Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District firefighters were busy Sunday, April 29 responding to six natural cover fires, with several burning at the same time.

Highway 5 Fire

District firefighters were toned out to the first natural cover fire at 10:02 a.m., to Highway 5, just north of Route F. According to SBFPD Assistant Fire Chief Jamie Karl, less than an acre burned in this incident. Two apparatus and four firefighters responded. Firefighters left the scene at 10:52 a.m. According to Chief Karl, the cause of fire is undetermined.

Natural Cover Fire on Lakeside

They were immediately toned out again, seven minutes later, at 10:59 a.m. to Flamingo Drive. A Camden County Sheriff Deputy discovered an unattended natural cover fire on the lakeside and called in the incident. Two apparatus and four firefighters responded. Fire personnel left the scene at 11:29 a.m.  

Simultaneous Fire

SBFPD firefighters were toned out at 11:22 a.m., while still working on the Flamingo Drive fire, to Cotton Tail Drive. District personnel found a one-acre fire in the woods. Two apparatus and five firefighters responded. They left the scene at 2:22 p.m. The cause of this fire was also undetermined.

Second over-lapping emergency 

SBFPD firefighters were toned out at 2:20 p.m., while still fighting the Cotton Tail Drive fire, to Whipper Willow Lane. According to Chief Karl, firefighters arrived on the scene to find a 10-acre natural cover fire. Gravois Fire Protection District and Mid County Fire Protection District were called and responded as mutual aid on this fire. A total of five apparatus and 10 firefighters responded. They left the scene at 5:57 p.m. This fire was a separate fire but was located near the 10:02 a.m. Highway 5 natural cover fire. The cause of this fire was also undetermined.

Third over-lapping incident

While on the scene of the Whipper Willow fire, district firefighters were toned out at 5:12 p.m. to Hawk Lake Drive. While responding, firefighters were cancelled in route. The call was due to a residential smoke detector that was set off by a natural cover fire burning in the area. 

CPR Medical Emergency

District personnel responded to a medical emergency, later in the evening, at 8:17 p.m. to Majestic Point. Firefighters performed CPR on a patient. One apparatus, two firefighters and Lake West Ambulance responded. They left the scene at 9:38 p.m.

Fourth over lapping call in one day

While on the Majestic Point medical call, firefighters were toned out at 8:20 p.m. to a natural cover fire on Sellers Road. Arriving units discovered several trees ablaze. One apparatus and three firefighters responded. They left the scene at 9:25 p.m. The cause of fire is undetermined.

EMS 911 Call

Nine minutes after leaving the Sellers Road fire, SBFPD personnel received an emergency 911 medical call at 9:34 p.m. to Sunrise Acres Point. One apparatus and three personnel responded. Lake West Ambulance transported the patient to the hospital. Firefighters left the scene at 10 p.m. 

Please Do Not Burn on No Burn Days

“Sunday was not a burn day,” Chief Karl said. “The high winds and low humidity did not allow for burning.” He directs citizens to check the district’s website at sbfpd.org to see if it is a burn day. If the weather is conducive for burning, citizens can fill out a burn permit online, using a smart phone, a tablet or a computer. “If it is not a burn day, I strongly advise against burning,” Chief Karl reminds. The district no longer offers the ability to call in for a burn permit because the old voice mail system did not alert firefighters when someone was burning, and personnel were constantly being toned out to false alarms to locations where citizens were burning leaves on their property. This is a waste of resources and would often tie up personnel that were needed for real, life threatening emergencies.

The district experienced 16 more runs this April, compared to April 2017. All of Sunday’s responding firefighters were B Platoon, career firefighters, from Station No. 1, except for one volunteer.


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