New Orleans Fire Department responds to house fire

Firefighters with the New Orleans Fire Department responded to a house fire that occurred in the Irish Channel neighborhood of New Orleans on Wednesday, Oct. 9. According to the NOFD, the department was dispatched to 714 Seventh Street at 7:34 p.m. On scene, companies found fire coming from the first and second-floor windows on the left side and back of the two-story house. A second alarm was requested for additional assistance due to how close the building was to other homes. The house was reportedly under construction prior to the fire. There were no reported injuries in this incident and the fire was placed under control by 8:12 p.m.
WGNO-TV ABC 26 New Orleans

Follow Up: Days after returning from the Carolinas, Louisiana first responders sent to help with Florida hurricane relief

VIDEO: While many Louisiana crews head home from the Carolinas, the state is sending them on a quick turnaround to Florida to assist with Hurricane Milton. “It is a substantial presence, not only in Florida, but in South Carolina and North Carolina,” said Director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Jacques Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux says the state sent teams from the Louisiana National Guard including a 500 person engineer task force and a 100-person truck company. Captain Knight Roddy with the Louisiana National Guard says they also have two Black Hawk helicopters waiting for Hurricane Milton. “Basically, we’re waiting until we get the visibility and weather to go fly behind the storm and move in as far as we can as the visibility clears, so we can start looking for people,” said Capt. Roddy.
WAFB-TV CBS 9 Baton Rouge

Four people taken to hospital with burns from Baton Rouge chemical plant

Four people were badly burned in an incident at Formosa Plastics in Baton Rouge on Tuesday night. The Baton Rouge Fire Department said the four people were exposed to ammonia when a compromised cylinder broke around 8:15 p.m. at the plant. Of the four hurt, two were in critical condition and two were serious but stable. The Baton Rouge Fire Department said the incident is isolated to the plant, there is no danger to the public and the ammonia was not released from the facility. Workers inside were evacuated and let back into the facility around 9:30 p.m. No more information about what happened was immediately available.
WBRZ-TV ABC 2 Baton Rouge

Slidell fire station set to house the state’s first baby box

VIDEO: It's a small box with a big purpose. The Central Fire Station in Olde Town in Slidell will soon offer an option for parents who feel they have no other choice but to surrender their newborn. Louisiana's Safe Haven Law allows parents to surrender a newborn at designated locations like hospitals and fire stations. Now, that includes baby boxes. "Once you put the infant in the box, the box closes within 60 seconds. And then it's up to the individuals on site to retrieve the baby," Fire Chief Chris Kaufmann said. The box will notify first responders the moment a baby is placed inside. Kaufmann says people may be more inclined to surrender their child to a baby box than a hospital or police station out of fear or shame. He said, "The mental state of mind of any individual that's in this particular situation. You know, that interaction with another person is intimidating."
WDSU-TV NBC 6 New Orleans