Supervisor praises community response to Cliff Haven fire
PLATTSBURGH — The unsung hero of Wednesday's house fire on Champlain Drive in the Town of Plattsburgh's Cliff Haven neighborhood was the water department, a township supervisor said.
As the fire engulfed the house and firefighters put stress on the water system to put it out, a water main break occurred and disrupted service for 47 Cliff Haven households.
'Without hesitation, our Water Department mobilized, isolating the issue and initiating repairs,' Town Supervisor Michael Cashman said Wednesday night.
'These moments are never easy, and solutions take time but I have no doubt in their priorities: Public health, safety and restoration. Their commitment is quiet but profound, and today it deserves to be celebrated as well.'
The several local departments that showed up to put down the blaze as quickly as they did need their flowers as well, Cashman said.
Cashman said the South Plattsburgh Fire Department led the charge with automatic aid quickly arriving from the Plattsburgh City and Peru fire departments.
'Their swift response was joined by a network of mutual aid from District #3, Morrisonville, Beekmantown, and Keeseville Fire Departments, with Cumberland Head and Keeseville standing by to cover the region,' he said. 'Emergency medical support from CVPH, support from CCOES Car 7 and investigators and crucial coordination from NYSP, NYSEG and Town Code Enforcement helped keep operations running smoothly and safely.'
No injuries were reported in the blaze that displaced two adults.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross provided immediate emergency aid to two people, organizers with the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross said.
According to Red Cross leaders, financial assistance has been provided two adults to be can used for shelter, food and clothing. Volunteers also offered health services, comfort kits containing personal care items, and blankets.
Both residents are eligible for Veterans' services, officials said. In the coming days, Red Cross staff and volunteers will remain available to help those affected by the fire.
Cashman said earlier this week, he attended a joint fire training session with several of the local departments that left an impression on him.
'Watching those men and women commit themselves to readiness left a lasting impression and today, their training was put into action. The outcome speaks for itself,' he said. 'As thick smoke filled the air this morning, I stood alongside first responders and watched as our region's did what it does best respond in times of crisis.'
On scene Wednesday, Cashman said the fire was called in by a local resident.
'Early calls save lives. Community vigilance is one of our strongest defenses. Today was difficult, but it was also a powerful reminder of what makes this community special. Volunteers. Public servants. Neighbors. All stepping forward in unity,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Appleton could rename park to honor its veterans
APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – A popular Appleton park may soon have a new name that will help the city honor those who served. On Monday night, the Appleton parks and recreation committee approved a resolution that will change 'Appleton Memorial Park's' name to 'Veterans Memorial Park.' 'Many communities have a veteran park, we have a veterans park, but it doesn't provide the services that are needed for a good veterans park for Appleton,' said Appleton veteran Jack Voight. Kaukauna Goats return to 1000 Islands for invasive plant control The city does already have a park called 'Veterans Park' on south Memorial Drive. However, it's a small park with very limited parking so it's hard to host any substantive ceremony to honor veterans there. Local veterans said they think the city could do a better job of honoring those who served using the city's public spaces and that's why they are getting behind this resolution. 'It takes some effort from different advocates to create an environment that this is a needed thing for our community,' Voight told Local 5 News. 'Having this opportunity to have a new space to recognize veterans I think is important.' The resolution also directs city staff to develop a plan to relocate existing veterans memorials throughout the city to what would be 'Veterans Memorial Park.' It would also add new memorials to honor veterans who fought in more recent conflicts. At the committee meeting, there was a robust discussion about the details of this resolution. There's still some questions that need to be answered including the costs of the project and how relocating the memorials would exactly work. Now that the resolution has passed through committee it will now go before the full common council at a future meeting. Green Bay's Mayor Genrich joins Latino Professionals for civic engagement event 'We have a great foundation (at Memorial Park) and I think it would look amazing to have additional monuments in that area, it's very peaceful out there, there's great parking for those with accessibility issues,' said parks and recreation chairperson Patrick Hayden. 'I see a lot of wins there.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Behind the veteran designating Winnebago County's Highway 21 as Purple Heart Memorial Highway
OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – Winnebago County Marine veteran Roy Rogers' time in the military came to an end with a 15-month hospital stay at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Waukegan, IL. Before arriving there, a landmine detonated in front of him in Chu Lai, South Vietnam, blowing apart a piece of his left hand and foot, littering that side of his body with shrapnel. 'It hit my rifle and disintegrated my rifle and part of me,' Rogers said. 'I was lucky.' After requiring nine operations during that hospital stay, no one would have blamed him for wanting to forget those days, leaving them behind to never be thought of again. He has not. In fact, Rogers has spent nearly six decades working for and with veterans in Winnebago County and throughout the state. 'I may have stepped on a landmine, but I'm still here and I'm still fighting for everything,' he said. Still fighting for fellow veterans, Rogers has spent the better part of the past year working to make Highway 21 in Winnebago County a Purple Heart Memorial Highway. 'I worked for about 10 months asking the Winnebago County executive and our state governor if they'd approve making that a state highway designation, and it came to pass and I'm so happy,' Rogers said. While the county board and state review and approve of the motion to make the designation, it takes citizen action to organize it, and at least one veteran from the county to lose life or limb for it. 'There was probably 60 people in Winnebago County that were probably killed in Vietnam,' Rogers said. The effort that Rogers spent on getting the designation is not lost on Winnebago County executive Gordon Hintz, who spoke at the ceremony Saturday along with Rogers at the intersection of Highway 21 and Oakwood Rd. 'It's important to recognize that we have people who have served, given life and limb, from Winnebago County,' Hintz said. 'But it really took a citizen, a veteran himself, Roy Rogers, to push this forward, and the county was really happy to build off his work and make today happen.' 'I'm thrilled that what I started actually came to pass,' Rogers said. He is hopeful that people driving on Highway 21 remember not the effort it took to get the designation passed, but rather the sacrifices women and men in the military made and continue to make. 'Hopefully everyone that drives on Highway 21 in Winnebago County realizes that a person had to be combat wounded in order to put that sign there,' he said. Wisconsin has allowed highways to be designated as Purple Heart Memorial Highways since 1994. The Purple Heart was first instituted in 1782, by then-General George Washington. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Asking Eric: My oldest friend died and I want to know what happened
Dear Eric: Via complete happenstance I have recently become aware of my oldest friend's death about a year ago. Mary and I grew up across the street from one another in the '60s and '70s. I played with her and with her older brother as kids, and our families were close. She had been my friend for about 60 years. I have been desperate to learn the circumstances of her death. I have googled my brains out and followed up every lead. There are no obituaries available online, and no death notices, either. There are no newspaper articles about her death. Her attorney's secretary won't let me talk to him, citing attorney-client confidentiality, even though she is deceased, and he withdrew himself from representing her upon her death. The heir of her estate will not return my calls. I can't even nail down where she died so I can file a Freedom of Information Act request with the appropriate law enforcement agencies. I don't have a claim on her estate. I have no ulterior motive whatsoever. I just want to know what happened to my old friend. I have tried everything I know. I was hoping that you might have some ideas. – Friend in the Dark Dear Friend: You have my sympathies – it can be so difficult to learn of a friend's passing and not have the closure afforded by a service, a conversation or more information. It's possible that Mary's heir and/or her family want to keep the circumstances of her death private. It's also possible that there isn't much to know and, were you to discover it, it wouldn't give you the peace you're seeking. Some of this pursuit is probably motivated by grief. That makes sense. And it's perfectly natural to want to know more details about a loved one's death. But details won't serve you as much as finding a way to commemorate the relationship that you had and the life that she lived. Take some time to focus on her, maybe on a walk in nature or someplace that held special meaning to you both. Thank her for being a part of your life and wish her well on her journey. The 'how' of her death matters, but the details of her life and your relationship matter more and will help sustain you through your grief. Dear Eric: This is in reference to 'Worried in Wisconsin,' from a substance abuse clinician who was concerned about a niece's opioid abuse. Speaking as a physician, make sure everyone in your niece's life has and knows how to use Narcan. Only the niece can decide to pursue treatment, but anyone can provide lifesaving treatment if she overdoses. – Physician Reader Dear Physician: Narcan, a brand name for naloxone, a medication that is used to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses, is an important resource. It is available, in some cases for free and prescription-free, through some state and local agencies and community distribution programs. It comes in multiple forms including a nasal spray. Bystander training can be completed in less than an hour and is available online through organizations like the Red Cross and many states' Department of Health. While naloxone can reverse the effects of opioid overdose, per the National Institute of Drug Abuse, it is still imperative to call 911 immediately so that the individual can receive attention and continued monitoring. Dear Eric: I read the letter from 'Outside Only', who had a guest at a Fourth of July party who said it was too hot outside and spent the evening inside. I know you were answering the host, but you were not empathetic to the guest. There are some people who simply cannot handle heat. I am one of them. Outside summer heat causes me intense physical pain and discomfort and makes it very difficult to even visit with others and enjoy a party. Now that the hostess knows this is a problem, this year she could try to accommodate all of her guests by putting up seating under umbrellas, or in the shade of the house, or setting out fans in a couple of areas. How many people really enjoy being outside in the middle of the hot summer sun for hours? – Nebraska is Hot Dear Nebraska: From the letter, it sounds like the host was actually quite accommodating – no word on umbrellas as it was an evening party, but the letter writer spent the duration of the event inside with the guest even though the fireworks-viewing party was, as they tend to be, outside. However, not to put too fine a point on it, but sometimes guests have to make a decision about whether a particular party is for them. If the gathering is outside and one doesn't want to be outside, one doesn't have to go.
