Madison Fire Department: Lake Rescue Team responds to person yelling for help in Lake Mendota

The Madison Fire Department Lake Rescue Team responded early Friday morning after it was reported a person was yelling for help in Lake Mendota. At about 4:30 a.m., MFD officials were dispatched to the 100 block of Iota Court after 911 callers reported someone yelling for help in the water. According to MFD, witnesses said the voice came from behind a property on Iota Court. The rescue team was able to enter the lake, locate the person and bring them to shore. MFD says paramedics began lifesaving measures. The person was taken into the ambulance and transported to UW Hospital. Public Information Officer Cynthia Schuster told WMTV 15 News that those lifesaving measures continued while the patient was in the ambulance and after they were transported to the emergency room. The patient’s current condition is unknown.
WMTV NBC/CW 15 Madison

Cedarburg Fire Chief Vahsholtz receives leadership award

Members of the Cedarburg Fire Department recently surprised Chief Jeff Vahsholtz with a leadership award. The department held its annual awards banquet April 13 at the Cedarburg Cultural Center, where Vahsholtz served as the host, handing out service awards, special recognition awards, responder of the year awards, a very special lifesaving award and an oath of office pinning ceremony for members coming off their one-year probation to get their badges. There was one surprise award that Chief Vahsholtz knew nothing about until retired Cedarburg Fire Chief Rich VanDinter stepped up to the podium. VanDinter began with these words: "Tonight, I’m honored to represent the Fire Department to recognize Chief Jeff Vahsholtz for his leadership over the last 10 years," VanDinter said.
Greater Milwaukee Today - Metered Site

Construction continues at La Crosse Fire Station 4

VIDEO/PHOTOS: It is out with the old and in with the new on La Crosse’s North Side. Construction continues at La Crosse Fire Station Number 4. The project, costing around $8 million according to La Crosse Fire Chief Jeff Schott provides much needed upgrades compared to the current one. “When they had initially built the fire station, the trucks were small and the resources were such they could cram two trucks in their garage,” Chief Schott said. “We can’t do that in this day and age.” The old station is a single engine house built in 1940 and doesn’t offer simple amenities. “Bathrooms just basic showers and bathrooms and a living area was pretty antiquated and not gender neutral equality that we need,” Chief Schott said. “Literally one shower for all the individuals working there is not adequate.” The new station has it all in mind and then some.
WXOW-TV ABC 19 La Crosse

New hiring process gets Waukesha military member working as a firefighter faster

VIDEO: The Waukesha Fire Department is working on a new concept: that they are always hiring. This move comes as the fire department looks to stay ahead of worker shortage. TMJ4 News met Waukesha Assistant Chief Joe Hoffman at the Let’s Talk Waukesha. It was an event put on by TMJ4 to let you tell us what’s important in the community and what we should be covering. Hoffman wanted us to know about the open hiring process in the city. “The competition is very steep right now. Most departments are hiring a lot of people,” said Hoffman. He invited me to Station One, in the heart of downtown Waukesha to show us what they are doing differently. In the past, Hoffman says people could apply to be a firefighter twice a year and then they were put on lists and waited to be called for an open job.
WTMJ-TV NBC 4 Milwaukee

Department of Safety and Professional Services awards $75K in grant funds for youth firefighting programs

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services have announced the winners of a grant funding youth firefighting training. The Youth Volunteer Firefighter Training Program aims to boost recruitment in fire departments by introducing fire service careers to students across the state. The program rewards a combined $75,000 in grant funding. In a statement released Wednesday, the DSPS says that retention and recruitment have become difficult across Wisconsin, but more so among the rural, all-volunteer stations in rural communities. The Youth Firefighter Grant Program is designed to help address these concerns by exposing high school students to career and volunteer opportunities in the fire service at a time when they are making decisions about their future careers and endeavors.
WKOW-TV ABC 27 Madison

Oconomowoc fire: Dog alerted residents, everyone out safely

VIDEO: An Oconomowoc family's dog alerted them to a fire on Tuesday afternoon, fire officials said, and everyone was able to get out safely. It happened around 1:30 p.m. on Hancock Court, near Summit Avenue and Old Tower Road. According to the Western Lakes Fire District, the dog broke down a gate to the second floor and went upstairs where the resident and their baby were lying down. The resident then saw smoke and flames while investigating the broken gate, and got out safely with the baby and dog. The fire eventually spread to the attic as wind drove the flames, officials said. The fire was deemed under control 11 minutes after firefighters first got there. No one was hurt.
WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

Follow Up: Milwaukee Fire Chief says injured firefighter will survive severe burns from ‘tense, scary moment’

In what Milwaukee Fire Chief (MFD) Aaron Lipski told Wisconsin’s Afternoon News was simultaneously one of the closest calls and proudest moments of his time in this role, MFD rapid response teams helped save a Milwaukee firefighter who suffered severe burns while saving someone from an attic fire. Chief Lipski told John Mercure and Julia Fello he visited the injured firefighter on April 22 as the victim continues a stretch of many consecutive surgeries to address burns across his body. “The severity of the burns — it’s very serious, and he’s undergoing a series of surgeries,” Chief Lipski told WTMJ. ” This is going to be a long haul for him to recover. He is an extremely [serious, passionate firefighter]. He needs to come back.”
WTMJ-AM 620 Milwaukee