Fire
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 by Jessi Devenyns
Fire
Austin firefighters look to California to combat wildfire risk
Outside of California, the Austin metro area is one of the regions in the country most vulnerable to wildfire. According to CoreLogic’s 2019 Wildfire Risk Report, the metropolitan area has the fifth-highest risk in the nation for a major wildfire…
Friday, December 6, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Fire
Council OKs amended emergency mutual aid pact
Council gave final approval Thursday to a mutual automatic aid agreement designed to ensure that 19 fire and rescue departments throughout Travis and Williamson counties will assist each other in far-flung parts of Austin and the included counties.The city has…
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Fire
AFD, union still at odds over interlocal agreement
Bob Nicks, president of the Austin Firefighters Association, and Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker are locked in a battle over whether the city should sign on to a new mutual aid agreement with emergency services districts in both Travis and…
Thursday, October 24, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Fire
Wildfire audit update shows more work ahead
After hearing a new report from the Office of the City Auditor on Austin’s wildfire response efforts, Council Member Alison Alter said while the report lays out appropriate next steps for the city to take, those steps are probably not…
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 by Jessi Devenyns
Fire
Zoning and Platting Commission weighs in on proposed fire code
As Austin weathers the dog days of summer, wildfire risk is once again a hot topic in the city.A new report this week by the Office of the City Auditor said that the city could be doing a better job…
Friday, August 9, 2019 by Jessi Devenyns
Fire
AFD under fire for handling of sexual harassment claim despite policy updates
After Austin Fire Department Lieutenant James Baker pleaded guilty to hiding a camera and filming firefighter Kelly Gall in the fire station restroom, AFD revised its harassment policies and implemented the Electronic and Anonymous Reporting System.EARS is intended to bypass…
