Family of four escapes north Columbus home destroyed in fire

VIDEO/PHOTO: An overnight fire in north Columbus has destroyed a home early Thursday morning. Multiple crews were called to the 4000 block of Pegg Avenue, just off Olentangy River Road, in the Knolls Thomas neighborhood. There, at around 1:30 a.m., a large house fire raged through the north Columbus home, destroying the second floor and more. Firefighters attempted to battle the blaze as flames shot through holes in the roof and smoke billowed out of the windows of the home. The family of four was able to escape without injury. Authorities do not yet know how the fire started as the investigation continues.
WCMH-TV NBC 4 Columbus

Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey swears in new Salem firefighter

PHOTO: A new face joined the Salem Fire Department Monday. The fire department’s newest firefighter, Justin Thompson, took his oath of office, administered by Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey. A native of Augusta, Thompson is a 2021 Carrolton High School alum and brings three years of pre-existing firefighting experience, and a year and a half of EMS experience. Thompson began his career in firefighting with the Fox Township Volunteer Fire Department in 2021 and joined the Damascus Volunteer Fire Department in 2023, and continues to serve with both departments. Thompson also previously worked for EMT Ambulance Service from the “beginning of 2023” until Friday. Thompson said his motivation to be a firefighter came from a desire to serve his community.
Salem News - Metered Site

Cincinnati firefighters offer advice for flood safety after rescuing motorist from car

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Cincinnati firefighters rescued a trapped motorist from his car after it was stuck in high-rising waters in North Fairmount during Tuesday night's storms. Firefighters said this doesn't happen often, but when it does, they're ready. The incident on Yoast Avenue is only about a mile away from where a similar incident took place on Gobel Avenue seven years ago. Station 14 is equipped with one of seven city-owned zodiac boats. Firefighter Jason Yocum said that situations involving motorists stranded by flooding are fairly rare, but it doesn't mean they don't happen. “With flash floods and storms like this, we do have kind of like common spots that they do actually have pre-plans for, which if this is going to happen, this is what this company needs to do," Yocum said.
WKRC-TV CBS/CW 12 Cincinnati

Cleveland suburbs launch collaborative mental health crisis response program

Cleveland Heights, Richmond Heights, South Euclid and University Heights on May 7 announced plans to adopt a Shaker Heights pilot program using social workers to respond to mental health emergencies. The program, called First CALL (Crisis Assistance and Local Linkage), aims to improve each city's response to crisis emergencies by embedding a full-time social worker with police and fire departments. Shaker Heights began this practice in 2022. Having a social worker available alongside police and firefighters allows the city to use the best resources available to respond to these particular emergencies, said Shaker Heights Mayor David Weiss. This approach "enables our first responders to be redeployed to other, more appropriate situations that may be occurring in our communities, and then relying on the mental health professionals to address the issue in an immediate short term,” he said.
Ideastream Public Media

Deadly Cleveland house fire ruled arson

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A fatal house fire in Cleveland has been ruled arson. Officials said one person was found dead inside of the house in the 1700 block of E.88th Place. Fire crews were called out to the occupied house fire at about 1 a.m. on Wednesday. Flames could be seen shooting from the home. It took fire crews about 30 minutes to get the fire under control. Shortly after the fire was out, Cleveland police were called to the scene and confirmed it was a “fatal, suspicious fire.” Homicide detectives and arson investigations are working to learn more. Officials say the cause of the fire is still under investigation. FOX 8’s Jessica Dill was on the scene and reported that detectives appeared to be focusing on the home’s front porch. Damage to the home is estimated at $120,000.
WJW-TV FOX 8 Cleveland

Firefighters rescue 2 homeless people in tent submerged by floodwater near Milford

PHOTOS: Fire crews around Greater Cincinnati rescued people trapped in floodwater from heavy rain overnight. The most recent water rescue was reported just before 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. Milford fire crews rescued two homeless people submerged inside a tent in rising floodwater behind the Target store on Rivers Edge Drive off Milford Parkway. A man and a woman went to sleep around 1:30 a.m. on dry land inside a tent on the East Fork of the Litle Miami River, according to Fire Chief Mark Baird. When the couple woke up at 4:30 a.m., they were submerged in rising floodwater from all the overnight rain. “They were in a bad place at the wrong time along the floodway of the East Fork and that’s not a safe place to be. It flooded while they were asleep because of the heavy rains,” the chief said.
WXIX-TV FOX 19 Cincinnati

New testing available to Austintown firefighters to screen for 50 types of cancer

VIDEO: Fire departments across the country, including right here in the Mahoning Valley, are taking steps to test firefighters for cancer in a broader way, given it's the number one cause of death in this line of work. Austintown Fire Department is voting to approve the purchase of unique cancer-screening tests for the first time, following the recommendations of University Hospitals to utilize the new technology that exists to test firefighters for 50 types of cancer. This includes those 40 and over or with a family history of cancer. Austintown Fire Chief Andy Frost said the cancer-screening technology is a game changer and is looking forward to taking advantage to help first responders take priority in their health. "This is a great opportunity presented to us and if we could take advantage of it, I think it's a really good thing," Frost said.
WFMJ-TV NBC 21 Youngstown