firefighter

It took several more months than planned, but Soup Tahoe is now open on the South Shore.

In September, South Tahoe Now announced that SUP Tahoe would be converted into Soup Tahoe during the non-summer months where stand up paddling isn't as popular.

"There were many more regulations than we first figured into our business plan," said owner Eddie Smith of the delay in opening. Smith and his wife, Kimberly, got the doors opened to Soup Tahoe last week.

4:40 p.m. update: A South Lake Tahoe home is a complete loss after a Thursday night fire which displace six residents and hospitalized two.

A South Lake Tahoe firefighter suffered from smoke inhalation and was transported to Barton where they were treated and released. The resident, a male, was at first sent to Barton but later transferred Code 3 to the U.C. Davis Burn Center with burns to his head and hands.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county.

The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at press time and the story will be updated when provided.

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1:12 a.m. - Verbal Domestic Dispute - Keller Road - 33-YEAR OLD MAN AND 26-YEAR OLD WOMAN.

11:11 a.m. - Suspicious Circumstances - Pioneer Trail - PRIVATE VEHICLE BEARING FIREFIGHTER DECALS AND RED EMERGENCY LIGHTS WAS BEING DRIVEN BY A 59-YEAR OLD WOMAN.

Mark A. Novak, the current assistant chief for the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, has been named to head the Vail Fire Department.

Novak, 48, will begin full-time employment with the town on Feb. 2. He was selected from a field of 105 candidates during a national search process which included six finalists.

Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37. was arrested Wednesday on felony charges of Arson on Forest land with a Special Allegation of Arson with Aggravating Factors. Law enforcement officials held a press conference Thursday at the Cal Fire base in Camino, announcing the arrest.

Huntsman is being held in lieu of $10 million bail.

Arraignment is scheduled for Friday, September 19, 2014, at 1:00 p.m. in Department 7 of the El Dorado County Superior Court in Placerville.

Lake Tahoe Community College has selected Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Chief Ben Sharit as its Distinguished Alumni Award winner for 2014.

An East Fork Fire Department crew responded to an outbuilding fire in the Indian Hills neighborhood of Douglas County early Friday morning. They arrived to see an unattached garage fully involved.

The occupant of the home, Blake Lister, told firefighters that he was a BLM firefighter. He was asked to stay away from firefighters so they could fight the blaze. Lister then ran into the burning building and locked himself in.

Zephyr Fire Crew Firefighter Kyle Van Mourick has been battling Guillain Barre Syndrome since becoming ill while fighting a wild land fire in Elko, Nevada in June. He has been hospitalized since.

An evening of fundraising to help Kyle in his fight of the disease is being held on Friday, December 6 at Himmel Haus Restaurant and Bar in South Lake Tahoe. There will be a German dinner of Bratwurst and Spaetzel, drinks and live music as well as a silent auction. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. The doors will open at 5 pm with the dinner at 6 pm.

Lake Tahoe Community College joins the Lake Valley Fire Protection District in mourning the unexpected loss of firefighter paramedic Brandon “Mitch” Underhill. The 34-year-old, known as Mitch, died Sunday, September 29th.

Underhill has been an instructor at LTCC as part of the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy since 2009. He joined the Lake Valley Fire District in 2005, and served the community for just over 8 years in that capacity. He is survived by his wife, two young children, his parents, and his brother and sister.

The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department received a Technology Innovation Award by iPCR, the Electronic Patient Care Reporting System for Fire and Ambulance Services, at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

This award has only been given to five agencies in 20 years. It is for the “2013 Technology Innovation Award” and was given to SLTFD to recognize the exemplary work in implementing a technologically advanced patient care system that is fully electronic.

Lake Tahoe fire protection agencies all agree: defensible space isn’t a bunch of hot air. To back up the importance of defensible space, they’re organizing a free Wildfire Awareness Week kick-off event that includes free tethered Smokey Bear hot air balloon rides (weather permitting), firefighter photo opportunities, a pancake breakfast and more on Saturday, May 25th from 8am – 12pm outside MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Department Chief Bruce Martin has promoted Kenin Fairley to Shift Commander. Fairley’s first day as Shift Commander was Feb. 9.

“My thanks to those department members who assisted in the process, as well as the three outside raters. I also wish to thank Captain Jon Anderson for stepping up to the acting position for the last few weeks. Please congratulate and support Kenin; filling this critical leadership position permanently will help us get to work on the issues,” said Chief Martin.

The public is invited to a badge pinning ceremony for South Lake Tahoe's three newest firefighter this Friday, Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. at the Inn by the Lake conference room, 3300 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
The ceremony is to welcome Trent Renner, Kevin VanKirk, and Joe Forehand to the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department.

South Lake Tahoe City Manager Nancy Kerry announced the appointment of Bruce Martin as South Lake Tahoe Fire Departments Interim Fire Chief at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“I am very excited to welcome Chief Martin to lead, encourage and support our dedicated team of fire fighters,” said Kerry. “Chief Martin’s long and exemplary career in fire service provides him with a platform to be an excellent leader as the Interim Fire Chief.”

UPDATE 8:45AM: Highway 395 has reopened with controls (pilot vehicle) so expect delays and watch for fire vehicles, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center.

The latest Tahoe Project interview is with Leona Allen, a lifelong Tahoe resident, a Lake Valley Fire Protection District firefighter and a founder of the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy. Hosted by Michelle Sweeney, Allen shares insight into wildfire preparedness, her family's experience of loss in the Angora fire and the success of the Fire Academy where she is among the program faculty at Lake Tahoe Community College.

There are more than 1 million firefighters who work in the United States. The job requirements of the firefighter vary, but can include actives such as extracting people from cars and buildings, be...

The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department would like to invite the public to attend the Badge Pinning Ceremony on Friday, August 3 from 3:00-4:00 pm at the Senior Center. The Badge Pinning will be for our three newest firefighters and the welcoming of our 19 new firefighter Reserves.

The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department proudly provides the finest fire protection, rescue, emergency medical, hazardous materials control and response services to our community This goal is reflected in the department's mission statement:

Lake Valley firefighter and medic Colin Hargrove comes across drugs almost daily. The scenario he was acting out during the Drug Store Project Tuesday is not much different from the cases he res...

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Jen Drennan was pregnant with her second child. Being a CALSTAR nurse, the wife of a South Tahoe firefighter took all the steps to make sure her baby was healthy while...

By Nancy Kerry
The City of South Lake Tahoe is pleased to announce a promotional ceremony for three new Fire Department Shift Commanders will be held on Monday, November 21, 2011. The ceremony will take place at the City’s Administration Offices (South Lake Tahoe Airport) at 2:30 p.m. and is open to the public. Being promoted to Shift Commander are Jim Drennan, Rob Hembree and Dan Sullivan. In announcing the appointments, City Manager Tony O’Rourke said, “The three Commanders will have significant responsibilities and have demonstrated the capacity to carry them out. We are pleased to announce their promotions.”