Albert Lea Fire Rescue Capt. Kurt Wallace returned from a world firefighter competition with three medals and a new Minnesota state record.

The Firefighter World Championship was held Oct. 19 in Las Vegas and brought together athletes from more than 21 countries. Records show 381 medals were awarded across all divisions.

“The grueling nature of this competition directly mirrors real-life emergency scenarios,” said Fire Chief Jeff Laskowske. “Kurt’s success builds elite endurance and strength that translate directly to on-scene performance. Having him train alongside our crew sparks healthy competition, mentors our firefighters, and ensures our team is even better prepared to serve and protect the community.”

Wallace competed in the male 50-59 age division and secured top finishes across three major event categories.

The challenge included carrying a 42-pound hose pack up a five-story tower, hoisting a 42-pound hose roll, moving a 160-pound steel beam 5 feet with a mallet, dragging a hose line 75 feet and pulling a 175-pound rescue mannequin backward for 100 feet.

In the individual race, Wallace took second place with a time of 1:43.44. During qualifications, he set a new Minnesota state record with a time of 1:43.00.

KAAL-TV ABC 6 Rochester

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VIDEO: The Milwaukee Brewers released a statement on Saturday, expressing their gratitude to everyone who helped make Friday’s championship celebration and parade possible.

“Bringing a celebration of this magnitude to life required an incredible collective effort, and we could not be more grateful to everyone who played a part,” said Brewers President of Business Operations Rick Schlesinger. “What we witnessed across Milwaukee was remarkable. So many people gave their time, expertise and energy to make this day possible, and the collaboration throughout reflected the pride, generosity and sense of community that define us.”

The Brewers added that they are especially grateful to the Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee Fire Department, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, as well as supporting police and fire agencies from surrounding jurisdictions, and the staff at Henry Maier Festival Park who helped make the celebration happen.

WTMJ-TV NBC 4 Milwaukee

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A North Royalton firefighter died and a second remains seriously injured after battling a house fire in Broadview Heights. Several responding police officers were also hospitalized.

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A man in his late 30s was found dead inside an Everett home that caught fire early Monday morning. According to the Everett Fire Department, crews responded to a home on McDougall Ave., off Broadway and 73rd St. SE, when multiple people called 911 to report that flames were coming from a house.

The 911 callers indicated someone was still inside the burning house. Firefighters quickly responded and were faced with “challenging fire conditions” inside the home, which complicated search and firefighting efforts. Despite crews’ best efforts, a man in his late 30s was found dead inside the home.

A woman in her early 60s had minor burns and smoke inhalation. Fire crews took her to a nearby hospital, according to Everett FD. Crews were able to put the fire out in about 20 minutes. They remained on scene to check for hot spots.

According to a preliminary investigation, there were working smoke alarms in the home, which alerted the homeowner. She tried to get to the man upstairs, but was unable to reach him due to the intense fire conditions, Everett Fire said. “The fire had already grown significantly, preventing the man from escaping,” Everett Fire wrote on Facebook. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

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Fire victims in Spokane can now receive free materials to bring their burned properties back to life. The Spokane Conservation District is offering ponderosa pine saplings, mulch, hay and grass seed at no cost to people affected by recent fires.

Organizers reported about 60 sign-ups and gave away more than 1,000 trees. The mulch helps prevent ground erosion, while the tree saplings and grass seed help bring new growth to burned areas.

Dan Ross, water resources program manager with the Spokane Conservation District, said nature can repair burned land on its own, but it needs support. “Mother Nature is resilient and it will do the restoration work on its own, but it helps to give it a little bit of help, so that’s really what we’re trying to do,” Ross said.

KXLY-TV ABC 4 Spokane

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