Latest news with #VolunteerFireDepartment
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ephrata Fire Department named 2025 Volunteer Fire House of the Year
May 21—EPHRATA — The Ephrata Fire Department has been awarded the title of "Volunteer Fire House of the Year" for 2025 by the Washington State Firefighters Association, significant recognition for the primarily volunteer-based team. "This award is very rewarding for me, our department, and our members," said Fire Chief Jeremy Burns. "Our fire department relies heavily on volunteers—only two of us are career staff. Without their time, effort and commitment to our community, we wouldn't be much." This is the first time the department has won the award, according to Burns. The Ephrata Fire Department boasts a roster of 33 volunteer firefighters, many of whom juggle their service with full-time jobs in various fields, including two members who also serve in the National Guard. One of these volunteers played a crucial role in a recent mental health crisis intervention, helping safely negotiate an individual down from a grain silo after nearly three hours of communication. "Their commitment to community protection and service is commendable," Burns said. "These individuals double volunteer their time for the defense of our communities and our nation. They truly are excellent individuals who show remarkable dedication." The department has actively engaged with the Ephrata community through various events, Burns said, including the Sage and Sun Festival, Touch-a-Truck and Trunk or Treat events. The volunteers also conduct fire prevention programs for local schools, reaching preschool through fourth-grade students. According to the Washington State Firefighters Association's official statement, "Ephrata Fire Department Volunteers can be found consistently giving back to their community." In addition to community engagement, the Ephrata Fire Department has shown remarkable growth in training and skill development. In 2024 alone, the department's volunteers successfully obtained 39 IFSAC certifications in areas including Firefighter 1 and 2, Hazardous Materials Awareness, and Driver Operator. Furthermore, Ephrata hosted two Fire Academies that included participation from local agencies, resulting in over 2,000 hours of fire and EMS training. "We have a great camaraderie among our volunteers. Their spirit and enthusiasm for helping our community are key to our success in recruiting and retaining members," Burns said. Burns said its dedicated volunteers continue to demonstrate that passion and commitment can make a real difference in public safety and community building. "We have just a great group of people that are there for all the right reasons, and that's to serve their community and continue to build their skill set so they're better prepared for the next response," Burns said.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Meet the Skyline Fire Department's newest member… a goat
SQUIRES, Mo. — During a recent wildland fire, a displaced goat trailed the Skyline Volunteer Fire Department as they worked to contain the blaze. After the fire was extinguished, the crew decided to make the persistent companion an honorary firefighter, naming her 'Fred.' According to a Skyline area Volunteer Fire Department's Facebook post, on March 19, a large fire occurred near Highway N in Douglas County. During the fire, a displaced goat decided to join the Skyline Backburn crew as they fought to protect homes. 'This wasn't a panicked escape; this goat confidently followed them up the hill like she had a fire academy diploma in her pocket,' said the Squires Volunteer Fire Department Chief in a Facebook post. 'She even tried to commandeer the command truck, much to her apparent displeasure when she was politely asked to de-goat the vehicle.' The goat then decided to follow the dozer crew until the fire was extinguished. 'Fred fearlessly consumed smoke and combated the blaze, providing both morale boost and emotional support to the firefighters on the front line,' said the post. The next day, the goat was found safe at a nearby farm and was reunited with her family. The Squires VFD dozer team dubbed her 'Firefighter Fred.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
11-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
C.B.N. community starts looking forward as forest fire restoration efforts continue
Days after a wildfire tore through the community of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove, residents are still dealing with shock as they try to move forward. Roger Gillingham, chief of the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department, says all the fires are out and they're getting a sense of the damage to the community. He says a total of 45 structures were destroyed by the fire, including 12 permanent and seasonal homes. The remaining buildings include outbuildings, sheds, and garages. "The dangers with respect to the fire itself have been taken care of," he said. Now, he says the community is concerned about the quality of drinking water, and the air quality. "We can still smell that burn," he added. As for the cause of the fire, Gillingham said it's still unknown. He said fire investigators have been to the town, but he hasn't heard anything from them yet, and isn't sure if he will. He said around this time of year the department typically assesses the potential for bush fires and grass fires in the community. "I don't think we ever dreamed that we'd see something like this," he said. Phone services also went down in the community during the fire, impacting the fire department's pager system, which is used for essential communication during emergencies. While services are still down for some homeowners, Gillingham says they were lucky that Bell was able to come to the town yesterday to repair their paging system. In an emailed statement, Bell Public Affairs Manager Patricia Garcia told CBC News, "We now have the all clear to start restoration efforts to repair the extensive damage to our critical infrastructure caused by the forest fire." Garcia said that the community's emergency services line was restored, and that their teams are working to restore remaining services swiftly and safely. Community centre support The town's community centre has become a hub of community support, says Broad Cove resident Wanda Crocker. Crocker has been helping people at the Salem Community Centre since Wednesday. She says residents' who have lost their homes have had their most immediate needs taken care of, thanks to an outpouring of support and donations from the community and local businesses. On Saturday, Crocker said Eastern Health and mental health support services were also at the centre to help people affected by the fires. "Having this place to connect with people through this tragedy has been a real blessing." Days after the fire started, the tragedy of what happened is starting to kick in for residents, said Crocker. "This is starting to feel like really real," she said. Small-Point Adam's Cove mayor, Curtis Delaney, says the wildfire was a tragedy and has had a major impact on the community. But despite this, he says people have now started looking forward. Some people are contemplating rebuilding their homes, he said, if they have the resources to do so. "It's going to take months and years for Adam's Cove to return to even some resemblance of what it was," said Delaney.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
12-year-old boy in northern Wisconsin returns home after missing for 21 hours, multi-agency search
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – On Monday night, search efforts began in northern Wisconsin for a missing 12-year-old boy, and after a multi-agency search, officers say he returned home nearly 24 hours later. Around 9:30 p.m. on April 28, deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office say they were called to a residence in the Patzau-Foxboro area for a report of a missing 12-year-old. Green Bay Police: Foul play not suspected after woman's body recovered from East River Deputies were then told that the child had gone missing around 9 p.m. after he didn't come back inside when he completed chores. Search efforts immediately began, including the usage of drones, K9s, and the Town of Summit Volunteer Fire Department. Ultimately, search efforts were suspended around 2 a.m. until authorities began again later that morning. Several agencies joined in the search efforts on April 29 throughout the day. Deputies say the boy eventually returned home around 6 p.m., noting that it 'is still unclear where he was,' but foul play is not suspected. The boy was missing for roughly 21 hours. Police department in Wisconsin listening for loud exhausts, could result in citations The release noted that assistance from other agencies was 'phenomenal.' Assisting agencies included the following: Carlton County Sheriff's Office Douglas County 911 Duluth Police Department FBI Hermantown Police Department Minnesota Emergency Management Minnesota State Patrol St. Louis County Rescue Squad St. Louis County Sheriff's Office St. Louis County Emergency Management Superior Police Department Town of Summit Volunteer Fire Department Town of Superior Volunteer Fire Department U.S. Border Patrol Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation Wisconsin Emergency Management Wisconsin State Patrol Sheriff Matt Izzard also thanked some local businesses for their help, including the Drifter's Bar, Four-Corners Store, Amnicon Bar, Walmart, and the countless community volunteers. 'While it was a trying day for everybody, this outpouring of support serves as a good reminder of why we choose to live here and call this home,' Sheriff Izzard stated. No additional information was provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fire call didn't disrupt West Mead 2 VFD fish fry
WEST MEAD TOWNSHIP — It wasn't the typical Lenten season Friday fish fry dinner at West Mead 2 Volunteer Fire Department last week. By a little after 4 p.m. Friday some people already were in the parking lot outside the fire department's social hall on Ryan Road, waiting for the dinner which runs from 5 to 8 p.m. But for Janet Courson, who arrived a little after 4 as well, it was instant anxiety. 'I see the person who is supposed to be frying the fish is leaving with a bunch of other people' in a fire truck, said Courson, a West Mead 2 firefighter who cooks and is the kitchen coordinator for the volunteer fire department. West Mead 2 Chief Jim Pratt, who also is the chief fish fryer, was speeding away with five other volunteer firefighters who are on the dinner crew. They were going to Cambridge Springs to help battle a fully involved late-afternoon house fire on Root Avenue in the borough. 'I was definitely panicked a little bit,' Courson said. 'We just came in and started to try to figure out what we were going to do.' At that moment, 'we' only consisted of Janet and her husband, Todd, another fireman whom Pratt had stay behind to work with Janet on the dinner. Todd immediately got on his phone calling those who regularly attend the department's Friday night dinners or other events and asked for help. 'I called Frank (Ferguson) and asked him, 'Are you, your wife and the kids coming to dinner?'' Todd said. 'He said, 'Yes, we'll be there,' and I said, 'Good, because we just lost all our people.'' Frank and Susan Ferguson and their daughter, Jenna, as well as Dave and Robin Oakes, were among those who willingly lent a hand. Robin ran the cash register, Susan and Jenna waited tables, and Dave and Frank helped serve dinners and clear tables. Others helped the last-minute impromptu dinner crew get through the opening dinner rush, Janet said. Tyler Lynch and his son delayed going to baseball team practice by an hour to help out while number of social club members pitched in as well, she said. 'They do enough to help the community,' Frank said of West Mead 2 VFD's firefighters and first responders. 'So if they ask for help, it's just returning the favor.' The help definitely welcomed, Todd said. 'I was stressed until I figured out how many people we had (to help),' he said. 'You need people in the kitchen, but really helps to have people out on the floor — clearing tables, making sure everything is wiped up and waiting tables.' Back in the kitchen, Janet gave Alexander 'Vince' Vincent, an Allegheny College student and volunteer firefighter, a very short course on the fine art of deep frying fish. Vincent was stand-in but willing fryer help since Jim Pratt, the chief fish fryer, and Pratt's fryer trainee both were away on the fire call. 'I gave him a quick lesson — 'Dip it here, dip it here, and then put in the fryer,' Janet said with a laugh. 'He was a good sport about it and just did it.' The Coursons said everyone who stepped up made the dinner go smoothly that night. 'We served a little more than 200 people — which is normal for the fish fry,' Janet said. 'We didn't hear any complaints, as people understood.' Last Friday was the most serious disruption the department's dinners have had, but it wasn't the first time. 'We've had EMS (emergency medical services) calls where one or two people go,' Janet said. 'This is the first time we've had a full complement go out the door and be gone for a while.' 'We did have a fire call at about the same time the second week (March 14), but they went out the door and were right back in as it was a false alarm,' Todd said. When the six-member fire crew returned to the station about 6:30 p.m. Friday, they began helping with the dinner. 'They just took their gear off and said, 'Where do you need us?'' Janet said. 'I think it's how we're all wired — whether it's us, family members or friends. None of us do it by ourselves.'
