It was a pleasure attending the swearing-in ceremony of new South Milwaukee Fire Chief Joe Knitter on Friday.
And I was far from alone. More than 100 people — including Joe’s family and dozens of firefighters from around the area and as far away as California — officially welcomed him to his new role.
I join them in that welcome.
This is a great choice, and I look forward to Joe’s tenure as chief. Congratulations!
Filed under City Services, Fire
Here is the obituary of John Janick — the Caledonia man killed when his car crashed into a house in South Milwaukee on Thursday — from Max A. Sass & Sons. From it:
Beloved husband of Julie (nee Scherrer) for 14 years. Bestest dad of Ryan. Loving son of Linda and Donald. Dear brother of Jason. Dear son-in-law of Judeen and Kenneth Scherrer. Brother-in-law of Michael (Erica) Scherrer. Uncle of Kasia Scherrer. Special nephew of Eugene Dalton. John is further survived by other relatives and friends. He is now reunited with Grandma and Grandpa Dalton and Uncle Otis.
John was an alumni of the Thomas More High School Class of 1990 and a proud Army veteran.
Services are Monday and Tuesday.
South Milwaukee police have identified the man killed in Thursday morning’s crash near 9th and Edgewood Avenues as 40-year-old John Janick of Caledonia.
Here is my previous post on this, and check out coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Fox 6.
Update: Check out coverage from TMJ4, WISN and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
There was a scary — and tragic — incident early Thursday morning near 9th and Edgewood, as a car crashed into a house and caught fire, killing the driver and setting the home on fire.
Everyone in the house got out safely.
Check out an updated press release from the South Milwaukee Police Department, noting that police “were not actively pursuing the vehicle at the time of the crash.” From it:
On Thursday 12/13/12 at about 0151hrs, an SMPD officer, while running stationary radar, observed a vehicle pass him at approximately 25mph over the posted speed limit. The vehicle failed to stop for both audible and visual signals and subsequently crashed.
The fleeing vehicle had accelerated to a point that the officer could no longer see the vehicle. The officer was not actively pursuing the vehicle at the time of the crash. After traveling approximately 11 blocks, the officer discovered a vehicle which had crashed in the 700 block of Edgewood. This vehicle is believed to have been the fleeing vehicle.
The vehicle was on fire and the fire spread to a nearby house. The residents of the house were safely evacuated. SMPD is still working to identify the driver, and lone occupant, who was deceased. The Wisconsin State Patrol assisted in the accident investigation. Investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.
Here is coverage, including video, from Fox 6.
I’ll keep you posted if I learn more.
South Milwaukee has a new fire chief — one that’s technically been in the job for nearly a year.
The Police and Fire Commission appointed Joe Knitter the city’s new fire chief at its meeting on Tuesday. Knitter had been acting fire chief since February, as South Milwaukee looked to permanently replace retired Chief Jay Behling.
That replacement is Knitter, and it’s a great choice. I have been extremely impressed with Chief Knitter’s work in his “acting” role — and as a captain before that. He’s stepped up department communications, embraced technology and personally sought to better himself through education and training, keeping the department strong during a period of transition and difficult budgets.
I’m happy to see him rewarded for that.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, and damage doesn’t appear too major from the early-morning apartment fire Sunday at 1231 Milwaukee Avenue.
Here are details from Acting South Milwaukee Fire Chief Joe Knitter …
At 2:12 this morning, SMFD crews responded to a 9-1-1 call from a tenant at 1231 Milwaukee Avenue reporting the smell of smoke in his apartment on the second floor at that address. Crews arrived on the scene and found smoke issuing from the attic area and eaves of the building. Lt. Boschke upgraded the response to include our mutual aid neighbors due to the size of the building and number of apartments (10). Crews accessed the attic via an exterior panel and found an area approximately 8’ in diameter burning away at the ceiling joists, wood ceiling lath and blown-in insulation. SMPD personnel knocked on doors and evacuated residents as SMFD crews worked to extinguish the fire. Damage to the ceiling area above the bedroom of this apartment was extensive with the ceiling joists being totally consumed and the lath-and-plaster weakening to the point of collapsing into the apartment. This apartment was the only one affected by the fire and the tenant was assisted by SMFD in finding alternate living arrangements since crews turned off power to the entire apartment and damage prevented him from staying there. The area of the fire origin was at the ceiling level concentrated around an electrical light fixture. Closer examination by an electrical expert will be necessary to determine if the electrical system was involved in the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported by tenants or fire/police personnel. Damage is estimated to be $15,000 to the structure and $5,000 to the contents.
I’ll keep you posted if I learn more.
Filed under Fire
Here is the story from Oak Creek Patch.
The South Milwaukee Fire Department was one of a number of departments called to the fire, according to Chief Joe Knitter (who I think is the guy pictured in the red helmet).
Update: The Red Cross has been called to help those displaced by the fire. And the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more details — including word that South Milwaukee police helped evacuate some from the building.
Thankfully, no one had to be taken to the hospital following the fire Sunday morning at 708-710 Madison Ave., although there was damage to all three apartments.
Here is the update from Acting South Milwaukee Fire Chief Joe Knitter …
At approximately 5:17 this morning, South Milwaukee 9-1-1 Dispatch received a call from the occupants of the third floor apartment at 710A Madison Avenue reporting that their bathroom was on fire. The building is a multi-family apartment building with three addresses, 708-710 & 710A Madison Avenue. Upon arrival of South Milwaukee Police and Fire units, occupants were in the process of self-evacuating while fire vented through the roof above the rear, northwest corner of the building.
Firefighters made their way up the narrow, winding staircase to the third floor and found significant fire involvement in the bathroom and above their heads in the attic area. Walls and ceilings had to be pulled to access the fire that continued to burn.
In all, 12 occupants were evacuated from the three apartments with one receiving medical evaluation on scene and refusing transport. Damage in the attic was extensive throughout with significant damage to the rear portion of the third floor apartment and water damage to the 2nd and 1st floor apartments.
The initial fire response included assistance from Cudahy, St. Francis, Oak Creek, and the 128th Air Refueling wing. In addition, a MABAS Box alarm was requested due to the numerous void spaces that would have to be opened up to check for fire extension and the extensive overhaul that would be required. The MABAS alarm brings units from Greenfield, Greendale, Franklin to the scene and Hales Corners, who provides staffing to cover our station and respond to subsequent calls.
The fire remains under investigation at this time, but accidental, intentional and providential causes have been eliminated with close examination of the electrical system in the third floor apartment continuing.
Please keep these families in your prayers … and say another thank you to our firefighters for the work they do. I’ll keep you posted.
Filed under Fire
A 50-year-old woman is under arrest following Wednesday morning’s shooting of a 56-year-old man at the South Towne Apartments in South Milwaukee.
Check out out coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Fox 6, WISN and WTMJ. Here is the press release ….
On September 26, 2012, at 1:37am, The South Milwaukee Police Department received a call of a 56 year old male who was shot at a residence on Southtowne Place in South Milwaukee.
The male was transported to Fredoert Hospital, where he is being treated. The extent of his injuries is unknown at this time.
A 50 year old woman is in custody.
The South Milwaukee Police Department is seeking no other victims or suspects as a result of this incident.
More details will be available in the near future.
WTMJ is reporting there was a shooting and brief standoff early Wednesday morning near Southtowne Drive and College Avenue.
Here are details from the TV station. From the story:
The shooting and standoff happened at about 1:35 a.m. Wednesday near South Southtowne Drive and College Avenue.
The victim was a 56-year-old man. He was treated at Froedtert Hospital, and reportedly was able to assist police with information.
The arrested woman is 45 years old.
Reports have come in to Newsradio 620 WTMJ that someone was shot inside what was described as a large apartment complex, and the shooter was involved in a brief standoff with officers.
The standoff eventually ended. Authorities evacuated neighbors from their apartments.
I’ll post more updates when I get them.
Update: Here is the press release.
Here is the update I received tonight from Acting South Milwaukee Fire Chief Joe Knitter …
At approximately 8:30 pm this evening, the South Milwaukee Fire Department responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a car in the area of 16th and College Avenues. On arrival of fire department ambulances, the mechanism of injury and condition of the patient necessitated that the Flight for Life Helicopter be requested to the scene. The patient was stabilized in the paramedic unit and transferred to the landing zone established at South Milwaukee High School where FFL landed and subsequently transported the patient to Froedtert Hospital with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.
I’ll keep you posted when I learn more.
The Public Policy Forum is out with its report on the potential consolidation of the South Milwaukee, Cudahy and St. Francis emergency dispatch centers. And it shows some potentially significant cost savings.
Here is the report, which I’m still digesting.
Among the highlights from the report’s executive summary …
Of course, this is much more than a dollars-and-cents issue. The conclusion of the report states as much:
The report concludes that each city must consider whether to pursue an independent consolidated dispatch center – or to jointly contract for this service with a different jurisdiction – within the context of its own short-term and long-term financial circumstances and public safety needs.
Indeed, this is a complicated issue that demands more debate.
And, as we do that, this point from the report seems especially salient to me: “City leaders also should consider whether the possible pursuit of other public safety consolidation may further dictate the logic of consolidating dispatch services.” With the separate fire consolidation summary still underway and not expected to be completed until early 2013, it might be best to wait and see how all of the pieces fit together before acting (or not acting) only on dispatch consolidation.
Also, keep in mind that the study’s scope was to examine the potential for creation of a new stand-alone dispatch center merging the three existing operations. Public Policy Forum did not look at other potential combinations, including one community potentially contracting its service to the other two. That would be information I’d also like to see.
Still, this study is a great start and provides a good basis for a consolidation decision that I am sure is coming soon. I look forward reading and learning more — and the discussion.
I enter that debate in the same place I’ve always been: I’m open to consolidating city services where possible, but only if the quality of the consolidated service won’t suffer and if we can actually save money in doing it. Those are some big “ifs.”
Of course, I’d like to know what you think of the report and the potential for consolidation. Post your comments below!
Filed under City Council, City Services, Community, Cudahy, Fire, Oak Creek, Police
Here is a heartbreaking YouTube tribute to Gage. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a few more details, and there is also coverage from Fox 6 and WTMJ.
Gage Witek is the 12-year-old boy and South Milwaukee Middle School student who died much, much too soon at his home on Saturday.
Here is a copy of the note South Milwaukee Middle School Principal Jim Hendrickson sent home to parents on Tuesday. From it:
At this time, the police and medical examiner have ruled this death accidental. … Rumors of bullying and suicide have been circulating. These untrue stories have been disruptive as the family and school community go through the grieving process. Across the nation, children are experimenting with various choking games and other risky behaviors. Please talk with your child about these unsafe practices.
Here is Gage’s obituary. Services are Friday in Racine.
Please keep Gage’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers, and hug your kids a bit tighter tonight. I know I will.
The man killed in Sunday’s motorcycle accident at 15th Avenue and Parkway Drive in South Milwaukee was William E. Zingale Jr. — a 34-year-old Caterpillar machinist who “loved the outdoors, off-roading in his Jeep and riding his motorcycle,” according to his obituary.
“Bill was a devoted friend to many,” states the obituary, and that comes through loud and clear in the dozens of comments about him on the funeral home website.
See his obituary here. Visitation is from 3 to 7 p.m. today at Molthen-Bell & Son Funeral Home, 700 Milwaukee Ave. The funeral starts at 7 p.m.
Please continue to keep the Zingale family in your thoughts and prayers.
Update: Read coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and from WISN.
A 34-year-old St. Francis man was killed in a motorcycle crash Sunday morning at the intersection of 15th Avenue and Parkway Drive.
Here are the details in an email from Acting Fire Chief Joe Knitter …
At approximately 7:35 this morning, there was a fatal car vs motorcycle crash that occurred at the intersection of 15th Avenue and Parkway Drive. Initial reports are that a 34 y/o male motorcyclist … was traveling south on 15th Avenue when he was struck by a car crossing 15th Avenue. The motorcyclist was thrown from the motorcycle and arriving SMFD Paramedics determined that his trauma was incapable with life and pronounced him deceased at the scene. SMPD assumed the scene and was investigating the crash further.
And here is more information from the South Milwaukee Police Department …
I’ll keep you posted if and when I learn more.
South Milwaukee Blog 