Latest news with #ChampaignFireDepartment
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Four-year-old hospitalized after gunfire in Champaign home
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A teenager was arrested after a four-year-old was shot in the foot over the weekend in Champaign. The Champaign Police Department said officers responded to an apartment building in the 2400 block of N. Neil Street just after 5 p.m. on Saturday. When they arrived on scene, officers soon found a four-year-old who received a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the foot. Armed Urbana man arrested following road rage incident Police, along with the Champaign Fire Department, administered aid and then transported the child to the hospital. The child is hospitalized in stable condition. After investigating, police learned that child was in the care of a 17-year-old family member when a firearm was discharged. The teenager was arrested on initial charges of reckless discharge of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm. Police are still investigating. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the police department at 217-351-4545. To submit an anonymous tip contact Crime Stoppers by calling 217-373-8477, visit them online, or on the 'P3 Tips' mobile app. Rantoul family looking to spread awareness of rare genetic disease 'Even though an arrest has been made, this remains an ongoing investigation. Due to the ages of both the victim and the arrested subject, information that can be publicly shared about this incident is very limited,' the Champaign Police Department said in a news release. The police department added that all individuals are innocent until proven guilty. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Champaign firefighters put out small house fire Monday morning
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — No one is hurt following a house fire in Champaign Monday morning. The fire happened in the area of Doisy and Toalson Lanes around 9 a.m. Officials from the Champaign Fire Department said in a news release that a passerby reported a fire at a two-story home, and firefighters arrived to find light smoke coming from the side of the house at the front of the garage. Smoke Alarm Blitz: Family carrying on son's legacy by giving back Firefighters needed only a single hose line to extinguish the fire. The damage was limited to the point of ignition, with the siding and wooden frame being burned. Officials determined the fire started in a trash can and was accidental. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Smoke Alarm Blitz: Family carrying on son's legacy by giving back
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A family is continuing to honor their son after he died in a Champaign house fire nine years ago. Since then, they've installed more than 1000 smoke alarms in the community, hoping their efforts stop any more lives from being cut short. 'People can survive house fires if they have smoke alarms — it's that simple,' Champaign Fire Chief Andy Quarnstrom said. 'Lead with collaboration'; Urbana leaders sworn in A growing number of Champaign homes have them in Christian Sheehan's honor. The 23-year-old died in a house fire just weeks before he was set to graduate college. 'He would absolutely hate that I'm plastering his photo for things like this, but would love how it brings the community together,' Christian's mother, Joy, said. The annual Christian Sheehan Smoke Alarm Blitz installs alarms in homes they may not have working ones. On Saturday, the Champaign Fire Department set out to install around 175. That mission was made possible by a $50,000 grant Joy found out about last year. 'The showing of community support honors not only Christian and his family, but just the importance [that] we want to make sure that people in this community are safe,' Quarnstrom said. 'Whether that's smoke alarms or anything else, clearly the 60 plus people that are here already want the same thing.' Champaign community honors stabbing victim through skateboarding The fire department trains volunteers who then go door to door offering up the alarms. 'One life saved is significant,' Quarnstrom said. 'We believe that probably, in time, the installation of these smoke detectors will save many lives.' The goal is that one day, every home will be safer in Christian's memory. 'We're trying to bring good from bad, make it safer going to bed at night knowing little ones like this are going to have a safe place to sleep,' Joy said. Joy said she hopes to keep the event going for years to come. She said, although Christian isn't present to help out, she knows he is smiling down on his family and friends who are carrying on his memory. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Volunteers needed for Champaign smoke alarm blitz
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A Champaign-based smoke alarm foundation created in honor of a man who was killed in a fire is now looking for volunteers to help with an upcoming event. The Annual Christian Sheehan Smoke Alarm Blitz is taking place on May 3 this year. The foundation honors Christian Sheehan, who was killed in a Champaign house fire on March 26, 2016, at the age of 23. Since his death, the yearly smoke alarm blitz has installed more than 1,000 alarms. Illinois residents worried about food assistance being cut in a SNAP The foundation is asking for volunteers to help from 8 a.m. to noon, and participants will meet at Franklin Middle School. Those involved will be installing free smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Everyone is welcome to volunteer as no prior experience is necessary. The Champaign Fire Department, who is partnering with the alarm foundation, will provide training to the volunteers. This past October, the foundation was notified they would be receiving a $50,000 state grant to assist them with their life-saving operations. Despite the grant, the foundation is still asking for donations as each smoke alarm costs $55. To volunteer and donate, check out the foundation's Facebook post which has a QR code for each option. For any more information and updates, follow the foundation's Facebook page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Champaign smoke alarm foundation receives grant to support safety efforts
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A Champaign-based foundation will continue pushing fire safety into the community for years to come thanks to state help. The Christian Sheehan Smoke Alarm Foundation gives out free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to the Champaign community. It's named after a Champaign man who died in a house fire. ImpactLife, Knights of Columbus hosting Champaign blood drive to combat donation decline Now, thanks to a $50,000 state grant, the foundation is in the final stages of getting the crucial cash to continue their life-saving operations well into the future. 'It's not a matter of 'do we have enough funds to keep getting smoke alarms,'' said Joy Sheehan, mother of the late Christian Sheehan. The foundation found out in October they'd be getting the $50,000. On Friday, WCIA caught up with Christian's mom, who's also the foundation's leader to see just how much this grant means for the organization's future and her son's legacy. 'This will go on for many years now, and I probably won't be around to see it,' Sheehan said. 'So, it's great.' It was 2016 when the Champaign community lost Christian Sheehan in a house fire. The 23-year-old's passing gave way to a foundation in his honor. Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend still asking for volunteers The Christian Sheehan Smoke Alarm Foundation holds yearly events where volunteers go door to door and offer to install new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. 'To bring some good out of bad and give back to our community because everyone was just amazing and has been amazing to us since we lost our boy,' Sheehan said. She also said they got a special volunteer at last year's event when Senator Paul Faraci came to help. 'We had our last event in May, the senator, Faraci, came and volunteered, and I believe it was already by August that he reached out to me by a phone call,' Sheehan said. 'And then by October, I had an email, and now the community foundation has been working on this grant and expediting it, along with the Champaign Fire Department and going to make it happen.' The grant they'll receive will be up to $50,000. To put this in perspective, the campaign buys detectors for about $55, meaning the money will help them buy about 900 detectors. 'Each year, it was just trying to make sure we had enough for just that event,' Sheehan said. 'And so now with $50,000, this event will be able to go on for many more years.' Housing market expected to improve for buyers nationwide, what this means for Central IL: And for Sheehan, it means Christian's legacy in Champaign will continue to center around safety and security for years to come. 'Hopefully his life is helping save others and is drawing awareness to what a small price of what a smoke alarm is in comparison to a fatality of a loved one,' Sheehan said. This year's event is on May 3 at 8 a.m. with the volunteer home base at Franklin Middle will be trained by the Champaign Fire Department on how to install alarms. Sheehan said those interested in volunteering should head to the foundation's Facebook page or just show up at Franklin Middle School. The Champaign Fire Department is partnered with the foundation and told WCIA in a statement, part: 'The Sheehan family has been instrumental in providing equipment, resources and finances that support our efforts to provide life-saving smoke alarms within our community.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
