The Houston Fire Department has been selected by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to participate in the second phase of a pilot program to build a digital community risk assessment (CRA) tool. The tool, or "dashboard," enables community leaders to gain valuable insights and make data-informed decisions around fire prevention and other risk-reduction activities in their communities. According to NFPA, the concept of community risk reduction (CRR) — a process that identifies and prioritizes risks and ensures impactful mitigation initiatives- has been gaining traction across North America for more than 20 years. Innovative technology, access to data, and a shifting focus on prevention have resulted in new energy around this process. Reflecting that momentum, NFPA's CRA tool works to help fire departments aggregate and disseminate data that pinpoint where risks exist within a given community.  

A fiery crash between a pickup truck and an antique Chevrolet was captured on camera on Sunday near Atlantic City, New Jersey. According to Galloway Township police, a Ford F-150 pickup truck hit the back of a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air about 8 p.m. Footage from multiple security cameras and broadcast on NBC News Philadelphia showed the antique vehicle burst into flames. The truck can be seen careening across the street, smashing through the corner of a firehouse and coming to a halt as debris scattered everywhere. Nearby first responders told NBC News Philadelphia they rushed toward the firehouse and the burning car shortly after the impact. "It was very hard to get to the firehouse because of the location of the car on fire and where cop cars were," Bayview Volunteer Fire Company Asst. Chief Louis Miranda said. "We had guys parked down the street and run to the firehouse to try and come here and help somebody."  

A former Kansas City firefighter believes he's developed a product that could be a game-changer in getting COVID-19 vaccines to people at the temperatures in which the doses need to be stored. On Tuesday, Edward Collins gave FOX4 an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at his company, Vaccine Pods. "We assure that these vaccines are making it to the end user and the shot in the arm and the proper temperature the entire time," Collins said. The pods are similar to a portable moving container. Inside, a Stirling Ultracold freezer capable of holding 300,000 vaccines keeps the doses at around -100 degrees Fahrenheit. The pod is temperature controlled and powered by batteries that can be recharged with solar power.  

AUDIO: Rescue 42 CEO Tim O'Connell describes how agency-owned Compact Rapid Deployable (CRD) units can provide an easy-to-deploy FirstNet cell tower that can be transported to an incident site with first responders, typically sooner than deployable can arrive from FirstNet, built by AT&T. AT&T cited the CRD program as part of its innovation announcement on Tuesday.  

Every day at work for 15 years, Sean Mitchell, a captain in the Nantucket Fire Department, has put on the bulky suit that protects him from the heat and flames he faces on the job. But last year, he and his team came across unsettling research: Toxic chemicals on the very equipment meant to protect their lives could instead be making them gravely ill. This week, Captain Mitchell and other members of the International Association of Fire Fighters, the nation's largest firefighters' union, are demanding that union officials take action. They want independent tests of PFAS, the chemicals in their gear, and for the union to rid itself of sponsorships from equipment makers and the chemical industry. In the next few days, delegates representing the union's more than 300,000 members are expected to vote on the measure — a first. "We're exposed to these chemicals every day," Captain Mitchell said.  

A piece of Sheridan history will soon return home. According to Sheridan Fire-Rescue Chief Gary Harnish, a 1919 American LaFrance Fire Engine used by the city more than a century ago has been located more than 2,000 miles away in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Even better, the Surfside Beach Fire Department is dedicated to helping the fire engine return home, and Harnish said he is excited for the engine to become part of the Sheridan community again. "Different opportunities to show it could be anything from a car show to parades to (delivering) Mr. and Mrs. Claus on (Christmas) Stroll night," Harnish said. "So (we have) a lot of different opportunities to get this vehicle out for the public to see it… It's a unique opportunity for Sheridan."