News Releases

This morning, at 0920 hrs, crews from the Chattanooga Fire Dept responded to 1800 Rossville Ave. on a commercial fire. Engine #5, Ladder #5, Engine #3, Squad #20, Engine #9, Engine #4, Squad #1, Engine #14, Battalion #1 and #2 responded. Engine #5 and Ladder #5 arrived on scene and reported smoke visible from the front and rear of the building. Crews stretched handlines into the structure and made a quick knockdown on the fire. The fire damage was contained to the single business (The Chattery) with smoke damage to several neighboring buildings. There were no injuries and the cause is under investigation.

Firefighter Sean Bruseo and Firefighter Kenneth Coffee (both Station 1 Blue Shift) received Life Saving Medals for their work on a recent fire scene. On July 12, 2024, they rescued a woman who had been burned from smoking in bed while on oxygen. At 11 PM on 7/12/24, CFD Blue Shift companies responded to an automatic alarm at 500 W Martin Luther Blvd (Jaycee Towers) and saw smoke coming from a resident’s apartment. Firefighters found the victim on the floor and flames on her bed. They rescued the woman and extinguished the fire. The victim was transported to the hospital by Hamilton County EMS with burns on her stomach and leg. FF Bruseo and FF Coffee took significant steps to mitigate a potentially life-threatening event. Their quick response and swift action directly resulted in saving a life. The department and city thank them for their hard work and service.

Congratulations to Fire Academy 2024! A class of 23 cadets made it through our six-month long fire academy to become the newest members of the Chattanooga Fire Department. They successfully completed Emergency Medical Technician training and learned about all of the different aspects of the fire service from other highly skilled, veteran firefighters. Our Training Division taught them about fire department operations, fire attack, fire growth & development, fire suppression, and search & rescue techniques. They’ve also mastered a number of skills like hazardous materials response, vehicle extrication, rope rescues, ventilation, and survival tactics- whether they have to save a fellow downed firefighter or save themselves from a fire should they ever become trapped, disoriented, or separated from their crew.

"This is yet another outstanding fire academy," said Chattanooga Fire Chief Phil Hyman. "I see talent, perseverance, and a lot of skill being added to our department. It's good to see this group put forth the effort that they have throughout this entire academy. They've worked incredibly hard to get here and we know they're well-prepared to help their community. It's an outstanding bunch and they're going to carry the torch for our fire department and make the best firefighters for the next generation."

This class is a diverse group, composed of men and women eager to serve the citizens of Chattanooga and respond to emergencies. This was a unique fire academy, as the CFD's new training tower is currently under construction. The cadets traveled to several different locations, including the Catoosa County Fire Department's training grounds, to learn how to do the job safely and effectively. Congrats and welcome to the CFD!

The Chattanooga Fire Department responded to Siskin Steel and Supply Company (1901 Riverfront Parkway) at 11:12 PM on 7/22/23 after a forklift flipped over. The battery was on fire, leaking acid. Firefighters put soda ash on the battery to neutralize the acid and contain the spill of approximately 40 gallons. CFD’s Special Division and multiple Green Shift companies responded to the scene. Workers were evacuated. There were no injuries. Several Green Shift crews were already on another call late Monday night at the Development Resource Center (1250 Market Street) where they extinguished a fire found in the walls. The center was closed for several days following the fire.