News Releases

Blue Shift companies were on the scene of a house fire within moments of Hamilton County 911 receiving reports of smoke coming from a residence off Wilcox Boulevard Wednesday night. At 6:30 PM, units responded to a vacant home in the 1500 block of Wheeler Avenue. Firefighters got the fire under control quickly and then checked for extension. The cause is under investigation. There were no injuries. Engine 5, Ladder 5, Quint 10, Engine 4, Squad 1, Battalion 1 and Battalion 2 responded, along with CFD Investigations.

The City of Chattanooga is receiving $1.5 million from Hamilton County for construction of a new fire training tower at the Chattanooga Fire and Police Training Center on Amnicola Highway. It was approved by the city council on Tuesday night. This is the first phase in the planning and funding stages to tear down the current training tower- built in 1976- and build a brand new one. There’s been a long-standing need for the project as the six-story tower has far exceeded its lifespan. The Chattanooga Fire Department will be seeking capital funding in the budget for the next fiscal year to match the county’s contribution. With a total of $3 million from the city and county, the tower can be replaced with a modern structure. It is used by the CFD throughout the year for skill-based training in many different disciplines by both fire cadets and current firefighters. Live fire drills are conducted there, as well as ladder drills, aerial training, physical fitness and rope training for Urban Search and Rescue operations. The tower is also used by other departments from across the region, including all of the Hamilton County volunteer agencies. It is an extremely important regional training facility that prepares firefighters for the tough job they face as they serve and protect the community. Replacing and rebuilding the drill tower is an immediate need for Chattanooga and Hamilton County. We appreciate the county’s commitment to the project and thank Chattanooga city leaders for their support. Long-term plans are to revamp the entire training center with state-of-the-art classrooms and office space as the current building is too small for CFD and CPD training operations and staff.

The weather made way for a very busy Saturday night for the Chattanooga Fire Department. As a result of severe thunderstorms, Green Shift companies responded to many calls across the city, including wires down, flooding, motor vehicle crashes and several residential fires believed to be caused by lightning strikes. One of the residential fires occurred in the 4000 block of Caine Lane at 7:33 PM. Crews found and extinguished fire in a crawl space of the home. There were no injuries. Another house fire was reported at 7:42 PM in the 2200 block of Tristram Road (off Jenkins Road) thanks to a neighbor who called 911. The residents were not home at the time. Fire was located in the attic of the newly constructed house. Firefighters knocked it out quickly and then checked for any hot spots. One dog was rescued. There were no injuries. Fantastic work by first responders throughout Hamilton County as they dealt with a big influx of calls and assisted many citizens in their time of need.

Talk about being *GOOD* neighbors! The Chattanooga Fire Department recognized Fernando Rivera and Sam Triplett for rescuing several people from a burning home as smoke billowed out of the residence and flames broke through the roof. Fire Chief Phil Hyman gave them Citizen Commendation Awards for their heroic actions and personally thanked them for going above and beyond in an emergency situation. The fire happened on Franklin Drive off East Brainerd Road on August 4, 2022. Mr. Rivera was coming home from work when he saw smoke pouring out of the house next door and ran over to help. Several residents had already safely escaped, but he spotted a young woman in an upstairs window who was trapped by the fire. She was terrified, but he was able to convince the teen to jump out of the second story window into his arms, saving her. Then with the help of Mr. Triplett, they pulled a trampoline over so that another resident could jump out of a second story window without getting hurt. Chattanooga firefighters arrived within moments of 911 being notified and they had the cooking fire under control quickly. The American Red Cross is assisting two adults and six children displaced by the fire. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Rivera and Mr. Triplett, there were no injuries. The CFD commends them for providing life-saving assistance. Their compassion, ingenuity and bravery truly made a difference when every second mattered.