Fire/EMS

By Jenna Wilson One of the busiest days of the year for emergency crews is here and local firefighters are prepared, even if it means time away from their families. Capt. Jeff Werner is working the Thanksgiving shift and has been with the St. Joseph Fire Department for 14 years. He comes from a military

By Leah Rainwater With colder weather making its entrance this week, the St. Joseph Fire Department has been busy. Two vacant homes were devastated following fire calls on Tuesday. The first happened at about 3:15 p.m. at 21st and Faraon streets. The cause is unknown and no injuries were reported. The second fire was at

By NewsPress Now Fire crews were on the scene of a structure fire near the intersection of North 21st and Faraon streets. The St. Joseph Fire Department responded to the call at 3:17 p.m. Tuesday. Smoke and fire appeared to be showing on the porch of the residence, which was vacant at the time. No

By Chris Fortune St. Joseph Fire Department officials are pre-emptively preparing for an audit to ensure its systems are running smoothly and home insurance premiums aren’t negatively affected. The fire department chief and assistant chief met with a field representative from the Insurance Services Office in October to gain an understanding of what they need

By Kendra Simpson With colder weather arriving, St. Joseph residents will be putting their fireplaces, space heaters and radiators to use, but no one wants their holidays going up in smoke. Home fires occur more in winter months than any other time of the year, but by following a few safety practices, people can be

By Jenna Wilson Trying to stay warm as the temperatures drop? People who are unhoused can sometimes resort to unsafe measures – causing more fire risks. This time of year, the St. Joseph Fire Department is seeing more transient fires that are accidentally caused by those living outdoors to cook and find ways to keep

By Chris Fortune The cause of a fire that started just before noon Tuesday at a home at the intersection of King Hill and Indiana avenues is unknown and an investigation is underway. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and temporarily closed King Hill Avenue for a few blocks. Fire inspectors remained on the scene

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph Fire Department will receive more than $280,000 in ARPA funds for a new rescue truck and apparatus equipment to replace pieces of its aging fleet. The rescue truck currently in reserve use is more than 12 years old and has more than 100,000 miles, a rebuilt motor and is

By Jazmine Knight With many gathering yard waste to burn this month, following established guidelines is key to keeping people and property safe. The open burning season is back again for the fall. Burning is allowed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. “It doesn’t mean that you just burn anything,” said Frank Till, executive director

By NewsPress Now Those who have yard waste to get rid of have the option to burn it this month. During November and April, open burning of dry yard waste is allowed within the city limits between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Fires must be fully out by 6 p.m. If weather conditions such

By Cameron Montemayor One area fire district is beefing up its supply of equipment with help from a federal grant aimed at assisting fire protection entities. The DeKalb Fire Protection District was recently awarded the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Fire Protection Grant, which is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. The award

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph Fire Department recently received over $100,000 in grant funding to upgrade aging equipment of fire trucks and implement a mobile inspection software. $13,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding was awarded to the general fund fire department program, and $18,871 from Tyler Technologies was used to purchase digital fire

By Jenna Wilson A family is left without a home and without some of their pets following a late-night fire in Wathena, Kansas, over the weekend. The fire happened around 11:15 p.m. Saturday near Elwood Park Homes in Wathena. Thelma Chilcoat and her two teenage children were fortunate to make it out of the fire

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph Fire Department is sharing some important safety tips to keep in mind as Fire Prevention Month kicks off. Fire Prevention Month serves as a good time to check the batteries in smoke detectors and to ensure fire extinguishers are properly working. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 30%

By NewsPress Now Emergency crews worked the scene of a fire Friday afternoon at a car dealer in Elwood, Kansas.  Trucks from area fire departments arrived at 606 Roseport Road, the location of Zimmerman Motors, which had smoke coming from the building. The St. Joseph and Elwood fire departments helped put the fire out in less than

By Jenna Wilson Responding to gas leaks costs U.S. fire departments millions of dollars each year, and local fire departments are sharing warning signs to look out for when it comes to a possible gas leak. According to a recent study published by Energy Policy Journal, over 200,000 natural gas leaks per year require and

By NewsPress Now Emergency crews tackled a house fire Thursday afternoon on Pickett Road near Deer Park Drive and Leonard Road. Calls for the fire came in around 2:15 p.m. St. Joseph Fire Department Battalion Chief Paris Jenkins said the fire was close to a water line, which caused it to break. He said this

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph City Council approved funding Tuesday for new fire department gear, and while that’s an obvious benefit to firefighters themselves, it plays an implicit role in home insurance rates for residents. Insurance Services Office ratings establish how well-equipped a fire department is to put out a fire, and an insurance