Oak Ridge Today

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…]

Garbage truck overturns in Oliver Springs

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Oliver Springs Waste Connections Truck

Photo by Kenneth Morgan

 

Note: This story was updated at 5 p.m.

A Waste Connections truck overturned on Tri County Boulevard at Windrock Road at about 6:30 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Oliver Springs Police Chief Kenneth Morgan said the driver, Timothy Goodale, was taken to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge with minor injuries.

Approximately 35 to 40 gallons of diesel fuel leaked onto the ground from the loaded truck, with some flowing into Indian Creek, Morgan said. Cleanup was provided by Waste Connections and performed by Hepco.

The Oliver Springs Police Department responded to the crash, and the Oak Ridge Fire Department HazMat team was called to help the Oliver Springs Fire Department.

Here are photos by Morgan and fire photographer Tom Scott.

[Read more…]

ORFD uses boat, cell phone signals to rescue mountain bikers lost at Haw Ridge

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Oak Ridge Fire Department and Haw Ridge Rescue

The Oak Ridge Fire Department used cell phone signals and a search crew in a boat to rescue three lost mountain bikers at Haw Ridge Park on Sunday night.

 

Note: This story was updated at 3:45 p.m. June 15.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department used cell phone signals and a search crew in a boat to rescue mountain bikers lost at Haw Ridge Park after dark on Sunday.

Dispatchers received a call that the three young men were lost at about 10 p.m. Sunday. Three firefighters launched a large rescue boat stored at East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site, by about 10:45 p.m. from a boat ramp at Solway Park, which is near Haw Ridge Park.

Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said the three had stayed on the trails past sunset and became disoriented.

“Without flashlights, they were unable to find their way back to the parking lot, so they called 911 for assistance,” Kerley said. [Read more…]

Driver taken to hospital, power out after van hits utility pole at Family Clinic

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DEEM Van Crash at Utility Pole at Family Clinic

The driver was taken to the hospital and power was temporarily out near the Family Clinic of Oak Ridge after a DEEM van, pictured at center behind the Oak Ridge Electric Department truck, crashed into a utility pole at New York and Vermont avenues on Saturday morning. Above, a tow truck, right, responds to remove the van, and the Oak Ridge Electric Department, foreground, responds to repair the pole. (Photo by Daniel Powers)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 7:43 p.m. June 8.

The driver was taken to the hospital and power was temporarily out near the Family Clinic of Oak Ridge after a van crashed into a utility pole at New York and Vermont avenues on Saturday morning.

The crash was reported at about 9:05 a.m. Saturday.

Kristin Nevius said she was driving a Chrysler Town and Country van southbound toward Oak Ridge Turnpike on New York Avenue when the other van narrowly missed her vehicle and crashed into the pole while headed north on New York Avenue. Nevius and passenger Peggy VandenBurg and Nevius’ two children were not injured, but they said they were upset by the close call and subsequent crash. [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…]

ORFD, AC EMS, UT Lifestar honored for helping to save cyclist

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Oak Ridge Fire Department at Star of Life 2015

Members of the Oak Ridge Fire Department at the 2015 Star of Life Awards in Nashville in May. Among those honored from Region 2 were Oak Ridge firefighters (starting at second from left) Marty Griffith, Eric Mocsari, Steven London, Duane Chase, and Thomas Giles. (Submitted photo)

 

NASHVILLE—The Oak Ridge Fire Department, Anderson County Emergency Medical Services, and University of Tennessee Lifestar have been honored for helping to save a cyclist after a medical emergency on Bethel Valley Road in March 2014.

Thomas Berg experienced a sudden medical emergency while on a bicycle ride on March 30, 2014, causing him to crash in the middle of Bethel Valley Road, a press release said.

David Smallwood was riding with Berg, and Smallwood called 911 and began CPR as soon as he saw the crash. Emergency crews from the Oak Ridge Fire Department and Anderson County EMS responded, and they found Berg in cardiac arrest, the release said.

Berg was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center by UT Lifestar.

“Today, Mr. Berg has made a full recovery and is once again enjoying cycling,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Elementary students in Oak Ridge receive bike helmets as part of safety program

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Michael Swigert and Helmet Fitting

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Michael Swigert fits a third-grader from Linden Elementary School with a bicycle helmet. (Submitted photo)

 

Every two minutes, a child is treated in an emergency medical department for an unintentional bicycle-related injury. This year, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is working to change these statistics through partnership with the “Kohl’s Cares” Helmet Safety Program, which promotes safety events in which educational materials and bicycle helmets are provided to local school children.

Approximately 2,000 helmets are distributed through this program in the 16 counties that are serviced by East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. This year, two elementary schools from the City of Oak Ridge were chosen to partner with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and were the recipients of child bicycle helmets. On March 27, students of the third-grade class at Glenwood Elementary School received 80 helmets, and on April 22, Linden Elementary third-grade students were presented with 150 helmets.

Members of the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department assisted with the distribution of educational material and provided individualized fittings of each helmet.

Council to consider restart on ORPD review during special meeting Tuesday

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Oak Ridge City Council on Feb. 9, 2015

The Oak Ridge City Council will have a special meeting on Tuesday, April 21, to consider three recommendations related to the 30-day review of the Oak Ridge Police Department that was approved in March. (File photo)

 

A 30-day review of the Oak Ridge Police Department had barely gotten started before it came under fire. But the Oak Ridge City Council will try to fix that on Tuesday.

The concern centers on a report that the list of ORPD employees randomly selected for the first 20 interviews was sent to Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi and all Police Department employees, raising questions about the impartiality and anonymity of the review. The reviewer, Rex Barton of the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at the University of Tennessee, apparently sent the list to the police chief for scheduling purposes, seeking to minimize overtime and minimize stress on the officers’ off-duty life.

But those who have pressed for an investigation, including Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn, quickly objected when they learned that the list of interviewees had been sent to the police chief, who has been the subject of much of their scrutiny.

So, in a special meeting Tuesday evening, the City Council will ask Barton, an MTAS police management consultant, to create a new, random list of officers to interview. Council will also consider determining a point of contact in the Oak Ridge Police Department who can help coordinate the schedules of officers participating in the interviews. [Read more…]

No injuries, but four units damaged in apartment fire on West Outer

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West Outer Drive Apartment Fire

No one was injured, but four units were damaged in an early morning apartment fire on West Outer Drive on Friday, April 17. (Submitted photo)

 

No one was injured, but four units were damaged in an apartment fire on West Outer Drive early Friday morning.

The fire was reported at about 2:58 a.m. Friday, April 17. The occupant of the quad-plex apartment building at 337 West Outer Drive was sleeping at the time of the fire. He was awakened by the fire and attempted to extinguish it before exiting the apartment, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

He then woke up the other occupants in units 331 and 333, who then called 911. ORPD arrived on the scene three minutes after receiving the emergency call and reported fire coming from the rear of the structure and windows, Kerley said. [Read more…]

With help from neighbors, woman escapes home fire as attic burns

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Riverview Drive Garage Fire

An east Oak Ridge woman who uses a walker was able to escape this duplex fire on Riverview Drive on Tuesday afternoon, thanks to help from her neighbors. (Photo by Bob Nuspliger)

 

This story was last updated at 6:40 p.m.

An east Oak Ridge woman who uses a walker was able to escape from her home as her attic burned Tuesday afternoon thanks to help from her neighbors.

The woman, Barbara Osborne, was not injured, although two firefighters who were overheated were treated, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. He said the firefighters, Captain Mike Friley and firefighter Casey Payne, were working close to the fire, near a lot of radiant heat.

Firefighters were also looking for a female cat, Honey, that belonged to the Osbornes.

The duplex they live in on Riverview Drive was destroyed, Kerley said.

The cause of the fire, which appeared to have started in the attic in the garage area of the home, wasn’t immediately known. It took between 16 and 18 firefighters about 45 minutes to extinguish the fire, which burned intensely over the garage on a windy Tuesday afternoon. [Read more…]

ORFD: Sign up for CodeRed Severe Weather Alert System

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Oak Ridge Fire Department

The Oak Ridge Fire Department is encouraging home and business owners to commit to being a leader for weather readiness by signing up on the CodeRed Severe Weather Alert System.

The system is designed to help spread the word about severe weather and make employees and members of the community better prepared, a press release said.

“Know the risks, take action, and be an example by signing up,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Firefighters train in controlled burn at home on Waddell Place

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Waddell Place Fire

Oak Ridge firefighters trained at a controlled burn at a city-owned home on Waddell Place on Friday. (Photo by Kevin Rice)

 

Oak Ridge firefighters trained in a controlled burn in a home on Waddell Place on Friday.

It’s the second house that firefighters have burned on Waddell Place this year. The first, which was burned in January, was the first that the Oak Ridge Fire Department has burned for training.

The city has one more blighted city-owned home that it could burn on Waddell Place.

The fires require state approval, and they help the city by training firefighters and burning materials that would otherwise have to be demolished and hauled away.

More information will be added as it becomes available.