Gov. J.B. Pritzker met Wednesday in Springfield with leaders from the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois in Springfield. The group discussed recent pension consolidation and investments in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget to help first responders. AFFI members and the governor highlighted efforts to secure retirement benefits for the firefighters. Pritzker said his administration worked with AFFI members, municipal leaders, and lawmakers to consolidate some of the 655 local police and firefighter pension plans to improve the rate of return on investments. Now, the state is putting billions of dollars into one pension fund to get good returns and lower fees for the first responders. "It's also great for property taxpayers in local communities where they were seeing an upward pressure on property taxes because of the fact the returns were not great in the individual funds," Pritzker said.  

The Quincy Fire Department is mourning the loss of one of their own. Firefighter and paramedic Steve Pezzella died in an accident during a family vacation, the department said. Firefighter Pezzella was hired on July 28th, 2008 and has been an incredible asset to the Department ever since," the fire department wrote on a Facebook post. "We cannot emphasize enough the dedication and commitment with which Firefighter Pezzella performed his duties over the course of his nearly 14 year career. The QFD family loves him and he will be dearly missed. The fire department said the family is thankful for the support of the community but wishes to maintain their privacy at this time. Pezzella was 37.  

First responders working with the Village of Manhattan will have more reliable respirator masks thanks to a donation that was made possible by a New Lenox-based company. Manhattan Mayor Mike Andrieansen announced the donation of the 100 masks, which came from a donation totaling $20,000 by EzCloud Solutions in New Lenox, the village announced on Wednesday. The masks will be donated to the Manhattan Village Police Department, the Emergency Management Agency, and the Manhattan Fire Protection District. The donation was made in honor of National Police Week, which took place in May. The respirators are electrostatic with replaceable filters and each unit comes with a nylon tactical carrying case with five replacement filters, officials said in a news release. The 100 masks will be divided among all three agencies for use in the field, the village said Wednesday.  

VIDEOS: Three young teens were arrested Wednesday evening for the ""suspicious" fires that destroyed three historic buildings in Morrow over the weekend. A 15-year-old boy and two 14-year-old boys were taken into custody at their Clayton County home. All three were charged with arson, burglary, criminal interference with government property, criminal damage to property, and criminal trespass. Morrow Interim Police Chief David Snively said vandals have previously targeted Morrow's historic downtown, known as "The District." "This is a case solved by old-fashioned police work and close community partnerships" said Chief Snively. "After confirming the fire was arson, investigators from the Morrow Police Department, Morrow Fire Department, and our state and federal partners painstakingly walked the community to meet with witnesses and review digital evidence; those efforts ultimately led to the arrest of these three offenders."  

A Lowcountry firefighter's initiative and construction skills have led her to create a new tool that could save lives. In 2021, the Burton Fire District responded to a 35% increase in motor vehicle collisions causing injury, and a 175% increase (4 to 11) in the number of trapped occupants that required rescue. So Brittany came up with her own. She had some help from her husband, a welding instructor at Battery Creek High School to create the metal brace. But she welded the entire apparatus herself. The tool she made helps to lock the hydraulic in place and allow quicker access to patients. "It allows us to gain access to the patient because when you are pinned with the dash rolled down on your legs there is no way to pull you out," said Brittany. "We have to get the dash off of you to pull you out and start medical procedures on you."  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A historical fire engine used in rescue efforts during the 1972 Black Hills Flood visited the Journey Museum on Wednesday. Engine 6 is an eight cylinder Detroit diesel with a manual transmission and a 500 gallon tank. During the night of June 8-9, 1972, Shift 1 — consisting of firefighters Brassfield, Tish, McGinnis, Nordstrom and Houska — manned the 1971 American LaFrance. While in operation, Engine 6 was housed at the fire department's Central Station at 610 Main Street. The engine has changed hands a few times. Division Chief of Fire Operations Brian Povandra currently owns it. Tessa Jaeger, spokesperson for the Rapid City Fire Department, said records from 1972 make it difficult to find the first names of the firefighters. According to a RCFD press release, Engine 6 played a key role in the rescue efforts during the first night of the 1972 flood. It spent most of its time that night in the area of West Boulevard and West Omaha Street.  

Members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department were caught in the line of fire during what they described as a deadly drive-by shooting that happened Tuesday afternoon on the Westside. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said two people are in custody after a man in a wheelchair was found shot and killed in a driveway off Barracuda Road. No arrests have been announced by JSO. While a rescue crew was responding to an unrelated medical call, bullets started flying, putting them and the entire community in danger. JFRD spokesman Captain Eric Prosswimmer said the crew was dodging bullets from the shooting just inches away, but no one was hit. He described JFRD running into the house where they were responding and Army crawling to dodge the bullets hitting the screen door.  

According to Hawaii County officials, a tourism helicopter reportedly crashed in a lava field near South Point on Wednesday. K&S Helicopters who operates Paradise Helicopters said the incident happened at about 5:29 p.m. while their aircraft, a Bell 407, was operating a tour. Preliminary information said that five passengers and one crew member were onboard. Officials claimed a 50-year-old male pilot and an 18-year-old female were in serious condition. Four passengers were reported to be ambulatory. Initial reports said the pilot was potentially trapped. The Hawaii Fire Department stated that ground units were unable to access the crash site which was located a mile from the nearest roadway. A chopper was then sent to the scene to extricate three ambulatory patients from the crash site and take them to ground medic units.