Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge firefighters receive national designation

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Four members of the Oak Ridge Fire Department have been notified that they have received the Fire Officer Designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Captain Eric Mocsari, Firefighter Paramedic Steve London, Firefighter Engineer Thomas Giles, and Firefighter Engineer Ben Taylor have received notification from the CPSE that their professional portfolios have been peer reviewed for evaluation of knowledge, community involvement, professional contribution, and plans for future advancement. The Fire Officer Designation was awarded from that review, a press release said.

“A professional designation is recognition of broad career and educational professional accomplishments,” the release said.

Designations offered by the Commission on Professional Credentialing are internationally-recognized third-party verification of professional competence in fire and emergency services. [Read more…]

Clinton boy, 10, dies after battling brain cancer

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Joseph Dillman and Brian Bruce

Joseph Dillman, right, was battling brain cancer for the second time when this picture was taken in January, and he received more than 100 pounds of mail and gifts for his 10th birthday. Above, family friend Brian Bruce helped Dillman open gifts during Joseph Dillman Day at Claxton Elementary School on Saturday, January 24, 2015. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today) 

 

Note: This story was updated at 4:27 p.m. July 20.

Joseph Dillman, a Clinton boy who inspired the community with his battle against brain cancer, died Saturday. He was 10.

Joseph had earned the love and admiration of many people from across the country. It was his second battle against brain cancer.

Joseph had been made an honorary firefighter and honorary Clinton police officer. For his 10th birthday in January, he received more than 100 pounds of birthday mail and gifts from well-wishers across the country, including Peyton Manning and Johnny Majors.

“Joseph Dillman was such a fun-loving kid and put up a hard fight to beat cancer,” family friend Tiffany Taylor said on a GoFundMe page set up to help the family with funeral expenses. “Unfortunately, little Joseph’s fight ended yesterday morning with his family by his side.”

There was a candlelight prayer service for Joseph on July 11 in Clinton. Joseph was unable to attend, so supporters brought the event to him. Members of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department—along with local law enforcement, fire departments, and Emergency Medical Services—drove by Joseph’s house with lights flashing and sirens blaring. [Read more…]

Deputy fire chief Waldo accepts job as fire chief in Bozeman, Mont.

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Josh Waldo at Graceland Fire April 2014

Oak Ridge Fire Department Deputy Chief Josh Waldo fights a fire at 120 Graceland on April 3, 2014. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

Josh Waldo, deputy chief of the Oak Ridge Fire Department, has accepted a job as chief of the Bozeman Fire Department in Montana.

Waldo’s first day on the new job will be August 24. His last day in Oak Ridge hasn’t been determined, but it could be in mid-August.

Bozeman has about 40,000 people, which is a little larger than Oak Ridge, but its fire department is smaller. The Bozeman Fire Department has three fire stations and roughly 50 personnel, including chiefs and inspectors, Waldo said Tuesday. That compares to four fire stations and about 70 personnel in Oak Ridge.

Waldo, 34, has been deputy fire chief in Oak Ridge for about 16 months. He was promoted from assistant chief to deputy chief in March 2014. He was promoted to assistant chief about 2.5 years earlier, in November 2011. [Read more…]

Co-workers, firefighters react in minutes to save a life

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Linda Bridges and Michael Beehan

Linda Bridges has a hug for co-worker Michael Beehan, who started CPR when she experienced cardiac arrest. (Submitted photo)

 

Linda Bridges has returned to her desk at MS Technology Inc. after a four-month absence.

To Kurt Oschman, MSTI president and chief executive officer, that is a miracle resulting from the training and collaboration of her co-workers and the first responders from the Oak Ridge Fire Department who saved her life.

The story of Bridges’ miracle began Feb. 25, when she collapsed at her desk. Co-workers quickly called 911, and two co-workers began assessing her vital signs. At one point, she had stopped breathing and had no pulse.

“With excellent collaboration on decisions about appropriate first aid for Linda’s condition, Michael Beehan began administering CPR, with Karen Hamilton providing on-the-ground assistance,” Oschman wrote in the company’s recent newsletter. The two determined that Bridges needed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and then Hamilton continued to check Bridges’ vital signs as Beehan provided CPR. [Read more…]

Firefighters, business owner to lead fire safety seminar for businesses

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Josh Waldo

Josh Waldo

A business owner and firefighters from Oak Ridge and Clinton will lead a fire safety seminar for businesses in Clinton on Tuesday.

The seminar is titled “Fire Safety and Prevention in Your Workplace and Business.” It will be led by Chip Dooley, owner of Life Safety Inspections in Oak Ridge; Josh Waldo, deputy fire chief for the Oak Ridge Fire Department; and Daniel Adams, firefighter for the Clinton Fire Department.

The seminar is scheduled from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce in Clinton. It’s part of the Chamber’s summer business safety series, and it’s sponsored by Life Safety Inspections.

“The best way to practice fire safety is to make sure one doesn’t break out in the first place,” a press release said. “This means being aware of potential hazards in your business.” [Read more…]

Warning: Fire system scam leads to costly cleanup, temporary closure

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The cleanup will be costly for a local restaurant and its sister restaurant in Knoxville after they were hit by an overnight scam related to their fire alarm and fire suppression system, authorities said.

Here’s how the scam worked, according to Oak Ridge Deputy Fire Chief Josh Waldo: “An individual called both of the restaurants and indicated that there was a gas leak in the building and instructed the workers to activate their commercial fire suppression system and their fire alarm system and then break out a window for ventilation. This is a scam that has been pulled off before in town and in other jurisdictions as well.”

A press release from the City of Oak Ridge there was no problem at either restaurant, but the activation of the suppression system and ensuing cleanup will be costly for both businesses as they will be closed until repairs are made. [Read more…]

Early morning fire damages duplex, possibly caused by cigarette

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Hillside Road Duplex Fire

A Hillside Road duplex was damaged by fire early Thursday morning by a fire that officials believe was caused by smoking.

 

A Hillside Road duplex was damaged by fire early Thursday morning by a fire that officials believe was caused by smoking.

The fire at 4:30 a.m. Thursday at 136 Hillside Road forced the evacuation of a father and son. Neither of the residents were injured, and firefighters were able to rescue a pet cat, a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

Fire was visible from the rear of the residence when the Oak Ridge Fire Department arrived, the press release said. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading into the adjacent residence.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge Fire Department wants to check your smoke alarms

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Josh Waldo

Josh Waldo

The Oak Ridge Fire Department wants to check your smoke alarms and has now made it even easier for them to do that, a press release said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department has provided a new link that people can use to schedule a time for firefighters to come and check their smoke alarms. Citizens can visit the Oak Ridge Fire Department website here and click on the smoke alarm program link on the right of the page or they can use the QR code provided below and then click on the smoke alarm picture. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge fire captain injured in Sunday morning fire in Claxton

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An Oak Ridge Fire Department captain was injured Sunday morning while assisting on a mutual aid assignment in the Claxton community at 134 Allen Lane, a city press release said.

“It appears that a pressure surge in the water supply caused the captain to lose his grip on a hose line that he and his firefighter were operating in the front yard of the residence,” ORFD Deputy Chief Josh Waldo said. “The nozzle on the line came back and struck the captain in the face causing serious injuries.” [Read more…]

Firefighters train in house fire on Waddell

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Waddell Place Training Fire 1

Oak Ridge firefighters trained Monday at a blighted home set on fire on Waddell Place.

 

Firefighters trained this week in a blighted house that they burned on Monday on Waddell Place in Oak Ridge.

If all goes well, two more blighted city-owned homes on Waddell Place could also be set on fire and used for training, said Josh Waldo, Oak Ridge assistant fire chief.

The city had state approval to burn the home on Monday. A plume of smoke that rose above the ridge top could be seen for miles on Monday morning. Non-wood products such as shingles and plastic were removed before the home was burned. [Read more…]

Rescuers pull woman from house fire after she tries to save pets

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Ridge Lane Home Fire

Two Anderson County deputies and a Marlow firefighter pulled a seriously injured woman out of this home, which was on fire on Ridge Lane on Wednesday afternoon. The woman had reportedly tried to rescue her pets from the fire. At right is Steve Newby, deputy chief of the Claxton Volunteer Fire Department, and at left is Marlow Volunteer Fire Department Captain Zach Pressnell, who helped pull the homeowner from the burning home.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:25 p.m. Nov. 20.

Two Anderson County deputies and a Marlow firefighter rescued a woman who was seriously injured trying to rescue her pets from a house fire on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

The woman, who has not been identified, was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge and then flown by Lifestar helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. Her condition and age weren’t immediately available.

The woman was pulled out of the burning home at 131 Ridge Lane by Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Wiley Maloney, Reserve Deputy Gene Rose, and Marlow Volunteer Fire Department Captain Zach Pressnell. Pressnell said the woman was conscious but lay on the floor about five feet inside the single-story home, with fire rolling out of the front door and heavy smoke inside. [Read more…]

No one injured in apartment kitchen fire

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Wakefield Road Apartment Fire

No one was injured in a kitchen fire on Monday evening at an apartment complex on Wakefield Road. The fire was reported at about 5:48 p.m. Monday in the apartment at 103D Wakefield Road, which is on the far right of the building pictured above.

 

No one was injured in a kitchen fire on Monday evening in an apartment on Wakefield Road.

The fire was reported at 5:48 p.m. Monday, Oak Ridge Assistant Fire Chief Josh Waldo said. No one was home at the time.

Waldo said firefighters are still trying to determine the cause, but the small fire might have started on the stove. It destroyed the stove and damaged a few cabinets, but was confined to the kitchen and caused minimal smoke damage, Waldo said. He estimated the total damage at about $2,500. [Read more…]