Prairieville Fire Department starts fire training program for high school seniors

The Prairieville Fire Department is launching a program to provide fire safety training to high school students. The Prairieville Fire Department will launch the Ascension Parish High School Firefighter Program starting in the 2024-2025 school year. The program, available to all Ascension Parish high school seniors, will provide students with four nationally accredited certifications in firefighting and hazardous materials mitigation. The certifications students earn in the program will provide graduates with the qualifications to be hired by fire departments across the state and nation. This program would be one of four in the state, the fire department announced.
WBRZ-TV ABC 2 Baton Rouge

City of Minden, Webster Parish Recognize National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

Across the nation in times of intense personal crisis and community-wide disasters, the first access point for those seeking all classes of emergency services is 9-1-1. The Webster Parish 911 Communications Center is the first point of contact for persons seeking immediate relief during an emergency. They answered 37,636 calls in 2023 with 100% answered in less than 10 seconds. The Webster Parish 911 Communications Center is celebrating this week of April (April 14-20, 2024) as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. This week, sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International and celebrated annually, honors the thousands of men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render lifesaving assistance to more than 240 million callers across the globe.
Minden Press-Herald

Electrical malfunction sparks Baton Rouge house fire, leaving three people displaced; firefighter burned

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: Three adults were displaced and a firefighter was injured after a house fire in Baton Rouge early Tuesday morning. The fire got underway around 5:30 a.m. at a home in the 9400 block of Redwood Drive near Monterrey Boulevard. Investigators believe an electrical malfunction in the upstairs addition to the home caused the fire. A spokesman with the Baton Rouge Fire Department confirmed crews arrived to find three residents outside of the house and safe. The entire upper story was engulfed in flames when crews arrived. One firefighter received minor burns to his shoulder and is being treated. The home is considered a total loss. As of 7 a.m., crews said the fire was under control. The Red Cross was called to help the displaced residents.
WAFB-TV CBS 9 Baton Rouge

Recognizing safety telecommunicators answering 9-1-1 calls across Northeast Louisiana

VIDEO: Sheriff Stephen Williams of Lincoln Parish calls them the ‘unsung heroes’ of the sheriff’s office. Whenever you dial 9-1-1, a dispatch deputy is on the other end ready to hear how they can help. The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International began recognizing National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week on Sunday (April 14). “That’s a very demanding job. They have to make sense of, sometimes, of things that don’t make sense. They have to be able to handle many calls at one time if you have a situation happen,” said Williams. The Communications Supervisor Michael Rainwater said they handle all emergency calls outside Ruston city limits. “Whether it’s medical, fire, request for law enforcement - traffic accidents. We answer it all,” said Rainwater.
KNOE-TV CBS/ABC 8 Monroe