Firehouse.com

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Oct. 21--FAIRFIELD -- Forty-year-old firefighter and college football player Wayne Parks is serving a seven-day suspension from the Fire Department following a hearing last week by the Fire Commission.

Minutes of the special meeting Oct. 13 had not yet been filed in the Town Clerk's office as of Tuesday morning, nor posted to the town's Web site, though minutes from the Oct. 8 meeting at which the commission voted to formally charge Parks were received Monday.

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Oct. 21--LAUDERDALE LAKES -- A statue of Jesus and cash donations were among the items burned in a fire that engulfed part of a Catholic church Tuesday evening, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

Officials think a candle started the fire that charred parts of St. Helen's Catholic Church, 3033 NW 33rd Ave.

The fire began shortly before 8 p.m., possibly after a parishioner lit some candles near a statue of Jesus and Mary, said Mike Jachles, a Fire Rescue spokesman.

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Oct. 20--EDMOND -- Edmond firefighters continue to fight flames today at an almost constructed apartment complex at Covell and Kelly. Officials are estimating the loss at about $10 million. Investigation into the cause of the huge blaze has been hampered by the remaining heat and flames.

Monday evening's fire at the Enclave at Covell Village had little affect on Cheyenne Middle School students as they came to school on Tuesday.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Dayna Hilton never passes up an opportunity to talk fire safety education.

On the night of Oct. 16, however, the audience was a bit different for the firefighter from rural Arkansas.

She shared the fire safety education message with other specially invited guests as they waited for the arrival of President Barack Obama and former President George H.W.

The enhancement needs of SCBA face pieces is currently being studied jointly by the USFA and NIST, according to a press release.

The study use both laboratory and operational testing to examine ways to enhance the thermal performance of the device's face piece in order to increase the protection offered to firefighters.

The initial phase of the study will focus on documented injuries and fatalities of firefighters due to thermal exposure to the component.

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Oct. 20--Millions of dollars worth of goods were destroyed Monday night in a massive Miami warehouse fire that held supplies owned by Barton G., fire officials said.

It took almost two hours for 60 firefighters to contain the blaze at 400 NE 67th St., said Miami Fire-Rescue spokesman Ignatius Carroll. No one was inside the warehouse.

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Oct. 19--A Kansas City firefighter injured during a blaze Sunday could be in the hospital for two weeks, but his colleague should be released today, the city reported today.

A little before 10 a.m. Sunday, firefighters entered the structure in the 1600 block of East 31st to look for occupants. They quickly were told to evacuate because conditions in the apartment building were getting worse.

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Oct. 19--NEW EAGLE -- When a devastating fire struck Vocelli's Pizza in Monongahela Sept. 6, two buildings in the city were not the only losses.

In the process of battling the blaze, the New Eagle Volunteer Fire Department lost its ladder truck.

The ladder collapsed with a firefighter aboard during the early morning blaze. While there were no injuries, the ladder truck was rendered useless.

The firefighter survived with just minor bruises, but the truck was not as lucky.

LAKE BUTLER, Fla.

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After nearly a year of investigating, a Union County, Lake Butler firefighter has been arrested and charged with grand theft of public funds.

Ron Lilly, the former president of the North Florida Regional Chamber of Commerce, was arrested on Oct. 7 for fraudulently obtaining property.

The Bradford County Sheriff's Office said Lilly instructed another chamber employee to write him more than $5,000 dollars in additional paychecks.

ESTES PARK, Colo.

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A fire destroyed a major landmark in downtown Estes Park Monday morning, gutting the Park Theatre Mall but sparing the historic Park Theatre.

The two-alarm fire apparently began in the Park Theater Mall at about 6:21 a.m. Upon arrival, firefighters reported seeing flames breaking through the roof on the west side of the mall building.

A Georgia firefighter collapsed Saturday while assisting on a medical call.

Gary D. Street, 60, was stricken after moving a fire department vehicle at the scene of an injured person, according to Chief J.J. McClure of the East Lake Sinclair Vol. Fire Department.

"He moved the squad so the ambulance could get to the patient, who had fallen off a ladder," McClure said.

Members, who noticed Street didn't reappear after he moved the vehicle, found him unresponsive, and started administering care, McClure said.

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Oct. 19--A Nebraska man who came to the Norwalk fire station requesting medical attention early Sunday morning later was determined to be the driver who abandoned a vehicle after a crash.

Anthony P. Stockfelth, 20, of Omaha, came to the firehouse at 3:02 a.m. with cuts on his face and hands and reported being "jumped at Charlie's Bar," Norwalk Fire Lt. John Soisson said in his report.

Oct. 18--OGDEN -- Firefighters and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials combed the home of an elderly couple Saturday in search of potentially dangerous materials that had apparently been stored in the dwelling for years.

Various chemical compounds such as resins and epoxy-like materials, some kept in original containers manufactured in the mid-1990s, were found at the home at 1620 9th St., said Ogden Fire Chief Mike Mathieu.

HONOLULU --

A man in his 30s was discovered dead after a boat fire on Pier 38.

Firefighters respond to the call at about 10:15 p.m. Saturday. It took a little more than 15 minutes to contain a fire that appears to have started in the wheelhouse of the 75-foot commercial fishing vessel, officials said. 

Shortly after their arrival, reports were received stating the possibility that someone might be aboard the burning ship.

Thane, Oct. 18 -- In a gruesome Diwali tragedy, six firemen suffocated to death after they battled a blaze in a multi-storied building here early Sunday, a senior officer said.

The victims suffocated due to toxic fumes which engulfed the lift of the 14-storey building in which they were returning after dousing fire, Thane Chief Fire Officer Vijay Vaidya said.

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Oct. 18--About three-quarters of Chandler firefighters eligible to receive doses from an early batch of the H1N1 flu vaccine have refused it, according to fire department officials.

With apologies to famed country singer Willie Nelson, I am here to announce that come June of 2010, I will be on the road again. Yes, once again it is time to announce another Harry Carter Road Trip. It is my intention to hit the road on or about June 1, 2010. June is normally my quiet month between band seasons. However, it is my desire to be back in time for the outdoor summer band season with famed Ocean Grove Summer Band, in Ocean Grove, NJ.

KANSAS CITY, MO.

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A Sunday morning vacant apartment fire that required the help of seven fire companies left two firefighters with serious burns.

The fire occurred at 30th Street and Highland Avenue.

The firefighters were taken to the University of Kansas hospital. One firefighter suffered serious burns to his hands, while another firefighter had burns to his extremities, according to fire officials.

The fire started around 10 a.m. at the two-story apartment building.

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SPARTA, Wis. -- Firefighters battling a house fire Monday in Sparta had to dodge errant vehicles, including one piloted by a suspected drunken driver apparently in a hurry for a late-night snack, authorities said.

Police were directing traffic away from the 319 Wisconsin St. fire at 11:35 p.m. when a driver steered his pickup truck around them and through the area, nearly striking one officer and the fire chief.

Oct. 13 -- Richland -- A Richland couple have their dogs to thank for alerting them that their house was on fire late Monday.

It was just after 11 p.m. and Ron and Toni Ciola were awake and watching TV in their home at 2414 Alexander Ave. when their dogs started panicking and the couple didn't know why, said Richland Fire Marshal Kurt Hubele.

They looked around and went outside and that's when they saw their roof on fire, he said.

"The fire started right above them when they were watching TV," he said.