Berryville police investigating house fire

A suspicious house fire in Berryville last week is under investigation by the Berryville Police Department. According to Capt. Alan Hulse of the Berryville Fire Department, a local resident called 911 to report a fire at 1207 Kristy Ave. at approximately 4:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22. “A neighbor happened to look out and see it,” said Hulse, who was the first firefighter on the scene, adding that the fire had spread throughout the single-story residence by the time he arrived. “It was fully engulfed when I got there,” Hulse said. “Flames were already coming through the roof and everything else.” Firefighters responded with a pumper, a tanker and a squad truck and had the fire under control fairly quickly, Hulse said. “We were there for approximately two hours,” Hulse said. “We did a pretty good job. It was pretty well involved when we got there, so I was glad we got it down and out as fast as we did.”
Carroll County News

First Responder Spotlight: White Rock Firefighter

Malachi Logan has found a family in the brotherhood of the White Rock Fire Department. Raised in part by his grandparents, Logan's childhood had its ups and downs. Life's decisions resulted in Logan mainly being on his own. The fire department's sense of brotherhood is family. "Definitely," Logan said. "100 percent. I've got these guys. If I don't get out of a burning building with them, I don't leave myself." Logan has been a volunteer with the department for almost seven years, joining the department when he was just 16. During that time, he's seen his fair share of accidents, flat tires, medical situations and goats jumping off a bluff. Perhaps the most significant learning experience happened during a simple trip to Walmart. He was waiting to get a Subway sandwich when a bomb threat call came in. Logan learned a great deal about following certain procedures in response to that threat. "It was a very eventful night."
McDonald County Press

City Directors respond to high rate of vaccine rejection among Fort Smith firefighters

There is not much the City of Fort Smith can do about the relatively small number of first responders choosing to get the COVID-19 vaccine other than provide them with opportunity and information and encourage them to become vaccinated, city leaders say. Less than half of Fort Smith police officers and firefighters have notified their departments they have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Out of the 145 firefighters with the Fort Smith Fire Department, 63 have been vaccinated, said Fire Chief Phil Christensen. Of the remaining 82, 81 have said they either do not want the vaccine or they want to wait for further testing, Christensen said. The remaining one has either not scheduled or is listed as undecided. The Fort Smith Police Department has hosted two clinics, said Aric Mitchell FSPD public information officer, with 40 officers receiving both vaccine doses.
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