Huntington Beach Fire Department

The Huntington Beach City Council voted unanimously to approve a proposal by Councilman Joe Carchio to put emergency defibrillators in public facilities around town. Automated external defibrillators can help stop sudden cardiac arrest by delivering an electric shock to the patient; with luck and proper use, it can get the heart pumping regularly again before emergency workers arrive to take over. Carchio said he and Fire Chief Duane Olson “got our heads together” to come up with a list of public facilities where the devices could do the most good.

A grease fire at the Sizzler restaurant in Huntington Beach Tuesday afternoon caused no injuries, but will temporarily force the restaurant to close its doors. The fire originated in a deep fat fryer in the kitchen, said Tony Smith, the investigator for the Huntington Beach Fire Department. It was quickly contained by the 33 firefighters from Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Santa Ana who responded to the call. "There will be no further investigation as we know the origin of the fire," said Smith, who also stated that the restaurant would remain closed until it was cleared to reopen by the Health Department.

Bicyclist killed by car A Huntington Beach man was killed while riding a bicycle when an alleged drunk driver hit him on Sept. 29, police said. Chris Joseph Kalina, 44, was riding a bike southbound on Newland Avenue near Jenny Street at 6:43 p.m. when a black 2006 Dodge Charger drifted to the right and hit him, police said. Kalina was transported to UCI Medical Center in Irvine, where he died of injuries early Friday. Police officers at the scene determined that the driver of the car showed visible signs that he had been drinking.

The American Cancer Society's Huntington Beach Relay for Life Planning Committee held a kickoff party on Feb. 24 at the Meadowlark Golf Club in preparation for the 11th annual Huntington Beach Relay for Life to be held on June 4 and 5 at Golden West College. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R -- Huntington Beach) and Mayor Jill Hardy addressed the community and encouraged attendees to participate in the fight against cancer. Members of the Huntington Beach Fire Department and the Huntington Beach Police Department also attended to show their support ... Erin C. Silverlake, a Huntington Beach resident, was recently named to the College of Arts and Sciences' Dean's List at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. To make the dean's list, students must earn a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher.

Emergency numbers Community Emergency Services Response Team: (714) 536-5980; www.hb- cert.org Huntington Beach Fire Department: (714) 536-5974 Saint Joseph's Hospital: (714) 633-9111 Huntington Beach Hospital: (714) 842-1473 Hogue Hospital: (949) 645-8600 Huntington Beach Police Department: (714) 536-5603 www.ready.gov is the preparedness site for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. What to put in a survival kit: Battery-powered radio, flashlights, batteries Whistle First aid kit and manual Hard hats Duct tape Fluorescent tape to rope off dangerous areas Water Food (canned, no-cook, packaged snacks)

Bryce Alderton Thousands of gallons water gushed from a fire hydrant after it was hit by a motorist in Huntington Beach on Monday. About 75,000 gallons of water per minute, for 15 minutes, spewed into the street at the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Slater Avenue, said Dennis MacLain, the city's water operations manager. Huntington Beach resident Robert Stellrecht, 71, hit the hydrant in his 2000 Chevrolet pickup to avoid a traffic accident, said Lt. Chuck Thomas with the Huntington Beach Police Department.

The man whose body was found in a burning car May 31 in Huntington Beach has been identified as Jim Purcey, an author and political activist. The Orange County Sheriff's Department's coroner's office identified Purcey, 59, as the deceased, although Supervising Deputy Coroner Dan Aikin declined to comment on how the fire occurred. "As far as cause of death, we're not releasing any details until we come to a final conclusion," Aikin said. A witness called the Huntington Beach Fire Department at 2:55 p.m. May 31 to an underground parking structure at the Pelican Cove apartment complex at 16960 Algonquin St. Firefighters arrived at the structure, where sprinklers had been activated, and put out the fire in about 12 minutes.

Officials found a 59-year-old Huntington Beach man dead Monday afternoon in a vehicle fire, officials said. A witness called the Huntington Beach Fire Department at 2:55 p.m. Monday to the Pelican Cove apartment complex at 16960 Algonquin St. for a vehicle fire, said Martha Werth, spokeswoman for the Fire Department. The fire sprinklers were going when 17 firefighters arrived at the underground parking structure, Werth said. It took about 12 minutes to put out the fire, she said.

A fire broke out in the 10000 block of Merrimac Avenue at 2:31 p.m. Saturday. While the cause remains unknown, the Huntington Beach Fire Department reported that the blaze began in a pile of wood outside a single-family residence. Traveling along the side of the structure, flames entered the attic vents. According to Battalion Chief Mike McClanahan, a quick-thinking neighbor noticed smoke and ran over to tackle the debris fire. Using a garden hose, he then entered the garage to extinguish the attic fire.