Capital City Fire Rescue (CCFR) announced the promotion of Fire Marshal Dan Jager to the position of Assistant Chief of Operations for CCFR. Chief Jager's remarkable dedication, extensive experience, and leadership in the Alaska fire service make him the ideal candidate for this critical role. Chief Jager brings an impressive 32-year history in the Alaska fire service, and his journey with CCFR began in 2005. Over the years, he has held various crucial positions, each contributing to his well-rounded expertise in fire management and rescue operations. Starting as a cadet in Cordova, Chief Jager has excelled in his career and proudly follows in his father's footsteps as a second-generation firefighter. Throughout his tenure with CCFR, Chief Jager has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.  

A family is displaced after a fire destroyed their home, according to the Anchorage Fire Department. Assistant Fire Chief Alex Boyd said around 11:45 a.m. Thursday, crews responded to the 2400 block of Brookshire Loop for a report of a structure fire. He said a family was inside the house at the time of the fire, but no one was injured in the incident. Boyd said the family is currently being assisted by Red Cross, due to the home being uninhabitable at this time. One neighbor said it sounded like "fireworks going off" as the home was engulfed by flames.  

An explosion at a Buena, New Jersey home has left two people dead, two injured and another two missing on Thursday, authorities said. A 1-year-old girl was airlifted to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in critical condition. A 16-year-old was also taken there in stable condition. A 2-year-old boy, 3-year-old girl, 52-year-old man and 73-year-old were also in the home at the time of the explosion. Police say two of them were killed and two others are still missing. Police had not identified any of the victims as of Friday morning. Dozens of investigators from multiple agencies responded to the scene Thursday evening as they brought in heavy equipment to search through the debris and try to figure out what caused this explosion.  

VIDEO: Dale Cieslinski, 60, is accused of throwing a brick at a Seattle Fire Department ambulance Tuesday afternoon in Wallingford. "You are a danger to commit another violent crime, so I'm going to set bail at the amount of $75,000," said the judge during Cieslinski's first appearance in court. The crew inside the ambulance was uninjured, though the response time to the call they were on was delayed – obviously, that's a problem. "I'm extremely concerned that this rising level of violence against firefighters has not been addressed appropriately," said Kenny Stuart, president of IAFF Local 27 and an active Seattle firefighter. Stuart has long been sounding the alarm as he reports an increase in violence towards the men and women he represents. In May, Stuart reported 50 attacks on firefighters over a six-month span between 2022 and 2023.  

On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee considered its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill. The bill proposes cutting the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program (popularly known as the FIRE grant program) and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. In FY 2023, the AFG and SAFER grant programs received $360 million for each program. President Biden proposed $370 million for each program in FY 2024. The House Appropriations Committee reported its version of the FY 2024 DHS Appropriations bill (H.R. 4367) with $360 million for each program. The Senate Appropriations Committee's bill only would allocate $338 million for each program.  

AT&T is giving schools access to a new security alert system through FirstNet, the company's dedicated telecommunications network for first responders. The school safety system will be available this fall and entail a FirstNet-certified mobile app, wearable panic button and online portal designed by the telecommunications company Intrado, according to a news release Tuesday. Intended for wear by school administrators, teachers, bus drivers, coaches, club advisers or other staff members, the panic button delivers a haptic vibration when notifying 911 dispatchers and other school personnel. The news release said the subscription-based service also has a secure two-way faculty chat function, and will integrate with school information systems that account for all students in emergency situations.  

Hyundai Motor and Kia have recalled more than 91,000 recently released U.S. vehicles because of a potential fire hazard in their newer models. The electrical components of the vehicles' oil pump assemblies may overheat, increasing the risk of a fire, according to a recall notice posted Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Kia and Hyundai advised customers to park affected vehicles "outside and away from structures" until recall repairs are complete. The recall covers Hyundai's 2023-2024 Palisade, 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra, and Kona vehicles. Kia has recalled its 2023 Soul and Sportage cars, in addition to its 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The companies plan to notify owners of recalled car models of any potential defects by late September.