News Releases

There were no injuries in a Sunday night residential fire on Wheeler Avenue. Green Shift companies were called to a home in the 2000 block at 5:07 PM. The residents were home at the time of the fire, but they got out safely. Crews had a quick knockdown on the fire, containing it to the kitchen. They then focused on hot spots, making sure everything was fully extinguished . The cause is under investigation. Engine 4, Engine 5, Ladder 5, Ladder 1, Squad 1, Quint 10, Battalion 1, Battalion 3 (Green), CPD and EMS responded.

The Chattanooga Fire Department has received a $50,000 donation in the form of coffee! Tchibo provided 5,000 bags of their coffee for our firefighters. It’s being distributed to all 20 of our fire halls. We appreciate Tchibo’s generosity and the caffeine for those long, busy shifts! The company has made donations like this to a number of different departments across the nation. “We are very excited about the opportunity to make this donation to first responders in Chattanooga -- we can't think of a more deserving group of people,” their spokeswoman said. Thank you!

The Chattanooga Fire Department proudly presented the Chattanooga Public Library with a copy for our newly published history book, documenting 150 years of firefighters’ service to the city and its citizens. Fire Chief Phil Hyman and Battalion Chief David Thompson Jr., CFD Historian, provided Library Director Corinne Hill with their copy of the book so it can be added to the library’s local history department.

The CFD officially went into service on November 14, 1871 as a volunteer fire department composed of 105 citizens who pledged themselves to help fight fires. Improvements were made from year to year and officials saw the need for a larger department. In 1880, the first paid company was formed. From there, the agency grew and evolved with more members and equipment. Today, it’s an ISO Class 1 department, providing superior property fire protection.

Our history is preserved in a new comprehensive book that was just published by Heritage Portraits & Albums. The book is a tribute to all those who have served in the department and it documents the department’s story chronically through the years as the agency continually adapted to meet the needs of an ever-growing city. Years of research and countless hours of hard work went into the publication. A group of current and retired firefighters combed through thousands of photos, articles and documents to compile the details, major events and department milestones in the book. It is an honor to have it added to the library’s collection. Chief Thompson said it was great to see the project come full circle since a lot of research was done at the library to gather information for the book. 

“Since 1871, the Chattanooga Fire Department has protected lives and property. The journey to today’s CFD is all about sacrifice, hard work and dedication and that story is perfectly laid out in this new history book. It was a massive undertaking and we are proud of the final product. It’s fantastic to know that it will be at the library to share with the public for many years to come,” Chief Phil Hyman added.

There’s a new development in an East Lake fire that left a Chattanooga firefighter injured. A body was discovered at the site today and the fatality is now under investigation. The fire happened in the early morning hours of Sunday (1/9/22) at 2603 4th Avenue at a condemned building. Upon arrival, multiple Blue Shift companies found a one-story commercial structure fully involved in fire with flames through the roof. A defensive attack was launched because of the conditions present. Due to the building being condemned and structurally compromised and due to the amount of fire, it was not safe for firefighters to go inside the burning structure so they fought the blaze from the outside. Engine 5 pulled a line to attack the fire through the front of the building. Ladder 1 took the deluge gun and provided a water curtain to protect a nearby residence. Squad 1 and Squad 13 took an attack line to another side of the building for defensive operations. Ladder 5 set up their aerial waterway and conducted aerial fire operations. A mayday was called due to a partial front façade collapse. One firefighter was injured when the front façade collapsed on top of them at the sidewalk, striking him down with debris. The firefighter was transported to the hospital by HCEMS. He was treated and later released. Meanwhile, back out at the scene on Sunday morning, Chattanooga Public Works used heavy machinery to demolish what was left of the structure due to safety concerns about the building’s stability. A thorough search was made of the abandoned, collapsed structure as it was dismantled by Public Works to look for any possible victims and nothing was found at the time. On Tuesday morning (1/11), someone was sifting through the rubble and located human remains. They notified 911 and CFD and CPD responded. A body was located in the piled up debris. CFD and CPD will be investigating the fatality. The body will be taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of the fire also remains under investigation.