Columbia South Carolina Fire Department News

On May 28, 2021, CRFD crews responded to a 2-Alarm fire that ripped through a home on Durham Creek Court, leaving it heavily damaged. Firefighters responded to the scene shortly. The first units arrived to find heavy fire spreading quickly throughout the home and threatening residences that were adjacent to it. This prompted officers on the scene to call for a 2nd Alarm, which sent more resources to the scene. By the time crews got the fire under control the house where the fire started was a...

The approach of the summer season is expected to draw more and more area boaters out on the waters of Lake Murray for events and recreation. In order to provide added security and safety for citizens, the Columbia-Richland Fire Department (CRFD) is working with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) to joint staff two RCSD boats during peak days of the lake traffic. These Marine Teams will patrol portions of Lake Murray to provide swift responses for any incidents that may requir...

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department was honored to once again host staff members from Prisma Health Midlands to give them an inside look at how firefighters respond to emergencies. Doctors in residency at the hospital were invited to the CRFD training grounds on May 19 to take part in a session that focused on car accidents and how victims are aided by fire department personnel.

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department is working with the Columbia Police Department to investigate the causes of three fires that occurred in the Booker-Washington Heights neighborhood. No one was injured during the incidents. While investigators acknowledge that the fires all happened in close proximity to each other, they cannot say with certainty if the fires are connected. The investigations are in the infancy stages and investigators continue to gather information to determine if the fir...

Columbia-Richland firefighters were able to get some training hours in using an old building on Midland Tech’s Beltline campus that is scheduled for demolition. The most recent ‘Acquired Structure’ session took place with CRFD crews during the week of April 12, 2021. Over the course of the week, firefighters were able to use the old engineering laboratories on campus to practice their skills in building search, vertical ventilation, forced entry, and other areas. The training...

The South Carolina Forestry Commission has issued a red flag alert for Wednesday, April 21, and Thursday, April 22 due to the elevated risk for wildfires. As a result, the Richland County Fire Marshal’s Office has prohibited all “General Debris” burning in unincorporated areas of the County until the Red Flag has been lifted and fire conditions improve. This includes any open burning not associated with agricultural, cooking, or recreational purposes.

With summer weather quickly approaching, Columbia-Richland firefighters once again suited up to train and drill in rescue techniques on the area waterways. The department held annual training and re-certification sessions for swift water rescue beginning on April 14, 2021. All sessions took place on the stretch of the Saluda River off of Candi Lane near the Riverbanks Zoo. Annual Training “This annual training is crucial for our rescue crews each and every spring,” said Columbia-R...

Staff at the Columbia-Richland Fire Department encourage citizens to not waste the opportunity to check their smoke alarms when it comes time to ‘Spring Forward’ on Sunday, March 14th. “When you set your clocks forward one hour this Sunday for Daylight Savings Time also be sure to change the batteries in ALL the smoke alarms in your home or business. It’s a perfect reminder to help ensure that you and your loved ones are safe in the event a fire breaks out,” said C...

More than two dozen tenants at a Columbia-area apartment complex were left without a place to stay after a 2-Alarm fire ripped through their building on the afternoon of January 29, 2021. An investigation by CRFD’s fire marshals office later determined that the massive fire at Willow Run Apartments on Alcott Drive was caused by a space heater in one apartment that was not being powered properly. Heavy fire had broken through the roof of the building by the time the first department crews...

Recently the Columbia-Richland Fire Department became one of only 250 fire-service agencies in the U.S. that will take part in a new nationwide pilot program to map areas of risk in the communities. Tracking fires and emergencies In the coming weeks, the new software will be coming online at the department that will help keep track of and chart areas in Richland County that have experienced fires and other types of emergencies. Using this information, the department can then take actions that...

The crash of a small aircraft in the Rosewood neighborhood of Columbia on January 13, 2021, caused one home there to catch fire. Plane crash CRFD crews were dispatched to the scene on the 2900 block of Kennedy Street near S. Maple. While en route to the scene responders called for a 2nd Alarm. The small plane itself crashed in the backyard of a home and the wreckage caught fire. The pilot onboard the plane was killed and has since been identified by the Richland County Coroner as 62-year-old...

CRFD personnel once again stood out during the annual leadership conference of the South Carolina State Association of Fire Chiefs. Yet the major highlight for the weekend was CRFD Fire Chief Aubrey D. Jenkins being sworn in as the new president of the organization. Fire chiefs from across the Palmetto State gathered in Myrtle Beach for the conference during the weekend of January 9, 2021. Originally scheduled for last September the annual event had to be pushed back due to the ongoing threat o...

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department once again helped promote the spirit of the Christmas season by giving Santa Claus a ride through neighborhoods across Richland County. On Saturday, December 19, Santa rode in two community parades. One began at Station 9 and proceeded into Five Points and parts of the Shandon neighborhood. Santa was joined onboard Engine 9 by Columbia City Councilman Will Brennan and South Carolina State Representative Seth Rose. Then later in the day, Santa joined the Ri...

Firefighting training program for firefighters to teach how to prevent Cynaide exposure from toxic fire smoke Fire Smoke Coalition brings national fire service experts to Indiana for Smoke Symposiums to train firefighters how to prevent and treat acute and chronic exposure to toxic fire smoke. Firefighters are trained to deal with thousands of hazards and situations on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the most deadly hazard is their constant companion - fire smoke. Today's...