The volunteer firefighters of Rosewood Heights are hoping the vandalism targeting their fire house will stop. They posted on social media over the weekend that some youths have been throwing large rocks at the building at night-time. Law enforcement was called to interrupt one incident. The worst of the vandalism happened when a rock was thrown through the window of one of the engine bays. Rosewood Heights firefighters also have noticed some large rocks being left on Airline Drive in front of the fire house on occasion – so use caution when driving past. And they ask if anyone sees anything suspicious at the property – call the Madison County Sheriff's Department.  

City officials announced that two of the unions representing Evanston employees have agreed to the city's new mandatory COVID-19 vaccination or testing policy for staff. Announced last month, the city's staff vaccine mandate takes effect Nov. 16. All city employees who do not provide proof of full coronavirus vaccination must submit weekly test results to the city's health department. The local bargaining units of the International Association of Firefighters and the Fraternal Order of Police — which represents patrol officers; sergeants have a separate unit — have both signed on to memoranda of understanding with the city regarding the new mandate, according to city staff.  

An entire family of seven is safe after Peoria Firefighters and paramedics assisted the family out of a burning home on the corner of N. North Street and W. Doubet Court. Firefighters and paramedics arrived at the house to find light smoke erupting from the roof of the home at 4:17 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14. After helping the family out of the house, firefighters found a hidden fire in the ceiling of the building and set up an attack line on the second floor of the structure. Additional crews checked for an extension of the fire and extinguished the hot spots, and put the fire out at 4:34 a.m. Ameren was on the scene and secured utilities from further damage, while the Red Cross was contacted to provide assistance to the family. The fire investigator was called to the fire and determined it to be electrical, while damage is estimated to be approximately $6,000. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.  

Chicago firefighters battled a blaze in a high-rise on the city's West Side Sunday afternoon. According to authorities, the fire broke out on the sixth floor of a building in the 2300 block of West Jackson, located in the Near West Side neighborhood. Firefighters were able to put out the blaze, and are working to clear smoke from the structure as of Sunday afternoon, according to authorities. One person was transported from the scene to a nearby hospital, but fire officials say the person's injuries were "not related to the fire." Further details have not been released, and an investigation is currently underway.  

The Quincy Fire Department and departments across the state, are participating in heavy machinery training run by the Illinois Fire Service Institute. Firefighter said they training they will get over the next two weekends will not only benefit them but also the community members they're charged with helping "We have a lot of public transportation, a lot of school buses in the community so anything we can do to help prepare us to be more prepared for the vehicles in the community, all the better," firefighter Steven Peters said. In the 14 years he's been a firefighter, Peters said he's never participated in training with such large vehicles.  

The Bolingbrook Fire Department will be purchasing a RescueBlox step chock, thanks to a grant from Illinois American Water, a news release states. The IAW 2021 Firefighter Grant Program provides financial assistance to fire and emergency organizations serving communities in its service areas, according to a release from Illinois American Water. This year, over $92,000 will be shared by over 90 Illinois fire departments. Since 2010, over 770 grants totaling over $760,000 have been awarded to Illinois fire and emergency organizations in the company's service area, the company said.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Dozens of firefighters were called to battle a massive apartment fire that left several families displaced early Monday in Pineville. The fast-moving flames broke out just after midnight at the apartment complex along Plum Creek Lane. Channel 9 crews on the scene could see intense flames shooting from the apartment units and second-floor balconies as firefighters tried to get the blaze under control. Tenants were forced to flee their homes but officials told Channel 9 that no injuries were reported. "I probably would have ended up dead if they hadn't knocked on my door and woke me up, baby," said resident Barbra Burch. "I'm going to my girlfriend's house. I guess you got to take me shopping or go shopping for me because I ain't got no clothes except for my gown. Oh Lord, have mercy."  

A new $6 million state-of-the-art fire station on Des Moines' northeast side will cut travel times in half but will cost the city of Des Moines thousands of dollars in overtime every week due to an ongoing staffing shortage in the Des Moines Fire Department. Fire Station 11 opened Nov. 1, despite the department facing 19 staff vacancies — a number that's expected to rise to about 23 by the end of the year due to retirements. The department's hiring cycle took a hit at the beginning of the pandemic, Des Moines Fire Chief John TeKippe said Wednesday. "We literally had to freeze our testing process to rework it to make it COVID-19-acceptable because it's a licensed process that we use on the physical," TeKippe said. The freeze delayed the department's hiring process for about seven months. The fire department also experienced an increase of injuries on and off the job last year that resulted in additional unforeseen vacancies.  

The minimum hourly wage for a new firefighter recruit is $12.33. New police recruits make around the same. That wage now qualifies these first-responders for subsidized housing in Knoxville. "It's been going on for decades," said Kevin Faddis, the President of The Knoxville Firefighters Association. In August 1978, more than 200 police and firefighters in Knoxville marched to City Hall to push for more pay. In 2021, they aren't marching with signs; however, the issue is still prevalent. Faddis has been in the industry for 26 years. He worked up the ladder from new recruit to a Battalion Chief. According to a job posting for an entry-level firefighter position, the starting salary is around $35,000. After two years, that recruit can work up $38,000. Then, a senior firefighter moves into the $42,000 range. "I wanted to know what low income meant. I because I truly didn't know. So I looked it up. And when I looked it up, lo and behold, we fall into that.. our starting pay is around 35,000 dollars," Faddis said.  

Local first responders had some extra help Friday morning while battling a fire at Pier 77 Seafood restaurant on Thomas Drive. For the first time in about 30 years, Naval Support Activity Panama City Fire and Emergency Services worked alongside our local first responders to put out a fire that started in the kitchen of the popular seafood joint. "It's really important that we all work together as multiple agencies because it takes us all when something happens and I'm really proud that everyone pulled together," said Panama City Beach Fire Rescue Chief, Ray Morgan. Assistant Chief of Operations for NSA Panama City Fire and Emergency Services, Joseph Scaglione, said it was an opportunity for them to practice working together. "Bringing the resources and the equipment to help support our community not only in installation was groundbreaking," Scaglione said.  

The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases — which had been on the decline nationally since September — first plateaued and is now ticking upward, with states in different regions experiencing the most pronounced increase in cases. The seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in the United States remained below 80,000 since Oct. 18. As of Nov. 14, it sat at 86,778, according to Johns Hopkins University's worldwide case tracker. The upward trajectory precedes the Thanksgiving holiday, which is expected to involve greater travel and congregation than in 2020. "Well, look, we're going to see a post-holiday spike, there's no question about that," Scott Gottlieb, MD, former FDA commissioner and current Pfizer board member, told CBS News on Nov. 14. Thanksgiving travel is expected to be near pre-pandemic levels this year, with a rebound in air travel making the greatest difference.