San Tan Valley home destroyed in ’out of control’ fire set by men burning trash in vacant lot, officials say

VIDEO/PHOTO: Two men burning trash in a vacant San Tan Valley lot caused a fire that destroyed a home on Tuesday, according to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office got a call about the fire, which was near Pava Lane and Rolling Ridge Road, from neighbors who reported seeing two men burning trash and weeds in the vacant lot near the home. Sheriff Mark Lamb said that the fire spread quickly and engulfed the home, which is a total loss. No one was injured. Rural Metro Fire San Tan Valley firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to any other homes. The two men ran from the scene when the fire got out of control, officials said, but neighbors were able to point police to the home they ran to.
KPNX-TV NBC 12 Mesa

Firefighters in Glendale prepare for electrical hazards while on the job

VIDEO: Firefighters deal with numerous dangers while out on the job, including downed power lines. Things like traffic accidents, high winds, ice storms and much more can cause hazards around electricity. Sometimes, it can be deadly if someone comes in contact with an open wire, especially for our fire crews. “It’s extremely dangerous for firefighters to have exposed electricity, down power lines with the storms with the fires,” said Glendale Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike O’Neill. That’s why, for nearly 20 years, APS has teamed up with Arizona fire agencies to help keep our crews safe when responding to a call. “Just kind of waking them up to those dangers and that awareness, and letting them know that it exists is what we’re trying to do here,” O’Neill said.
KTVK-TV CBS 3 & KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix (AZ Family)

Yavapai County: Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority Awarded Grant for Car Seat Safety Program

The Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority (CAFMA) is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) Highway Safety Grant. This grant will significantly increase CAFMA’s efforts in enhancing community safety through its child seat safety inspections and car seat assistance program. Recognizing CAFMA’s dedication to ensuring the safety of community members on Arizona roads, GOHS awarded a $6,868.00 grant to support materials, supplies, and personnel services. These resources will be instrumental in advancing CAFMA’s mission of educating parents and caregivers on the proper installation and use of child car seats. “We are honored to receive this grant from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety,” said Darrell Tirpak, Fire Marshal at CAFMA.
Prescott eNews

Fire damages Phoenix couple’s property

VIDEO: A Valley couple is displaced after a fire significantly damaged their home Wednesday morning. “It’s everything. This is our little mansion, our little kingdom," Wayne Berg said. Wayne and Linda Berg have lived in their home near 32nd Street and McDowell Road for the past 30 years. “It was crazy. Honest to God. I never thought this would happen to us and it did," Wayne Berg said. A fire started in their backyard, charring debris and plants before making its way inside. “It was filled with smoke so fast. It burned all the curtains and then I got down low and I went looking for my wife," Berg said. Neighbors watched from outside as the fire took over the house. “The flames were bright red," John Mariscal said. "They were really high. They were higher than the roof.”
KPNX-TV NBC 12 Mesa

Man dies from injuries suffered in human-caused Bowers Fire near Whetstone

VIDEO: A man died and his son was injured in the human-caused Bowers Fire near Whetstone. The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office said 81-year-old Neil Edward Hesse and his 52-year-old son were at their home near North Sanders and North Bowers roads. The two were using a grinder when sparks started the fire, according to the CCSO. “As the men attempted to contain the fire, both received serious burn and smoke injuries resulting in transport to Tucson hospitals for care,” the CCSO said in a release. Hesse died Tuesday morning at a local hospital. The CCSO also confirmed eyewitness reports that several propane tanks exploded during the fire. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management said forward progress has been stopped and the fire burned nearly 30 acres.
KOLD-TV CBS 13 Tucson

Golder Ranch Fire District welcomes largest fire academy yet

Golder Ranch Fire District's biggest academy class yet is starting their training Monday. Over the course of 21 weeks recruits will prepare their bodies, study in the classroom and go through exercises that simulate real-world emergencies. Experienced teachers and firefighters will be there every step of the way to show the recruits the ropes. Golder Ranch Fire Chief Tom Brandhuber tells us this latest academy class "represents a significant investment in the future of our department and the safety of our community."
KGUN-TV ABC 9 Tucson

5-year-old fighting for his life after being pulled from pool by firefighters at Phoenix apartment complex

A 5-year-old boy is in the hospital fighting for his life after being pulled from a pool at a Phoenix apartment complex on Monday evening. Around 6:30 p.m., firefighters were called to an apartment complex near 35th Avenue and Indian School Road. Crews arrived and found the boy who had been taken out of the water. He was unconscious and not breathing. Phoenix Fire said the boy was given CPR before they arrived. He was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition. Phoenix police are investigating and said that as of noon Tuesday, the child’s condition has not changed. No arrests have been made.
KTVK-TV CBS 3 & KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix (AZ Family)

New Flagstaff Area Type 3 Wildfire Incident Management Team Activated

The Flagstaff area has a new Type 3 wildfire incident management team. The new team is led by incident commander Andy Patterson and deputy incident commander Jesse Causer. This is the first year both Patterson and Causer are incident commanders. The team will be made up a core of 20-30 firefighters and will be able to pull from a pool of about 100 people. The majority of the team is made up from people in the area. The team was activated Monday and is ready to respond if a wildfire were to start and grow. Labelling of teams will change starting this year. Once known as Type 1 and Type 2 fire incident management teams, they will now be called CIMT or Complex Incident Management Teams. These groups will be made up of both Type 1 and Type 2 teams. Instead of three Type 1 teams, there will be six CIMT teams in the region.
Great Circle Media