A one room fire in Knoxville was put out quickly by the Knoxville Fire Department Sunday morning. At 11:24 a.m. crews were dispatched to 605 West Marion to a report of a structure fire. Chief Cal Wyman tells KNIA/KRLS news the motor of an appliance caught fire, and the fire spread to other items in the room. The fire was extinguished quickly, and no one was injured. Knoxville Fire and Rescue was assisted by the Knoxville Police Department and Pella Ambulance.
Emergency crews responded in blizzard conditions to a garage fire at 909 W Madison Street Knoxville at approximately 11:02 Thursday morning. The deed to the property belongs to Steve and Cindy Glick. The Knoxville Fire Department arrived and found heavy black smoke coming from the structure, and made a fast attack to keep it contained to the garage. Chief Cal Wyman tells KNIA/KRLS News that the cause was electrical, and that damage was estimated at $35,000.
Other responding agencies included the Knoxville Township Rural Fire Department, Knoxville Police Department, Marion County Emergency Management, Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy, and the Knoxville Water Department.
Knoxville Fire and Rescue responded to 2,267 calls in 2020, which was a record number for the department. Chief Cal Wyman tells KNIA/KRLS News that the increase is largely due to COVID-19.
“Every year, we’ve been noticing an increase in calls, this year more of an increase than our normal two to three percent due to COVID. Every year, nation-wide, emergency services see an increase in calls. Our department alone, in a three-year timespan has seen about an eight percent increase, and this year alone we had a five percent increase. A little higher of an increase this year, and I would say that extra percentage is from COVID.”
Knoxville Fire and Rescue responded to 2,267 calls in 2020, which was a record number for the department. Chief Cal Wyman tells KNIA/KRLS News that the increase is largely due to COVID-19.
“Every year, we’ve been noticing an increase in calls, this year more of an increase than our normal two to three percent due to COVID. Every year, nation-wide, emergency services see an increase in calls. Our department alone, in a three-year timespan has seen about an eight percent increase, and this year alone we had a five percent increase. A little higher of an increase this year, and I would say that extra percentage is from COVID.”
The Knoxville Fire Department recently received an $8,900 donation from 100+ Men on a Mission Red Rock to go toward its turnout gear fundraiser. Chief Cal Wyman is thankful for the significant donation.
“It was super great to get that donation from them. Kevin Stittsworth has worked really hard with us and with 100+ Men on a Mission to get us in a position to be selected to receive their grant. It’s all going toward our turnout gear fund. NFDA requires that we replace our gear every 10 years now. That’s something that we hadn’t had in the city budget to do, so we weren’t able to do that through regular budgetary means. Between the funding we’ve gotten through these grants, we’ve been able to purchase turnout gear to put our firefighters in the best gear out there.”