Retired Chicago Fire Lt. Dwain Williams was murdered in an attempted carjacking in late 2020, and on Saturday, he was commemorated with an honorary street name. Loved ones were present for the unveiling of four signs at the each corner of 95th and Peoria streets in Chicago's Washington Heights neighborhood. The corner now has the honorary designation of Lt. Dwain P. Williams Way. Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and many of Williams' colleagues, friends, and neighbors were also there to honor his memory. On Dec. 3, 2020, Williams, 65, was leaving his favorite popcorn store, Let's Get Poppin popcorn store at 11758 S. Western Ave. in Morgan Park. He was walking to his vehicle, when a stolen four-door dark-colored sedan pulled up and four males got out and bum rushed him.  

A firefighter suffered a medical emergency on Thursday while combatting a fire in Good Hope that drew more than a dozen emergency vehicles. According to a Friday, Feb. 25 release by Good Hope-Sciota Fire Protection Disrict Chief Ed Arnold, firefighters were dispatched at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday to the Good Hope Mini Mart at 240 E. Vine St. for a multi-vehicle fire. A firefighter whose name was not released suffered from a medical emergency while fighting the fire. Life-saving measures were performed by EMS and fire personnel, and enroute to McDonough District Hospital by Lifeguard paramedics. The individual was in stable condition at OSF St. Francis Hospital in Peoria on Friday. This reporter observed a pickup/camper combo on fire at the Mini-Mart and approximately 15 emergency vehicles in the area. Flames could be seen shooting up about 15 feet.  

Firefighters sprung into action Sunday, rescuing two dogs that were trapped on an ice shelf along the Illinois River. Just after noon, Peoria fire crews responded to a portion of the river at the end of Grant Street and met with a Peoria police officer and an employee from PAWS that were on scene. The officer led the crews to the bank of the river where two dogs were found stranded on the ice approximately 200 feet from the shore. The PAWS representative said they made several attempts to get the dogs to come back to shore, and one of the dogs had fallen through the ice. Firefighters say the dog was able to get itself back onto the ice shelf before fire crews arrived on scene.  

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), along with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) are encouraging Illinois farmers to set aside time to recognize Grain Bin Safety Week from February 20-26 and review safety practices while working in and around grain bins. The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), along with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) are encouraging Illinois farmers to set aside time to recognize Grain Bin Safety Week from February 20-26 and review safety practices while working in and around grain bins.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A raging six-alarm blaze spread to three multi-family homes in East Boston early Monday morning, leaving dozens of people displaced. Firefighters responding to a reported fire on Maverick Street around 3:30 a.m. found heavy flames on all three floors of one building and discovered that the fire had spread to two adjacent buildings, according to the Boston Fire Department. The flames could be seen shooting out of the roof of one of the homes as more than 100 firefighters worked to battle the blaze. Residents living in those buildings recalled hearing their windows cracking before firefighters knocked on their doors, asking them to evacuate. "I can't describe it. I just, just seeing all your things, imagine, watching all the stuff that you own just like burn down, you can't really put words into it," one person said.  

VIDEO: An Oakland hook-and-ladder fire truck crashed into a building Saturday near Lake Merritt, and it was all caught on camera. The video shows one fire engine speed through the intersection. Then, a car tries to make a left turn, right in front of the ladder truck following closely behind. That ladder truck swerves to avoid the car, and goes straight into the storefront of a ground floor business at Grand Ave. and Perkins St. Fire officials say the truck is considered totaled. Three of the five firefighters onboard were taken to Highland Hospital, and are expected to be okay. The truck was headed to a fire- its lights and sirens were on- when the crash happened. A city building inspector is now on scene, evaluating the damage.  

Big crowds can also create big emergencies in Mobile. First responders are ready. A 14 hour day on Sunday starts with a meeting. Crews get their gear and start wheeling it out. All Mardi Gras Emergency calls are routed through a command center at the fire station on Francis Street. It creates a city within the city for greater speed. "Efficiency, certainly our ability to be able to respond in a crowded area, that would be impossible otherwise," said EMS Chief Jim Cox. Sure they have traditional ambulances–but also a fleet of pedal-powered bicycles loaded with gear. "If there's a medical emergency or any emergency it's difficult for an ambulance to navigate or maneuver through a crowd so we use our bikes to quickly and easily access someone in a medical emergency," said Steven Millhouse with MFRD. Other lifesavers include specially modified golf carts, used by MFRD as mini ambulances.  

If you're wondering what the community level of COVID-19 is in your area, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an updated map that makes the latest data easy to see. The U.S. COVID-19 Community Levels by County map covers all U.S. States and territories and breaks down the level of spread on a per-county basis. Under the CDC's newest framework—announced on Friday—the COVID-19 community level is determined by looking at the total number of COVID-19 cases in the area as well as hospital admissions and hospital bed occupancy. The interactive map lets you click on any state to see all its counties. You can then click on any county to see its COVID-19 community level. Additionally, the page has a dropdown menu that lets you select your state and county to quickly see your community level as well as a list of precautions you should take.