wildland firefighter
Victim in fatal head-on collision identified as South Lake Tahoe resident
Submitted by paula on Thu, 11/05/2020 - 2:05pm
ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - The victim of Tuesday's deadly crash on US Highway 50 near Zephyr Cove has been identified as a South Lake Tahoe resident.
At 6:25 p.m., troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol responded to a head-on collision at Douglas County miler marker 3.
The NHP preliminary investigation shows a black 2011 Dodge Ram pickup was traveling eastbound on the highway approaching a right curve in the roadway. At that same time, a gray 2003 Honda Element was approaching the same curve as the driver headed westbound.
Tahoe Douglas Fire raises funds to award scholarship to Douglas High student
Submitted by paula on Fri, 10/04/2019 - 6:39pm
ROUND HILL, Nev. - Every Labor Day, the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) holds a pancake breakfast to support local students in their quest for higher education, and in particular in the field of public service.
They serve Douglas County at Lake Tahoe from the top of Kingsbury Grade to the top of Spooner Summit. This year they chose to invest in the Douglas High School graduating class of 2019 and awarded Alexa Moss with their annual scholarship.
Many of their employees and retirees reside in the valley and have raised their families there.
Lake Tahoe fundraiser for Wildland Firefighter Foundation
Submitted by paula on Tue, 08/20/2019 - 5:07pm
Event Date:
August 23, 2019 - 4:00pm
STATELINE, Nev. - Local Resident, George Waite is producing a special event for the community on Friday, August 23 at 4:00 p.m. at Kahle Community Park. It will be an evening of local bands with all gate proceeds going to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.
Bring chairs, blankets and coolers. No bottles and no dogs will be allowed.
There will be Tacos by Sombreros Catering for sale and a bounce house for kids.
The cost at the door is a $5 donation with kids ages 12 and under free.
Special wildland firefighter course at LTCC
Submitted by paula on Sat, 02/03/2018 - 11:05am
A comprehensive one-week long course, Wildland Fire Safety and Hand Crew Operations, Basic Wildland Firefighter, will be held March 19-24, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. daily at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC).
Instructor Keegan Schafer will instruct students on the safety aspects of fighting wildland fires and the methods, procedures and responsibilities of firefighters. The course includes instruction in specialized equipment, physical fitness, fire behavior and suppression, human factors and general fireline construction.
Virtual 5k race to raise funds for fallen and injuried firefighters
Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 05/07/2017 - 6:47pm
Event Date:
June 10, 2017 (All day) As fire season heats up across the country, a group of over 1,000 partners of wildland firefighters have joined together to raise money for those who are injured on the job with a Virtual 5k run/walk. Run or walk five kilometers wherever you wish. 100 percent of the proceeds from this event will go to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation's Fallen and Injured Grant Fund.
Winners of TRPA Lake Spirit Awards announced
Submitted by paula on Wed, 04/26/2017 - 2:00pm
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) honored four people with Lake Spirit Awards Wednesday who have shown exceptional commitment to protecting Lake Tahoe and fostering a spirit of collaboration in their work and volunteer time.
This year’s award winners do everything from helping protect Lake Tahoe communities from wildfire and aquatic invasive species to promoting alternative transportation and sustainable lifestyles.
Fundraiser for memorial signs to honor fallen Lake Tahoe firefighter
Submitted by paula on Thu, 03/30/2017 - 8:39am
A stretch of Highway 50 over Echo Summit has been renamed the Firefighter Michael "Mikey" Hallenbeck Memorial Highway, and his family is raising funds to produce and install the signs.
Hallenbeck died fighting the Sierra Fire in August of 2015, near where he worked as a ski life operator. The 21-year-old was also a wildland firefighter for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
Memorial fund set up for fallen BLM firefighter Jake O'Malley
Submitted by paula on Sun, 07/17/2016 - 1:59pm
Whittell High graduate Jake O'Malley was one of the two wildland firefighters killed in a single vehicle accident on July 10.
As part of O'Malley's duties while based in Winnemucca, Nevada was to patrol for fires, and it was while doing this when his vehicle crashed, killing both Jake and his roommate, Will Hawkins of Reno. A third occupant was hospitalized and has since been released.
Wildland Firefighter fundraiser at Red's July 29
Submitted by paula on Sat, 07/16/2016 - 8:15pm
Event Date:
July 29, 2016 - 4:00pm
An event to raise money for the families of firefighters killed in the line of duty will be held at Red's Old 395 on Friday, July 29 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation is holding the event which includes a raffle, wild beard contest, Smoky Bear and other fun. The donations will come from $1 raffle ticket purchases and beard contest entries.
To donate, or for more information, contact Lindy McDonald at 775-220-7185.
New community health nurse hired for Douglas County
Submitted by paula on Mon, 05/02/2016 - 8:59am
Catherine "Cat" Fuller has been selected for the Community Health Nurse/Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) position at the Douglas County Community Health Clinic.
After a nationwide recruitment, Carson City Health and Human Services along with Douglas County selected Fuller which included an interview process which began in February, 2016 and included a panel of nursing, social services, and administrative leadership from the Carson City and Douglas County Community Health and Social Services agencies.
Golf tournament to raise funds for fallen South Lake Tahoe firefighter
Submitted by paula on Thu, 10/01/2015 - 12:27pm
There will be a golf tournament at the Tahoe Paradise Golf Course on Saturday, October 3 to benefit the family of fallen firefighter, Mikey Hallenbeck.
Hallenbeck, 21, died this summer after a tree fell on him while fighting his first fire as a member of the U.S.F.S. fire crew. He grew up in Shingle Springs, Calif., was living in Meyers at the time of his death and worked at Sierra-at-Tahoe during the winter.
The Wildland Firefighter Foundation will host the tournament, called "Barefoot for Birdies," with all funds raised going to the family as well as the foundation.
Man who said he drank Round-Up at SLT City Council meeting arrested in Reno
Submitted by paula on Mon, 09/21/2015 - 6:01pm
During the September 15 South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting, a man who identified himself as Ross Tisanrich approached the speaker's podium during the public comment period. He said he was a local wildland firefighter and wanted to bring the use of pesticides to a halt. He told the council he would drink the chemical weed killer Round-Up if they wouldn't commit to ending the use of pesticides that get into Lake Tahoe.
Fallen firefighter to be honored with processional through South Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Wed, 08/12/2015 - 2:54pm
There will be an escorted processional from South Lake Tahoe to Placerville on Thursday to honor 21-year-old Mikey Hallenbeck. The young U.S. Forest Service firefighter, and Sierra-at-Tahoe employee, died while fighting his very first fire on Saturday
The U.S. Forest Service and cooperating fire agencies will escort Hallenbeck from the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe to his final resting place. The procession will start at approximately 10 a.m. and proceed westbound on Highway 50 up Echo Summit, through Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, down to Placerville. It is expected to end at 2 p.m.
Firefighter dies while fighting blaze near South Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Sun, 08/09/2015 - 8:08am
8:00 p.m. update 8/9/15
The 21 year-old firefighter who died in Saturday evening as he was working on the Sierra Fire has been identified as Michael Hallenbeck of Shingle Springs, CA.
Hallenbeck was a member of Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) Organized Crew 36.
Reform called for in funding of wildfire suppression efforts
Submitted by paula on Wed, 06/10/2015 - 3:10pm
Those of us living in the Sierra Nevada are well aware of the drought and of the growing threat of wildfires caused by dry conditions. Due to the threat of catastrophic wildfires in the West, three major players at the government level have called for reforms in the way the federal government funds wildfire suppression efforts.
Tahoe Douglas Fireman completes HAZMAT
Submitted by paula on Fri, 04/24/2015 - 9:45pm
T.C. Ghisletta of the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department just completed a four week HAZMAT course, earning his HAZMAT Technician certification and a spot on the Quad County HazMat Team. This is a specialized team from Douglas, Central Lyon, Carson City and Storey Counties.
Ghisletta began his career with the fire district in 2008 as a seasonal Wildland Firefighter/Crew Foreman with the Zephyr Fire Crew. He attended paramedic school with REMSA in 2012 and was promoted to a firefighter/paramedic in 2013.
Lake Tahoe Has Select Force of Wildland Firefighters
Submitted by paula on Wed, 07/09/2014 - 5:55pm
Lake Tahoe is now home to the Tallac Hotshots, a select force of 20 wildland firefighters from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU).
The group completed a demanding and extensive certification process on June 19, making them the first Interagency Hotshot Crew from Lake Tahoe.
Formerly the Tallac Hand Crew, the Tallac Hotshots join an exclusive group of roughly 2,000 firefighters across the country.
