Campus View Apartment Fire

COLLEGE STATION- 21 people are without a place to live Monday night after an early morning apartment fire caused major damage at the Campus View Apartments in College Station.

Fire officials announced late Monday afternoon the cause of the fire was related to a heating unit located in the ceiling of an upstairs apartment.

News 3 looks at why the fire spread so quickly.

Flames shot out of the roof of the Campus View Apartments on Harvey Road in College Station.

Residents like Abraham Obregon were woken up by police and firefighters pounding on doors.

"We found that the building right next to ours is completely engulfed in flames. The entire roof is on fire," he said.

"Yeah this corner there was a very big flame," said Qibo Li, another resident.

Nearly 50 firefighters fought back the flames.

"At one point the fire went through the roof and we had to go into defensive mode," said Eric Dotson, College Station Fire Marshal.

"The fire pretty much traveled the whole length of the attic and exposed all the rafters and began catching them and the roof on fire and then once the roof opened up it received it's oxygen and just went into full flame effect," said Robert Mumford, College Station Fire Department Public Information Officer.

Residents grabbed what they could. Anthony McHan escaped from his building in a just a bear costume.

"It makes me wish I would have grabbed something else because all the stuff I own is about like thirty feet from that fire," he said.

Caution tape and fire crews were still on scene just after noon but things have died down significantly since the fire broke out a little after 5 A.M.. A number of residents were not home at the time of the fire and are believed to be college students still gone on winter break.

Alicia Plunkett's apartment has smoke damage.

"It was coming through our vents and it was really scary," Plunkett said.

The Red Cross and College Station CART Team are assisting.

"So that they're able to make their recovery and more importantly be able to stay in school this semester," said Curtis Eckman, Disaster Program Manager for the American Red Cross in Bryan.

"I'm happy, I thank God you know that they were able to get us and wake us up really," said Abraham Obregon.

The fire damaged 20 units.

One resident was treated on scene for smoke inhalation and two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

A cause for the fire is still under investigation.

*Previous Story*

A fire broke out at the Campus View Apartments around 5:00 a.m, off Harvey Road in College Station.

Fire crews did have it under control, but flames reignited. Building C was engulfed in flames.

Forty crew members and 14 units from both College Station and Bryan responded to the scene. The fire is now out at this time.

Apartment residents were evacuated to Rudy's BBQ restaurant just across the street. They were transferred to a nearby church and American Red Cross has arrived on scene.

Harvey road was shut between Stallings Road near Pro Tech Auto repair shop and George Bush Drive. We are now being told that George Bush has since reopened

We'll continue to update you on new details

By: Clay Falls and KBTX Staff       

Photos by: Dave McDermand/The Eagle

Citizens Fire Academy

College Station Fire Fighters Victorious in first Political Races

As Professional Fire Fighters we are affected by policies at all levels of government. In College Station City Council Place 5, we support Julie Merrifield Schultz. As our friendly incumbent, Julie has voted for equipment to keep us safe, staffing, and increases in compensation. Julie has always had our backs and we are proud to say we have hers. Please support your local fire fighters and RE-Elect Julie Merrifield Schultz to City of College Station City Council Place 5.

As Professional Fire Fighters our careers are directly affected by federal, state, and local laws. This is why we must support elected officials and candidates that understand and care about our issues. In the Texas House Race for District 14, Republican John Raney understands keeping our defined benefit retirement plans and wants to increase benefits to fire fighters with occupational cancers. John Raney has our backs and we are proud to say that we have his. Please support your local fire fighters and RE-ELECT John Raney to Texas House of Representative, District 14

 CSFD and L-4511 Member Lauren Nolen doing her part for MDA Fill the Boot Today in

College Station 

CSFD and Local 4511 Fill the Boot for MDA Oct. 9-11th

IAFF and MDA: A Proud Partnership

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is the largest national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). More than 280,000 members of the IAFF in the United States and Canada are pledged to saving lives, both as fire fighters and paramedics and as the strongest campaigners for the worldwide research efforts of MDA to eradicate 40 neuromuscular diseases. The contributions of the fire fighters also go towards MDA’s summer camps for children, professional and public health education, and other programs.

As the greatest contributor to MDA, fire fighters are everywhere in the efforts of MDA to raise money. The IAFF is the biggest sponsor of MDA’s Labor Day Telethon and it contributed a record breaking $23.5 million in year 2006 as a consequence of the overwhelming enthusiasm and contribution of tens and thousands of fire fighters and paramedics across the US and Canada. IAFF members have donated nearly $275 million to MDA since 1954.

The IAFF raised millions of dollars throughout the entire year through their passionate Fill the Boot campaigns, in which fire fighters greet motorists, shoppers and others and ask them to donate money to MDA. This year’s upcoming IAFF-MDA events are expected to raise even more to cure these crushing illnesses.

The marriage between the devotion of fire fighters with the cause of MDA has emerged as one of the strongest example of selflessness in the history of charity, and IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger is committed to elevating this tradition to even higher levels. The IAFF is designing a plan to further expand and enhance the IAFF’s relationship and role with MDA.

Over the ensuing decades, the commitment of the professional fire fighters to the cause of MDA has further elevated their status as extraordinary professionals who not only put their lives at stake to save citizens from ruthless flames, but also give their time to save the lives of the innocent from equally merciless neuromuscular diseases. The devotion of IAFF members has not only helped MDA, but also united fire fighters in a community where they share their team strength and brotherhood to give better meaning to lives and hope for the future.

Sept. 6, 2014

College Station Professional Fire Fighters Make a fast attack on Game Day House Fire Great Job B-Shift Station 6 first in

College station firefighters were called out to the 400 block of Esienhower just before 2 today.

Firefighters say the biggest problem in fighting the fire was getting access to the house due to so many cars parked along both sides of the street.

The cause of the fire is unknown and still under investigation. (KBTX)

Rebuilding Our Memorial to the Fallen The hallowed grounds of the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial are a place where thousands gather every September to celebrate and honor the lives of IAFF members who have died in the line of duty during the past year. Hundreds more make private pilgrimages throughout the year. "This memorial is very important to our members, the families of the fallen and to this union," says General President Harold Schaitberger. Therefore, to ensure the integrity of the site remains intact for future generations of fire fighters and their families, the IAFF will be putting forth a resolution at the 2014 Convention for reconstructing the entire Memorial site. "We owe it to our members and the families to make sure the names of the fallen are never forgotten," says Schaitberger. An important element of the proposed rebuild is to preserve the current names and provide additional space to add names. Since the granite walls were erected in 1989 and in 2002, more than 2,800 names of fallen members have been etched. Currently, the Memorial includes the names of the fallen since 1976. Local by local, the IAFF has researched every member killed in the line of duty since 1918 through to 1975, and those names (3,469 members) would be added to the new Memorial under the proposed plan. The plan also calls for additional seating to accommodate the families of the fallen during the annual Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial observance each September. Currently, the area seats 2,500. Attendance is typically 5,000, but reached 10,000 in 2002 after 347 IAFF members made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001. The IAFF has called on Colorado urban landscape and architecture design firm Thomas and Thomas to develop a plan to rebuild the site to meet current needs, as well as provide for expansion. Thomas and Thomas has assessed the land and environmental factors, considered the need to preserve the statue and other elements and presented several proposals of varying levels of change. The proposed plans include overarching themes of family, honor, pride and community. In addition, the entry would be more prominent and include more prestigious signage and landscaping to emphasize the park's integrity. The goal is for members and families to feel they are honoring the fallen the minute they arrive at the Memorial. Additionally, the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial would be reconfigured with Pikes Peak as the backdrop so families face the statue of a fire fighter descending a ladder holding a child. The shift would also allow the space to accommodate more than 5,000 seats. The proposals also call for new granite walls of varying sizes and heights to be raised in arcs around the main statue, and include all of the names etched in previous years with room for a total of 11,500. The IAFF estimates it would take up to 30 more years before these walls are filled. The former honor walls would then be repurposed for special paving to be known as the Family Ring to symbolize and embrace the families during the annual observance. The final element is the Guardians–statues sculpted as Honor Guard members. These statues are designed to stand in the periphery as quiet overseers of guests and honorees. "The new Memorial would, as it always has, belong to the IAFF membership," says Schaitberger. The IAFF estimates the cost to complete the project at $3.5 million. If approved by delegates at Convention, the rebuild would begin immediately following the September 2014 service and be completed in time for the September 2015 observance. The Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is a permanent remembrance of the courageous fire fighters and emergency medical personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty. By ensuring these brave men and women are never forgotten, the Memorial provides support to the families of these heroes who gave their lives in service to others. The Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, one of the funds within the IAFF Charitable Foundation, was founded in 1976 and the first granite walls were erected in 1989. An annual Memorial observance is held each year in September in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

COLLEGE STATION - A mother expecting a child was reportedly experiencing contractions and was set to make a visit to a local hospital to check it out. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to stop the mother.

Heavy rains flooded Highway 30 between Highway 6 and the entrance to College Station's Veterans Park, and the vehicle the mother was in got stuck in a long stretch of high water shortly after midnight Friday.

First responders and TxDOT officials coordinated a plan. A College Station Fire Department fire truck slowly made its way east across the flooded Highway 30, loaded the mother into the truck, then kept going east to a waiting vehicle, which took Mom through Veterans Park to University Drive, then on to the College Station Medical Center.

A supervisor at The Med tells News 3 the mother and soon-to-be-born child are fine. It will be the second child for the woman, but it is unclear if the birth was imminent or if the contractions were a false alarm (KBTX)

Election filing for city council candidates starts July 19

Candidates for the College Station City Council can file for a place on the November ballot starting July 19. The filing period ends Aug. 18.

Places 1, 3 and 5 are up for full three-year terms in the Nov. 4 general election. All three are at-large seats.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens, qualified Texas voters, and College Station residents for at least one year prior to Election Day.

Candidate information packets are available at the City Secretary’s Office at College Station City Hall, which is located at 1101 Texas Avenue. For an online overview of council duties and responsibilities, go to cstx.gov/elections.

For additional information, contact City Secretary Sherry Mashburn at 979.764.3519 or smashburn@cstx.gov. For voter registration information, go to brazosvotes.org.

HFD: Firefighter dies from injuries suffered during Kingwood house fire

B/CS Ranks Among America’s Best for Recession Recovery

Bryan and College Station have been ranked among the top cities in America — fifth and seventh, respectively — in terms of their recovery from The Great Recession.

NerdWallet, which describes itself as “a consumer-friendly financial literacy website that helps consumers make better decisions about their personal finances and more,” released the rankings Monday.

Beginning in 2007, the U.S. housing market was devastated, leading to declines in consumer spending, business investment and employment. The recession officially ended in June 2009, and some communities — eight out of the top 10 cities on the NerdWallet list are in Texas — have sped toward recovery at a quicker pace than others.

In considering 510 of the largest U.S. cities, NerdWallet analyzed the labor and housing markets, to produce the following rankings:
Most-Improved Cities since the Recession

1. McAllen
2. Midland
3. San Angelo
4. Fargo, ND
5. Bryan
6. Chattanooga, TN
7. College Station
8. Odessa
9. Edinburg
10. Amarillo

NerdWallet researchers said unemployment in Bryan fell (2009-2012) while income and home values increased, indicating local economic growth. The company recognized Texas A&M University, Bryan ISD and Sanderson Farms as top employers.

For College Station, NerdWallet researchers pointed to the city’s median household income increasing nearly 32 percent — the highest surge of any city in the nation (2009-2012). College Station, Bryan and Texas A&M’s collaborative development of The Research Valley Partnership was highlighted as a positive boost to the local economy. (KBTX June 24,2014)

June 23, 2014

College Station Professional Fire Fighters

Respond to Hazardous Materials situation

following a train derailment in Navasota

(KBTX)

A train derailment in Grimes County has prompted the closure of Texas 6 as authorities deal with a hazardous materials spill.

The Union Pacific train derailed about 7 a.m. in Navasota.The accident involved about 8 rail cars.

One of the cars was a tanker carrying a rust inhibitor that spilled, officials said. The chemical was corrosive, but not toxic, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper on the scene.

The cause is not yet known.

Traffic is being diverted to Spur 515 and to Business 6 through Navasota. It is not known when Texas 6 will reopen. (The Eagle)

College Station Professional Fire Fighters 2^nd Quarter Trash Pick Up June 22, 2014.

Thanks to all the guys that came out to help

June 20, 2014

****Reminder: Adopt-a-street trash pickup has been moved to Sunday June 22 at 7:30 am. Park in the dirt lot across from PD. Thanks. *********

June 18, 2014

College Station Professional Fire Fighters make quick work of a commercial business fire near Northgate

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A fire in the Northgate area left two businesses damaged.

The fire broke out around 3:20 Wednesday afternoon at Lippman Music and the adjoining Jin's Asian Cafe on Nagle Street.

Bart Humphries with the College Station Fire Department said it took crews about 20 minutes to knock out the flames. Investigators said the damage was limited to the awnings and roof of the businesses.

Lippman Music Store owner Brian Lippman told News 3 there is no damage to the inside of his shop, but he's seen better days. He was out of town attending his father's funeral when he got the news about the fire.

Lippman said his store will be back open for business on Thursday, and there may even be a good fire sale.

Humphries says they believe the fire was accidental, but the exact cause is under investigation by the College Station Fire Marshal’s Office. (KBTX)

June 14, 2014

CSFD Local 4511 members Bear Moore and Jeff Keefauver Play in the 2014 Lt. Greg Pickard Memorial Golf Tournament to support Bryan Local 1204 

June 13, 2014

GREAT JOB 

CSFD Members Jeremy Engel, Cody Pinner, Tom Ferguson, Ben Miller and Stewart Mars

Fire Fighters Win Community Softball Classic

"A Tribute and Salute to our First Responders"

Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park
Friday, June 13, 2014
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Our two cities and surrounding area are teaming up to give you an evening of Softball, Police Departments -v- Fire Departments.

Local 4511 Member Andy Throne shows off new Automated Alerting System for College Station Fire Fighters. 

Susan works all day and night without a bathroom break. She doesn't get vacation days and sometimes has trouble with her vowels.

Susan is an automated alert for College Station firefighters that is saving them 15 to 18 seconds in response time, according to a department spokesman.

"A fire doubles in size every 30 seconds," said Bob Radtke, communications manager for the College Station Police Department, which houses the city's dispatch center. "Fifteen seconds is a very long time to be on fire. If you are in a situation where that's happened to you, 15 seconds can be an eternity. Just a few seconds might make the difference for firefighters being on time or too late."

Susan comes over the station's PA system as soon as a 911 operator enters minimal information needed to respond to an emergency into the system. Fire department spokesman Bart Humphreys said Susan and the Westnet system have helped firefighters reduce their "turnout time," the amount of time from when a station gets alerted to when the trucks get moving, to less than 90 seconds 86 to 87 percent of the time. That's up from 80 percent before the system was installed.

Firefighters installed the $558,300 Westnet alerting system a year ago with funding from the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant and the city of College Station to replace a previous alerting system built in-house that was proving difficult to maintain and upgrade.

While the new system has its benefits in improving how firefighters do their jobs, it's also aimed at keeping them healthy.

The alerting system in the stations includes dorm remotes that allow firefighters to program alerts for specific units. Therefore, a paramedic could program the dorm remote to only go off when the ambulance gets called out, allowing him to continue sleeping if he's not needed on a call. Once an alert does come through in the middle of the night, however, it's in low tones and a soft voice, instead of a bell that previously "jolted you out of bed," Battalion Chief Thomas Goehl said.

"It's designed to be easier on the guys' heart and blood pressure," firefighter Andy Throne said, noting that the leading cause of death among firefighters is heart disease.

Not only has the new system benefited firefighters and the people they protect, it's streamlined the process for dispatchers, Radtke said. It also allows them to stay on the line with someone who might need instructions for CPR instead of having to put them on hold to dispatch a unit. That's when Susan takes over.

Firefighters will continue working to tweak California-born Susan's pronunciation as needed.

One day, they hope to teach her to put the emphasis on the first syllable of highway. (The Eagle)

Local 4511 Members Andy Thorne, Thomas Goehl, and Jason Neuendorff Find Fix for Emergency Radios “Going Digital”

Special Thanks to City of College Station Council Member James Benham for helping us with this serious problem 

College Station firefighters have found trouble spots around town that sometimes make it difficult to communicate over the radio.

On Thursday, the City Council approved the use of contingency funds to fix the problem by purchasing and installing mobile repeaters, devices that retransmit radio signals on units responding to fires.

“It’s a life-saving device,” said Firefighter Andy Throne, who has been researching solutions to the problem for about a year.

Firefighters started noticing the issue in certain university buildings and nearby apartments last year. There were times when firefighters standing feet away could not communicate due to various factors, including building materials and bunker gear, that did not allow their radios to connect with the radio tower, Battalion Chief Thomas Goehl said.

While firefighters are intermittently faced with the dial tone that means they have no signal, Goehl said first responders can’t afford to take the risk of losing communication when in a dangerous situation.

Emergency personnel in the area use the digital Brazos Valley-Wide Area Communications System to communicate with dispatch and each other, but that technology requires a firefighter to speak into a radio that sends the signal to a radio tower that then transmits the information back to dispatch and fellow firefighters. It all happens in an instant, but if the firefighter’s radio signal can’t reach the tower, he can no longer communicate with colleagues in the same building.

While the digital system works well for most of their needs, Goehl said the use of the analog radio and repeater will be a good fix for those interior structural fires where digital radio doesn’t always work.

Installing the repeaters, which each cost about $2,700 for a total of $29,700, would allow firefighters to use an analogue radio channel to communicate more reliably with one another in those situations, Goehl said.

“When I’m on a fire [here], I don’t need to talk to Houston,” Throne said. “I need to talk to the firefighters 100 feet away from me.”

But analog radio doesn’t record communications or transmit signals to dispatch. That’s where the repeater comes in. It connects firefighters on the analog channel with dispatch and the digital channel.

While researching the fix, College Station firefighters met with those in Phoenix and New York who were having similar issues. Bryan Fire Chief Randy McGregor said his firefighters have not encountered the problem in Bryan.

The fix will increase safety and reliability for firefighters on a scene because, if the other technology were to fail, they would be able to maintain firefighter-to-firefighter communications, Goehl said.

“It definitely gives firefighters the sense of assurance that they’re getting out, that their signal is being heard,” he added. (The Eagle)