USFA releases annual report on firefighter deaths - 08/16/2007
An annual report released Tuesday by the United States Fire Administration says most 2006 firefighter fatalities were caused by heart attacks. According to the report, out of the total 106 deaths, ...

N.J. firehouse alcohol requires city's OK - 08/10/2007
N.J. volunteer firefighters can consume alcoholic beverages in municipal firehouses, but only with the city manager's approval.

Several killed in Minneapolis bridge collapse - 08/02/2007
The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, was in the midst of being repaired and two lanes in each direction were closed when the bridge buckled during evening rush hour ...

Editorial: Were the deaths in a Calif. house fire preventable? - 07/25/2007
Some question whether or not improved dispatch capabilities may have prevented the deaths of two Calif. firefighters and the occupants of the home they were trying to save.

Officials call for investigation into distribution of Hometown Heroes benefits - 07/18/2007
Fire service leaders are demanding a probe into the delivery of benefits to the families of fallen firefighters.

Baltimore mayor orders probe into fire officers' exams - 07/12/2007
Mayor Sheila Dixon asked the city's inspector general yesterday to investigate allegations that members of the Fire Department cheated on recent captains' and lieutenants' promotion exams.

Firefighters make progress on Utah wildfire that killed 3 - 07/02/2007
A fast-moving wildfire in northeast Utah has burned more than 47 square miles, but some progress had been made with more firefighters on hand and calmer winds, a fire official said Monday

S.C. warehouse fire kills 9 firefighters - 06/19/2007
Fire swept through a furniture warehouse, collapsing the building's roof and claiming the lives of nine firefighters in a disaster Charleston's mayor described Tuesday as "difficult to fathom ...

Judge rules Chicago Fire Dept. can use 2006 list for hiring - 06/13/2007
Chicago is free to hire new firefighters from the list generated by the city's first firefighters entrance exam in more than a decade, thanks to the latest chapter in a marathon legal battle.

Lessons from fatal Calif. wildfire will be in future training - 06/08/2007
The story of five wildland firefighters who died trying to protect a home in a Southern California mountain community will be incorporated into future wildfire training materials, according to ...

Young WTC responders exhibiting cancers seen in elderly, specialists say - 06/04/2007
Some of the first responders who were exposed to the cocktail of toxins produced at Ground Zero are developing a form of cancer often seen in much older people in what one doctor calls the "third ...

LAFD takes steps to improve patient medical care - 06/01/2007
Los Angeles fire officials have launched an effort to improve patient care among medics and boost compliance with state laws requiring that serious problems be reported to regulators.

Conn. firefighter dies from injuries after truck accident - 05/22/2007
PHOTO Kevin Czarzasty

A firefighter who was critically injured when two fire trucks collided while racing to a house fire died Tuesday morning. Capt. John Keane ...


Spring wildfires plague several states, marks start of tough season - 05/14/2007
Over the past few weeks several states - including Georgia, California, Minnesota and Florida - have erupted in wildfire. Dry winter conditions and a continued lack of precipitation for the beginning ...

Neighbors rally to help tornado-hit Kansas volunteer fire department - 05/09/2007
A tornado tore through Kansas, destroying more than 90 percent of Greensburg. Rescue teams are still arriving to help with the recovery effort.

NIOSH pledges improvements to firefighter fatality investigations - 05/03/2007
The federal agency that investigates firefighter deaths has pledged to increase its analyses of information on fatalities.

A report released Tuesday by NIOSH detailed a range of future ...


FDNY commissioner announces city-wide disaster preparedness plan - 04/27/2007

FDNY Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta today announced a plan to enhance critical response in the event of terrorist attacks and large scale emergencies throughout the city.

It includes ...


FDIC in Review - 04/20/2007
The FDIC 2007 in Indianapolis highlighted the latest in training and education techniques as well as the most up-to-date apparatus and gear from companies nationwide. More than 26,000 people ...

Experts discuss Pa. fire chief's daring maneuver - 04/17/2007
A fire chief's daring maneuver to drive an aerial truck while firefighters were still aloft in the bucket has prompted much debate among experts. FireRescue1 columnists and Billy Goldfeder, from ...

Fitness program reduces injuries, disease among Fla. firefighters - 04/10/2007
Every year in the United States, about 100 firefighters die in the line of duty, but most aren't killed by smoke, flames or collapsing buildings.

Many die of heart attacks.

One Florida ...


Safety officers denied on-duty death benefits - 03/22/2007
More than three years after President Bush signed a law granting federal benefits to families of firefighters, police officers and EMTs who die of heart attacks and strokes on the job, not a ...

Paramedic shortage affecting Calif. fire departments - 03/15/2007
Fire departments across California are struggling to fill open paramedic positions because of a state-wide lack of suitable candidates.

Some officials say the paramedic deficit is not only ...


Death prevention summit reinforces Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives - 03/06/2007
Efforts to reduce firefighter fatalities were stepped up at the weekend as fire service leaders met to refine the national safety blueprint.

The second National Line-Of-Duty Death Prevention ...


Baltimore Mayor announces promotion of deceased fire recruit - 02/26/2007
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon announced a posthumous promotion yesterday for city Fire Apprentice Racheal M. Wilson, who was killed Feb. 9 in a flawed live-fire training exercise. Mayor Dixon ...

FDNY pledges treatment plans for 9/11 rescue workers - 02/13/2007
Treatment plans will be developed for rescue workers with 9/11-related illnesses over the next two years, according to a new strategic plan released by New York Fire Department.

Federal unit 'ignored' concerns over PASS devices - 02/06/2007
Incidents of firefighters dying all over the nation prompt safety officials to look into the effectiveness of gear that should be saving lives rather than leaving rescuers guessing.

Volunteer firefighters die in fatal W. Va. blast - 02/01/2007
Four people are dead after a gas station explosion rocked Ghent, W. Va. Two of the dead were volunteer firefighters who responded when suspicions of a gas leak were called in. Several people ...

Chicago firefighters union backs off gear safety beef - 01/19/2007
Controversy surfaced in Chicago over whether $10 million of turnout gear was safe after a piece of hot metal burned a hole in the material while in use by a firefighter. Union officials — ...

Flames continue to pour from derailed train in Ky. - 01/18/2007
Thick, billowing smoke and flames continued pouring into the sky from at least one ruptured tanker car on Wednesday, long after a train derailment spilled flammable chemicals, forcing evacuations ...

Calif. health insurers deny policies for firefighters among others - 01/11/2007

Health insurers in California refuse to sell individual coverage to people simply because of their occupations or use of certain medicines, according to documents obtained by The L.A. Times.

Entire ...


Officials say disaster communications subpar in U.S. - 01/04/2007
After a federal agency looks into the state of preparedness for U.S. cities, officials say only six of 75 major metropolitan areas are ready for emergencies.

2006: A Look Back - 12/28/2006
In this special year-end edition of the FireRescue1 News Report, we take a look back over the year that was. As we examine the news and issues that dominated our world, we remember our fallen ...

Northwest storm injures hundreds, leaves thousands in the dark - 12/21/2006

The worst windstorm in more than a decade tore through the Pacific Northwest, leaving more than a million people without power Friday and killing at least four.

Winds gusted to a ...


More than 3,000 firefighters battle Australia blaze - 12/13/2006
Dozens of wildfires burning Tuesday across southern Australia destroyed more than a dozen homes and a popular ski lodge, while residents in a suburb of the western city of Perth were urged to ...

L.A. fire chief retires amid racial controversy - 12/01/2006
Los Angeles' fire chief announced his retirement Friday amid a racially charged furor involving a black firefighter who was served spaghetti mixed with dog food. In a letter to the mayor and ...

Investigators rule out arson in tragic Mo. group home fire - 11/28/2006
As investigators sifted through the rubble of a group home where a fire killed 10 people, questions were raised about why a convicted felon was hired as the operators' executive director, what ...

Lessons Learned at 2006 FireRescue Expo - 11/09/2006
The 2006 FireRescue Conference & Expo kicked off officially on Thursday with a full agenda of educational sessions and the opening of the exhibit hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Click ...

8,000 gather at memorial service in mountains to honor firefighters' bravery - 11/06/2006
DEVORE, Calif. — High in the mountain pass that divides Southern California's fire-prone slopes from the Mojave Desert, the nation's firefighting community on Sunday somberly honored the five ...

5 firefighters killed in California wildfire set by arsonist - 10/26/2006
POPPET FLAT, Calif. — Fire crews struggled to protect homes from a wind-whipped wildfire that trapped and killed five firefighters as it raced through Southern California mountains.

Family, friends mourn Baltimore firefighter - 10/17/2006
Members of the Baltimore Fire Dept. carry the casket of fallen firefighter Allan Roberts Oct. 16, 2006 during funeral services held in Baltimore. Roberts, 40, died last week while fighting an ...

Small plane crashes into NYC high-rise, setting off blaze - 10/11/2006
New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle was presumed killed along with a second person Wednesday when his small plane crashed into a 50-story skyscraper, authorities said.

Day Fire defies all efforts in California - 09/29/2006
Firefighter Mike Stout was working another small blaze on Labor Day when the Day fire began as a few wisps of smoke in the Los Padres National Forest. He was there 11 days later when the fast-growing ...

Recognizing Sacrifice and Honoring Achievement at FRI 2006 - 09/18/2006
As is has been across the country this month, honoring the victims and heroes of 9/11 was a prominent theme at Fire-Rescue International 2006. The IAFC’s annual expo, held this year at the Dallas ...

Nation marks 9/11 fifth anniversary - 09/11/2006
Five years after terrorists wrought death from clear skies, the nation began its observation of a solemn anniversary Monday, with plans for silent reflection and fresh mourning for the nearly ...

Two NYC firefighters die after fire; one rookie, one 20-year veteran - 08/29/2006
A rookie New York City firefighter who served with the U.S. Marines in Iraq and a veteran lieutenant were killed after a group of firefighters fell through the floor of a burning Bronx building, ...

N.Y. governor expands benefits for ground zero workers who die or become sick - 08/15/2006
NEW YORK — Gov. George Pataki signed legislation Monday to greatly expand benefits for workers who have died or become sick from toiling in the smoke and dust that hung over the ruins of the ...

Plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes foiled - 08/10/2006
British authorities said today they had thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up several aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives smuggled in hand luggage, averting what police ...

Montana senator sees politcal fallout after hasty confrontation with firefighters - 08/03/2006
Sen. Conrad Burns is reeling from the political damage he caused his re-election efforts after berating members of a Hotshot firefighting crew last month. Burns was already one the most vulnerable ...

House approves bill to ease communications among first responders - 07/27/2006
A survey of 183 American cities paints a grim picture of the nation's disaster preparedness nearly five years after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and nearly one year after Hurricane ...

Thousands of firefighters battling wildfires throughout California - 07/17/2006

Firefighters made progress Monday against wildfires that had destroyed 58 homes and blackened 130 square miles, but they faced a threat of thunderstorms with lightning and enough rain to either ...


Wildfire increase linked to global warming, climate change - 07/07/2006
Rising temperatures throughout the West have stoked an increase in large wildfires over the past 34 years as spring comes earlier, mountain snows melt sooner and forests dry to tinder, scientists ...

Firefighters across the country feel effects of fireworks - 07/05/2006
As usual, the Fourth of July holiday weekend was a busy one for firefighters across the country. Some battled grass and structure fires started by fireworks while others worked to prevent fireworks-related ...

Fallout continues in wake of reporter's death in Washington, D.C. - 06/29/2006
Two additional D.C. fire department employees were suspended yesterday in connection with the inadequate response to the fatal beating of New York Times journalist David E. Rosenbaum in January. ...

Stand down focuses on vehicle safety - 06/20/2006
Thousands of fire departments across the United States and Canada began the 2006 International Firefighter Safety Stand Down June 21. Last year, 26 of the 106 U.S. firefighter line-of-duty deaths ...

Firefighters, families gather for the dedication of Sept. 11 memorial to New York's bravest - 06/12/2006
Suzanne Oelschlager knelt beside her daughters, Kayla and Brittany, and pressed a white piece of paper against the first memorial in lower Manhattan dedicated to the memory of 343 firefighters ...

Breathing gear fails San Antonio firefighters yet again - 06/01/2006
Trapped by furniture and surrounded by thick smoke, a San Antonio firefighter dove through a first-floor window after his breathing equipment failed as he battled an East Side house fire May ...

Denver firefighters average 1.13 injuries a day - 05/17/2006
Denver firefighters suffered 828 on-the-job injuries the past two years — an average of more than one a day — but the vast majority of incidents were minor compared with those of the past week, ...

Growing number of states eyeing self-extinguishing cigarettes - 05/10/2006
A growing number of states are pushing to combat the top cause of fire deaths by requiring tobacco companies to sell only "fire-safe" cigarettes, which go out more quickly if left unattended

NYC firefighters contain 10-alarm blaze after 36 hours - 05/03/2006
The worst fire in New York in more than a decade was burning on the Brooklyn waterfront last night. The suspicious, ten-alarm blaze destroyed seven Greenpoint warehouses and involved more than ...

Fire Centennial Brings Readiness Questions for San Francisco - 04/17/2006
San Francisco’s fire community and thousands of revelers gathered before dawn on April 18 to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire that destroyed much ...

Lousiana agencies still plagued by interoperability issues - 04/10/2006
A committee of Louisiana law-enforcement agencies charged with coordinating what has been deemed top priority in hurricane season preparations — making sure they can talk to one another — has ...

Sept. 11 dispatch tapes go beyond the scope of normality - 03/31/2006
They are the steady voices on the other side of the line, but today, 911 dispatchers, as well as victims' families, may be forced to recall the day when two hijacked airliners brought down the ...

L.A. mayor calls increase in firefighters' injury claims 'unacceptable' - 03/22/2006
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sounded an alarm Tuesday about a 21% increase in workers' compensation claims by Los Angeles firefighters, calling for a plan to reduce the numbers of on-duty injuries. ...

Sacramento, Calif., Gets Snozzle, New Weapon for Plane Fires - 03/13/2006
In its four decades of existence, Sacramento International Airport has yet to suffer a catastrophic plane fire. But should the day come, officials say they are better equipped than ever. One ...

Three university students arrested in Ala. church arsons - 03/08/2006
(AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Three university students were arrested Wednesday in a string of nine rural Alabama church arsons last month that allegedly were set first as "a ...

Families of Sept. 11 Victims Demand Memorial Redesign - 02/27/2006
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Some surviving family members of the people who died in the World Trade Center Sept. 11 are demanding that officials redesign the memorial. ...

Career, Volunteer Maryland Firefighters Brawl Over Fire Attack - 02/17/2006
(Photo © NBC4.com)

A volunteer firefighter was fired following an internal investigation into allegations that he and career firefighters argued and physically ...

Controlled Burn Sets Off Massive Wildfire in Southern California - 02/09/2006
Santa Ana winds reignited a controlled burn in Orange County, Calif., days after it was thought to be out. The U.S. Forest Service is now footing the multi-million dollar cost of battling the ...

New York City Fire Department's 'Black Sunday' - one year later - 01/25/2006
Newsday is featuring broad coverage of the New York City Fire Department's 'Black Sunday' last year. On Jan. 23, 2005, three firefighters died — two jumped to their deaths to avoid ...

Houston firefighter forced to take captain test right after giving birth - 01/20/2006
A debate has been growing after an unbending state law forced Beda Kent, a 12-year veteran at the Houston Fire Department, to decide between postponing her potential advancement to captain for ...

Warm weather fueling grass fires across the Great Plains - 12/28/2005
Unusually warm weather and winds have fueled grass fires that are ripping across the Great Plains. The fires have spread to Colorado and Arkansas after fires in parts of Texas and Oklahoma were ...

Firefighters battle England's largest blaze ever during peacetime - 12/14/2005
(AP Photo / Stefan Rousseau, Pool)

Firefighters battled a blaze at an oil depot outside of London for almost 60 hours before it was extinguished Tuesday night. The Fire Brigades Union ...

N.Y. firefighters concerned with use of older fire trucks - 12/07/2005
A New York firefighter fractured his skull Dec. 2 when he tumbled out the door of a moving ladder truck that dates back to the late '80s. Union officials are concerned that the continued use ...

Number of U.S. volunteer firefighters declining - 11/07/2005
The volunteer fire company, an institution that dates to Ben Franklin, is slowly going the way of the horse-drawn pumper. Though emergency calls are up, the number of volunteer firefighters has ...

Florida picks up the pieces - 10/21/2005
Hurricane Wilma, the third major hurricane to hit the U.S. in 2005, touched down in Florida after ravaging parts of Mexico. President Bush declared Florida a major disaster area.

FEMA suspends Phoenix's rescue team over firearms rule - 10/10/2005
Phoenix Fire department has had its search and rescue teams suspended by FEMA becasue it sent armed police officers to protect the firefighters during their deployment to the Gulf Coast, violating ...

Southern California wildfires contained; preparation, timing credited - 10/03/2005
A massive, rapid and well-coordinated response - along with a little bit of luck - helped Southern California firefighters successfully battle a blaze that at its peak threatened about 2,000 ...

On heels of Katrina, Rita wreaks havoc across Gulf Coast - 09/26/2005
Hurricane Rita tore through the Gulf Coast region on Friday, causing significant damage but very few casualties thanks to improved disaster planning....

Chief Dave Paulison takes over FEMA top spot - 08/30/2005
Following the botched response to Hurricane Katrina, there has been a shake-up within FEMA. Former head Michael Brown resigned and former IAFC president R. David Paulison, above, took over as ...

APCO 2005: All Interoperability, All the Time - 08/26/2005
Interoperability, video hot topics at APCO 2005

Fires continue to rage in Northwest, but progress made - 08/11/2005
After a wet spring and slow start, forest fires are blazing in the Pacific Northwest




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