Gainesville Texas Fire-Rescue

08/22/2026

Thank you, Red River Rotary Texas, for the invitation! It was great to meet local Rotarians and share some of the work Gainesville Fire-Rescue is doing in Emergency Management and Community Risk Reduction (CRR). We appreciate the opportunity to connect with our community and talk about how preparedness, prevention, and education help make Gainesville safer. 🚒

08/21/2026

𝙂𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚-𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝-𝘼𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚;
𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙨

On August 17 at approximately 9:46 pm, Gainesville Fire-Rescue responded to a fourth-alarm structure fire in the 3000 block of Columbus St.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a two-story residence with heavy fire and smoke showing. Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire while conducting a search of the residence. During the search, firefighters located two cats on the first floor and one dog on the second floor. Sadly, all three pets were deceased.

Following an investigation, the fire was determined to be accidental and most likely caused by a discarded cigarette that ignited combustible materials on the back porch. The home was a complete loss.

Three occupants were displaced by the fire. The local chapter of the American Red Cross was contacted to assist the family with immediate needs.

Unintentional fires can happen quickly. This is a reminder to fully extinguish smoking materials and keep them away from anything combustible.

*Photo credit Texas_Responds_144Q

👉 Please see the attached press release for full details and important fire-safety reminders.
https://gainesville.tx.us/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/716

08/19/2026

Congratulations to Tamara Sieger, our Employee of the Month for June (yup, we are a little behind in the awards 😅)! 🏆 The recognition was presented at the August 4th City Council meeting.

As the City’s Emergency Management & Community Risk Specialist, Tamara is often doing important work behind the scenes, and its impact reaches across our organization.

From helping Gainesville, Texas Fire-Rescue explore new shift schedules aimed at recruitment, retention, and employee well-being to helping lead the department’s transition to the new National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), Tamara tackles complex projects with dedication, positivity, and a commitment to making things better.

Thank you, Tamara, for your hard work and service to Gainesville! 👏🥳

08/17/2026

The best events are always the ones where City Staff collaborate with each other and the community, and these high temps and heat advisories over the next few days are really making us miss General Swim. ☀️🥵

Gainesville Fire-Rescue hosted Splash, Stories, and Safety in June, in collaboration with Gainesville Parks & Recreation and Cook Children's and help from the Gainesville Texas Police Department and the Cooke County Sheriff's Office. With a special appearance from CareFlite, it was a true safety-first event!

With school back in full swing, we don't have the lifeguard staffing needed to keep our pool open safely for General Swim. We also just don't have the demand (not even on the weekends-- we tried!).

And here are some other ways to help you beat the heat:

💧 Drink water regularly (don’t wait until you’re thirsty!).
🚿 Take a cool shower or bath.
🧊 Use cool, wet cloths on your skin.
🌳 Stick to the shade when you have to be outside.
🕐 Save outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day when possible.
👕 Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Check on your neighbors, especially older adults and people who live alone.

And we're already gearing up for our next fun things for the community with Country Night 2026 at GTX Farmers Market 🤠, Frankie Fright Express 🎃, the Gainesville Wine & Country Festival 🍷, Frankie's Festival of Lights 🎄, and more!

Let us know in the comments: do you prefer fall festivities🍂 or a winter wonderland❄️?

08/14/2026

Thank you, Caroline Kellam KTEN for interviewing Captain Randy Prestage and featuring Gainesville Fire-Rescue’s Swiftwater Rescue Team and their recent deployment to Central Texas as part of Texas A&M Task Force 1.

We appreciate the opportunity to highlight the dedication of our team and the important work they performed while assisting communities impacted by severe flooding.

Gainesville Fire-Rescue's Swift Water Rescue Team, created after 2007 flooding, continues to support Central Texas flood emergencies, showcasing their vital role in regional disaster response and citizen safety under the leadership of Capt. Randy Prestage.

08/14/2026

📢👜 Sneak Peek Alert! 👜📢

The excitement is building for the 15th Annual Power of the Purse, and we're giving you a glimpse of just a few more of the amazing purses that have been donated for this year's event!

A huge thank you to the Gainesville Fire/Rescue Department for helping us showcase these fabulous auction items alongside members of our Power of the Purse Committee. We are incredibly grateful for the community support that helps make this event such a success year after year.

From designer-inspired styles to unique one-of-a-kind finds, these purses are just a small preview of what will be available on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the Gainesville Civic Center.

🎟️ Tickets are $75
🕠 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Trust us... you don't want to miss this event! Gather your friends, enjoy a fun evening out, and support a great cause while bidding on some incredible purses and prizes.

Get your tickets today and be part of the celebration at the 15th Annual Power of the Purse!

👜✨🚒❤️

08/11/2026

𝙂𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚-𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝-𝘼𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚; 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙈𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚

On August 6th, 2026 at approximately 4:45 a.m., Gainesville Fire-Rescue responded to a fourth-alarm structure fire in the 400 block of Hillside Drive.

Firefighters arrived to find a single-story residence with fire showing through the roof and occupants trapped inside. Crews rescued two adults from the home. One adult male was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. One adult female was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and subsequently transferred by CareFlite to a regional hospital for treatment. The residence was a complete loss, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Smoke alarms were present and operated but failed to alert the occupants.

During the rescue, firefighters encountered an additional challenge when attempting to rescue occupants through a bedroom window. The bedroom window opening was not large enough to safely remove the occupants. Crews had to remove the window frame to create a sufficient opening.

⚠️ 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑: Every bedroom needs a safe secondary way out.

Bedroom escape windows should be properly sized, fully operational and able to open from the inside without special tools, keys or knowledge. Make sure bedroom windows are not painted or sealed shut, blocked by furniture or otherwise obstructed.

This is especially important when remodeling, converting a garage or other space, or adding a bedroom.

Smoke alarms provide early warning. A safe, accessible secondary exit provides a way out. Both are critical to bedroom fire safety.

Read the full press release and additional fire-safety information at the link below.
https://gainesville.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/12798/Structure-Fire-400-blk-Hillside-Dr-081126?bidId=

08/09/2026

We are proud to support Cooke County United Way!