
05/20/2022
Congratulations to NFR’s newest Rescue Company member, FAO Chris Shields! Chris was the Operator of E07- C shift, so now he’ll slide over one spot to his new position on R01- C. Good work, Chris- welcome to Special Operations!
Department of Fire-Rescue for the City of Norfolk, Virginia Today the NFR is comprised of over 500 diverse, dedicated professionals who protect a 66 square mile urban city with a population of approximately 250,000, which swells to over 350,000 during the workday.
The NFR responds to an average of 39,000 emergency incidents each year from 14 fire-rescue stations strategically located throughout the city. The NFR also provides a host of community and support services from its Offices of Administrative Services, Public Affairs, Fire Marshal, Occupational Safety and Health, Training, and Special Operations.
Operating as usual
Congratulations to NFR’s newest Rescue Company member, FAO Chris Shields! Chris was the Operator of E07- C shift, so now he’ll slide over one spot to his new position on R01- C. Good work, Chris- welcome to Special Operations!
This week, May 15-21, NFR celebrates National EMS Week! So much of what we do every day involves EMS treatment and transport, so this week we honor all those who work tirelessly to provide care to their communities! Thank you #EMTs, #paramedics, #firefighters for all you do, this week, AND the other 51 weeks of the year!
#bestcareerever #emsweek2022
Congratulations goes out to all 24 members of the Virginia Fire Marshal Academy 43rd Session of Basic Law Enforcement School! These candidates completed over 400 hours of training in the 10-week course at the Virginia Public Safety Training Center in Hanover, VA. Among them is NFR Captain Victor Phillips. Captain Phillips represented NFR well and also served as the group’s class president. Fire Chief John DiBacco, Chief Fire Marshal Nick Nelson and Battalion Chief Priscilla Parker were all able to attend the ceremony as well.
Captain Phillips, congratulations, and job well done!!!
Big news from NFR’s Training Division! Tuesday night, May 10, 2022, after nine long months of training, 21 recruits walked across our stage and officially joined the ranks as Norfolk Fire-Rescue firefighters! HRFA Class 41 began in August 2021, and by Wednesday morning, they were already reporting for duty at their assigned stations.
Some of the awards presented to the group:
Valedictorian- FF Shae Johnson
Most Athletic- FF Lloyd Britt
Most Improved- FF Carmen Morganti
Peer Award- FF James Hay
Instructors Award- FF Brian Seimetz
Chris Whelan Award- FF Halley Atkinson
Vice President- FF Joshua Sowa
President- FF Derek Spitz
To the newest members of Norfolk Fire-Rescue, congratulations on a job well done! Welcome to the “family”- continue to learn, to listen, and to strive for success… this is JUST the beginning!
Best of luck in your new assignments!
“Dig Deep”
#bestcareerever #firedepartmentfamily
NFR is back at it today for day four of O2X Human Performance: Tactical Athlete Training & Education!! It’s been a great week of information and team building for these members! What’s your 1% change to a healthier life??
What an opportunity! NFR members going into day three of this week’s workshop with O2X Human Performance: Tactical Athlete Training & Education and First Responder Center for Excellence. We are committed to improving and maintaining our physical and mental health!
What do these two logos have in common?? You’ll find them both at the Kroc Center all week.
This week, May 9-13, a group of NFR members will be participating in a five-day training evolution sponsored by the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE) which will be run by O2X Human Performance.
O2X Human Performance has successfully trained thousands of first responders and collaborated with hundreds of public safety agencies nationwide to provide state-of-the-art training and education aimed specifically at helping first responders finish their careers as strong as they started.
Those attending will learn about nutrition, strength training, sleep, stress management, and resilience. O2X brings in top-notch coaches, specialists and experts all dedicated to helping first responders elevate their human performance.
Want to learn more? Visit O2X.com
This week marks #PublicServiceRecognitionWeek and today, in honor of #InternationalFirefightersDay, NFR recognizes the women and men who make up the Norfolk Fire-Rescue family. Much thanks to all who bravely wear the uniform each day and proudly serve the citizens of #norfolkva
If you would like to show your support of #FirefightersDay you can shine your RED light from your front porch or from your business tonight! Today, May 4, 2022, we honor all currently serving as well as those who have fallen before us. Light up the night in RED tonight!
#Shine4Firefighters #WeThankFFs
Just shy of 30 years of service with NFR, FAO Jim Shaw is working his final shift today. Fire Chief John DiBacco, among others, were able to slide over the bridge to Station 8 in Berkley to give him a proper farewell. Jim finishes his career as the Operator of Engine 8-A, but has split his 30 years of service to all three battalions, to include Stations 13 and 10. He’s not kicking back into retirement, though- he will just be wearing a new shield on his helmet. Jim, thank you for your dedication to the citizens of Norfolk. Best of luck down South!
Guess who’s been busy this week? HRFA Class 41, that’s who! This week they completed five days of live burns at the Virginia Beach Fire Department Burn Building, to even include a night burn. Long, exhausting days of evolutions turned out to be a huge success for this group, due to both their efforts, and those of the NFR Training Division. These recruits have worked for the last several months on their firefighting skills, and they were able to put them all to use here this week. Good work, recruits- you have learned well!
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see what City of Norfolk Government has to offer!! This Saturday, April 23rd, 10:00-2:00, at MacArthur Mall! You know we’ll be there!!
As we wind down on #NationalPublicSafetyTelecommunicatorsWeek NFR wants to give one more shout out to our #911dispatchers with Norfolk Department of Emergency Preparedness & Response!!! We thank you for your work in helping our whole team deliver the best service to our citizens of Norfolk!
#teamnorfolk #norfolkva #thingoldline
C Shift crews from the 1st Battalion went to work last night at this fire on W 30th St. Just after 11:20 pm, E02, E06, E07, L07, R01, M07, M02, BC01, Fire Car 1, FM1 and the FM Group arrived on scene to find heavy fire from the 2nd floor of the home, and immediately began fire attack. By 11:31 pm it was upgraded to a 2nd alarm which brought E01, E08, L01, and M01 to the scene.
They were able to safely rescue two dogs, and thankfully there were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. By 12:15 am they called fire control, and the investigation then began. The incident currently remains under investigation at this time.
Good stop, NFR.
Did you know???
Today, April 13, 2022, marks the 100th anniversary of the Great Berkley Fire which destroyed over 200 homes, 20 businesses, and two churches in the Berkley neighborhood of #norfolkva. The fire started in a vacant lumber mill and quickly spread throughout the rest of the neighborhood, assisted by strong southwest winds. While the fire caused nearly one million dollars’ worth of damage and left 500 families homeless, amazingly, no lives were lost.
Today, we remember the impact the fire had on the Berkley community- but we also recognize how the devastation banded a city together, with residents from other neighborhoods in Norfolk providing food and shelter to those who’d lost everything. We also acknowledge the brave firefighters from Norfolk and beyond who worked to put the flames out.
Happy National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week to our #911dispatchers with Norfolk Department of Emergency Preparedness & Response!!! This week, April 10-16, we celebrate YOU who are our "behind the scenes" heroes. Your voices are the lifeline which links us to the public, and we thank you for your dedication as public servants! You are the calm voice in any type of storm, and we appreciate you!
#calltakers #thingoldline
Two achievements to recognize today with NFR on this Friday! Lt. Carl Lee Throckmorton (9-C) and FF Matt Jones (1-C) recently completed the Hampton Roads Fire Officer Academy. This 10-month course consists of several National Fire Academy classes, practice assessment centers, and a final project and presentation assignment for completion of the academy. Fire Chief John DiBacco was pleased to present the two with their certificates. Congratulations , Lt. and Matt- keep up the good work!
#professionaldevelopment
#bestcareerever
Check out these 9⃣1⃣1⃣ stats from March 2022.
#Norfolk911 averaged 692 calls a day for Norfolk Police Department & Norfolk Fire-Rescue.
Special thanks to #NorfolkDEPR dispatchers for all you do for the City of Norfolk Government
Last year's stats: March 2021 ➡️ Police 18,329 & Fire-Rescue 4,343. Daily average 731.
Yesterday was a perfect day for our HRFA recruits to get outside and do some review work before they head into live burns next week. Eight months into the HRFA and they continue to drive forward, honing their skills so they are sufficiently prepared to come to the street in one short month. Keep pushing forward, Recruits! The hard work and long days are so worth it!
#bestcareerever #firefighterlife
Have you purchased your tickets yet? We are ONE day away from this event, and tickets sold at the door do not go toward benefitting the #GarySiniseFoundation, so buy your tickets online now!!!
Are you 🏒🚔 #teamblue or 🏒🚒#TeamRed??????? (GOOOOO #TeamRed!!!)
A common phrase in the fire service is often “expect the unexpected.” This morning E10, L10 and M10 were called out for a vehicle fire and arrived to find this city garbage truck ablaze on Piping Rock Rd. Downed power lines on scene created an additional hazard for the driver and NFR crews. Fire was contained to just the garbage truck, but the one vehicle generated a significant amount of smoke in the neighborhood. Good work, NFR.
A shift crews made quick work of this attached garage fire this brisk spring morning on W. Bay Ave. E13, E15, Navy E13, L13, R02, M13, BC03, BC02 and FM 100 and 200 responded to this reported fire at 8:17 am and on arrival found smoke showing from the attached garage. They began an interior attack of the garage and were able to prevent it from extending to the rest of the home. There were no injuries and they were able to call fire control by 8:56. Unfortunately, due to some utilities damage, the four occupants will be displaced and are being assisted by Red Cross. Good stop, NFR!
The weekend was quite a busy one for C shift crews in Ocean View. Early Sunday morning at 12:27 am crews were dispatched for a reported structure fire in the 2600 block of Pretty Lake Ave. E09, E13, E14, E15, E16, NavyE13, L13, L14, R02, M16, BC03, BC02 and the FM Group arrived to find heavy fire from the back side of the duplex at 2603/2605 Pretty Lake. They immediately began a defensive attack of the structure, and it was upgraded to a 2nd alarm by 12:37 am to provide more master streams. By 1:19 am they were able to call fire control. Thankfully, there were no occupants home at the time, and one firefighter was evaluated at the scene for minor injuries, with no transport to the hospital. Concluding the investigation by the FM, it was determined to be accidental, and a result of an unattended cooking source. There was one exposure with some heat damage to the exterior, but crews did a great job of preventing the spread of this much fire to additional exposures.
Wind certainly played a role in the structure fire for C shift crews today. At 2:41 this afternoon, E01, E02, E04, E07, E11, L01, L07, R01, Hazmat 1, M02, BC01, and BC03 responded to 1101 E 26th St for a reported fire. On arrival, they found three vehicles involved, and the fire had extended to the structure as well. With an aggressive attack, along with some firefighting foam to the vehicles, they were able to prevent extension to any additional exposures. Fire control was called at 3:28.
There were no injuries, but there was significant damage to the structure and the vehicles. The FM group also responded and is conducting their investigation now.
Good work, crews. The wind and conditions could have escalated this incident significantly.
If you know anything about the fire service, you may know how much we all appreciate a delicious meal, especially one that is prepared for us so graciously by others. Recently, two fire stations were fortunate enough to be the recipients of this act.
Chef Emmalee Zimmerman is completing her culinary internship and elected to cook for fire stations as a way to honor her brother, fallen FDNY firefighter and Marine, Christopher Slutman. Emmalee grew up with siblings in the fire service, and she understands the culture and importance behind firehouse meals. She visited Fire Station 14 and Fire Station 1, two of our largest stations, and prepared healthy and delicious meals for all crews. At the same time, she was able to share some great stories and honor her brother Chris.
Thank you, Emmalee, for your hard work, and your willingness to please some of the hardest critics- firefighters!
Check out these added pregame events!!!
#bestcareerever
Fire Chief John DiBacco had the pleasure of visiting two stations to officially swear in two more promotions for NFR recently. Lt. Russ Christian joined the ranks of officers and will remain at Fire Station #7 on the C shift.
Captain Corey Wade will remain on the B shift and has currently been serving the citizens of Norfolk at Fire Station #12, though his permanent assignment will be Fire Station #6. Congratulations again, gentlemen!
The location and geography of an incident can create a whole new set of challenges for the fire service during an emergency. Last night, crews from the first battalion A shift were met with these challenges when they arrived to find smoke showing from a water vessel at Colonna’s Shipyard. E01, E02, E08, E12 (with the MIRT truck), Chesapeake E01, L08, Boat01, M08, R01, BC01, BC02, Car 1, Car 3 and the FM Group all responded to the 100’ tugboat and encountered fire below the deck. Long hose lays and access to the fire were two of the challenges to get this fire under control. Consistent monitoring of the waterways was also a priority. With the assistance of Chesapeake Fire Department and their firefighting foam, crews were able to call fire control at 11:59 pm, just over 2 1/2 hours after the call was dispatched. The incident remains under investigation with the Fire Marshal group. Good work, NFR. Thanks to Chesapeake Fire Department and also to Virginia Beach Fire Department for your backfill assistance when we had multiple incidents working during this time.
100 Brooke Ave, Ste 500
Norfolk, VA
23510
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Norfolk Fire-Rescue posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Norfolk Fire-Rescue welcomed 50 new recruits to the Hampton Roads Fire Academy this morning. They were sworn in by Fire Chief John DiBacco. He encouraged them to give their very best everyday. These recruits are a combination of individuals with prior EMT experience and some without. Today they began an almost 9 month training academy lead by an exceptional staff.
"Have you seen this individual? The Norfolk Fire Marshal's Office would like information regarding the person in this video which was taken shortly before a fire started at a residence located on Redgate Ave. on May 31st. If you think you might have seen this person, please contact the Norfolk Fire Marshal's Office at 757-664-6604."
Happy 96th Birthday to retired Captain Charlie Britt. Chesapeake Fire Department and Norfolk Fire-Rescue payed a special visit to help him celebrate. Captain Britt joined then, Norfolk Fire Department September 12, 1944 and dedicated over 40 years toCity of Norfolk Government. After retirement he volunteered at NFR’s training division to assist recruits with EMT practical lessons. Thank you sir! Enjoy your birthday!
Vent-Enter-Search techniques are the focus of the training. The recruits enter the structure in areas that will likely have occupants that need rescue. This tactic is quick and offers the best chance at saving lives.
NFR units were called to 394 W Ocean View Ave around 1:47 this morning for a commercial fire. Crews were met with heavy smoke and flames on arrival. A defensive attack was initiated early in the incident.
Today was probably the warmest day of live burns for HRRFA Norfolk Fire-Rescue recruits. The training evolutions simulated basement fires. The recruits entered the burn building on the second floor and made their way downstairs to extinguish fire and rescue victims (mannequins) from the all three floors. This training is truly intense but merely simulates real life situations.
Little Creek Elementary School Career Expo partnered with members of the U.S. Military, Norfolk Police Department and Norfolk Fire-Rescue yesterday to showcase various career opportunities. Lt. C. Wade, Public Educator M. Morgan and FF Anthony Haile provided information for NFR. It looks like we have quite a few Firefighters in the making.
A passenger vehicle fire on I 264 W this afternoon caused major back ups. The Fire was quckly extinguished by E10 and L 8 C shift. Luckily there were no injuries to the occupants.
HRRFA 11 performed live burn exercises today. The assignment for the day is Vent Enter Search scenarios. All recruits completed a total of five evolutions.
Fire Inspector Gary Coggin did the honors of singing the National Anthem during the opening ceremony and God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch.
The recruits have been busy the last couple of months. Here is an update on June, July and August. Nothing like fire training in the summer! The recruits are now working on their EMT-A certification, after that? Graduation in October!
Today was the dedication of the new Fire Station 12. Fire tradition calls for a hose uncoupling instead of a ribbon cutting. Also included was a radio announcement that Station 12 is in commission and available for service.
Norfolk Fire Marshals are looking for the indentification of the person in the video. Please contact Marshal Lambert if you have information. 757-615-3313
New video from the recruit class. The recruits are becoming familiar with SCBA and ladders.
Fit4Mom Norfolk Tidewater Striders vist Norfolk Fire Station 7 C Shift. Probationary FF Billy Englert gives a short fire safety talk and discusses the different equipment in the station.
The Norfolk Admirals came by Station 1 B shift for a tour. The players had the opportunity to complete a turn out drill with personal protective equipment and get a feel of daily operations in the station. This year will be the 10th annual Guns n' Hoses charity hockey game on March 3. Entry to the Norfolk Admirals game is included. Come out and show your support and enjoy pregame festivities for the whole family.
U.S. Coast Guard Force Readiness Command
300 E. Main StreetNorfolk Department of Development
999 Waterside Drive, Suite 2430Office of the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney
800 E City Hall AveDavid A. Buzard, PLC. Attorney and Consultan
733 Boush Street #100, Highland ParkNavy and Marine Corps Public Health Center
PortsmouthNavy-Marine Corps Relief Society Portsmouth
620 John Paul Jones Circle, PortsmouthNorfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer
803 Front StNorfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer
803 Front StU.S. Army Recruiting Station Little Creek, VA
1710 E Little Creek Rd, Ste 103Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads
7918 Blandy RdNATO - Allied Command Transformation (ACT)
7857 Blandy RdCivil War Navy Sesquicentennial
1 Waterside DrUS Army Recruiting - Norfolk Company
5900 E Virginia Beach BlvdU.S. Coast Guard Force Readiness Command
300 E. Main Street