Lexington Fire Department

As you move your clocks back an hour this weekend, don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and other home safety devices. Having working smoke detectors is a vital mission of the Lexington Fire Department, especially during Fire Prevention Month!

For 20 years, the Lexington Fire Department has hosted a Citizens Fire Academy, and on Wednesday, we celebrated Class 43 with 27 new graduates. This fun 8-week course gives you a behind-the-scenes look at all things LFD. If you're interested in attending our next class in the Spring of 2025, email us at [email protected] for more information.

Jennifer Tinsley Kubala, PhD, LAT, ATC, is dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of Lexington Firefighters through a proactive approach that includes early intervention, rehabilitation, and injury prevention. In a unique partnership with UK HealthCare, she serves as the Wellness Coordinator and Senior Athletic Trainer for the Lexington Fire Department. Her role enhances the health and well-being of Lexington Firefighters through Athletic Training services and clinical research. Dr. Tinsley Kubala's expertise in injury prevention and rehabilitation through a person-centered approach is the cornerstone of her work. She aims to promote firefighter health and well-being through early intervention and management of musculoskeletal health and clinical research efforts. Dr. Tinsley Kubala is dedicated to keeping our firefighters serving Lexington in the best possible health.

District Chief Chris Warren, Captain Nick Bodkin, Firefighter Jordan Brown, and Firefighter Kelley Harris of the Lexington Fire Department recently returned from deployments as part of separate teams to assist in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. District Chief Warren deployed to Haywood County, North Carolina, as part of an Incident Management Team, and for nearly two weeks, he was critical in managing successful search, rescue, and recovery operations.

Captain Bodkin, FF Brown, and FF Harris were deployed as part of Ohio Task Force 1 , performing search and rescue operations for Hurricane Helene in Florida, then western North Carolina as they experienced catastrophic flooding, and redeployed to Florida as Hurricane Milton made landfall. In total, they spent almost three weeks on deployment assisting those in need.

With their years of experience and remarkable bravery, all four firefighters played pivotal roles in search and rescue efforts, protecting and helping our neighbors in the aftermath of these historically destructive storms. Their unwavering commitment to service in the face of natural disasters truly exemplifies the bravery and professionalism of your Lexington Fire Department.

Today we remember and honor Fire Chief Louis A. Travis, who died on this day in 1947. Chief Louis died in his office, at Fire Station #1, at 9:00 a.m. He was 70 years old.

We would like to thank Kentucky American Water for their generous contribution to the Lexington Fire Department through the 2024 Kentucky American Water Firefighting Support Grant. Your support plays a vital role in enhancing our firefighting capabilities and ensuring the safety of our community. We appreciate your commitment to public safety and partnership with our department.

We are proud to announce two new engines entering service in downtown Lexington! Seagrave Fire Apparatus manufactured both engines, and each comes equipped with Cummins L9 diesel engines, Capitol cabs, Waterous 1250 gallon-per-minute pumps, and an internal 750-gallon water tank, delivered by Fire & Specialty Equipment Company. They are replacing Engine 1 and Engine 5, each a 2004 model, which will become reserve apparatus. Thank you, City of Lexington, Ky - Government, for your investment in the public safety of Fayette County. Both engines will be pushed into service tomorrow morning at Fire Station 1 for Engine 1 and Fire Station 5 for Engine 5.

October is Fire prevention month. These photos are from a few of the structure fire calls our members have made over the past several weeks. We want to take this time and encourage anyone living in Fayette county to make sure they have working smoke detectors in their homes. The LFD will come to your home and install smoke detectors free of charge. You can call 859-231-5662 to schedule an appointment.

Today we remember and honor Lieutenant Estill B. Rickerson, who died on this day in 1971. As Engine 9 was backing into the station, Lt. Estill collapsed and died, despite the efforts of his fellow firefighters. He was 40 years old.

Join us in congratulating Firefighter Meade and Firefighter Gilbert on their engagement! These two incredible individuals first met in recruit class and have since continued their journey together as paramedic students. We wish you good luck in paramedic class, success in your careers, and many years of wedded bliss.

Our Lexington Firefighter Challenge Team guys and gals brought home the hardware, placing in 6 of 9 categories at the Firefighter Challenge Championship Series—Nationals in Hoover, Al. Our lady's team won the relay, another National Championship, with FF Hensley, FF Lucas, FF Spanyer, and FF Sarah McGill- and FF McGill remains the National Champion. Our guys brought it, too, winning in the Over 50 relay with FF Barnott and the Hybrid Relay with FF Cook. Congratulations to each of you and Good luck at the World Championships down in Nashville!

It was a busy day yesterday. More than double our normal call volume, which means employees all over City of Lexington, Ky - Government were busy. 3rd Platoon did an excellent job handling 400 plus runs in 24 hours.

Be careful and weather aware today!

Wind gusts are expected to be strongest around 1:00 p.m. today. Stay inside and away from any windows. Watch out for falling tree limbs, flying debris, and down power lines due to the winds. Never touch a down power line! If a line is down and arcing or on a building, call 911. If the line is down and not touching anything, please report it to the utility company.

This past Saturday, the Lexington Fire Department held training on Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) tactics. The training focused on skills for locating and extracting victims from collapsed structures and using specialized equipment to perform those tasks.
Today, 3 members of LFD's special operations team were deployed with Urban Search and Rescue Ohio Task Force 1 to assist in response efforts related to Hurricane Helene.
The Lexington Fire Department remains dedicated to maintaining readiness to serve our community and assist where needed.

Lexington's Wildland Fire Group enjoyed the beautiful weather this past weekend and a joint training session with the Kentucky Army National Guard. Both agencies worked together training for potential wildfires, coordinating water drops and pickups, and training to mitigate potentially challenging fire scenarios. Thank you to The 238th Wildcat Dustoff, the 147th Renegades Aviation Assault Co, and the 376th Shadow S&S Aviation companies for your support and expertise.

It's Child Passenger Safety Week! The Lexington Fire Department is committed year-round to helping our community and its most vulnerable residents stay safe. We have four stations dedicated to ensuring you install your car seat correctly; call 859-231-5662 to schedule a car seat check. Or if you'd like to drop in Safe Kids Fayette County has a free car seat checkup event this Saturday at 2333 Alumni Park Plaza.

Yesterday, Engine 19 responded to a vehicle fire, utilizing foam to extinguish the blaze. The foam creates a protective blanket over the fire, cutting off oxygen and cooling the flames.

Today, the Lexington Fire Department joins the nation in remembering the victims of the September 11th attacks. Their loss and heroism remind us of the strength and unity that define us. We honor their memory by dedicating ourselves to protecting and serving our community with the same bravery and commitment. Let us never forget the lessons learned and the lives lost on that fateful day.

We had a fantastic evening celebrating the incredible careers of our Lexington Fire retirees. The dinner was a heartwarming tribute to their years of dedicated service and bravery. We also recognize the support and sacrifice made by the families of retirees. Thank you to LexLive for hosting this annual event. It was a pleasure to come together as a community and honor our heroes.

In a notable and heartwarming event for the Lexington Fire Department, District Chief Brian Dawson and his son, Probationary Firefighter Travis Dawson, recently found themselves working a fire scene together. But it wasn't too long ago that Travis and his sister Madison would visit their father at the fire station. Seeing the Dawsons work side by side and come full circle is special. Now, Travis is the one who entertains visits from his children at the firehouse. Witnessing this family's journey from childhood visits to life-saving missions is humbling. Their story is a powerful reminder of the legacy we all contribute to and the importance of passing down our values to the next generation. Together, we continue to build a stronger, more resilient community united in our mission to protect and serve.

On this Labor Day, the Lexington Fire Department extends our heartfelt gratitude to all those who contribute tirelessly to our community. Your dedication and hard work are truly appreciated and make a profound difference. We hope you enjoy a well- deserved day of rest and celebration!

On Wednesday, September 11, we will mark the 23rd anniversary of the tragic 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. The Lexington Fire Department remains committed to honoring the memory of the 343 FDNY firefighters and countless others who made the ultimate sacrifice that day and in the years following. To commemorate their bravery, we will host a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Kroger Field on the University of Kentucky campus. Please find the event flyer attached; we encourage you to register for the event at a fee of $25, which includes a commemorative t-shirt. Registration can be completed by scanning the QR code on the flyer or by visiting https://lexingtonfof.regfox.com/2024-lexington-911-memorial-stair-climb. Gates will open at 6:00 PM, with climbing commencing at 7:00 PM. We look forward to your participation in this meaningful tribute

This past weekend, the LFD proudly participated in the Fundraiser Walk to Defeat ALS, rallying in support for the O'Nan family and countless others affected by this challenging disease.
We were honored to contribute to such a cause and grateful for the opportunity to stand alongside families and friends in this fight. Thank you to everyone who joined us and supported this meaningful cause.