Month: March 2022

Firefighter suffers 25-foot fall

A Kansas City, Kansas, firefighter fell 25 feet through a roof on Friday while assisting a Police Department investigation.

The firefighter was last listed in serious but stable condition, according to a spokesman for the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department.

Fire crews had been dispatched about 8:44 a.m. Friday to 5624 Kansas Ave. to assist a worker who fell 25 feet through a skylight onto a concrete floor, the spokesman stated.

The worker was unconscious and was taken by EMS to a hospital, where he was in critical condition, according to the spokesman.

At 10:35 a.m., the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department requested a Fire Department ladder truck to assist them in gaining access to the roof so they could take photos and document the accident that took place earlier, the spokesman stated.

At 11:09 a.m., a firefighter fell through a different skylight, and was taken by emergency crews to a hospital, where he was originally in critical condition, according to the spokesman. His condition now has been upgraded to serious but stable.

The roof of the building is made up of corrugated tin with sections of corrugated skylights made of fiberglass, the spokesman stated. The fiberglass has weathered over time and blends in with the rest of the roof, according to the spokesman.

“We ask that people continue to keep the worker and the 19-year veteran firefighter in their thoughts and prayers,” said Scott Schaunaman, assistant fire chief.

Police schedule community Peace Walk on Saturday

A Peace Walk has been scheduled at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 26, at 5th and Washington.


Members of the Kansas City, Kansas, community are invited to walk side-by-side with police officers Saturday in support of the effort to unite police and residents in crime reduction initiatives.

The walk will head north to 5th and Parallel, and will end at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

“A strong police and community relationship is essential to reducing crime,” Kansas City, Kansas, Police Chief Karl Oakman said. “The community Peace Walk with KCK Police is a positive way to kick off our spring and summer crime reduction initiatives.”

Chief Oakman plans to announce a number of new department initiatives designed to build stronger community T.I.E.S. (Transparency/Integrity/Engagement/Safety) and in doing so help reduce crime such as the establishment of a Junior Police Academy, Summer Cadet Program and data-driven, quarterly violence-reduction action plans, according to a spokesman.

The department is focusing on positive community engagement programs, crime-reduction initiatives and working with the community to implement best practices in police reform.

Master Gardeners offer class on climate change

The Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners are holding “Climate Change and You” at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 7, via Zoom.

The presenter, Frank Reilly, is an environmental scientist and principal in the Reilly Group, a senior consultant for Logistics Management Institute, and is a certified Master Gardener in Stafford County, Virginia. In the past 10 years he has focused on climate change impact prediction and assessment.

His presentation does not deal with the politics of climate change, but rather with specific advice gardeners can use to prepare themselves, their yards and their community for dealing with changing weather patterns.

Participants will learn how to think about plant choices that are sustainable in the landscape and benefit their home landscape. They will also learn how to plan for changes that can increase storm damage and storm debris; for shifts in temperature that may bring release of new pests and diseases, and for changes in the amounts and timing of precipitation.

Reilly previously presented this talk at the 2021 International Master Gardener Conference, and has adapted it to address specific concerns of those in the middle of the USA.

There is no fee to participate in this class; however, pre-registration is required to obtain the link to the Zoom presentation. Registration is at https://tinyurl.com/climatechangewyco