south lake tahoe fire

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to 288 calls between July 31 - August 6, 2017.

Calls Resulting in Arrests/Citations:

July 31
Drunk in Public in the 4100 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
Giving False Info in the 900 block of Alameda

August 1
Drunk in Public in the 2200 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
DUI at Blue Lake Ave & Lake Tahoe Blvd

August 2
Warrant in the 1000 block of Lakeview Ave
Transient/Homeless on Lakeview Ave
Spousal Abuse in the 1000 block of 4th

A two-car accident at Tahoe Keys BLvd. and Highway 50 has traffic jammed up through South Lake Tahoe and send two people to the hospital Friday.

One car was T-boned, their airbag was deployed and South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue had to extricate the driver.

Two people were transported to Barton Hospital with mild to moderate injuries.

Both cars were being hooked up to tow trucks at 12:00 p.m. and traffic should start flowing soon.

The cause is unknown at this time and this is a developing story. More details will be released shortly.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue Chief Jeff Meston has been elected as president-elect of the California Fire Chief's Association (CalChiefs). The 925 voting members of the association voted for Meston during their recent election period that concluded August 4.

This is not only the first time a chief from South Lake Tahoe has been elected to the state's top spot, but also the first time anyone has from cities along the Sierra Nevada.

"I am rally humbled and very much thrilled," Chief Meston said of his appointment.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - As the end of the old Knight's Inn draws near, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue personnel are getting valuable skill practice in at the two-story building.

Developers will soon be demolishing the old motel in preparation for the Bijou Marketplace so SLTFR has been getting hands on training including ventilation, forcible entry, breaching walls and moving hose lines.

"We hope to train to the very end of standing buildings, squeezing every ounce of training out of the buildings," said SLTFR Chief Jeff Meston.

Guests staying at Diamond Resort's Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort in South Lake Tahoe were evacuated Tuesday afternoon after a smoke alarm sounded in the Ski Run Boulevard property.

At 4:40 p.m., South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) responded. Upon arrival they found the guests already outside and they headed in.

Some workmen had been on the 5th floor of the timeshare hotel, soldering on pipes inside the wall. Surrounding insulation ignited and the alarm was sounded as the workmen pulled the smoking culprit out of the wall.

A motorcyclist crashed into the back of a car in South Lake Tahoe Monday, sending its lone occupant to Barton Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., a line of traffic was stopped on Highway 50 by Grocery Outlet and Motel 6. The motorcyclist didn't notice the car in front of him was stopped and crashed into it.

The driver of the car was uninjured according to South Lake Tahoe Fire Battalion Chief Tim Spencer. He did say the classic motorcycle suffered major damage.

The hometown of the motorcyclist is unknown at this time.

The following are the 73 incidents the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and Cal-Tahoe JPA ambulances responded to from July 13-18, 2017.

7/13

00:14 - 2500 block of Chris Ave - Public service assistance, other
00:33 - Barton Hospital - Interfacility Transfer
03:42 - Barton Hospital - Interfacility Transfer
09:08 - 1200 block of Bonanza Ave - No incident found on arrival at dispatch address
08:51 - 1600 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
14:56 - 1000 block of Heavenly Village Way - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident

The following are the 63 incidents the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and Cal-Tahoe JPA ambulances responded to from July 7-12, 2017.

7/7

04:17 - 2600 block of Genoa Ave - Special type of incident, Dispatch error
03:40 - Barton Hospital - EMS Interfacility Transfer
11:47 - 1100 block of 3rd St - Central station, malicious false alarm
12:37 - 1000 block of Al Tahoe Blvd - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
15:14 - 2000 block of Marconi Way - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury

Discarded briquettes have been determined as the cause of a fire Saturday behind a home on Kubel Avenue in South Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue(SLTFR) responded to the fire and were able to quickly extinguish it but not before it burned an outbuilding and some of the yard and trees.

The briquettes had been left next to the shed.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An ongoing legal battle between the Tahoe Keys Marina and the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association (TKPOA) has resulted in the water being shut off to all buildings at the marina.

Since the Fresh Ketch restaurant and adjacent deli are in one of those buildings, the El Dorado County Health Department shut them down due to a lack of water. A notice was also put up on the apartments in the complex advising residents of unsafe living conditions since there was no running water.

The man who drowned in Lake Tahoe on the Fourth of July has been identified as 41-year-old William Weaver of Citrus Heights.

Weaver fell from a double kayak he and his wife were on at about 3:30 p.m. according to South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jim Drennan.

Rescue personnel responded to an area off of Beach Drive where Weaver had been taken by people in the area.

South Lake Tahoe area law enforcement, agencies and safety personnel are preparing for a very busy holiday weekend, full of people coming to enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities. With a very high lake level, and overflowing rivers, caution and safety are urged to have a fabulous weekend in Lake Tahoe.

And they aren't only going to be dealing with water safety. Rules and regulations along the beaches will also be enforced for safety reasons.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue is at a home on Chonokis Street this evening after the driver of a car hit the home's gas meter, shearing it completely off its base according to Battalion Chief Tim Spencer.

As of 7:00 p.m., SLTFR was at the scene, waiting for Southwest Gas to arrive to shut the gas off. In the meantime, the fire department was able to plugged the line temporarily.

Nobody was home in the neighboring properties so just one person was evacuated. They will remain out of their home unless Southwest arrives.

First responders and the public are invited to the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue's "First Responder Behavioral Health Fair" on Monday, June 26 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Lake Tahoe Airport.

Learn from the experts about the signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), alternative methods on treatment, stress relievers and other ways to maintain good mental health when dealing with high stress jobs such as police and fire.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following are incidents the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue department responded to 235 calls from May 26 - June 19, 2017.

05/26
10:46 - 1000 block of Al Tahoe Blvd - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
13:44 - 3700 block of Montreal Rd - Medical assist, assist EMS crew
14:24 - 700 block of Eloise Ave - Electrical wiring/equipment problem, other
15:02 - 2100 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
20:48 - 3300 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd - Vehicle accident with injuries

A South Lake Tahoe house fire this morning sent one woman to the hospital and killed her two dogs.

At 6:56 a.m. on June 9, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue responded to a fire in a duplex at 973 Paloma Street.

SLTFR Chief Jeff Meston said the occupant, a female, was transported to Barton Memorial Hospital after she suffered smoke inhalation. He said two dogs perished in the fire and animal control was on their way to the home to assist in retrieval.

5/29/17 10:45 p.m. update: All of the evacuated residents are now back home after Southwest Gas crews were able to stop the leak and repair the broken main line. At this time those crews are going into each apartment and relighting pilot lights.

According to SLTFR Battalion Chief Jim Drennan the cause of the broken line is unknown. The main is located alongside the apartment's parking lot but the break occurred underground.

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The snow is melting, water is flowing, and wildfire fuels are growing. Despite all the moisture, the wildfire threat remains a concern. Preparing your home and community now is more important than ever. June is “Wildfire Awareness Month” in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and members of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team are continuing last year’s campaign by asking all Tahoe residents and visitors to “Think First to Keep Tahoe Fire Safe”.

Lake Tahoe Community College issued an evacuation order after smoke alarms went off at the campus at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. The school issued an "emergency" via Twitter, asking everyone to leave:

Alert: There is an emergency at Lake Tahoe Community College, please evacuate to your nearest evacuation area (see evacuation map).

The first South Lake Tahoe Police Department community gathering was a successful one on Saturday as the 50th anniversary of the department was celebrated with hundreds of people at Lakeview Commons. There were rides on both the police and fire boats, a concert, BBQ, interactions with the police K-9s, booths, fingerprinting and an awards ceremony.

Going above and beyond the call of duty was recognized with awards to both staff members and the public.

Help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) at a community celebration on Saturday, May 20 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Lakeview Commons.

There will be demonstrations on the police boat, a free concert, the K-9 officers, SWAT, free barbeque and the department's annual awards ceremony.

Enjoy the fun and games and meet your police officers and staff. The following booths will be open for the public to stop by:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following are incidents the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue department responded to 59 calls from May 1-7, 2017.

05/01
00:32 - 2100 block of Jean Ave - Public service
09:54 - 2500 block of Knox Ave - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
12:49 - 2100 block of South Ave - Interfacility Transfer
13:29 - 1000 block of Ski Run Blvd - Building fire
15:25 - 1000 block of Jobs Peak Dr - Dispatched & cancelled en route
16:07 - 900 block of Emerald Bay Rd - Vehicle accident, general cleanup

The 50th anniversary of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) will be celebrated with a community party on Saturday, May 20 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Lakeview Commons.

There will be food, music, the annual SLTPD awards ceremony, as well as booths to highlight what the department does for the community. Meet SLTPD staff and officers and enjoy fun and games.

Booths include:

SWAT booth – South Lake Tahoe Police Department SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) division will be hosting a booth with educational information.

Without a boat since 2015, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) will ask City Council for $75,000 on Tuesday for the purchase of a used SAFE boat.

The former fire rescue boat, Marine 17, was taken off the lake (decommissioned) in 2015 after 15 years of service. Needed repairs amounted to more than the value of the boat. Since the SLTFR has borrowed Marine 2 which belongs to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD).