The state Fire Marshal's Office on Monday blamed the explosive mixture of four bug bombs and a gas pilot light on a hot water heater for an accidental fire that broke out Friday at a Sebring Parkway home. ...more

August 5, 2008

Members of the Highlands County Fire Services and Highlands County Emergency Management spent the better half of Wednesday morning unpacking, taking inventory and testing 26 new Lifepack 1000 Automated External Defibrillator (AEDs) that will be issued to the Highlands County Fire Services staff, emergency management and the volunteer fire departments. ...more

July 31, 2008

State Fire Marshal investigators suspect a lightning strike was the culprit in a house fire that destroyed an Avon Park Lakes home at 2643 Rehrer Road, Tuesday afternoon. ...more

July 17, 2008

SEBRING — A family of four were left without a place to live Friday morning, after a kitchen fire broke out in their Spring Lake home. The family of Adolfo Nunez-Rey, at 6101 Wilson Terrace, his wife, another adult and a 3-year-old child, was helped by the American Red Cross of Highlands County. "Volunteers provided the family - three adults and one child - with temporary shelter, personal hygiene kits, emergency assistance for food and clothing, odor-control concentrate cleaner to help with salvaging items from the home, a Red Cross clean-up kit, landlord verification forms to assist in relocation, and Publix gift cards donated by Florida's Blood Centers," wrote Phil Attinger, Public Relations Director for the Polk County American Red Cross chapter. ...more

June 18, 2008

SEBRING — A candle left burning in a religious artifact was cited by State Fire Marshal Det. Jeff Batz as the cause of a fire that broke out at 3812 Ramiro St., in the Sun 'n Lake of Sebring Improvement District, shortly after 9:30 p.m. Thursday. "The fire was accidental," said State Fire Marshal spokesman Lt. Brandon Ball on Friday morning. "A religious artifact with a candle on it was adjacent to plastic vertical blinds. The candle stayed on all the time." ...more

May 30, 2008

Last Saturday, May 17, our home caught on fire in our kitchen. We would like to thank first God for no injuries. Highlands County Sheriff's Office for being the first to repond. EMS for helping us put out the fire. Three volunteer fire departments: Highlands Park, Lake Placid and Sun 'n Lakes. Chief Richard Giavoni, thanks! Chief of Lake Placid Police and volunteer firefighter Phil Williams. Bringing out our wedding picture is really something we will never forget. Thanks. American Red Cross, you meant so much to us at that time. Especially the stuffed animal that you gave my daughter. The Baldwin Family, thanks. You were there the whole time. ...more

May 26, 2008

AVON PARK — A fire that destroyed an isolated mobile home late Monday morning spread to the surrounding yard, then growing into a wildfire that had firefighters on alert through the afternoon, according to firefighters on scene. No injuries were reported from the Avon Park Estates mobile home on West Starr Road, which was believed to be abandoned. However, the mobile home was reduced to its cinder blocks and a floor that resembled a nearly cleared, blackened platform. ...more

May 12, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County commissioners expect to have people filling all four of the new, top-level administrative positions that they created by March 15. Within two months, the county's top echelon of administrators will go from two to six. In addition to the current top two – the administrator and assistant administrator – Highlands County also will have four division directors, each reporting directly either to the administrator or assistant administrator. ...more

January 24, 2008

There are few county services more instrumental in saving lives than its EMS force ––and just like a fire department –– every second counts. Understanding how crucial it is to dispatch an ambulance as quickly as possible, and considering how our population balloons in the winter, our EMS officials have made some needed changes to make sure that everyone gets served on time. ...more

December 31, 2007

SEBRING — In 2008, one of Highlands County's 13 volunteer fire departments will become the first to merge with the county's Emergency Medical Service. Steve Plunkett Coltharp, the acting EMS director, thinks picking the Lake Placid Volunteer Department is both the cheapest and best way to go. "This is a first step," said Coltharp, a 22-year EMS veteran. Whether Lake Placid or one of the 12 other volunteer fire departments is chosen, one fire department will be the first with full-time, certified paramedics serving on its fire trucks at all times. ...more

December 28, 2007