Latest news with #FireChief
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fountain Valley's hometown Fire Chief dies unexpectedly after decades of service
Fountain Valley is mourning the sudden loss of its hometown fire chief, Bill McQuaid, who died unexpectedly Friday afternoon while off duty, city officials announced Saturday. 'It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our Fire Chief, Bill McQuaid,' the city said in a statement. 'Chief McQuaid was more than a leader—he was a mentor, a friend, and a steadfast pillar of strength within our department and community.' McQuaid is survived by his wife, Tracy, and daughters, Allyson and Julie. He also leaves behind his mother, Judy; his sister, Tracy, and brother-in-law, Keith, along with their children Ashley, her husband Troy, and their son Joshua; as well as his brother Mike and sister-in-law Stacia. Raised in Fountain Valley, McQuaid joined the city's fire department as a reserve before being hired full-time in 1996 as a firefighter-paramedic, according to a 2023 profile published by the Los Angeles Times. He later held the roles of fire engineer, captain, battalion chief and division chief of operations before being named fire chief in January 2023. His career was guided by a promise he made nearly 30 years ago to then-Fire Chief Bernard Heimos, McQuaid told the Times: that if he were given the chance to serve his hometown, he would stay for the duration of his career. 'If somebody was going to give me that opportunity to get into it, then I was going to give them my all,' McQuaid said in the 2023 interview. 'Second, Fountain Valley is my home, so having the opportunity to serve in my dream career in my own hometown, in my own backyard, was an opportunity that I was willing to commit to for the entirety of my career.' McQuaid's service extended far beyond city limits. According to the Times, he led strike teams into some of California's largest wildfires, including the Thomas Fire in 2017 and the Dixie Fire in 2021. He also helped coordinate local vaccination sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, McQuaid spearheaded efforts to combat the opioid crisis by partnering with local high schools to train staff on how to respond to overdoses and distribute Narcan. 'With the large-scale opioid and fentanyl usage that's going on and the adverse results that are coming out of that, we've partnered with our high schools to train the teachers and train the high school staff how to respond to those emergencies,' McQuaid told the Times. 'We're providing them with the Narcan… so that they can get rapid response, even before we can get there, to help us in the process of saving lives.' A graduate of Fountain Valley High School, McQuaid lived in Huntington Beach with his family and earned a master's degree in public safety leadership and executive management from Arizona State University in 2022, according to the Times. 'His loss is felt deeply across our department and throughout the city he served so faithfully,' city officials said. 'We are grateful for the legacy he leaves behind and will continue to honor his memory in all that we do.' The city has not released a cause of death. Details about memorial services have not yet been announced. Luis Zuniga contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Fountain Valley fire chief dies, city says
Fountain Valley Fire Chief Bill McQuaid died on Friday, the city announced on Saturday. In a post to Instagram, the Fountain Valley Fire Department said McQuaid died unexpectedly. The cause of death was not released. He was not on duty at the time. "Chief McQuaid was more than a leader—he was a mentor, a friend, and a steadfast pillar of strength within our department and community," the post reads. "Chief McQuaid dedicated his life to service, leading with compassion, integrity, and unwavering commitment. His loss is felt deeply across our department and throughout the city he served so faithfully." McQuaid was sworn in as chief in February 2023. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters. No additional details were immediately made available.
CTV News
21-07-2025
- CTV News
Poorly discarded cigarette butts ignite house fire, causing over $1M damage
A heavy fire and thick smoke shoot from a home on Lynden Street in Collingwood, Ont., on Sun., July 20, 2025. Collingwood's fire chief says cigarette butts tossed in a garbage can caused $1 million in damage to a home and displaced several people. Emergency crews responded to the call around 10 p.m. Sunday night on Lynden Street and arrived to find heavy smoke and flames shooting from the house. Firefighters were able to quickly contain the blaze. Due to the damage estimate, the Ontario Fire Marshal has been notified. It's unclear if an investigator will be sent to inspect the situation. There were no pets in the home and no injuries were reported. The fire chief says six people have been displaced as a result of the fire. Collingwood house fire A heavy fire and thick smoke shoot from a home on Lynden Street in Collingwood, Ont., on Sun., July 20, 2025. (Collingwood Fire Department) Collingwood house fire A heavy fire and thick smoke shoot from a home on Lynden Street in Collingwood, Ont., on Sun., July 20, 2025. (Collingwood Fire Department)
CTV News
15-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Guelph names new Fire Chief
A familiar face has been named the new Fire Chief in Guelph. Steven Goode is being promoted to the position after spending time as the Guelph Fire Department's Deputy Chief of Fire Operations. He has been with the Guelph Fire Department since 2017 and worked in fire services for more than 30 years. Previously, he served as a firefighter with the Cambridge Fire Department and Fire Chief for Puslinch Fire and Rescue. 'I am honored to be selected as the City of Guelph's next Fire Chief as we embark on this important new chapter,' Goode said in a news release on Tuesday. 'I am committed to collaborating with city council, the city executive and leadership teams, staff, and our partners to address the evolving needs of our community. I take great pride in leading the dedicated members of our fire service with integrity, as we strive to protect the community from all hazards through prevention, public education and emergency response.' He will move into his new role on Monday, July 28.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Eerie 'Biblical plague' keeps hitting quaint Vermont town on the same DAY each year
A quaint Vermont town has been inundated with biblical flooding on the same day for the third consecutive year, causing havoc for locals. In an eerie case of Deja-vu the town of Sutton was hit with five inches of rain over a few hours on Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The quick downpour caused flash flooding and left parts of the community severely damaged. Local Fire Chief Kyle Seymour believes around 20 homes were cut off as the nearby Calendar Brook burst its bank. Officials in the town of, and across the state, had been bracing for July 10 hoping they would not see a repeat of floods that ravaged the area in 2023 and 2024. But an awful coincidence saw their worst fears come true. Despite the flooding not hitting the levels of devastation seen in previous years, Seymour told The Boston Globe: 'Three years in a row is just insane.' Images captured on the ground show dirt roads left washed away and parts of a local bridge having collapsed under the water. Others show vehicles in the area left stranded in thick mud and the Calendar Brook having burst. Seymour added that four people had to be pulled from their properties by water rescue teams. Two of those had moved to the second floor over their home as floodwaters started to climb. He added that some roads were under four feet of water. Seymour said that the town had been working on improving their storm infrastructure, by increasing the size of road culverts. 'And it just seems like the next year it wasn't enough, I don't know how you build infrastructure for rain events like this', he added. Nearby Lyndonville Fire Department had also deployed their fire crews to the area to help out. There was no injuries or deaths reported. Resident George Boone told NBC5 that he has come to dread July 10 due to the deluge that typically follows it. He said: 'Last year, I had about 30 feet of shoreline and the river went through it. I've lost another four feet of river this time. 'I haven't been able to fix it, its just added to it now', he added that he counted himself lucky for having not totally lost his home. In 2024 four people died in the floods that hit the state, and damages of the last two years have exceeded $1 billion. The aftermath of Thursday's rain is seen here State officials opened the Vermont Emergency Operations Center to track flash flooding across the northeast of the state. In a post to social media advising of road closures on Friday morning, the Sutton Volunteer Fire Department signed off: 'Hopefully this is strike 3 and we are OUT!!'. There's no scientific reason for a flood to occur on the same day each year, but summer storms make flooding more likely in the area each July. In 2024 four people died in the floods that hit the state, and damages of the last two years have exceeded $1 billion and left hundreds homeless. It comes after the Hill Country area of Texas was hit with devastating floods, the death toll of which has risen to at least 120 people with 170 still missing.
