St. Charles Fire Department

06/19/2026

Please join us in welcoming our 2 new hires, officially sworn in yesterday.

We are proud to have Tobias Williams and John Steiner join the St. Charles City Fire Department.

06/17/2026

June Anniversaries

The St. Charles City Fire Department would like to congratulate the following members on their work anniversaries and thank them for their continued service to our community.

Engineer Travis Schubert- 22 years
Chief Joe Gragnani- 17 years
Private Ryan Shelton- 9 years
Private Toby Wilson- 4 years

Thank you for your dedication to the City of St. Charles. Congratulations on your anniversaries.

06/13/2026

# # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE # # #

**St. Charles Fire Department Provides Update on New Town Water Recovery Operation**

**St. Charles, MO — June 13, 2026** — Recovery efforts resumed this morning at Beach Lake in New Town following an overnight suspension of operations related to a missing teenage paddle boarder.

At approximately 8:40 a.m., crews recovered the body of the missing teen from the lake. The recovery operation was led by the Metro West Dive Team and supported by the St. Charles City Fire Department (SCFD) and the St. Charles County Ambulance District (SCCAD).

The incident began at approximately 8:12 p.m. on June 12, when SCFD responded to reports that a teenage male had fallen from a paddle board and failed to resurface. Bystanders immediately entered the water and attempted to locate him while 911 was contacted. Responding crews initiated a coordinated search operation that continued into the evening hours.

Following several hours of searching, responders were able to narrow the likely location of the victim. Due to safety considerations, the recovery efforts were suspended overnight and resumed this morning.

The St. Charles City Fire Department extends its sincere condolences to the young man's family, friends, and all those affected by this tragedy.

SCFD would also like to thank the Metro West Dive Team, St. Charles County Ambulance District, St. Charles Police Department, Central County Fire & Rescue, Orchard Farm Fire Protection District, and all assisting agencies for their support throughout the operation.

No further information will be released at this time out of respect for the family.

06/13/2026

# # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE # # #

**St. Charles Fire Department Suspends Water Recovery Operation Until Morning of June 13**

**St. Charles, MO — June 12, 2026** — The St. Charles City Fire Department (SCFD) responded at approximately 8:12 p.m. on June 12, 2026, to a report of a possible drowning at the Beach Lake in New Town.

According to initial reports, a teenage male fell from a paddle board and did not resurface. He was with friends at the time of the incident and was not wearing a life jacket. Bystanders immediately entered the water and began searching for him while 911 was contacted.

Upon arrival, SCFD personnel launched a Zodiac rescue boat and began a coordinated search of the lake. The Metro West Dive Team was requested to assist with search operations. SCFD was also assisted by the St. Charles County Ambulance District, Central County Fire & Rescue, Orchard Farm Fire Protection District, and the St. Charles Police Department. After several hours of searching, responders were able to narrow the likely recovery area.

Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of all personnel operating on and around the water, the recovery operation is being suspended until the morning of June 13, 2026. Fire and law enforcement personnel will remain on scene overnight, and the area will continue to be secured.

There is no public access to the lake or the immediate area at this time. The St. Charles City Fire Department is asking the public to avoid the area while emergency crews continue to manage this incident.

Next of kin has been notified.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with this young man, his family, his friends, and the entire community during this difficult time," said SCFD officials.

Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

06/12/2026

Ensuring the proper operation of our community's fire hydrants is vital to the success of a fire ground. Much like in September of 1974, you’ll likely see your local firemen around town testing hydrants over the next few months. No need to be alarmed!

06/10/2026

Today we recognize Battalion Chief Aaron Burlingame.

Chief Burlingame has 28 years of fire service experience and currently serves as Battalion Chief and Training Chief.

Before joining St. Charles City, he served with the Berkeley Fire Department, Webster Groves Fire Department, and Missouri Task Force 1.

Chief Burlingame graduated from John F. Kennedy High School. He holds an Associate Degree in Fire Science and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Administration.

Off duty, Chief enjoys spending time with his wife, Becky, his sons Brody and Tyson, family, and friends. He also enjoys western big game hunting, mountain biking, and jiu jitsu.

Chief remains active in mentoring and teaching the next generation of firefighters at the academy. He also teaches fire service culture and leadership development at the local and national level.

We thank Chief Burlingame for his dedication and service to the fire service and the communities he has served.

06/04/2026

The St. Charles City Fire Department would like to congratulate the following members on their work anniversaries and thank them for their continued service to our community.

Captain Jeffery Twyman – 22 Years
Private Drew Bass – 20 Years
Captain Eric Hall – 14 Years
Private Tyler Grovenor – 8 Years
Private Ryan Kraus – 6 Years
Private Steven Unterreiner – 5 Years
Private Mathew Ruth – 3 Years

Thank you for your dedication to the City of St. Charles. Congratulations on your anniversaries.

06/03/2026

Today we recognize Fire Chief Joe Gragnani. Chief Gragnani has proudly served the City of St. Charles for 17 years.

Chief Gragnani graduated from Lindbergh High School and began his fire service career volunteering with the Eureka Fire Protection District and Abbott Ambulance in 2004.

He earned his Associate’s Degree in Paramedic Science from St. Louis Community College and his Bachelor’s Degree in Emergency Management and Fire Science from Purdue Global.

Chief Gragnani was also a proud member of IAFF Local 757, serving as Executive Shop Steward for 11 years.

On his days off, Chief Gragnani enjoys spending time with family, hunting, and training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

We thank Chief Gragnani for his dedication, leadership, and continued service to the City of St. Charles.

05/29/2026

Meet Bruno, Search and Rescue K9 with the City of St Charles Fire Department. Born in the Czech Republic, he was imported to the US, passing several selections before becoming part of our department in May 2025. Bruno Officially turns 2 years old today! Happy Birthday Bruno!

Bruno and his handler, Private Wilson, graduated from training with Boone County Sheriff’s Office K9 Training Center in July 2025. Together they are certified in obedience, tracking, trailing, area, and building search with the North American Police Working Dog Association and the Missouri Police Canine Association. They are now on their way to completing certification as a FEMA live-find canine search team with the intent to become part of Missouri Task Force 1.

Bruno is an all-business kind of guy. He lives to work and loves doing his job more than anything. His favorite paycheck is a ball on a string. When he’s not working or training he still doesn’t like to sit still, and is continuously looking for the next way to earn that paycheck. While Bruno loves to give his handler hugs when no one is looking, he’s not a particularly social guy. So if you see him out and about but he doesn’t say hi, don’t take it personally, he’s just focused.

05/28/2026