News Releases

Close call! On 6/23/23 at 5 AM, Squad 19 Green Shift was dispatched on a call involving a tree on a house. They ended up being canceled on that call since there were no injuries or entrapment. While in the 3500 block of Lightfoot Mill Road, the crew came upon a white Toyota Camry that was stuck on the train tracks more than 20 feet from the roadway. S19 immediately asked dispatch to contact the railroad. They did a 360 and came up with a quick plan of action. S19 nosed the truck in close to the front of the vehicle. They then attached the winch to the front of the car around the axle to attempt to pull it off the tracks. The vehicle would not roll over to the top of the tracks so S19 had to use the spreaders to lift the car up far enough to get it over the track. Not knowing if the rail traffic was being stopped in time, they had to work quickly. They made sure that the driver of the vehicle was far enough away as they lifted the car and pulled it at the same time in order to get it off the tracks. CPD had traffic blocked in both directions. Within 2-3 minutes, a train came through on the same track that the vehicle was stuck on. After making sure that the driver of the Camry was alright, S19 turned the scene over to CPD and returned to service. Good job by all!

The Quint 6 Red Shift crew helped a woman welcome her child into the world late Tuesday night. At 2200 on 06/27/23, Q6 responded to the off ramp of Highway 153 to Jersey Pike to assist HCEMS Medic 16 with a possible baby delivery in a vehicle. Arriving on scene, M16 was in the process of cutting the umbilical cord and getting the newborn onto a stretcher. Senior Firefighter David Linam and Firefighter Josh Hixson immediately initiated CPR on the infant. Both rode in the ambulance to the hospital to help paramedics. Captain Scott Sparks and Senior Firefighter Brit Bradshaw stayed on scene and assisted Medic 1 with packaging the mother for transport to the hospital. “I am happy to report that a heartbeat was restored on the newborn child and he started breathing on his own as they arrived downtown at the hospital,” Captain Sparks said. “The mother was alert and oriented with no signs of complications. She remained calm throughout the entire process, even as firefighters started CPR on her baby. Paramedic Vikki Slaughter did an amazing job on this call and FFS Linam and FF Hixson acted without hesitation. The three of them saved this baby's life. It was truly a miracle.” Great work!!

Chattanooga firefighters acted very fast to stop an apartment fire from spreading on Tuesday night. Red Shift companies were dispatched to The Emery Apartments at 7604 Standifer Gap Rd after a resident called 911 to report that they saw smoke coming from a neighbor’s apartment. Battalion 2 arrived on scene at 1931 and reported smoke showing from the 1100 building. Squad 7 and Ladder 7 arrived on scene and made an aggressive interior attack of apartment #1108 on a heavily involved room and contents. The fire was declared under control at 1938. A primary search recovered three cats. The animals were given oxygen and pet CPR was performed, but all three pets succumbed to smoke inhalation. The occupant of the apartment was checked and treated by HCEMS on scene for smoke inhalation, but refused medical transport. The fire was ruled accidental. The other companies on scene were Quint 8, Quint 21, Quint 6, Engine 15, Ladder 13, and Battalion 1.

Chattanooga firefighters fought a boat fire Sunday night behind Baylor School. On 6/25/23 at 8 PM, Quint 17, Fireboat 10, Battalion 3 (Red Shift), and CFD Special Operations responded after a malfunction with the boat’s carburetor caused a fire. Three people got off the burning boat. One was left with minor injuries. Quint 17 arrived on scene and provided an accurate location while checking on everyone from the boat. Fireboat 10 fought the fire from the water and Special Ops oversaw the cleanup.