Brush fire at Gulf State Park burns 100 acres in Baldwin County

VIDEO: Several departments are at Gulf State Park fighting a brush fire that has burned 100 acres. According to rangers, the fire is north of Beach Boulevard and moving north into marshland. The City of Gulf Shores evacuated buildings along Second Avenue as a precaution. No buildings have been damaged. Crews from eight different fire departments are on the scene. Firefighters said the blaze is currently under control, but it is still being pushed by the winds. Gulf State Park said it is too early to say what caused the fire.
WALA-TV Fox 10 Mobile

Mobile Firefighter rescues child from rip current, named firefighter of the month

Fire Medic Alex Hillman was recognized as July’s Firefighter of the Month after he rushed to save a child who was being pulled from shore by a rip current. According to a news release from Mobile Fire-Rescue, Hillman was vacationing in Destin, Florida, in June, when he was alerted to an 8-year-old being pulled from the shore by a rip current. The child’s father was present, but not physically able to rescue the child. Hillman rushed into the water and swam about 50-75 yards in double-red flag conditions to the child. He was able to reach the child, and swam the child back towards shore. Neither the swimmer nor Hillman were injured. In the news release, Hillman was recognized as Firefighter of the Month for his actions: “Fire Medic Hillman, without duty to act, selflessly performed a successful rescue, preventing what might have surely been a tragedy on the water that day.”
WKRG-TV CBS 5 Mobile

Family escapes fire in Mobile

Crews with Mobile Fire-Rescue are investigating an early morning fire at a home on Herman Street. Firefighters arrived at the home just after 2:00 am to find flames visible from the single-story home. All family members were able to escape the home before crews arrived. Homeowners say they heard shattering glass and then found the living room on fire. The blaze was under control in less than 30 minutes. Crews then had to battle toxic smoke and gas inside the home. No one was hurt.
WKRG-TV CBS 5 Mobile

Raging car fire in Citronelle caught on camera

VIDEO: An intense car fire was caught on camera in Citronelle. This is a video from Citronelle Fire Rescue captured on a firefighter’s helmet camera and posted on Facebook. The video shows a sedan fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters responded to a call early Saturday morning close to midnight. It happened outside of an apartment complex in Citronelle. The post says units on the scene were able to put it out quickly without injuries. A cause wasn’t listed in the post.
WKRG-TV CBS 5 Mobile

McCord’s Firefighters Respond To Vehicle Fire & Structure Fire

It was a busy Saturday night for the McCord’s Fire Department with a vehicle fire reported on County Road 101 just before 7:30 pm followed by a structure fire on County Road 16 at approximately 2:40 am Sunday Morning. The vehicle fire occurred just off of Hwy 411 N near Providence Baptist Church with Engine 55 arriving on the scene within minutes and quickly bringing the blaze under control. The structure fire occurred near the intersection of County Road 93 close to Friendship Baptist Church. Units from Spring Creek and Ellisville Fire Departments and Floyd EMS responded to this fire along with McCord’s Fire Department. According to Chief Rich Lindsey, McCord’s Engine 55 and Tanker 54 quickly arrived on the scene of this fire and advised that the structure was already on the ground and a pickup truck was on fire. The pickup truck was quickly extinguished.
WEIS 100.5 FM/990 AM

Mobile Fire Captain Keelan Howard retiring after 35 years of service

Mobile Fire-Rescue Department (MFRD) Capt. Keelan Howard announced on Thursday his retirement, following 35 years of dedicated service to MFRD and the citizens of Mobile. The announcement was posted on MFRD Facebook page accompanied by celebratory comments from citizens congratulating and thanking Howard for his service.
WKRG-TV CBS 5 Mobile

Grant to provide virtual training, connectivity for Vestavia Hills and other area fire departments

The Vestavia Hills Fire Department soon will be able to connect virtually with the Alabama Fire College and other area departments after a grant was awarded to several area fire departments. A federal regional assistance grant was recently was awarded to the Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills fire departments and Rocky Ridge, North Shelby and Cahaba Valley fire districts. Vestavia Hills Fire Chief Marvin Green said Vestavia’s portion of the grant, $121,000, will pay for equipment to help the department conduct virtual training with Alabama Fire College as well as other departments, including the ability to livestream training at their own site to nearby departments. Vestavia received the largest portion of the grant. Green said the fire college is expanding its virtual classes, which now include courses for emergency medical technicians, paramedics, fire instructors and fire officers.
Vestavia Voice

Follow Up: Vote to be held to increase service charge for Grand Bay Fire District

The Grand Bay Fire District is looking to increase service charges. The Board of Trustees for the Grand Bay Fire District filed a Petition for Increase of Service Charge with the Mobile County Judge of Probate on June 22. The petition calls for raising the service charge from $35 per year to $70 per year for every residence and business. A vote will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Friendship Baptist Church, 12581 Saeger Road, Grand Bay, Ala. Only those registered voters living within the boundaries of the Grand Bay Fire District are eligible to vote. The petition reads as follows: "Shall there be an increase in the service charge assessed for the Grand Bay Fire District from the amount of Thirty-Five and No/100 Dollars ($35.00) per year to the amount of Seventy and No/100 Dollars ($70.00} per year per residence/business, less and except residences exempt from property taxes under Acts 48 and 91."
WKRG-TV CBS 5 Mobile

Summer campers learn first-hand what Dothan first responders do on field trip

The Wiregrass Public Safety Center is the new home for local first responder training, but the doors of the center are also open to the community. “That’s what’s different about this facility as opposed to other facilities across the country. We want the public. We want children. We want teenagers and adults to come here,” says Wiregrass Public Safety Center executive coordinator Jason Wright. The goal is to teach the public how to be more prepared in times of emergencies. Dothan Leisure Services summer campers got that lesson Wednesday. Dothan police and fire departments gave the campers a taste of training through demonstrations. “I saw a fire and they put it out. I got to use the water hose,” says camper La’Niyah Stanley. Along the way they learned about safety and prevention and even how to identify firefighters by their helmets.
WTVY-TV CBS 4 Dothan