Rigorous assessment validates Dickinson's expertise with Chief Fire Officer designation

Story by Eric Kowal February 19, 2026 at 12:46PM PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - In a testament to years of dedication, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to public safety, Charles J (CJ) Dickinson II, Picatinny Arsenal Fire Department (PAFD) Battalion Chief of Special Operations, has earned the esteemed Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC).

NSA Bahrain Fire Department & Civilian Firefighter Win Regional Awards

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Zachary Shea February 18, 2026 at 05:39AM Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain’s Fire and Emergency Services Department (FESD) was selected as 2025 Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central (CNREURAFCENT) Fire Department of the Year (Small). Additionally, NSA Bahrain firefighter Ahmed Dakhail was selected as 2025 CNREURAFCENT Civilian Firefighter of the Year. NSA Bahrain’s FESD and Dakhail were selected for this award after competing with nine installations and numerous smaller commands throughout the Region.

NSA Bahrain Fire Department & Civilian Firefighter Win Regional Awards

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Zachary Shea February 18, 2026 at 05:39AM Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain’s Fire and Emergency Services Department (FESD) was selected as 2025 Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central (CNREURAFCENT) Fire Department of the Year (Small). Additionally, NSA Bahrain firefighter Ahmed Dakhail was selected as 2025 CNREURAFCENT Civilian Firefighter of the Year. NSA Bahrain’s FESD and Dakhail were selected for this award after competing with nine installations and numerous smaller commands throughout the Region.

MCAAP’s fire safety education prevents tragedy

Story by Julia Hawkins February 10, 2026 at 09:46AM A five-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero after he used a vital fire safety technique to save himself during a frightening backyard accident. Dawson Wright, who suffered burns after his clothes caught fire, remembered the "stop, drop, and roll" lesson taught by the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Fire Department, an action that likely prevented more severe injuries. The MCAAP Fire Department’s public education team visits numerous schools every October, teaching thousands of children crucial fire safety lessons through memorable methods like puppets, songs, and live demonstrations. In recognition of his bravery, the MCAAP Fire Department honored Dawson with a "hero's welcome" on January 30. He was picked up in a fire engine, presented with a custom fire helmet and cake, and made an honorary member of the department, reinforcing the powerful connection between the community and its protectors.

Fort McCoy firefighters provide mutual aid support to fire in Tomah

Story by Scott Sturkol February 05, 2026 at 06:23PM Firefighters with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department responded to a mutual aid call for a fire response Jan. 25 of a structure fire in Tomah, Wis.

Fort McCoy firefighters provide mutual aid support to fire in Tomah

Story by Scott Sturkol February 05, 2026 at 06:23PM Firefighters with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department responded to a mutual aid call for a fire response Jan. 25 of a structure fire in Tomah, Wis.

USAG Stuttgart Fire Department blazes a trail with double win

Story by Balmina Sehra January 30, 2026 at 09:23AM U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart is all fired up after receiving the news that their fire department won Fire Department of the Year in the Small category. The award honors the exceptional performance of fire departments with fewer than three firefighting teams across Europe.

Ready, Exercise: MCB Camp Pendleton Conducts CPX II, a Hazardous Materials Training Exercise

Story by Cpl. Jacqueline Akamelu January 29, 2026 at 04:59PM Semper Durus is an annual interagency training exercise designed to strengthen regional defense, test anti-terrorism measures, and ensure personnel safety against evolving threats across Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Before, during, and after Semper Durus, agencies aboard the installation maintain readiness and response effectiveness through targeted training exercises focused on specific areas. With the focus on response effectiveness, partnering agencies across the installation participated in Command Post Exercise II at MCB Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 28, 2026. The intent of CPX II was to combine the efforts of various agencies across Marine Corps Installations West to exercise staff actions in response to a simulated contamination of the installation’s food supply. This included verifying the safety and security of food sources and their delivery, identifying the impact of food delivery interruptions, determining required response actions to re-establish safe food distribution, and exercising the Camp Pendleton Fire Department’s hazardous materials response procedures.

A Legacy of Service: Firefighter's son answers the call to a different uniform

Story by Eric Kowal January 29, 2026 at 04:15PM PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – In many ways, the worlds of a firefighter and a Soldier are intertwined. Both require a unique blend of courage, discipline, and a profound sense of duty. They are professions where the well-being of others is paramount, where teamwork is not just a concept, but a lifeline.

From Culinary to Commissioned: Cadet Deandre Wright’s Army Journey

Story by Staff Sgt. Lindiwe Henry January 27, 2026 at 12:31PM It is 8:30 in the morning, and the scent of grilled bacon, green peppers, onions, omelets, and warm buttered biscuits wafts through the Oldtown Fire Station. Soldiers, firefighters, and paramedics sit around the large table, discussing their current favorite television shows, swapping mission stories, and whatever else floats into conversation. Specialty omelets and breakfast sandwiches sizzle on the black top grill, as Soldiers eagerly await their personally prepared breakfasts, courtesy of Cadet Deandre Wright, who brought his culinary specialist training to Oldtown, also known as the Thomas J. Burke Fire Station.

445th SFS Airman to be honored as firefighter of year

Story by Capt. Rachel Ingram January 22, 2026 at 03:13PM Tech. Sgt. Jake McCorkle, 445th Security Forces Squadron assistant noncommissioned officer in charge of Security Forces training, is scheduled to be recognized by Columbus Division of Fire as a firefighter of the year Feb. 13, during the agency’s 36th annual awards banquet.

140th Wing firefighter deploys K9 rescue team for Texas flood

Story by Tech. Sgt. Chance Johnson January 14, 2026 at 10:56AM While most of the U.S. was celebrating Independence Day with friends and family, the Guadalupe River was experiencing a devastating flash flood in Kerr County, Texas, July 4, 2025. The river rose over 20 feet in just a few hours, claiming the lives of more than 100 people and destroying countless homes in the process.

When USAG Ansbach Fire Department responds to off-post emergencies

Story by Jacqueline Haderlein January 14, 2026 at 07:12AM ANSBACH, Germany — The new year began hot and smoky for the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach Fire Department, which responded to an emergency call on New Year’s Eve from the garrison’s host-nation city partner, Ansbach. Just 30 minutes into 2026, a fire destroyed a multi-family residence, displacing 40 renters.

USAG Rheinland-Pfalz and German Firefighter joint training strengthens community safety

Story by January 13, 2026 at 07:56AM U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz’ Sembach fire station collaborated with the German Volunteer Fire Department in nearby Winnweiler to conduct a combined structural fire exercise on Sembach Kaserne, Dec. 1, 2025.

USAG Rheinland-Pfalz and German Firefighter joint training strengthens community safety

Story by January 13, 2026 at 07:56AM U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz’ Sembach fire station collaborated with the German Volunteer Fire Department in nearby Winnweiler to conduct a combined structural fire exercise on Sembach Kaserne, Dec. 1, 2025.

Boots on the Ground: March Firefighters Answer the Call in the Eaton Fire

Story by Jena Calvitti January 06, 2026 at 03:14PM Air Force civil engineer firefighters from March Air Reserve Base deployed as part of a Type I strike team to support local firefighting operations during the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena, California, in January 2025. Integrated under local command, the Airmen supported fire suppression and infrastructure protection efforts as part of the multiagency response to the wildfire.

FTIG first responders recognized for saving woman's life

Story by Sgt. Kayden Bedwell December 30, 2025 at 01:22PM Three Fort Indiantown Gap firefighters and a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper were awarded the Emergency Health Services Federation Clinic Save Award Dec. 30 for saving a woman's life after a motor vehicle accident.

CFAS Conducts Joint Firefighting Drill with Sasebo City Fire Department

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Kristen Yarber December 29, 2025 at 01:17AM Firefighters from Commander, Navy Region Japan (CNRJ) Fire and Emergency Services Sasebo and the Sasebo City Fire Department conducted a joint training high-rise structural firefighting drill inside Kiku Tower at the Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS) Hario Housing Area in Sasebo, Japan, Dec. 8, 2025.

CFAS Conducts Joint Firefighting Drill with Sasebo City Fire Department

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Kristen Yarber December 29, 2025 at 01:17AM Firefighters from Commander, Navy Region Japan (CNRJ) Fire and Emergency Services Sasebo and the Sasebo City Fire Department conducted a joint training high-rise structural firefighting drill inside Kiku Tower at the Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS) Hario Housing Area in Sasebo, Japan, Dec. 8, 2025.

NAS Pensacola MWR, Fire Department Spread Holiday Chee

Story by Garrett Dipuma December 24, 2025 at 01:18PM Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) partnered with Fire and Emergency Services Gulf Coast (F&ESGC) to deliver holiday gifts Dec. 24 to residents living onboard NAS Pensacola and Corry Station.