Wisconsin soybean farmers fund SoyFoam effort to reduce PFAS in firefighting foam

Could a soybean-based foam help extinguish fires and prevent toxic chemicals from seeping into Wisconsin waterways? The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board certainly hopes so. The board’s president, Pat Mullolly, recently visited Dalton, Georgia, to observe farmers and volunteer firefighters using a new soybean-based product called SoyFoam. “It looked like the consistency of paint. It was a brown-type substance, maybe a little bit thicker than salt. They inject that into the water stream and it creates foam,” Mullolly said on WPR’s “The Morning Show.” According to Mullolly, the biodegradable foam could eliminate the use of chemicals known as PFAS in firefighting foam. The chemicals have been linked by the U.S. Fire Administration to health risks and groundwater pollution.
Wausau Pilot and Review

Update: Woman pulled from Lake Mendota later died at the hospital, police confirm

A woman who was pulled from Lake Mendota by firefighters in the early morning hours last Friday died at the hospital, according to the Madison Police Department. Spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said officers responded to Iota Ct. around 4:25 a.m. Fryer said officers saw a woman's body in the water and immediately called for help from the Madison Fire Department's Lake Rescue team. The woman was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead. Detectives are working to determine how the woman entered the water. Fryer said nothing suspicious was found at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
WKOW-TV ABC 27 Madison

Mental health support for Milwaukee firefighters; new initiative launched

The Milwaukee Fire Department launched on Monday, April 29 a new initiative to provide first responders with essential mental health support. A news release says the All-Hands Initiative, therapy sessions, fully funded by ITS, and facilitated by licensed mental health professionals from First Responders Psychological Services, LLC, will be available to firefighters starting May 1. This timing aligns with the first day of Mental Health Awareness Month. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), firefighters are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to the demanding nature of firefighting, including exposure to trauma, long hours, and high-stress environments. ITS offers emotional and physical support to firefighters and their families during times of need. It was established in 2018.
WITI-TV FOX 6 Milwaukee

Oshkosh Fire Department launching new fall prevention website

Officials with the Oshkosh Fire Department say they are launching a new fall prevention website in an effort to increase awareness of the risk of falls. According to a release, Officials say the CDC has Wisconsin listed as having the highest fall death rates among older adults in the United States. Locally, the Oshkosh Fire Department says a person over 60 years old suffering a fall is the most frequent incident type that they get called to respond to. As a way to increase awareness of the risk of falls and as a way to direct people to prevention programs that can help prevent many of these falls, the Oshkosh Fire Department has launched a new Call Before You Fall website.
WFRV-TV CBS 5 Green Bay

Theresa candy shop works to rebuild after devastating fire

VIDEO: Confections For Any Occasion is a special candy shop CBS 58 first introduced you to two years ago. Owner Joel Bernhard achieved his success despite being blind since the age of 4. In 2022, he showed us how he laid out his store in a certain way, to help him remember where everything is. But last week, a fire ripped through his beloved store, leaving him forced to rebuild. Confections For Any Occasion has long been a destination spot in Theresa. Now all Joel Bernhard wants is to come back stronger. "I'm just in shock it took several days for it to sink in and realize what happened," said Bernhard. Around midnight last Tuesday, Bernhard woke up to call he never expected. "I was notified there was a fire in our store at 12:21, we noticed on our camera there was a red glow coming from the air conditioner and, in a few minutes, the whole place was totally filled up with smoke," Bernhard recalled.
WDJT-TV CBS 58 Milwaukee