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CREVE COEUR 
18 YEARS LATER, PULITZER PRIZE WINNING PHOTO STILL HUMBLES MAN WHO SHOT IT
(KSDK) - It was a moment of St. Louis history caught on film. But for two local men, there is little to celebrate about one photograph.
Eighteen years ago freelance photographer and current Creve Coeur Fire District Director Ron Olshwanger stood in a St. Louis street and snapped a picture that would change lives.
"As I pulled up the mother was running out of the house with her nightgown burned off," says Olshwanger.
It was December 30, 1988. A four-family flat without smoke detectors on South Boyle Avenue was on fire, and a child was trapped inside.
The picture shows St. Louis firefighter Adam Long running through the smoke and flames to try and save a 2-year-old girl in an upstairs bedroom.
"I said, 'If there's somebody in here please let us get them out,'" says Long, who has since become a Battalion Chief. "I kind of got up on one knew and looked over the bed and I could see what I thought was just a doll."
But it wasn't. The tiny shape was Patricia Pettus, and Long scooped her into his arms.
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CHESTERFIELD 
SUIT SEEKS TO CLEAR UP WAGE LAW CONFUSION
January 20, 2007 - (ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH) - Fire district officials hope a lawsuit filed Friday will end confusion over the state's new minimum-wage law and how it affects firefighters working their typically long shifts.
Monarch Fire Protection District, one of the plaintiffs, said the new law forces them to pay firefighters overtime when they work more than 40 hours a week. That would cost the district $1.2 million a year.
The Monarch district, which serves a large part of western St. Louis County, is one of 18 plaintiffs in the suit filed in Cole County Circuit Court against the state and the state Labor Department. The suit wants the court to say that firefighters and police aren't subject to those overtime requirements.
As it stands, Kevin O'Keefe, a Clayton attorney for the plaintiffs, argues that public safety agencies statewide could be forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in overtime.
"These requirements will be dramatic and devastating to law enforcement and public safety agencies across the state," O'Keefe said. "They might have to have service reductions or staffing changes."
In November, Missouri voters approved by a 3-to-1 ratio Proposition B to raise the minimum wage. On Jan. 1, the wage went to $6.50 an hour. The proposition made no mention of something that had been in previous minimum wage laws — an exemption for fire and police agencies from having to pay overtime to employees who work more than 40 hours a week.
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ST. CHARLES COUNTY 
FIREFIGHTERS GET PAY INCREASES IN TWO ST. CHARLES DISTRICTS
January 22, 2007 - (ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH) - Two fire protection districts that rebounded from financial deficits have given firefighters raises in newly approved labor agreements.
Firefighters at Central County Fire & Rescue got a pay raise averaging 5 percent in a one-year deal. In Cottleville, firefighters signed a three-year agreement that gave them raises of 5 percent the first year, 5 percent the second year, and in the third year, 3 percent or a raise equal to the Consumer Price Index, whichever is higher.
At both districts, firefighters' wages had been frozen for several years in an effort to get the districts back in the black.
Directors at the fire agencies agreed late last month to the separate pacts with firefighters, who are represented by the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2665. The pacts took effect this month
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ST. CHARLES COUNTY 
FIRE RAVAGES HOME NEAR GOLF COURSE IN O'FALLON
January 19, 2007 - (KMOV) - A fire destroyed a home this morning on Henrietta, a subdivision right off the Dardenne Links Golf Course, in O’Fallon, MO. A deaf-mute couple lived in the home with their 12-year-old son.
Officials say the couple’s son warned the couple and got them out of the home.
Authorities say the one-and-a-half story home suffered extensive damage. Officials say the fire started in the garage and they say they believe the preliminary cause to be embers that were cleaned from the fireplace that were put into a garbage can in the garage.
The family got out of the house and went to a neighbor’s home. There are no injuries reported.
There are no injuries reported.
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ST. CHARLES COUNTY 
FIRE DESTROYS ST. CHARLES COUNTY HOME
January 18, 2007 - (KMOV) - A St. Charles home is a total loss after an afternoon fire.
Flames engulf the residence on Charles Street in St. Charles County.
The fire was reported just before 4 p.m. at a home at 802 Charles Street.
There are no reports of injuries.
Firefighters arrived to find the entire structure engulfed in flames. They had a tough time battling the blaze and were forced to truck water up to the scene to fight the flames.
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ST. LOUIS COUNTY
OFFICIALS CONCERNED ABOUT NEW MINIMUM-WAGE LAW
January 9, 2007 - (PRESS JOURNAL) - Some cities and fire protection districts in West County are among those considering filing a lawsuit, as early as this week, challenging some aspects of Missouri's new minimum-wage law.
Officials fear the law could mean police and firefighters, who regularly work more than 40 hours per week, would be eligible for overtime pay, and that could financially stress cities and fire districts.
Tim Fischesser, executive director of the St. Louis County Municipal League, said he has heard concerns from officials of member cities.
"The general consensus is that they're all at risk," Fischesser said. "We're not sure how courts would interpret the issue if a police officer or firefighter made an overtime claim.
"While cities are talking about conserving hours of overtime worked, we also need to go to the legislature for relief," he said. "A court solution may take longer and not be retroactive, even if we'd win."
He said communities are taking the approach of planning for the worst, by assuming cities are liable for the pay, and hoping for the best by pursuing litigation or legislation.
"Various city attorneys are working together on this and are anxious to file litigation this week," Fischesser said Monday.
He said the implications of potential overtime pay are in the many millions of dollars to cities.
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NORTH COUNTY
FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE TRY TO DEAL WITH NEW WAGE LAW
January 9, 2007 - (NORTH COUNTY JOURNAL) - When the minimum wage goes up, that's normally good news for a lot of workers.
However, Missouri's new minimum wage law, which went into effect Jan. 1, is turning out to be a nightmare for cities, fire departments and police departments.
The Missouri Department of Labor has ruled that under the new law, employees go into overtime as soon as they work 40 hours a week. However, there are no exemptions for firefighters or police officers, who often work more than 40 hours per week.
"If it continues, the impact on a city's budget will be substantial," said Bellefontaine Neighbors City Attorney Kevin O'Keefe. "The police and firefighters will go into overtime a lot faster, using up their budgets."
O'Keefe reported on the situation to the Bellefontaine Neighbors Board of Aldermen at Thursday's meeting.
Before the law took effect, the state had used the federal 207K exemption. Firefighters, who normally work two or three 24-hour shifts per week, didn't go into overtime until they had worked 212 hours in 28 days. Police received overtime after 171 hours in 28 days.
With the labor department's ruling, fire and police officials could have no choice but to cut back on service, O'Keefe said.
"Now, 40 hours in seven days is the only standard," he said. "This disrupts the firefighters' 24-hour shift. It would also affect any side businesses they might have."
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SPANISH LAKE
SPANISH LAKE ROLLOVER KILLS WOMAN, 19
January 9, 2007 - (ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH) - A 19-year-old woman perished late Monday in a one-vehicle rollover in Spanish Lake.
The accident occured about 11 p.m. in the 12900 block of Spanish Pond Road, said Officer Tracy Panus, spokeswoman for the St. Louis County Police Department.
Panus said the victim had been one of three people in the vehicle. The two others -- a child and an adult man -- were taken to a hospital. The man was treated and released, Panus said, but the child's injuries required hospitalization.
Police withheld the identity of the three, and the relationship among the three couldn't be determined. Nor were police able to say whether the woman or the man had been driving
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ST. LOUIS 
DISASTER DRILL DRAFT REPORT RAISES ISSUES WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE
January 8, 2007 - (KSDK) - Last summer, St. Louis took a big test of its emergency response in case of a terrorist attack. It looks like the St. Louis Fire Department flunked according to a draft report obtained by NewsChannel 5.
It was a warm August night at Busch Stadium as hundreds were "injured" when a chlorine tanker exploded in a mock terrorist attack.
"It tells you where your current capabilities are and also if they are done right, it shows where you weaknesses are," said Mark James, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
The draft report states the St. Louis Fire Department was "unable to establish a functioning decontamination area for civilians in a timely manner" and "unable to establish a functioning decontamination unit."
Another concern? The "the fire incident commander refused to engage (talk) and the police incident commander returned to his command vehicle."
Two months ago, St. Louis Fire Chief Sherman George deflected those criticisms, saying the department answered the recommendations. He also said he would call with the department's response. George still hasn't called.
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ST. LOUIS COUNTY 
PROPOSITION B LOOP HOLE COULD MEAN CUTBACKS FOR FIRE, POLICE DEPARTMENTS
January 5, 2007 - (KSDK) - Cutbacks could soon be on the way to every Missouri fire department and some police department.
That follows a loophole in the new minimum wage law that went into effect this month.
Meanwhile, lawyers are busy trying to determine exactly how this will affect the departments and all parties are preparing to talk with Missouri Governor Matt Blunt's office and legislators to get Proposition B amended, before lawsuits start flying.
Seventy-six percent of Missouri voters said yes on Proposition B. The item just raised the states minimum wage from $5.15. to $6.50 per hour. Proposition B also had another effect. It's just now getting attention since it wasn't mentioned anywhere on the amendment.
Local fire districts just learned Proposition B entitles firefighters to overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours in a regular workweek. That's a big and expensive change from an old provision that said firefighters only got overtime if they work more than 212 hours in a 28-day period. The difference to departments is huge, especially since they say it came with no warning.
"The fire districts are required to set a budget well in advance and we set ours and we see a law that comes on the second day of the year that we have to address so it has a tremendous impact," says High Ridge Fire Protection District Chief Michael Arnhart.
The impact is enough to affect every Missouri fire department since most utilize 24-hour shifts.
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ST. LOUIS COUNTY
NEW WAGE LAW COULD BE COSTLY FOR MISSOURI FIRE DISTRICTS
January 5, 2007 - (ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH) - Local fire officials warned Thursday that the fine print in the state's new minimum wage law could cost their departments millions in overtime.
In November, Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition B, raising the state minimum wage to $6.50 an hour. The law went into effect Monday.
But officials in at least one local fire protection district say the law rescinds exemptions that allow firefighters to work long shifts without overtime.
The change could potentially force fire districts to cut services or seek higher taxes, they say
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NORTH COUNTY
INCUMBENTS FACE FEW CHALLENGERS IN FIRE DISTRICT RACES
January 3, 2007 - (SUBURBAN JOURNAL) - Incumbents are not facing many challengers as candidate filing continues for elections to the boards of directors for various fire protection districts.
Filing for the April 3 elections continues through Jan. 16.
The Riverview Fire Protection District has two candidates vying for one seat. Incumbent Pat Lawless is running again. Romona Nash also filed for candidacy.
Incumbent Tom Scott filed for re-election to his board seat with the Spanish Lake Fire Protection District. So far, he is the only candidate.
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FLORISSANT  
INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE FIRE THAT KILLED USO VOLUNTEER STARTED ON BACK PORCH
January 3, 2007 - (KSDK) - Investigators in Florissant now believe a fatal house fire on New Year's night started outside on a back porch.
The fire killed Denise Olsen, 68, a volunteer with the USO at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, whose years of service are going to be hard to replace.
Investigators believe something put in the trash that was smoldering ignited the fire, which filled the small home with smoke.
Denise's son Dennis says his mother appears to have crawled to her bedroom before she was overcome. Her palm print is still hauntingly visible through soot on a dresser.
"She tried but things were pretty smoky and hot in here," says Dennis.
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MEHLVILLE 
PLANS TO GIVE MONEY BACK TO MEHLVILLE FIRE DISTRICT VOTERS BEING MET WITH RESISTANCE
January 3, 2007 - (KSDK) - A St. Louis County fire protection district is proposing something very unusual: give money back to taxpayers. But it's a plan that's being met with some resistance.
The Mehlville Fire Protection District covers 52 square miles with over 110,000 residents. A majority of the directors for the fire department have voted to cut spending for nearly two years. Now residents will have a chance to vote on more cuts.
Aaron Hilmer, chairman of the board of directors and director Bonnie Stegman have not made many friends within Mehlville's fire department, but their latest move may be the boldest.
They wan to allow voters to decide if they want a 45 cent property tax decrease. That would add up to over $9.7 million per year. That money used to fund the fire protection district.
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FLORISSANT
FIRE CLAIMS LIFE OF LOVING GRANDMOTHER
January 3, 2007 - (ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH) - Denise Olson bought Christmas gifts for her unborn grandchild but never got a chance to deliver them. She died on New Year's Day in a fire that destroyed her Florissant home.
The blaze started shortly before 7 p.m. Monday between the garage and back patio of the house in the 1000 block of Dauphin Lane, said Deputy Chief Tom Stine of the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District. The house was not equipped with smoke detectors, he said.
Investigators don't believe the fire was suspicious, Stine said, and firefighters were working to find a cause Tuesday night.
Paramedics tried to revive Olson after firefighters pulled her from the floor of a bedroom, Stine said. An official cause of death was not available Tuesday, but Stine believes Olson probably died of smoke inhalation
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HAZELWOOD  
HAZELWOOD MAN ADMITS ARSON THAT KILLED BOY, 2
January 3, 2007 - (KSDK) - In February of 2005, glass bottles filled with burning gasoline were thrown through the windows of a Bel Ridge home. The fire killed 2-year-old Ronald Payne III.
Tuesday, just before the first degree murder trial was to begin for 21-year-old Steven Flowers, he decided to plead guilty to the lesser charge of second degree murder, along with arson and armed criminal action.
Flowers may be sentenced to life in prison, and is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
The arson happened in the 8900 block of Torchlamp in Bel Ridge. 2 others in the house were able to escape.
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KIRKWOOD 
FIRE DAMAGES TWO KIRKWOOD RESTAURANTS
January 3, 2007 - (KSDK) - Two Kirkwood restaurants are temporarily out of business following an early morning fire.
Hardest hit was "Frank 'n Patty's" restaurant in the 400 block of South Kirkwood road. Firefighters got a call around 4:30 Wednesday morning for an automatic alarm sounding inside the nearby "First Watch" restaurant.
Minutes later, firefighters went inside and found smoke coming through the roof. About the same time, they discovered the fire at Frank and Patty's. One of the owners of the hot dog-hamburger business says he got the shocking phone call early this morning.
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ST. CHARLES 
FIRE KILLS ST. CHARLES WOMAN
January 3, 2007 - (KSDK) - An investigation is underway into a townhome fire took the life of a woman in St. Charles late Tuesday night.
Fire investigators say the fire started around 11:40 pm. The home is located on Forest Hill Drive.
The victim, described as a woman in her late 20's to early 30's, was found in the doorway of her upstairs bedroom. Her name was not immediately released.
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ST. LOUIS 
MAN CHARGED WITH SEVEN COUNTS OF ARSON
December 30, 2006 - (KSDK) - man who was once a member of the St. Louis Fire Department's Explorer program has been charged with setting several fires in his own neighborhood.
Andrew L. Franklin, 21, of the 5600 block of Cote Brilliante Avenue was charged Thursday with seven counts of second-degree arson and seven counts of second-degree burglary
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NATIONAL 
VIDEO SHOWS HOW QUICKLY CHRISTMAS TREES CAN BURN
December 21, 2006 - (KSDK) - For some of us, it just wouldn't be the holiday season without a live Christmas tree, but the tradition also brings a certain amount of danger.
Two trees, same size, same type.
Yet one goes up like a torch, while the other practically self extinguishes. The secret: the less flammable one was bought fresh and kept fresh using strategies from the Irvington fire department.
Before you purchase, take your hand, rub the stems of the tree, if the needles fall into your hand, that's a tree that you definitely do not want to buy. You pick it up and you bounce it and you see the needles start to fall off, that's the sign of a dried out tree.
After you get the tree home, it's time for the magic formula.
Water. Lot's of it.
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HIGH RIDGE 
HIGH RIDGE DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF LOSES BATTLE WITH CANCER
December 12, 2006 - (SUBURBAN JOURNALS) - The High Ridge Fire Protection District is mourning the loss of Deputy Chief Charles "Charlie" Lenhart.
Lenhart lost his battle with cancer last week at age 50, but left the firefighters in High Ridge with memories of a great friend.
Lenhart started as a junior firefighter in 1970, later becoming a volunteer firefighter and joining the district full-time in 1986.
During his tenure at the department, he served as an inspector and fire marshal.
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ST. LOUIS 
SIX FIRES BREAK OUT IN NEIGHBORHOOD IN ONE WEEK, INCLUDING TWO TUESDAY MORNING
December 19, 2006 - (KSDK) - St. Louis police and fire investigators want to know if an arsonist is setting fires in north St. Louis buildings.
They say two early morning fires that broke out one block apart Tuesday may be part of a dangerous emerging pattern.
In minutes, fire had raced through the two-story vacant building in the 5800 block of Highland Avenue in St. Louis. It was the second fire on this street within just ten minutes.
Hours later, next door neighbor Rosalind Hunter surveyed the damage from her burned out window. Smoke from the suspicious fire damaged her apartment.
"Somebody's going around here setting these buildings on fire. This is not a normal fire. Someone is doing this on purpose, and someone could get hurt," says Hunter.
St. Louis Fire Department investigators are aware of the threat.
"We have quite a few fires in vacant buildings so it always appears to be like a pattern," says Capt. Steve Simpson.
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FLORISSANT 
 
PARALYZED FIREFIGHTER DEALS WITH DEATH OF MOTHER, SON'S SERIOUS INJURIES
December 14, 2006 - (KSDK) - A local firefighter who was paralyzed in a hunting accident inspired us with his courage. Craig Allen will need that strength again as he responds to another family tragedy.
In November, the Florissant Valley firefighter was adjusting to life as a paraplegic, but his latest struggle is very different as he mourns the loss of his mother Patricia while caring for his son Tyler who is in a coma.
Jeff Allen and Vickie Bales are Craig Allen's siblings. The family had long ago accepted Craig's condition.
"That's okay he can still almost everything just his legs are going to be wheels," said Vickie.
Patricia Allen was the matriarch of the family and a source of strength for Craig.
"My mom and dad were involved in a lot of groups with church and she was just always there for anyone that needed her," said Vickie.
Just as the Allens had come to terms with Craig's November accident, the unthinkable happened. Patricia was killed last Friday in a collision while driving in Wentzville.
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MOLINE ACRES/DELLWOOD
JULY STORMS INFLUENCE FIRE OFFICIALS
November 21, 2006 - (SUBURBAN JOURNALS) - The severe thunderstorms of July 19 and 21 are on the minds of Metro North Fire Protection District officials as they plan their new firehouse.
Like much of the St. Louis area, the district's firehouse lost power during the storms. Firefighters had to use a small generator.
The new firehouse will incorporate a larger electric generator system and more storage room, said acting Fire Chief Floyd Renner.
"Those storms were a wakeup call for us," Renner said. "It shows wha | 
