VIDEO/PHOTOS: A fire destroyed one townhouse and damaged several others Wednesday in far northwest suburban Pingree Grove. Two civilians, one firefighter, and one police officer were injured—but all were treated on the scene, Pingree Grove & Countryside Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Chris Howell. The fire started Wednesday afternoon in a five-unit townhouse building at 2465 Bella Dr. in Pingree Grove. One townhouse in the building was destroyed in the fire, while three were damaged and one was unaffected, Howell said. Four or five townhouse units across the alley were also damaged. All the units were closed off late Wednesday because of smoke, Howell said. The fire remained under investigation late Wednesday.  

The Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department will transition to a full-time department starting Aug. 1, meaning more staff available at all times to address emergencies in Northern Illinois. It's a move that's been in the works for more than a year. Chief John Bergeron says they'll have ten emergency services personnel working around the clock, along with additional staff available to come in and help when needed. "It was a huge endeavor to start this and to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel," Chief Bergeron said. The department has to follow stricter training guidelines, which they say will ensure the public gets the best service possible from the department. It will also help attract and retain more firefighters, an issue for the department that used to contract from an outside company.  

VIDEOS: A fire at a metal recycling facility in the St. Johns neighborhood broke out Wednesday afternoon, sending up a plume of black smoke visible from as far away as downtown Portland. There were no injuries reported to first responders or plant personnel, said Portland Fire & Rescue. Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) first tweeted about the fire at around 1:30 p.m., describing it as a large fire in a scrap pile at the recycling facility, and said aerial ladder pipes were being set up to start putting it out. PF&R later added that the fire was in at least two piles and a nearby structure was in danger of being caught up in the blaze. The pile ablaze was filled with smashed cars, appliances and other large metal objects scheduled to go through the industrial shredder, PF&R said.  

The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline program has recognized Delaware County's Emergency Medical Services with their 8th consecutive EMS Gold Achievement Award. This national-level honor recognizes prehospital-care agencies around the country that meet the AHA's standards for rapid and research-based care for the most severe forms of heart attacks and strokes. Mission: Lifeline EMS is the AHA's national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, time-sensitive medical emergencies. In 2023, 23.08% of Delaware County EMS's cardiac-arrest patients were discharged neurologically intact, compared to the national average of around 10%. "We are very proud to be included in this elite group of honorees," Delaware County EMS director Jeff Fishel said in a media release.  

VIDEO: Two arrests have been made in connection to a fire truck wreck that happened in October 2023. Austin Turner, the driver of the truck for Coon Creek Fire Department, was indicted by a Leslie County grand jury Monday for murder and wanton endangerment. His mother, Ethel Turner, who is also involved with the department, was indicted for tampering with physical evidence. Both are being held at the Leslie County Detention Center. Austin's bond is $125,000, and Ethel's is $25,000. Officials with the Leslie County Sheriff's Department said when they arrived on the scene of the wreck in October, Turner had left the scene and another firefighter was still trapped in the truck. First responders were able to remove Regina Huffman from the truck and transport her to Mary Breckinridge ARH where she later died.  

VIDEOS: A technology born right in the Queen City is now keeping firefighters safe nationwide. "Florian" is a piece of software that tracks first responders when in burning buildings. The idea for this technology was born out of tragedy, when two Buffalo firefighters were killed responding to a fire on Genesee Street, back in 2009. Patrick O'Conner, the developer of this software and a former Grand Island firefighter, told me he knew there had to be a better way to protect responders in the line of duty, so he decided to create it himself. When duty calls, firefighters are sometimes dispatched simultaneously and even before ambulances, to provide quick medical intervention. 3AM Innovations president and co-founder Patrick O'Conner said, "For an active shooter, the first responders that get there sometimes are the firefighters, for medical aid and whatnot. Having the ability to know where they are and where the safety areas are for them to actually stage at, is critical."