Chattanooga Fire Department, other agencies hold water rescue training on Chickamauga Lake

VIDEO: A large-scale training event was held on the Tennessee River Thursday morning. Water training exercises were held by multiple agencies including the Chattanooga Fire Department. The goal of this exercise is to prepare our first responders for water rescues. They also received help from the Nashville Fire Department’s Water Rescue Team and their helicopter. That team simulated victims stranded in water, using Chickamauga Lake as a body of water, and first responders say it prepares them for the next time they have to deal with flooding. Captain Terry Knowles, the Special Operations Chief for the Chattanooga Fire Department, said, “What I like seeing is what we’re going to learn from this. Especially the communication part of it if there is a disaster."
WDEF-TV CBS 12 Chattanooga

Nashville firefighters head to southeast Texas to help in anticipation of flooding

State and local officials have been beefing up resources in Hardin County amid severe weather. Even a search and rescue team from Nashville, Tennessee, is stationed at Hardin County Emergency Service District #2 in Lumberton to provide assistance. The search and rescue team is prepared to move quickly across Texas, depending on where they're needed the most. "We train a lot in this in this field and then this is the time we get to showcase our skills," said Larry Clymer, the strike team leader. 17 members of the Nashville Fire Department are on standby for possible flooding in Southeast Texas. Their plan is to travel to areas that receive the heaviest rain. "Geographically, we're a little farther away, so if they anticipate long flooding like this has been... like a series of fronts coming through and storms building... it has to be a pretty good first to travel this far," Clymer said.
KBMT-TV ABC/NBC 12 Beaumont

3 dead after plane crashes in Williamson County

A plane crashed in the southwest portion of Williamson County on Wednesday. The small plane went down near Bending Chestnut Road in Leipers Fork, which is south of Interstate 840 near Natchez Trace Parkway, around 12 p.m. The Federal Aviation Association identified the plane as a single-engine Beechcraft V35. It reportedly took off from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was en route to Louisville, Kentucky. All three people on board the plane died, according to investigators. Officials added the plane appears to have broken up while in the air. Our sister station in Baton Rouge, WGMB, identified the pilot as Dr. Lucius Doucet. The two passengers have not yet been identified.
WKRN-TV ABC 2 Nashville

Montgomery County Fire Department: New technology aimed at tackling electric vehicle fires

In the ongoing transition towards electric vehicles (EVs), fire safety concerns have emerged as a focal point for fire departments across regions. Montgomery County Fire Department is aiming to address the challenges posed by extinguishing EV fires, which require significantly more resources compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles. Firefighters highlight that combating an EV fire demands thousands of gallons of water, sometimes up to 40 to 50 times more than a standard car fire, primarily due to the lithium batteries powering these vehicles. Carrie Brennan, a firefighter with a PhD in chemistry, has studied the need for proactive measures to tackle potential EV fire incidents. "As firefighters, it is our responsibility to anticipate and prepare for such scenarios rather than being reactive," Brennan said.
WTVF-TV CBS 5 Nashville