It was just after midnight, in the early hours of March 8, when Mary Pingayak was in bed, trying to fall asleep. Outside, the wind was blowing over 40 miles per hour when suddenly, it began howling. "And when I went outside, I was checking to see what was going on, I saw the flames. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was orange, and it was growing, and it looked like it would spread," Pingayak said. In the center of the village, Chevak's old school building was on fire. Across town, Chevak Vice Mayor Ulrich Ulroan woke up to a phone call from his uncle, who gave him the news. Ulroan raced to the fire. "There was absolutely nothing we could do," Ulroan said. "The flames were already so big in the gym, the whole old gym section was burning." About 25 yards away stood the public safety building. The flames began charring the walls.  

VIDEO: The Delaware Air National Guard has a new piece of emergency equipment ready to roll in the event of an aircraft emergency at the Wilmington Airport. The Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 Airport Rescue Fire Fighting unit (ARFF) is 39-feet long, 12 ft. high, and 10 ft. wide, weighs 77,000 lbs., and carries 3,000 gallons of water, 400 gallons of foam, and 500 pounds of dry chemical. The new rig is part of a major United States Air Force contract for 71 Rosenbauer crash trucks authorized in November, 2018, at a total cost of almost $50 million and replaces a nearly 25-year old unit at Wilmington Airport. Ronald Stanton, Assistant Chief of Operations for the Guard's fire department at Wilmington Airport, said the truck has all of the latest technological tools for fighting aircraft fires. "It uses ultra-high pressure for discharging its water," said Stanton, "which means the water comes out in smaller droplets which allows it to absorb heat more efficiently.  

As more women join the fire service, it's imperative to understand the occupational risks involved for these women. And thanks to $1.5 million dollar grant from FEMA that will be possible. The funding will help support research to examine how being a firefighter affects women's health. "There's the fires, the smoke that we breathe in, but it's also the exhaust from the fire trucks, the ambulances that we get exposed to on a daily basis," said Captain Liliana Pesqueira, the Tucson Fire Department. The study will be in partnership with the university of Arizona College of Public health, The University of Arizona cancer center and TFD. The study will include 200 firefighters in total from across the country that will take part in the study, both 100 new recruits and 100 incumbent firefighters. The study will take 3-years to conduct. As someone who has been on the force for two decades, Captain Pesqueira said a study like this makes her feel heard in a field where the vast majority are male.  

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that $29 million is available to support essential workers and first responders through the Empire Pandemic Response Reimbursement Fund program. Cuomo says the program was created to help reimburse out-of-pocket childcare, transportation, lodging, and other qualifying expenses that enabled workers to perform their duties. Applicants that qualify include health care workers, first responders, and many multi-industry workers. In addition, families who earn up to 500% of the federal poverty level or $125,470 for a family of four are eligible to apply. Qualifying applicants are eligible to receive up to $1,000 per household. Workers will need to be recommended by employers, unions, or social service providers who can verify employment during the pandemic. Applicants will also need to submit the required supporting documentation for expenses to be awarded.  

The main leaseholder of an Oakland warehouse that caught fire during a party in 2016, killing 36 people, was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison but may spend the remainder of his term at home as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Derick Almena, 50, will serve one-and-a-half years at home with a GPS ankle monitor due to credit for time already spent behind bars while awaiting trial and good behavior. He will also be required to complete three years of post-custody supervised release. The defendant was already on house arrest after being released from jail last year due COVID-19 concerns. Almena pleaded guilty in January to all 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter in exchange for the 12-year split prison sentence, which marks the end to a case that was first derailed by a hung jury and then the coronavirus pandemic. Relatives of those who died in the blaze had urged the judge to refuse the plea deal and have another trial instead.  

Emergency workers and local officials are responding to news of a 28-year-old paramedic from Staten Island who was allegedly bitten on the face early Friday morning by an emotionally disturbed teenager in Brooklyn. Jenna Piscitello, of Great Kills, could have permanent scarring on her cheek from the attack, which occurred as medics were attempting to lay the female patient on a stretcher, according to a statement issued by the union representing city EMS workers. "We're all familiar with the fictional killer Hannibal Lecter; for Ms. Piscitello, that horror became a reality," wrote Local 2507 President Oren Barzilay. "No one should come to work having to fear getting assaulted or possibly killed." Piscitello and the teen — who was believed to be under the influence of drugs — both were treated NYU Langone Hospital Brooklyn, the Daily News reported.