Two Rivers Strong, a nonprofit charity, payed out its first grants to the survivors of the Two Rivers arson fires at the Two Rivers Community Center. Two Rivers strong has worked to raise funds for the survivors of the attacks since August 8, 2021. Just over a year later, the organization has become a nonprofit and has raised $17,681.77. On Friday, September 9, those funds were distributed to survivors of the Two Rivers arson fires that occurred in July and August of 2021. There were 8 properties attacked during the string of arsons, damaging 5 properties of 5 families, 2 community associations and 1 local business. Two Rivers Strong began it's mission to help rebuild the community after the attacks by selling apparel and eventually registering as a business.  

An overnight fire at the Randolph Golf Complex destroyed 91 golf carts and other equipment in a blaze that the Tucson Fire Department responded to around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. A solar panel structure above parked golf carts was on fire when firefighters arrived, said Tucson Fire Public Information Officer Michael Colaianni, and the fire was put out at about 2:45 a.m. No one was injured in the fire, and the cause is under investigation. Robb Palmgren, the regional general manager for Tucson City Golf, said the golf course at 600 S. Alvernon Way lost 91 golf carts, four phat scooters and a utility vehicle in addition to the destruction of the solar panel structure. The golf course has a total of 150 golf carts. Palmgren said the golf course is open for walking only.  

PHOTO: It was last month when retired Odessa Firefighter John Taylor stumbled across an old, unique photo. It was a group photo taken in 1927 of the first fire engine along with the first 13 volunteer firefighters in Odessa. Taylor, who has been researching the history of Odessa Fire and Rescue since the 80s, was stunned when he came across the photo on the website Traces of Texas. "I was excited," Taylor said. "That's the first clear image." Now, Taylor hopes to identify all 13 men in that photo. He has five of them identified so far but is hoping the public can help out with the remaining eight. He has the names but he needs to know which name goes to which face. "I'm trying to get all the guys identified," Taylor said.  

In much of America, if you call an ambulance, you get a bill afterwards. But in rural New York state, where a lot of emergency services are bundled in with fire departments, that often doesn't happen. Volunteer fire departments haven't been allowed to charge for ambulance service. But that means they've had to eat the cost. A new bill, passed along with the NY State budget this summer, changes that. It's called the EMS Cost Recovery Act and was sponsored by Assemblyman Billy Jones. A version of this legislation has been in the works for decades, and many local fire departments are breathing a sigh of relief. In New York, fire departments provide EMS coverage to nearly half of the state. You'll find about 180 fire departments across the North Country. The vast majority of them are volunteer — people from the community get trained and fight fires in their community.  

VIDEO: Volunteer firefighters were focused as they fought furious flames at the Chevron Pascagoula Refinery's volunteer firefighter training. Nicole Walters and John Ford with the East Jackson Volunteer Fire Department said they came to the training to become more prepared. "We're used to interior firefighting, and this right here is something different, something we're looking forward to. Any kind of fire training we look forward to, especially as volunteers. We try to soak it up as much as we can," Ford said. Officials said the training included vehicle extraction, smoke house rescue training and putting out gas pump and fuel tank flames. Emergency Services Manager Kaci Diantoniis said the company is happy offer the free, specialized training.  

PHOTO: To pay for its new emergency response all-terrain vehicle, the Fire Department sorted and recycled about 217,000 cans donated by community members. The Lanesborough Fireman's Association bought the $15,000 vehicle, a Can-Am Outlander Max XT, entirely with money from its Cans for Lives program, which helps fund the purchase of emergency equipment and vehicles. After sorting, members bring the cans to a facility in Vermont, getting 7 cents for each one. "We've been able to, essentially, partner with the citizens of the town to help bring this to life for us," said Glen Storie, president of the Lanesborough Fireman's Association. "Their effort to bring the cans here that they collect all year long, and then the effort the membership here puts in to collecting them, sorting them."