The Alaska State Firefighters Association - Juneau Chapter has announced firefighter Ken Arnoldt as the Responder of the Quarter. Arnoldt was nominated by his peers in acknowledgment of his dedication responding to many emergency calls across the Juneau community. Arnoldt started his volunteer career with Bay City, Oregon in 2017 and joined Capital City Fire Rescue as a volunteer in April 2019. The Responder of the Quarter program, an ASFA initiative, endeavors to call out and honor association members of distinction. These members display leadership principles, participate in community and volunteer events, and respond to calls.  

A California man hiking on Perseverance Trail died Friday after falling and striking his head on a rock, according to Capital City Fire/Rescue. Anthony Michael Medina, 36, died from head trauma while out hiking Perseverance Trail with a friend from Juneau, said CCFR Deputy Chief Travis Mead in a phone interview. "Him (Medina) and his friend were hiking downhill towards to the end of Perseverance Trail near the Last Chance Basin," Mead said. "They were glissading a snow patch. The victim ended up sliding off the snow patch, fell onto some rocks below and sustained a head injury that was fatal." The other hiker with Medina ran back up the trail to find someone with a phone to call 911. The Alaska State Troopers and CCFR were notified, Mead said. With the remoteness of the accident site, and initial uncertainty about the location of the victim, it took time to scramble responders, Mead said.  

VIDEO: Twenty-six years ago, 14 firefighters were killed on Storm King Mountain, near Glenwood Springs. To honor the memory of those heroes, about a dozen members of the Craig hotshots crew hiked up the Storm King Memorial Trail on Monday. The Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center shared photos of the hotshots at the memorial. A smoke jumper J-55 aircraft also performed a flyby of Storm King Mountain to pay tribute to the fallen firefighters. On July 6, 1994, the lightning-caused South Canyon Fire raced up a steep hillside. Twelve firefighters were trapped on a fire line. Two others were found dead on top of a ridge. Nine of the dead were members of the Prineville Hotshots firefighting team from Oregon. The South Canyon Fire was the deadliest wildfire in Colorado's recorded history.  

PHOTOS: Extreme midday heat made work very difficult for Indianapolis firefighters as they battled a house fire on the city's southeast side. One firefighter was seriously injured. According to Indianapolis Fire Department Public Information Officer Rita Reith, thick black smoke from the fire at the house on Timberfield Lane could be seen one mile away. The location is off Shelbyville Road near Stop 11 Road. 20-units from Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Greenwood responded to the fire, which took more than 30-minutes to bring under control. One firefighter was seriously injured with heat stroke, three others suffered heat exhaustion. Three of the four went to IU Methodist Hospital, while one was treated at the scene. According to Reith, a family of six lived at the house. A mother and son were home when the fire broke out.  

VIDEO: Fire crews responded to an intense vehicle fire located in a building in Tappahannock. At 6:38 p.m., the Tappahannock-Essex Volunteer Fire Department responded to the report of a vehicle fire inside the old Tappahannock Ford building located on Church Lane near Hoskins Creek. During the attack, crews say several large explosions occurred, sending debris hundreds of feet away and was heard over five miles away. According to Chief Paul Richardson, nearly 100,000 gallons of water were used to extinguish the fire. Over 30 firefighters were on the scene. No injuries were reported.  

Each year, NFPA collects data on all the firefighter fatalities in the US that resulted from injuries or illnesses that occurred while the victims were on-duty. The term on duty refers to: Being at the scene of an alarm, whether it is a fire or non-fire incident (including EMS calls). Responding to or returning from an alarm. Participating in other fire department duties, such as training, maintenance, public education, inspection, investigation, court testimony, or fundraising. Being on call or standby for assignment at a location other than at the firefighter's home or place of business. On-duty fatalities include any injury sustained in the line of duty that proves fatal, any illness that was incurred as a result of actions while on duty that proves fatal, and fatal mishaps involving nonemergency occupational hazards that occur while on duty.