Though the Mendenhall Glacier may look like a winter wonderland from afar, according to officials, crossing the Mendenhall Lake ice to view the glacier up close is extremely dangerous and recommend residents steer clear. "We always say that there is no safe ice anywhere," said Jayme Johns, captain and rope and water rescue team leader for Capital City Fire/Rescue. "We can't stop anybody from going out there but getting out there is very, very dangerous." Johns said that though some locals conduct tests to gauge the lake's thickness, there is no way to know for certain that all ice is the same as the area tested, and it can vary drastically.  

A massive fire erupted at a Watertown farm Monday. Young's Longrange Farm on Woodbury Road sustained damage after a 2nd alarm fire broke out at the farm Monday evening. Several neighboring fire departments were called to help Watertown Fire battle the blaze, including Waterbury and Woodbury. An eyewitness told Channel 3 he was driving by the farm when he saw the fire. Vinnie Setaro says he knew something had to be done. "I parked the car and I pulled out one of the quads out of the garage for them. Suddenly, they had Oxy- Acetylene tanks for welding and compressed air tanks. I started hearing hissing and it became unsafe to be there. I pulled back and then the tanks started blowing up. Before you know what happened the whole garage was just up. Residents say the fire caused the sky to light up red.  

VIDEO: Charlotte Fire Department is adding an electric fire engine to its fleet. The REV Vector Electric Fire Truck has the longest electric pumping duration in the industry, according to department officials, and performs all ground duties. The Vector truck will use regenerative braking to help with battery charging. It will save about 19.66 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from tailpipe emissions, according to CFD. The truck will be part of the city's first all-electric firehouse to be located at 3019 Beam Road in 2024. The new firehouse and truck are part of the city's Strategic Energy Action Plan with the goal of powering a fleet with 100% zero-carbon sources.  

PHOTOS: Hundreds watched Sunday afternoon as firefighters rescued Santa Claus from the roof of the New York City Fire Museum in Hudson Square. The family event looked to kick off the holiday season with excited cheers as children and adults alike gathered outside of 278 Spring Street to witness the dramatic rescue. Old Saint Nick leaned over the roof and waved to the young, excited onlookers below. Firefighters extended their truck's ladder and were able to slowly lower the jolly elf back down to ground level, much to the delight and applause from spectators. With his boots on the ground, Santa was rushed by young boys and girls with lengthy holiday and Christmas gift lists. The event was held by the New York City Fire Museum and marked the return of the Santa rescue that was performed annually until the COVID-19 pandemic.  

VIDEO: Jon Lockwood is the father of two: the daughter he has at home and the firetruck he has at work. "This is my baby," Jon says with a laugh in front of his truck. As a firefighter with the Iona-McGregor fire district, Jon couldn't be held in higher regard by his peers. "I could compare him to the Michael Jordan of firefighting," Lt. Luke Bouchard, said. "Whereas, when you play with him you're better because of him." So it was no surprise a few years ago when Jon came up with an idea. There are two popular tools used by firefighters everywhere: the New York Hook and the Halligan bar. Simply put, John wanted to combine those tools into one. "In my work as I'm going toward a burning building… if I'm fumbling with my tools and people are trapped, we don't have time," Jon said. Jon came up with a device that he named the Lockwood Hook.  

VIDEO: A firefighter's job is grueling, but it's not just physically dangerous. Seeing so much death and destruction is mentally and emotionally wearing. However, in a profession like firefighting, vulnerability can be tough to come by. That's why the San Antonio Fire Department just held a Mental Health Stand-Down Week, to put this tough topic front and center. They did that with the help of one of their own. Firefighter Kevin Burke is also an international spoken word performer, musician, and artist. He's been with SAFD since 2016. "Anything and everything that you could think of. I mean, we're there for medical runs. We're there for psych runs, fires, car or car wrecks, all that kind of stuff," Burke said. A few years ago he was temporarily trapped in a fire, and he described the terrifying experience in a powerful spoken word performance called "Full Disclosure."