This spring, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly will begin its budget process for the next fiscal year. One item that will be up for consideration is an increase in the mill rate for the Talkeetna Fire Service Area. KTNA's Phillip Manning spoke with Talkeetna Fire Chief Eric Chappel and Mat-Su Borough Emergency Services Director Ken Barkley about the proposal and what it would mean for those inside the service area. In the unincorporated areas of the Mat-Su Borough, fire departments are funded through service areas. Those service areas charge a mill rate that is added to a property owner's annual taxes. This spring, the Talkeetna Fire Department is asking for an increase in its mill rate. Talkeetna Fire Chief Eric Chappel says the rate would increase from just over two mills to just over three. He breaks down what that could mean for property owners in the service area.  

VIDEO: Two adults were critically injured after a massive fire tore through part of a high-rise in the Brentwood area Wednesday morning, the same building which was the site of a fire more than six years ago. Helicopters were used to rescue several residents who fled up to the roof for safety. The blaze broke out at Barrington Plaza, a 25-story residential building located at 11740 Wilshire Blvd. a little after 8:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire broke out in a seventh floor unit, with heavy flames and smokes billowing hundreds of feet into the air. There were initially unconfirmed reports that people may have been forced to jump out of the building. Aerial footage showed at least one person standing outside a window. However, in a morning briefing, LAFD Deputy Chief Armando Hogan told reporters that there were no jumpers.  

To better protect the residents of Lower Pottsgrove Township and nearby communities, Ringing Hill Fire Company has launched a comprehensive volunteer recruitment campaign. A new slogan, "Reach New Heights at the Hill," will be used to promote all the opportunities volunteers can gain at Ringing Hill Fire Company, or as volunteers call it, The Hill. The new tagline and website will be incorporated into all print and electronic marketing materials used to inspire the public to volunteer. The three words that best describe Ringing Hill volunteers — "Respectful, Responsive, Ready" — will also be prevalent. Ringing Hill's recruitment campaign runs through 2022 and is no cost to taxpayers. It is funded entirely through the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  

Jester Estates is a scenic neighborhood of about 900 homes in northwest Austin, surrounded by walking trails and just 10 miles from downtown. It is also one of the areas of central Texas that is most vulnerable to wildfires, according to firefighters. But it is not the only high risk area in Austin. The 2019 Wildfire Risk Report ranks the city as the fifth-highest risk in the US for a major wildfire incident, and compares it to Australia, which has been ravaged by devastating brush fires. Firefighters from California, who have direct experience of dealing with deadly brush fires, met with concerned residents of Jester Estates on Wednesday and had their own comparison – their home state. And it turns out that cedar doesn't just make you sick, it could also help to spark a wildfire.  

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has responded to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, which has affected at least five people in the United States, by compiling a list of resources and guidelines for fire and EMS leaders. The IAFC encouraged chiefs to review documents prepared by agencies and organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and World Health Organization (WHO), and added that the list would be updated as new information is made available. "(The CDC and WHO) consider the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to be a very serious public health threat. However, based on current information, the CDC and WHO have stated that the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is considered low at this time," the IAFC said in a statement.  

When the roster of Niagara Falls firefighters is posted later today, for the first time in 50 years there won't be a Fontanella on the list. The half century run of the Fontanella family as Cataract City blazebusters came to an end on Wednesday with the retirement of Battalion Chief Mark Fontanella. The 32-year veteran was given a final salute by a phalanx of firefighters at the Royal Avenue Fire Station. "We shared about 12 years together," Fontanella said of his firefighting career with his father, Thomas. "We worked opposite shifts, but one time they overlapped and we went on one call together." It was his dad who encouraged Fontanella to take the firefighter civil service test. He called it, "The best thing that ever happened to me." Fontanella's first day on the job was Feb.1, 1988. He worked his way up the ranks from firefighter to fire captain, to training chief and finally battalion chief for platoon 2. "Thirty-two years, you know, that's a pretty full career," Fontanella said.