News Releases

Chattanooga firefighters worked a house fire Sunday night on East 50th Street. The call came out at 10:26 PM on 4/23/23 to a home in the 1500 block. Engine 9 encountered a working residential structure fire with heavy flames and smoke showing upon arrival. A quick interior attack was made and the fire was under control within minutes. The cause is under investigation. Engine 9, Quint 14, Squad 1, Ladder 1, Quint 1, Battalion 1, Battalion 2 (Red Shift) and CFD Investigations responded.

An amazing group of community members went behind-the-scenes of the Chattanooga Fire Department and got a glimpse into the daily lives of our firefighters during our first-ever Citizens’ Fire Academy! The program offered an interactive, hands-on experience designed to give participants a better understanding of the CFD and the services the department offers. It provided an inside look at fire department operations to educate the class on emergency response.

Members of the academy wore firefighter turnout gear and a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). They took part in several training evolutions that are designed to mimic real life emergency scenes that firefighters face every day. Participants conducted vehicle extrication, using the “Jaws of Life” to cut into cars. They also learned about hose operations, rope rescues, and how to search a structure. Medical personnel were also hand to teach the class CPR and wound care. Thanks to everyone involved!!

Tremendous coordination by the Chattanooga Airport as they conducted a full-scale aircraft disaster drill on Wednesday 4/19/23. The exercise, which the airport is required to conduct every three years, simulated the crash of a jet aircraft and involved numerous emergency responders from Chattanooga and Hamilton County, including the CFD. The purpose of the drill was to test the capabilities of Chattanooga and local public safety agencies should an actual aircraft crash occur. Exercise objectives included testing communications, fire and police response, emergency medical response, hospital mass casualty plans, interagency coordination and the incident command system. The mock disaster scenario included multiple casualties. A plane crashed just short of the runway and split into two pieces after striking the levee. There was fire at the rear of the aircraft. Patients were both inside and out of the aircraft with some being trapped.

Participating agencies included: Chattanooga Airport Fire Department, Chattanooga Airport Police, Chattanooga Fire Department, Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services, Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County 911, Hamilton County Emergency Operations Center, Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s Office, Federal Aviation Administration, US Forestry, Life Force and the FBI. Dozens of volunteers acted as victims for the drill, making it more realistic for first responders so thanks to everyone who participated in this big training event.

Busy morning for Red Shift responding to a multitude of calls Tuesday, including an extrication and a fire at a vacant building. Units responded to 2817 Rossville Boulevard at 9:38 AM on 4/18/23. On arrival, firefighters found fire and smoke coming from the boarded-up commercial building. They made a quick interior attack and had the fire under control within minutes. There were no injuries and the fire is under investigation. Engine 9, Engine 5, Ladder 5, Squad 1, Ladder 1, Squad 20, Battalion 1 and Battalion 2 responded.

Then, Chattanooga firefighters rescued a 20-year-old man from drowning in a swimming pool Tuesday afternoon. At 4:18 PM on 4/18/23, Ladder 13, Squad 13, and Squad 1 (Red Shift) were dispatched to the Midtown Ridge Apartments at 314 McBrien Road. They arrived on scene to find people screaming around the pool at the complex. Ladder 13 Captain Carpenter was in command and jumped into the deep end, along with Lt. Rush (Squad 13). They had difficulty locating the victim because the pool had just been treated with shock, making the water extremely cloudy. Firefighter Burns and Firefighter Mai jumped in the pool to help look for the victim. They went back down to search the deep end of the pool again and in no time, Captain Carpenter and Lt. Rush came up out of the water with the victim. Other firefighters could not see anything from the edge of the pool due to the cloudiness of the water. Everyone pulled the victim up and started CPR. Squad 13 and Ladder 13 personnel took the patient out to HCEMS Medic 11. Squad 1 rode in with Medic 11 to assist with patient care. The status of the victim is unknown at this time, but a pulse was restored before arriving at the hospital. Apartment maintenance personnel were looking for the victim before the CFD arrived on scene. Samuel Brown, a firefighter in Meigs County, jumped in the pool before Chattanooga FD units arrived attempting to locate the victim. Tremendous effort and work by everyone involved in saving a life.