Firefighter Close Calls

Suzanne LaFollette, a member of Austin, TX Local 975, has been fighting for her life – and for workers’ compensation eligibility – for months now. She scored a major victory in the second battle when an administrative law judge ruled on April 21 that she was entitled to the benefit. LaFollette was diagnosed with Stage […]

Fourteen firefighters were injured, one of them seriously, while they battled a four-alarm fire in East Elmhurst on Sunday afternoon. The FDNY received a call at 2:54 p.m. of a fire in a two-family home at 26-26 93rd St. just off Astoria Boulevard. Engine Company 316 arrived first on the scene within four minutes and discovered two neighboring houses […]

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – UPDATE (5/4/2026 at 8:40 p.m.): One firefighter was injured Monday evening as the Bismarck Fire Department works to extinguish a blaze that began in a crawl space in a large apartment building. The department is asking the public to avoid the 4000 block of Lockport St. in Bismarck. Alberta Heights is 90,000 square […]

California once built massive infrastructure projects—dams, highways, and aqueducts—that were the marvel of the world. During the Great Depression, engineers erected the Golden Gate Bridge in four years, ahead of schedule and under budget. But those days are over. Under Governor Gavin Newsom, California has been unable to complete, and hardly able to begin, construction […]

OCALA, Fla. — Three Marion County firefighters accused of hazing a rookie co-worker at an Ocala fire station in 2025 changed their pleas to guilty of simple battery in court on Friday. Video shows Marion County first responders ‘hazing’ 19-year-old rookie Seth Day, Edward Kenny and Tate Trauthwein had previously pleaded not guilty to charges […]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Residents in SE Portland were told to evacuate the area of a two-alarm house fire in the Belmont neighborhood early Friday morning. Officials responded to the blaze near SE 30th Place and Stark Street around 5 a.m. and found “too much fire to make entry,” leading officials to call for a […]

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Three Henrico County firefighters were hurt after a crash involving a fire engine shut down all lanes on Interstate 64 East on Wednesday, according to police. At about 12:40 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, officers with the Henrico County Police Division were called to I-64 east, just past the Parham […]

At least 18 residents were displaced, and one firefighter was injured after a five-alarm fire broke out at a Yonkers apartment building on Tuesday. Fire officials said they first learned about the fire at 50 Riverdale Ave. around 9:17 a.m. The calls they received reported people trapped inside with smoky conditions. Yonkers Fire Commissioner William […]

The below NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) report and slides were published this afternoon: F2026-02 PA: Career Firefighter Injured after Falling from Ladder while Self-Extricating from Boarding House Fire – Pennsylvania Report: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/programs/pdfs/f202602.pdf Slides: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/programs/pdfs/f202602RS.pdf The report was published exactly 64 days after the fire department submitted a request for a NIOSH investigation. FFFIPP continues to accept […]

The below NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) report was published this morning: F2025-12 IN: 53-Year-old Sergeant Dies from Cardiac Event While Asleep in Station During Duty Shift – Indiana Report: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/programs/pdfs/f202512.pdf FFFIPP continues to accept requests for serious injury and line-of-duty death investigations through the NIOSH website. Firefighters and other interested parties can see what investigations […]

Four Sacramento firefighters are undergoing experimental therapy following being exposed to a Tesla’s EV battery several months ago. The IV-infused procedure is an effort to remove the heavy metals from their lungs and bloodstreams, Capt. Justin Sylvia told KCRA. “We’ve never had anyone off related to any type of lithium-ion battery fire. This is the first,” […]

Today, we share something that matters deeply to the Amarillo Fire Department, both to those firefighters still serving and to those members of the family who came before us  –  a video link to our new documentary honoring our fallen brother, Firefighter Christopher “Brian” Hunton. This project exists first and foremost to honor Brian. He was one of […]

A firefighter was recovering Sunday after suffering an injury while battling a fire at a recycling yard in Sun Valley, authorities said. The fire was reported at 11:42 p.m. Saturday at 8250 N. Tujunga Ave., south of Penrose Street, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Lyndsey Lantz. It took firefighters one hour and 17 […]

QUEENS, New York (WABC) — Six firefighters were injured, including one seriously, while fighting a blaze in Queens on Thursday. FDNY officials say the fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. in a vacant, two-story rectory, then spread to a vacant church next door. Both are over 100 years old. Officials say 84 units and 270 fire […]

Marion County Public Health Department issued order on April 23 Photo by: Decatur Township Fire Department Facebook page Decatur Township Fire Department By: Kara Kenney Posted 56 minutes ago INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County Public Health Department has issued a notice of violation to the Decatur Township trustee after inspectors found mold inside the fire department. WRTV […]

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCIV) — A firefighter sustained non-life-threatening injuries when an explosion occurred while crews were combating a house fire in Moncks Corner Monday evening, according to a Berkeley County official. The Berkeley County Emergency Management official said the initial call for the fire came in just before 4 p.m., when the fire was […]

DYERSBURG, Tenn. — A firefighter was injured after battling an apartment fire Wednesday in Dyersburg, the fire department said. The Dyersburg Fire Department (DFD) said it got a call in the afternoon about a fire at an apartment complex on Wilson Circle. Once there, firefighters “promptly” worked to get the fire under control, DFD said. […]

Human factors are widely thought to contribute to a large proportion of adverse incidents that result in injuries and fatalities during fireground operations, firefighter training, and other firefighter work. However, there are challenges to accurately assessing and conveying human factors relevant to adverse incidents within the fire service. Since 2023, the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality […]

The U.S. volunteer fire service has lost nearly a quarter of its members since 2008, while call volume over that period has exploded. On the heels of a major new study on the topic, two fire service vets discuss the trend and what needs to be done to help departments adjust to a new normal. […]

Researchers at the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center are conducting a clinical research trial with the Tucson Fire Department to evaluate whether an over-the-counter dietary supplement made from broccoli seed and sprout extracts can help the body detoxify and eliminate harmful chemical exposures that firefighters may encounter during their work. The clinical trial is […]