Wheeling Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac will end his 30-year tenure leading the department and head into retirement Friday. Deputy Fire Chief Mike McGreal is scheduled to be sworn in as MacIsaac's replacement Monday. McGreal previously spent 29 years with the Wilmette Fire Department, retiring as chief there in 2017 before joining Wheeling later that year. Officials thanked MacIsaac for his many contributions, in particular his leadership in fire prevention. He's credited Wheeling becoming one of the first towns in Illinois to require the installation of fire sprinklers in all new homes. Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said Wheeling has benefited immeasurably from MacIsaac's 30 years of service, in which he became widely recognized as "one of the most distinguished members of his profession."  

An arson fire Thursday night struck a North Valley business severely damaged by a vehicle crash earlier this year. At 9:50 p.m. Thursday, the Peoria Fire Department was summoned to Riverview Construction, 3206 NE Adams St. Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the windows and doors of the unoccupied building. Crews had the fire under control in seven minutes, according to the department. A department fire investigator determined the cause of the blaze to be arson. In that regard, no further information was provided. The fire caused $20,000 in damage, according to the department. In February, a southbound minivan veered off Northeast Adams Street, crossed the center line and bashed through a wall of Riverview Construction. Damage was estimated at $75,000.  

A person of interest is being questioned after an off-duty firefighter was shot Thursday in Fernwood on the South Side. The 54-year-old was in an alley about 6:42 p.m. in the 9900-block of South Yale Avenue when someone approached him and fired shots, Chicago police said. The man was struck in the ankle, calf and buttocks, police said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was listed in good condition. Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said the firefighter is assigned to a South Side firehouse. A person of interest is being questioned and a weapon was recovered at the scene, police said.  

VIDEO: A fire burned about 20 scrapped cars at U Pick A Part Auto Salvage yard in Washington Park Thursday morning. It took firefighters from multiple agencies about 40 minutes to get the blaze under control, Washington Park Fire Chief Sharon Davis said. Davis said the call came in at 8:39 a.m. Fire crews rushed to 6111 Bunkum Road where several cars were on fire, Davis said.  

The new coronavirus has forced many Illinois residents to cancel or postpone events that celebrate life's important milestones. For kids with birthdays during Illinois' coronavirus stay-at-home order, this can be particularly hard—especially since it means no parties. But never fear! The Winnetka Fire Department is here to the rescue. According to the city, the department wants to do its part to still make those kids' birthdays as memorable as possible with a celebration they won't hopefully forget. If you have a child between the ages of 2 and 10 with a birthday coming up during the state's stay-at-home order, you can request a birthday salute from the fire department. Salutes will consist of a stop, siren and flashing lights.  

First responders have now been added to a list of those eligible for high priority COVID-19 testing. This means first responders who are showing symptoms of the virus are now eligible for high-priority testing, joining hospitalized patients, healthcare workers, and residents and employees in congregated or long-term care facilities. Fire chiefs in Colorado championed for the change since they saw the domino effect of not being able to easily access testing. "The safety and health of our communities is a top priority for us all," said Jefferson County Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper. "We must to do everything possible to ensure our first responders can protect our communities. Priority testing for first responders is crucial." In Jefferson County, a wildland fire crew was in self-isolation for two weeks after a member started feeling sick in March. Testing at that point, according to Elk Creek Fire Protection District Chief Jacob Ware, was difficult to access so the team ended up in quarantine.  

Over the last few months, Massachusetts has received and purchased tens of thousands of masks for first responders and health care professionals amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to a test performed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, some of those masks, like the KN95s from China, have proven to be defective. The state's website advises paramedics not to use those KN95s when performing certain procedures on COVID-19-positive patients. "We've been at a deficit and been behind on things as far as PPE from the start," Rich MacKinnon, president of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts organization, said. Massachusetts firefighters and police officers were relieved to be getting respirator masks as quickly as the state has been able to acquire them.  

Medical providers were recently abuzz about a new treatment for respiratory distress that includes a high flow of oxygen entering through a patient's nose, said Braden Frame, a seven-year firefighter and paramedic with Lake Travis Fire Rescue. The action stems from COVID-19 complications encountered in the field by first responders. However, that procedure requires a lot of oxygen and equipment to heat and humidify the air—items that aren't feasible, reasonable or available in pre-hospital medicine but rather employed on the wall of an emergency room or in an intensive care unit, Frame said. So Frame, who serves on the organization's COVID-19 Task Force science division that develops plans and procedures to keep patients and firefighters safe, sought a better way.  

It's a mission to get 5,000 Valley first responders coronavirus antibody tests. The United Phoenix Firefighters Association and the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association are helping their members get those tests. This week, the focus was on testing firefighters. Next week, they'll transition to testing police officers. "You never know what you're showing up to. Every shift is different." Especially during a pandemic. Phoenix Firefighter Mike Johnson has been with the department for 14 years and says they're doing everything they can to minimize their risk of contracting the coronavirus, like wearing masks on calls and deep-cleaning their equipment.  

For those of us who are stuck at home, the least we can do is show our appreciation for the people keeping us safe right now. And that's why so many of us have taken up clapping or singing to give thanks to healthcare workers, first responders and others. Some American cities, too, have found really creative ways to let their appreciation be known. From chalk art and balloon installations to lit-up attractions and buildings and hearts made out of patrol cars, cities and residents are going out of their way to show a little love.