Building Fires in North Shore More Frequent Than Past Years

Fire Chief Robert Whitaker was unable to pinpoint a particular reason, but 2012 should have more building fires than any year in recent history.

Building fires in the North Shore Fire Department region are up dramatically from last year and are on pace to be the highest total in years. Fire officials haven't been able to pinpoint a common cause. They also say the building fires are not clustered in any one geographic area among their seven communities. "Nationally, some communities are seeing a rise in people starting houses on fire intentionally because they can't afford to keep them anymore and are trying to get rid of the property, but we haven't seen that," Fire Chief Robert Whitaker said. The causes of the building fires are "all mixed up," Whitaker said. "Lightning strikes, and so on." Meanwhile, medical calls are down, and the department is still on pace to handle roughly …

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NSFD Veteran Retires after 30 Years

Battalion Chief Jeff Weigand was instrumental in fire department consolidation and a well-respected leader.

After 30 years of protecting North Shore communities — first in Fox Point and then as a member of the North Shore Fire Department  — Battalion Chief Jeff Weigand is retiring. As a battalion chief, Weigand oversaw firefighters at five different stations within the NSFD. Chief Robert Whitaker said Weigand didn't just do his job – he excelled. “He was a great emergency scene manager and was able to quickly process information and think on his feet,” Whitaker said, adding that Weigand wasn’t the kind of supervisor to shy away from difficult issues either, and preferred to challenge them head-on. “Jeff worked great with others and was always willing to talk about issues and discuss them.” While his official last day will be Sept. 9, Weigand, 53…

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NSFD Reports: Fires at the Portico's, Stuck in an Elevator and Woman Hits Police Car

The latest reports from the North Shore Fire Department.

The North Shore Fire Department responded to a total of 131 calls for service, 99 EMS calls, and 32 fire and rescue calls from May 16 to 22 throughout the North Shore. Here is a summary of the calls from Fox Point, Bayside, Whitefish Bay and Shorewood. Fox Point Whitefish Bay

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NSFD Report: Arcing Power Lines, Malfunctioning Wheelchairs

The latest reports from the North Shore Fire Department.

The North Shore Fire Department responded to a total of 119 calls for service, 73 EMS calls, and 46 fire and rescue calls from May 8 to 14 throughout the North Shore. Here is a summary of the calls from Fox Point, Bayside, Whitefish Bay and Shorewood. Fox Point Bayside Whitefish Bay Shorewood

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Fire Department Discourse

Spring into Grilling Season with These Safety Tips

Both gas and charcoal grills can be dangerous, check out these tips from the NSFD.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) U.S. Fire Departments responded to an average of 7,900 home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues per year. Gas Grills Check the gas cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. A light soap and water solution applied to the hose will quickly reveal escaping propane by releasing bubbles. If you determine your grill has a gas leak, by smell or the soapy bubble test, and there is no flame: If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not attempt to move the grill. All gas cylinders manufactured after April 2002 must have overfill protection devices (OPD). PDs shut off the flow of gas before …

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