All,
One heck of a close call for a Firefighter in Ohio (Paint Creek Fire-EMS, NE of Cincinnati) last weekend as he was pulled into a flooded culvert and swept through a pipe for 179 feet!
Heavy flooding in the village of Greenfield over the weekend turned the Paint Creek FF’s service call into a dramatic self-rescue when that Firefighter was pulled into that flooded culvert while trying to clear debris.
Paint Creek Fire Chief Dave Manning said his Firefighter was swept through a flooded pipe for 179 feet. “It pretty much just pulled him right through, he didn’t have a chance to grab a hold of anything,” Manning said. “It was certainly something we’ve never experienced before.”
Incredibly, the Firefighter suffered NLT injuries. Chief Manning said the incident is also a reminder of the dangers of floodwaters and they are reviewing their training to determine what additional preparation may be needed to help ensure a similar incident does not happen again. Paint Creek Fire-EMS is one of Ohio’s largest Joint Fire Districts covering 360 sq miles.
=READINESS WEEK REMINDER FROM GORDON GRAHAM:
Lexipol’s Readiness Week 2026 is coming up NEXT WEEK: September 21-25, and it features three live, FREE sessions:
=Gordon Graham: Ready or Reactive? 5 Takeaways from the 2026 State of Readiness Survey featuring Lexipol co-founder Gordon Graham.
=From Policy to Performance: Why Execution Breaks Down
=When It Counts: Preparing for High-Risk, High-Visibility Events
These will be no-BS, frank panel discussions featuring leaders across the public safety spectrum – with key takeaways you can use to strengthen your department’s preparedness for what’s next. All sessions are available on-demand if you can’t attend live – but you still need to register:
REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/3dhfa3r3
=DELAYED LODD NOTIFICATION-TEXAS:
We regret the delay related to the LODD of Odessa (TX) LODD Firefighter/Paramedic Eric Handlin. Eric passed away at approximately 8:15 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2026. He had just completed 25 years of service with OFR on July 2 and was 53 years old.
FF-Medic Handlin was found unconscious but breathing at Firehouse 8 during the early morning hours of Aug. 21. It appears that he fell and suffered a serious head injury sometime during the night. His crew immediately transported him to the emergency room, where he received urgent medical care and underwent extensive surgery. Despite all efforts, he tragically would later succumb to his injuries. Our condolences to all those affected. Rest In Peace.
=2 UPDATES FROM NIOSH:
===WEBINAR ON SILO FIRE LODDS:
NOTE: This webinar is for all Firefighters, Officers & Chiefs-as silos and related “confined/limited space” storage fire potential exists in rural, suburban and urban areas.
As you know, on May 15, 2026, two Maine volunteer Firefighters died in the Line of Duty following an explosion of an oxygen-limiting silo that occurred at a lumber mill. The incident was investigated by the NIOSH fire folks so that the fire service can learn from this incident and prevent future tragedies.
In the first part of this presentation, senior investigator Wesley R. Attwood will share the incident details, contributing factors that led to the fatalities, and prevention actions to help fire departments prevent future incidents involving silo fire response. In the second part of the presentation, Eric Rickenbach and Travis Martin of RescueTechs, LLC will provide a discussion of initial strategy and tactics fire departments can use for silo fire response.
WEBINAR DATE/TIME: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13th at 14:00 HOURS (EASTERN)
REGISTER FOR THIS EXCELLENT PROGRAM:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sOQesq5yRtOB0nac0meN2w#/registration
===SCBA CHECKLIST:
The below NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) Safety Checklist that was recently published:
Safety Checklist: SCBA Training Prop Evolution
NIOSH’s FFFIPP has conducted dozens of investigations of fatalities that occurred during SCBA confidence training in props. This checklist puts prevention actions from decades of investigations into a concise, structured form which can be used as a reminder on best practices to prevent fatalities or serious injuries while conducting these training sessions.
Specifically, this is high-level information that could be applied to any SCBA confidence training prop style, etc. that fire academies or fire departments are using across the country.
NIOSH SCBA CHECKLIST:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/publications/numbered/2026-116.html
=FIREFIGHTER DIES IN TURKISH WILDFIRE:
A volunteer Firefighter died in the Line of Duty last Wednesday in Turkey while working a wildfire in the Mediterranean coastal province of Antalya. The fire broke out on Monday in Antalya’s Aksu district and, fanned by strong winds, quickly spread into the neighboring Kepez district, forcing hundreds of residents from their homes. The cause of the wildfire is not known. Our condolences to all those affected. Rest In Peace.
Take Care. Be Careful. Pass It On.
BillyG
The Secret List 9/15/2026-1450 Hours
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com
