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Friday, April 26, 2024

VIDEOS: Massive blaze burns at iconic Oceanside Pier in California


PHOTOS: Firefighters were called out Thursday afternoon to battle an inferno at the far end of the iconic Oceanside Pier. The fire was reported shortly after 3 p.m. and the firefight stretched overnight and into Friday. A massive plume of smoke quickly filled the sky, and two firefighting boats arrived on scene shooting water cannons at the structure at the end of the pier, where it broadens to support two structures and is called the hammerhead. A lone lifeguard vehicle was posted up at the foot of the pier, with a long fire hose, possibly two, running the length of the pier. Although smoke obscured the scene, the building at the end of the pier was burning furiously. The structure was once the site of the Ruby's Diner, which has stood empty since the business closed three years ago.
KNSD-TV NBC 7 San Diego

Connecticut town hosts national launch of VR training system to assist first responders


VIDEO: The town of Vernon is proudly billing itself as the first community in the country to adapt what is called the VRNA EMS System to assist first responders. The system, created by nearby East Hartford-based VRSim, uses virtual reality to better train firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and police officers for an array of medical incidents. Matthew Wallace, the president and CEO of VRSim, said, “The goal is to give them a repetition and training tool that will both attract and entice people to the industry.” Michael Purcaro, the Vernon town manager and emergency management director, added that the town is hoping "our first responders will be able to sharpen their skills in a safe controlled virtual environment so that when they are needed in the real world, they will be better prepared to respond.”
WTIC-TV FOX 61 Hartford

Details shed light on Utah home explosion caused by detonation of old dynamite


VIDEOS: It's been an interesting couple of days for a Holladay neighborhood. On Tuesday, resident Robert Eliasoff and many others were told to evacuate after old dynamite was found at a home near 6200 South and 2300 East. "An officer approached my door and told me I needed to evacuate and I asked him, 'How much time do I have?' and he said, 'Just get what you can and let's go'," Eliasoff recalled. Unified Fire Authority says an elderly woman whose husband had died came across the explosive materials. According to officials, the dynamite had been passed down from generation to generation before the current homeowner found it. "She knew it was dangerous, she didn't know the extent, but knew she needed help taking care of it," said Unified Fire Authority Assistant Chief Riley Pilgrim.
KSTU-TV FOX 13 Salt Lake City

Fire department in Colorado starts wellness podcast


Grand Junction Fire Department Captain James Kavanaugh has recently taken on a new and novel job for a firefighter: podcast host. ”Going Interior,” GJFD’s new wellness podcast, aired its first episode April 1. Kavanaugh, who oversees GJFD’s academy, said the department’s communications staff has had the idea for a podcast for a while, they just didn’t know the format. ”I think it’s been valuable, it’s felt like going out on a limb for sure,” Kavanaugh said. “This is an uncomfortable spot, but I’m hopeful pushing ourselves to this point and opening up and sharing these stories opens things up and creates a better connection with both the people we serve and the people within our workplace.” The show was created during some downtime in between the department’s academies.
The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel - Metered Site


Thursday, April 25, 2024

VIDEO: 12 condo units in Connecticut destroyed by fire


PHOTOS: Twelve condominium units in Brookfield were completely destroyed by an overnight fire, the town’s fire chief confirmed to Channel 3. According to Brookfield’s Volunteer Fire Company, crews from numerous communities responded to help battle the fire at the Ledgewood Complex on Boxwood Drive. The call came in around 1:20 a.m. on Thursday. Two injuries were reported. The people suffered smoke inhalation, but were not seriously hurt, according to Brookfield Fire Chief Andrew Ellis. The fire reached a third alarm before crews were able to extinguish it. There’s no word on a cause.
WFSB-TV CBS 3 Hartford

Central Pennsylvania fire companies to start live-burn training for 17-year-olds


The newest generation of firefighters in central Pennsylvania will be partaking in serious training earlier than ever after 21 fire companies in the area banded together to launch an initiative that will train and develop firefighters with live-burn training starting at 17. The coalition of fire companies, named the Capital Region Council of Governments (CapCOG), held a press conference on Wednesday at HACC announcing the “100-Teens-to-Lifesavers Challenge,” which will allow local fire departments to prepare 17-year-olds with previously restricted live-burn training. Live-burn and interior firefighting training for volunteer firefighters under 18 was prohibited until Act 155 was signed into law in January 2023. Now, 17-year-old junior firefighters will need the permission of their parents and fire chief before participating in any live-burn training.
PennLive.com

1918 Republic Fire Truck now on display at the Antique Toy & Fire Museum in Michigan


PHOTOS: Dale Bash couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Bash, chairman of the Antique Toy & Fire Museum, a volunteer non-profit organization with a keen eye for history and education, was at the museum’s new facility on Sunday, April 21 in downtown Bay City to open its doors for its first exhibit: a 1918 Republic Fire Truck. Joined by fellow museum volunteers Mike, Nick and Justin Ruegsegger, Bash was struck by how many people stopped to take pictures of the fire truck as they backed it into the newly restored Victorian fire station. “It was amazing,” Bash said. “There were even people that came out of the Washington Street Pub to take pictures. It was really a heartwarming sight.”
Midland Daily News - Metered Site

Osprey nest sits atop the Delaware fire company siren


PHOTOS: A pair of osprey have returned to nest atop the Rehoboth Beach Fire Company siren. Osprey have been nesting atop the siren for the past several years. Osprey are migratory raptors that go south during the winter and live along our coast during the warmer months. Osprey also are known to mate for life, so it is likely the current pair is the same pair that have nested on the siren in previous years. Recently, deterrents had been placed atop the siren and a nearby tower to keep the osprey away. A traffic cone had been placed atop the siren while fake owls had been placed in several spots on the nearby tower. Looking beneath the nest, large piles of debris can be seen on a patio behind the fire company.
WRDE-LD NBC 31 Salisbury







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