WATCH: Fallen Firefighters Remembered in Lakewood

Annual event at Lakewood Fire Station No. 1 brings out a crowd of people, despite the rain.

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City Looks to Hand Over Underground Tank Inspections to the State

Fire chief says that the move will save the department money, as the city will no longer need to pay to have firefighters certified for the costly inspections.

In 2010, the Lakewood Fire Department inspected one underground storage tank. The next year, only one more. However, the city has to pay $1,000 each time a firefighter gets certified for the inspections. That’s why Lakewood Fire Chief Scott Gilman proposed an ordinance to Lakewood City Council on Monday that would give the responsibility of inspections back to the state. “We used to have to do more inspections,” said Gilman, who’s the only inspector left in the city. “These are very time-consuming inspections.” “To me, it makes sense to give this back to the state.” Law director Kevin Butler agreed, noting that in the early 1990s, there were lots of inspections. Rather than go to the state, the money reaped from the inspections stayed in …

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Lightning Crashes Through Home on Parkhaven Row

Fire engulfs second story of home at 1449 Parkhaven Row. No one injured in the blaze.

The second story of a home at 1449 Parkhaven Row was fully engulfed with flames when the firefighters showed up around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Lightning appears to be the cause.  Dozens of firefighters from at least two fire departments showed up to battle the blaze, which was extinguished within minutes. However, smoke still billowed out of a large gash in the roof at around 10:30 p.m. Several neighbors reported hearing a large “boom” at around at around 9:30 p.m. When they stepped outside, they saw the second story fully involved. The two residents of the home were evacuated. Parkhaven Row was closed off to traffic as fire engines lined the quiet street. Fire Chief Scott Gilman said that an investigation is under way, but added that it’s “…

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don richmond

10:03 am on Friday, August 31, 2012

you're so right, no common sense   more ›

New $587,000 Fire Truck Arrives in Lakewood

The hook-and-ladder truck has a much-needed water pump; goes into service this week.

A new fire engine arrived at Lakewood Fire Station No. 1 last Friday.  But it’s headed to Lakewood Fire Station No. 3 on Clifton Boulevard for duty this week. The new truck comes with a price tag of $587,000, but Fire Chief Scott Gilman said the cost was offset by a $100,000 trade-in for another hook-and-ladder fire engine. To save costs, the department is also expected to reduce the fleet by another vehicle.  Earlier this year, Lakewood City Council OK’d the purchase. The new truck is equipped with a much-needed water pump. “We were running into situations where we’d pull up to a fire but didn’t have water,” said Gilman. “Because we were able to get a good trade-in, we were able to get a ladder truck with a pump.”  You’ll see this truck …

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Brandon Scullion

9:16 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012

That is one really sweet new toy, albeit a functional one with a serious purpose. Congratulations to our firefighters.   more ›

Lakewood Firefighters Show Support for Family of Brunswick Crash Victim

Lakewood Fire Department sets up a fund to help the family of a long-time Lakewood firefighter.

The Lakewood Fire Department takes care of its own. That’s why when firefighters found out that one of last weekend’s crash victims in Brunswick was the son of a retired Lakewood firefighter, they rallied to support the family.  Kevin Fox — the 18-year-old son of long-time Lakewood firefighter Jim Fox — was killed along with three other teenagers following a car crash last weekend. The fire department’s union has set up a fund to help the family. “We’re pulling together to do what we can to help,” said Seth Andregg, a paramedic/firefighter at the Lakewood Fire Department. “We’re a family here. All these guys know my kids. We all know his kids. We all know each other’s families very well, so it certainly hits home. It’s heartbreaking.” …

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WATCH: Fire Quickly Extinguished at Pride of Cleveland Scooters

Looks like an electrical issue may have been to blame for a fire that backed up traffic on Detroit Avenue for nearly 30 minutes.

An electrical issue may be to blame for a fire at Pride of Cleveland Scooters on Detroit Avenue on Thursday afternoon.  Several squads from the Lakewood Fire Department were on the scene within moments after the blaze was reported at around 3 p.m. Smoke billowing out of the building could be seen — and smelled — for about one city block.  The fire was exinguished within minutes. No one was injured. The fire started in the rear of the building, where mechanics were repairing scooters.  “We were working in the back and I heard a loud ‘pop,’” said one of the employees.  In all, about a half-dozen employees were evacuated, but before they left the building, a couple of them grabbed fire extinguishers and tried to put out the fire before …

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911 Tape, Photos of the Lake Erie Boat Rescue

Lakewood firefighters save family of four after their boat capsizes.

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Lakewood Firefighters Save Family of Four After Boat Capsizes

In a dramatic, two-hour rescue, firefighters bring family to safety after their boat capsized on Sunday.

Quick thinking by the Lakewood Fire Department helped save the lives of a family of four after their boat capsized in Lake Erie off of Lakewood’s shore on Sunday afternoon. Lakewood Fire Chief Scott Gilman said the family was trapped along the break-wall near Maple Cliff Drive, after rough waters caused their 17-foot boat to overturn at around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. “The waves were so big that the Coast Guard couldn’t get in there,” he said. “They’re boats were too big. We decided to go with ropes.”  “There were some pretty hefty waves out there.” Using pulleys and ropes, firefighters scaled 75 feet down the cliff near Kenneth Lane and hoisted each person to safety. The dramatic rescue took more than two hours. “We brought them up one at a time…

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Quick-Thinking Employee Saves Co-Worker’s Life

When an employee at Madison Avenue Repair Shop went into cardiac arrest, his co-worker ran across the street to the Lakewood Fire Department — a move that saved his friend’s life.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time.  Don Guerra is lucky to be alive after he went into cardiac arrest while working at the Madison Avenue Repair Shop last Wednesday afternoon. It was the quick-thinking of his co-worker Spencer Knapp that saved his life. It also didn’t hurt that the Lakewood Fire Department headquarters is right across the street. “He started making sort of a snoring noise,” recalls Knapp, whose father owns the full-service gas station. “I looked over, he had his head down. I looked away and looked back and he was on the floor.” Another employee called 911, while Knapp bolted across the street. “He wasn’t breathing,” Knapp said. “They were able to get him going again in the ambulance. If I hadn’t gone …

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Colin McEwen

12:17 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Don, glad to hear you're feeling better! Took me a minute to figure out what you were talking about... Then I realized we had the wrong link in the story. Thanks for sharing! Get well... Your friends at the shop missed you...   more ›