Fort Worth Fire Department

🔥 Weekend Roundup 🔥

The Fort Worth Fire Department responded to multiple calls for service this past weekend due to the severe weather. With additional thunderstorms and flash flooding in the forecast for the next several days, we want to remind everyone to please exercise extreme caution and do not drive through any standing water on the roadways.

On Sunday, there were 5 working house fires caused by lightning. These fires are quick and when they happen you have to immediately get everyone out of the house, to a safe location, and call 911. Unfortunately, multiple people were displaced from their homes due to these fires and are receiving immediate disaster assistance through the American Red Cross.

During the heavy rains on Memorial Day, crews were called out to make a high-water rescue on Trinity Boulevard for occupants in a vehicle that was submerged in the water. Thankfully, no one was injured and the firefighters were able to get the stranded passengers to safety without incident.

Remember, it does not matter how well you think you can drive: the power of water is more than you realize. Please do not put yourself or the lives of others in jeopardy by taking the chance to drive through water.

Stay safe, .

This Memorial Day we remember all of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Today we reflect on their service, we honor their courage and we express our heartfelt gratitude and respect. 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

Forever grateful and humble,
The Fort Worth Fire Department

We weren’t quite sure where the story of Jake the dog and Tom, his US Veteran owner experiencing homelessness, would lead when the story began at the beginning of the week. We knew the impact the letter had on the crews at Station 8 but we did not foresee the impact this story would have nationwide.

So many of you have commented, “What about his owner?” and we wanted to give you an update to spotlight the huge changes that have already been made in his quality of life. The Fort Worth Fire Department’s H.O.P.E. (Home Outreach Prevention Education) team has been working around the clock to ensure that we can help Tom meet the needs that forced him to make the heartbreaking decision to surrender his sweet baby, Jake. Tom was gifted an RV camper yesterday where he will be able to live. We want to give a HUGE thank you to Bennett's Camping Center for their generous donation of the home!

The HOPE team has also been getting Tom to medical appointments, meetings and getting the camper set up in a place that is safe and functioning. From doctor’s visits to purchasing the necessities Tom needs for not only himself but his new little home, there are not many i’s or t’s left to cross.

Although never once looking for the attention he has gotten, Tom wants to express his overwhelming gratitude for the love and support he has received from not only our community but across the country. He knows that surrendering Jake was the hardest choice he ever had to make but “it was the right choice”, he says. At this time, Tom is working on bettering himself and getting back on his feet.

As for Jake? Well, Jake has found the perfect recliner to nap in and once that gear is on, takes his job as a Fort Worth Fire Department rookie very seriously. He continues to bring smiles, laughter and companionship to the firefighters at Station 8 where he waits patiently for their return from every call.

We are not sure how or when this story ends, but as for now what we do know is that two lives have been forever changed and millions of hearts have been touched. None of this would be possible if not for the tough decision Tom made, the trust he placed in the Fort Worth Fire Department, the community’s support, and in a dog’s smile that is too contagious to say “no” to.

And no matter how this story eventually ends though, we know that in helping someone when they needed it most impacted not only Tom but the entire Fire Station. Because, in this line of work, you’re not always able to save everyone no matter how hard you try. But as Jake snores soundly on the laps of his new FWFD family and Tom works to get his life in order, answering this call- although in the form of a 3-page letter and no lights or sirens- is a response that will stay with us for a very long time.

Stay safe, .

-Operation Texas Strong

There’s a good chance you’ve heard something on social media today about a dog named “Jake”— a homeless dog left at a Fort Worth Fire Station this weekend. Here is the story straight from the Station personally:

“Early on the morning of May 16th, one of the crew members at Station 8 heard a dog whining outside his bedroom window. A few of us went out to investigate and found a dog chained to our flagpole. There was a water bottle nearby with a note inside.

The letter was from the owner, a homeless United States veteran, and it stated that he could no longer care for Jake if he ever planned on bettering his life and getting the help he needed.

One of the firefighter’s spouses had a couple of co-workers at JPS post a few photos along with the letter he wrote on social media with the intention of finding a home for Jake. There were several interested people, but it just never ended up working out.

Since then, all three crews have worked at least one shift with Jake, and we have all grown very attached to him. He is a very sweet dog and always wants to be beside one of us— and doesn’t matter which one of us it is. After a discussion, all three shifts agreed that we should take Jake in as our own.

He has all the food, treats, and toys a dog could ever want, and he is being vaccinated and treated and has even enjoyed a bath in the truck room. Jake has taken on a life of his own on social media and if his previous owner can find help because of that and we can take him in as our own, then that is the best outcome in our eyes.”

This is a rare occasion and the stations do not accept surrendered animals. But there was something that just lined up with this particular story: the veteran in need, the hearts of the crews at the station and a smile on Jake that couldn’t be ignored. He wants for nothing— and we are not asking for anything. We just thought we would tell you the story of how a heartbroken man made an incredibly tough decision and everything about the moment just lined up perfectly to work out right.

In a world as crazy as this one is, sharing the heartwarming story of Jake seemed like a gift we all needed. 🐾🚒

Stay safe, .

Today is Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Today we honor the courage, sacrifice and unwavering dedication of the men and women who serve and protect our communities each and every day.

And perhaps most importantly, we honor the officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. Heroes whose service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Their legacy lives on in the work you continue to do and in the communities they helped protect.

To our brothers and sisters in blue, we thank you for your heroism and we honor your fallen.

Stay safe, .

To all the moms, the grandmas, the aunts, the godmothers and the person who has played the role of “mom” in our lives by loving us unconditionally... Happy Mother’s Day from all of us. Thank you for all you’ve done to make us who we are today! 🪻

On Wednesday evening, the Fort Worth Fire Department Fire Alarm Office received a call regarding a crane operator experiencing a medical emergency. He was inside the booth of the crane that was 220 feet (20 stories) in the air at the JPS construction site in the 1300 block of South Main Street.

Crews from the nearest station were dispatched immediately along with the highly trained specialized Technical Rescue Team (TRT). This team is trained specifically to do high angle rescues on all of the bridges and tall buildings across the city. They take countless hours of training, participate in multiple exercises and are always ready for a call of this nature.

The patient was provided immediate medical care and assistance by the first arriving crews, while the TRT crew got all of their rescue systems and equipment in place. It was soon clear that the patient was not able to come down the ladder himself due to his condition and that the TRT crew would need to make the rescue.

They moved into position and began lowering him down to the top of the parking garage they were constructing. Medics moved him into an ambulance and transported him to the closest hospital. The first crews arrived at 7:32pm and the rescue of the patient was successfully completed at 9:24pm. The entire operation took 1 hour and 52 minutes. Thankfully, there were no injuries to any of the firefighters during this rescue mission.

The Fort Worth Fire Department responds to a variety of different calls every day. Although we’re called “firefighters” there are so many other scenarios we need to respond to throughout this city. We will continue to train, prepare and equip ourselves with the skills needed to provide the lifesaving support the residents and guests of Fort Worth depend on us for every day.

Stay safe, .