VIDEO: First responders gathered at First Christian Church in Champaign to prepare for emergencies in any scenario. "Prepping for any sort of gunshot wounds, stab wounds that may occur as a result of and active shooter or active assailant incident," said Lieutenant Blake Kuhns with the Urbana Fire Department. The training consisted of about 10 different agencies. Their main goal was to prepare first responders for incidents like this so they can better work together. "Making sure that we can provide the most realistic drill to the first responders of this county so that we can adequately prepare for this event," said Kuhns. It was also important for first responders to experience some of these incidents now and not have to wait for the real thing. They try to have these trainings at least once a year to reach as many agencies as they can.  

PHOTOS: It took firefighters approximately 30 minutes to get a fire under control after it caused serious damage to a large two-story garage near Woodstock Thursday morning. The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded around 8:05 a.m. Thursday to the 700 block of Hickory Road in unincorporated Woodstock for a report of a structure fire. Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Communication Specialist Alex Vucha said firefighters arrived on the scene within four minutes of the call. They observed heavy flames showing from the roof of a two-story garage, which was detached from a residence. Vucha said the fire quickly consumed the second floor and attic of the structure. Fire crews initially performed a defensive attack on the fire. Fire department water tenders were used to shuttle water to the scene as the immediate area does not have fire hydrants, Vucha said.  

Three people died after a small plane crashed into a Clearwater, Florida, mobile home park and set homes on fire Thursday evening, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday. The victims include one person on the aircraft and two on the ground, according to the FAA. The crash happened around 7 p.m. and firefighters worked through the night on hot spots to get to the victims. The plane was mostly in one home, Clearwater Fire Chief Scott Ehlers said. At least three homes had fire damage, Ehlers said. Aside from the home that was directly struck, the people in the other homes were able to get out, he said. The pilot of the Beechcraft Bonanza V35 had reported an engine failure before the crash, the FAA said. Rick Renner, who lives in the neighborhood, said his house shook with the impact of the plane's crash landing.  

PHOTOS: It's known to those who served there as the "Pride of the Points." Denver Fire Station 3. The oldest Denver firehouse still in service, built in 1931. And the only station where Black firefighters were assigned until the Denver Fire Department desegregated in 1957. Today the children of these earliest public servants have a deep appreciation for Station 3's commitment to excellence, and the pride that came in serving Denver's Five Points community. Beatrice Griffin is the daughter of Firefighter Sidney Frelow, who served in the late 1930s. "This was a very prestigious job for a man to have and he took great pride in it, it became more than just a job, it was a career and a lifestyle," said Griffin. Firefighter Charles Cousins' daughter is retired pediatrician Dr. Renee Cousins King.  

VIDEO: Cleanup is expected to last through Thursday night into Friday morning after fire suppression foam was "inadvertently" released at about 5:30 a.m. at one of the United Airlines hangars that dot a public service road at Bush Intercontinental Airport. It happened just off Wright Road, in a hangar adjacent to the flight attendant training facility. Large amounts of fire suppression foam seeped onto nearby parking lots, around fences, posts, over cars, and eventually on a portion of the public Wright Road. It wasn't long before the Houston Fire Department was called in to assist. "Because of its high expansion properties, it was as high as 30 feet," Houston Assistant Fire Chief Mike Mire, one of several HFD officials on the scene, said. Work crews spent hours spraying the foam with a defoaming agent.  

Perimeter Solutions, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality fire retardant, announced today the appointment of Jim Karels as its new Agency Liaison. Karels, with over 45 years of experience in wildland fire and forest management, is set to succeed Ron Raley, who retired in late 2023. Karels' career spans roles with the US Forest Service (USFS), the Florida Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), where he served as the National Fire Director. As Agency Liaison, Karels will represent Perimeter Solutions to fire management agencies worldwide. He aims to leverage his extensive industry relationships to promote the company's wildland firefighting products and services. Shannon Horn, Business Director of North America Retardant and Services at Perimeter Solutions, expressed enthusiasm for Karels' appointment.