’I’d go back again’: Treasure Coast forest ranger returns after battling Texas wildfires

VIDEO: Treasure Coast firefighters who help forest rangers battle wildfires in Texas are back home and waiting to help again. Noah Hines is a forest ranger with the Florida Forest Service. He's now back home in St. Lucie County and on the job. Last month Hines was in Texas battling wildfires. "It was my first time going out so there was a lot to take in," Hines said. He and fellow firefighter Christopher Jacobson, who is stationed in Martin County, were sent to the Buckshot Fire in Texas and worked out of the Smithville office which is about an hour east of Austin. They were there to help other responders battle multiple wildfires sparked by continued hot and dry conditions. "A couple of times there were fires near homes,” Hines said. "Being that our engine was so big, we were tasked with structure protection.”
WPBF-TV ABC 25 Tequesta

Brevard County Fire Rescue Special Operations Team Responds to Overturned 1,200-Gallon Fuel Tanker

The Brevard County Fire Rescue Special Operations Team and Engine 44 responded to a call for a 1,200-gallon fuel tanker that had rolled over at around 11:25 a.m. on Thursday. The accident happened on southbound I-95 at mile marker 200. In order to remove the diesel fuel from the overturned truck, Special Ops personnel had to drill and tap a hole into the tanker. According to officials, air tools and Alcohol Resistant Film Forming Foam were used in order to eliminate any possible ignition sources while drilling the tank to protect the firefighters. The product was pumped into another tanker and hauled to a collection facility. “Another job well done by our Brevard County Fire Rescue firefighters!” said Brevard County Fire Rescue officials.
Space Coast Daily

Maitland police officer whose dog alerted him to house fire returns to work

VIDEO: A Maitland police officer who also serves as a school resource officer has returned to work roughly six weeks after his home was destroyed by a fire. Officer Josh Rotarius credit his very own dog for saving his life after he said lightning struck his home and sparked a fire. "Started a fire in the attic, and obviously it moved to the rest of the house," Rotarious told FOX 35 News last month. He said he was sleeping when lightning struck his home. It was actually his dog, Null, that got his attention as smoke filled the house, back on July 1. "He was making kind of a strange noise which wasn’t common for him. So it kind of woke me up." When Joshua opened his eyes, he said he couldn’t see anything or breathe. "I managed to get him out of his crate after I got pretty low." After getting Null out of his cage, both of them escaped the fire.
WOFL-TV FOX 35 Orlando

Follow-up: Hillsborough County boy rescued from fire makes full recovery, returns to the football field

VIDEO: A Seffner boy who nearly died in a house fire back in May is able to run up and down the football field once again. "I use this as an opportunity to show him what we can do when tragedy strikes and in life son, tragedy will strike again and we will get through it," Owen Ares' mother, Karen McGinnis, said. It's a recovery his family says is truly amazing and they credit Owen's strength. "Here he is. He made a full speedy recovery, on the field and he started 4th grade yesterday. I am just grateful," McGinnis said. Owen was recused by Hillsborough County deputies when his house caught fire on May 19th. Hillsborough fire investigators said the fire started in the barn and then spread to the house. McGinnis and her boyfriend were able to make it out of the house with their animals, but Owen was inside asleep at the time.
WTSP-TV CBS 10 St. Petersburg

Seminole County firefighters drop off school supplies in countywide collection drive

Seminole County Fire Department personnel on Friday suited up and rolled out to deliver a care package of classroom essentials for teachers and students to use for free throughout the new school year. With dozens of boxes of school supplies on hand — donated in a collection drive hosted at all SCFD stations and Seminole County public libraries — the firefighters handed off the goods at 10 a.m. to Tools 4 Seminole Schools, located on Airport Boulevard in Sanford. Tools 4 Seminole Schools, operated by the Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools, seeks to alleviate the burden of school-related costs on teachers and low-income families by offering a place for students and educators to visit, “shop” a bit, and leave without paying a dime.
WKMG-TV CBS 6 Orlando

Melbourne Fire Department Earns ISO Class 1 Rating

The Melbourne Fire Department is proud to announce that it has earned an ISO Class 1 rating, placing it among the top 1% of fire departments in the nation and the top 10% of fire departments in the state of Florida. It is the first fire department in Brevard County to receive a Class 1 rating. During last night’s (August 9) City Council meeting Michael Morash, Community Hazard Mitigation Manager for ISO, announced the new designation and presented a plaque recognizing the achievement. “Of about 40,000 fire-protection areas that we evaluate, there are only 474 total in the country” that receive the Class 1 rating Morash said. “There are only 47 in the state of Florida -- Melbourne is one of those 47. It’s great for a community to have this distinguished award.”
City of Melbourne

Pups, Hamster, Turtle, Residents Survive Winter Haven House Fire

A hamster was discovered unharmed in its play ball, a turtle was found uninjured in its tank and a dog was found shaken but alive after a house divided into eight apartments on Farnol Street caught fire Wednesday. Three engines and a tower truck from the Winter Haven Fire Department, two engines and a medic unit from Polk County Fire Rescue and members of the Winter Haven Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office responded to the fire at the two-story subdivided home around 10 a.m. Upon arriving, firefighters reported seeing flames coming from a first-floor apartment and thick smoke from two second-floor apartments directly above the fire. A fire crew launched an offensive attack while police and deputies began searching for anyone still inside the structure.
Lakeland Patch

Marco Island Fire Rescue Hires New Deputy Chief

Retirements and resignations at the Marco Island Fire Rescue Department have left openings for new hires and promotions. The city has advertised these positions both within and outside the department. One of the vacancies was created by the departure of Deputy Chief David Batiato in July of this year, after nearly 32 years with the department. Batiato, who served as second in command, began his career in 1991. When the department looked to replace Deputy Chief Batiato, they sought an individual with similar skill sets, to assist Fire Chief Chris Byrne. Byrne returned to the department after retiring from that same position.
Coastal Breeze News

Man seriously injured after bulldozer flips over, falls at Osceola construction site

A man operating a bulldozer was seriously injured Wednesday morning when the vehicle flipped over into an embankment at an Osceola County construction site, fire officials said in a tweet. The rollover accident occurred before noon at the construction site along Jones Road and Wetland Place in St. Cloud, according to fire rescue. Crews said the bulldozer driver sustained “serious injuries” after the machine flipped over, falling about 20 feet down into an embankment. Osceola crews got help from the St. Cloud Fire Department to successfully perform a trench rescue, after which the driver was airlifted to the hospital, officials said.
WKMG-TV CBS 6 Orlando

Two key positions created to help smooth ambulance transition in The Villages

Two key positions have been created ahead of The Villages Public Safety Department taking over ambulance service on Oct. 1. The Village Center Community Development District Board of Supervisors on Wednesday unanimously voted to create the two new positions within The Villages fire department as it prepares to take over responsibility for EMS transport services. The new positions are: Division Chief of EMS and Inventory Control Technician. The Division Chief of EMS will be responsible for developing, managing, and evaluating all aspects of the EMS Transport Division. In addition, this position will serve as the liaison to local hospitals to ensure the timely transfer of patients at the receiving medical facilities and the liaison to the EMS billing agency to ensure optimum collection rates are achieved.
Villages-News

Fire erupts at Wawa gas station under construction in Broward County

A fire erupted Thursday morning at a Wawa gas station that is under construction in Oakland Park. Sky 10 was above the scene at 1640 W. Oakland Park Blvd. around 9:15 a.m. as firefighters used a ladder truck to douse the flames with water. It appeared that the fire started on the roof. No details were immediately released by authorities.
WPLG-TV ABC 10 Miami