News Releases

The Chattanooga Fire Department has new methods in place to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

A recently implemented program is already making an impact, loosening the strain on emergency services and getting citizens the help they need, while keeping them from routinely calling 911.

It’s called CFD Connect and it was established in partnership with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s (UTC) Social Work Program.

The program places two social work master’s level interns with firefighters.

The goal is to address high users of non-emergency calls (like medical assists and lift assist calls). We make sure there are services in place for those particular individuals in order to decrease their dependence on the 911 system.

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Neighbors helped each other get out of a burning duplex in the Highland Park area Friday night.

It happened just before 7:30 PM in the 1800 block of E 4th Street.

Fire officials say people on one side of the duplex smelled smoke and went outside and saw smoke. They then alerted the people on the other side of the duplex so they could get out safely.

CFD found heavy smoke coming from the residence when they arrived on the scene.

Firefighters got the fire out. Holes were cut in the roof to ventilate the structure.

There were no injuries.

The Red Cross was contacted to assist impacted residents. CPD and HCEMS were also on scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A man who suffered an arm injury while enjoying the outdoors was successfully located and brought out of the woods Thursday afternoon.

First responders were called to the 600 block of Ochs Highway. The man involved was hiking in the Glen Falls area when he fell on the trail. He was approximately a half mile from the entrance.

CFD’s Quint 14 responded and requested Squad 20 and their rescue ATV to go down the trail and extract the injured hiker, which they did. The hiker’s condition is non-life threatening and he is stable.

Ochs Highway was shut down at Ochs Extension and Sanders Road during the rescue. Traffic was diverted to Scenic Highway.

Lookout Mountain Police and Chattanooga Police provided traffic control and detours.

HCEMS provided medical care.

Those responding: Quint 14, Squad 20, Battalion 1, Special Operations, CPD, Lookout Mountain PD and HCEMS.

On Sunday, December 1, around 7:45 pm, the Chattanooga Fire Department responded to a reported residential fire with entrapment in the 1500 block of Eucalyptus Drive.

Upon arrival, no fire was visible from the outside, but one adult male patient was lying in the front yard.

Fire crews began patient care while other firefighters investigated inside the home. There was very minor damage to the cabinets above the stove.

The patient was taken to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

The patient's family explained that a small grease fire had started while cooking and the patient had attempted to carry the burning pot outside. While carrying the burning pot, the patient suffered moderate burns to the upper body due to splashing grease.

According to the National Fire Protection Association and based on 2013-2017 annual averages, cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries. Cooking fires caused 49% of the home fires and resulted in 21% of the fire deaths and over 45% of the fire related injuries. Frying with grease dominates the cooking fire problem.