PRESS RELEASE

NORFOLK — Fire Chief Erron Q. Kinney and Town Administrator Justin Casanova-Davis are excited to announce that the new Norfolk Fire Station is now open. The new building replaces an outdated and undersized station that did not meet the community’s overall needs. Chief Kinney, the Norfolk Fire Department and the Select Board would like to thank all community stakeholders who made the new station possible.

The new station, located at 117 Main Street, opened this past weekend on Sept. 15. As construction continues on-site, visitors with official business may use the temporary entrance on the right side of the building. Utilize the call box, and someone will come and assist you.

“We are excited to announce that the Norfolk Fire Department has fully moved into the new station,” Chief Kinney said. “We’re grateful to be operating out of this new facility, as the larger space and resources will help our firefighters to keep the community safe. We would also like to thank community members for their support throughout this process.”

The existing fire station, which stands next to the new building, is still undergoing construction. This will include abatement and demolition of the old building. Phase Two of demolition began on Monday, Sept. 16. 

“We recently began phase two of the project and are now working to demolish the previous fire station,” Town Administrator Casanova-Davis said. “This project is important for the Norfolk community, and we’re grateful to the fire station building committee members for their work throughout this project. They will continue to meet regularly and be active during this period until the project is completed. It’s wonderful to see the Norfolk Fire Department up and running in the new station.”

Once Phase Two is complete, an open house and a ribbon-cutting ceremony are expected to take place at the new fire station in the coming months, and will be announced to the public when a date is determined.

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PIERCE—Evanston (IL) Fire Department pumper. Enforcer cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; Waterous CSU 1,500-gpm pump; UPF Poly 500-gallon water tank; Duo-Safety ground ladders; pumper is painted Northwestern University purple school colors for its donation to purchase this pumper for the city. Dealer: John Kenna, MacQueen Emergency, Aurora, IL.

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JUST IN: The procession for the fallen @KCMOFireDept firefighter who died today after a training exercise just left North Kansas City Hospital. @kcpolice escorted the first responders colleagues & others out of the parking lot. More to come today on @KCTV5. pic.twitter.com/uwDEqmzr4o

— Alex Love (@AlexKCTV5) September 17, 2024

Ilana Arougheti
The Kansas City Star
(TNS)

The Kansas City firefighter and paramedic who died following a training exercise on Tuesday has been identified as Kyle Brinker, 33.

Brinker suffered a medical emergency around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday while participating in a Kansas City Fire Department training exercise. After his colleagues attempted to provide aid, Brinker was evacuated to North Kansas City hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1 p.m.

An 11-year veteran of the department, Brinker spent the majority of his KCFD career at Station 35 — one of the busiest in the city, according to Kansas City fire Chief Ross Grundyson. A firefighter paramedic, Brinker was most recently assigned to the Technical Rescue Division at Station 35.

This position placed him on the front lines at active fires, where Brinker communicated with fellow firefighters and made critical decisions while evacuating residents from burning buildings, according to the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

In a statement Tuesday, Grundyson described Brinker as someone who “operated at the highest level of skill and compassion.”

“He was a mentor and role model for many, exemplifying the qualities KCFD looks for in our uniformed personnel,” Grundyson said.

Brinker worked as a paramedic in Elizabeth Township, Pennsylvania, from August 2012 to September 2013, before joining the Kansas City Fire Department.

Brinker attended Coastal Carolina University for marine science before studying fire science at Community College of Allegheny County. He later studied emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh after earning his certification as a paramedic in 2012.

In posts shared online Tuesday, one of Brinker’s co-workers described him as an excellent leader with a strong sense of humor.

“You didn’t cower under pressure,” the coworker wrote, addressing Brinker. “You set an example that many people, myself included, looked up to. You showed the highest of qualities in every facet of life. You will always be a hero of mine.”

Brinker is survived by his wife, along with his brother, who is also a KCFD firefighter, according to Grundyson.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

©2024 The Kansas City Star. Visit kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to announce that it will host its signature annual conference, the NVFC Training Summit, on June 20-21, 2025, in Salt Lake City, UT. The NVFC is now accepting proposals from qualified instructors and speakers for presentations to educate first responders about critical issues in the fire and emergency services. Submit your proposal by October 20, 2024.

The NVFC Training Summit provides an opportunity to share ideas and best practices, network, and participate in training regarding key topics in the fire and emergency services. The 2025 theme is “Prepare. Protect. Inspire.” which correlates to the three training tracks of recruitment and retention, health and safety, and leadership. Sessions will be 90 minutes in length. Examples of relevant presentation topics include but are not limited to: effective training; fireground/response; physical health; behavioral health; fire and life safety education; working intergenerationally; diversity, equity, and inclusion; mentorship; family engagement; work/life/volunteer balance; recruitment; communication; management; long-term planning; data for the fire service; and finding funding and resources.

The NVFC values the different experience and perspectives of first responders and instructors nationwide. Find out more about the call for presentations, including additional topic examples and tips for writing a successful proposal, in the Call for Presentations Guide. Questions? Join the NVFC’s training and education team at a drop-in virtual Q&A help desk. There are two opportunities to visit the help desk: Monday, September 30 from 12:00-12:30pm ET and Monday, October 14 from 3:00-3:30pm ET.

Proposals must be submitted by October 20, 2024. A peer review team will evaluate all presentation proposals. Selections will be made based on quality, relevance, focus, practical application, and the presenter’s experience and credentials. Selected presenters will be notified by November 22, 2024.

The NVFC will cover travel expenses and provide a stipend for the selected presenters. Teaching teams are welcome to apply, but only one instructor per course can receive travel reimbursement/stipend. Please note, while organizations and companies are welcome to apply to share their subject matter expertise, all courses must be educational in nature.

Find out more and submit your proposal at https://nvfc.swoogo.com/2025nvfcsummit/presentations. 

Learn more about the NVFC Training Summit at www.nvfc.org/summit. Read about the 2024 Training Summit here. View courses from our 2021 Virtual Training Summit in the NVFC Virtual Classroom. Questions? Contact Rachel Buczynski, chief of training and education, at Rachel@nvfc.org or 202-887-5700 x130.