During National Fire Prevention Week, fire experts are calling on Illinois residents to make sure their smoke alarms are working. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), three out of five fire deaths happen within homes with no or non-functional smoke alarms. In 2023 there were 89 fire deaths across the state, and in most cases, smoke detectors were not attainable. The NFPA stated smoke alarms cut the risk of death by 54%. State Fire Marshal James Rivera said the new, 10-year alarms don't have to change the batteries every year, but it's also important to have an escape plan. "We find the victims who don't have smoke detectors get disorientated," said Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera. Peoria Fire Department has installed more than 600 alarms in over 250 homes. Rivera emphasizes not fighting a fire alone and call for help.  

VIDEO: A fire broke out Wednesday evening in a home in the West Woodlawn neighborhood. The Fire Department was called at 7:50 p.m. for the fire in a two-story house on Vernon Avenue between 66th Street and Marquette Road. Heavy fire was reported, and flames were seen shooting from the north side of the wood-frame house. Firefighters eventually brought the blaze under control. Everyone got out safely, and no injuries were reported.  

PHOTOS: Illinois emergency responders joined the recovery operations in the Carolinas due to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which has claimed at least 159 lives across six states. With fatalities reported in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, the storm has left communities grappling with fallen trees, severe flooding and extensive damage to homes and infrastructure. Last week, in anticipation of the hurricane's impact, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker ordered the activation of specialized teams from the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS). The teams, part of Illinois Task Force One (IL-TF1) and Illinois Water Rescue (IL-WR1), were deployed to North Carolina to assist in search and rescue operations in flood-prone areas.  

VIDEOS: A man is in serious condition after he fell ten feet into an abandoned grain silo south of downtown Fort Worth, officials said. Officers responded to a call from a man who had fallen inside the abandoned silos around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 1937 S. Main Street, according to a press release from the Fort Worth Fire Department. Officers on the scene called for a high-angle response and the man was located several stories up inside the silos, the release states. Accessing the man was challenging, but fire department medics were able to treat him where he was found, officials said. The Fort Worth Fire Department's technical rescue team arrived and the man was hoisted from his location using ropes and was brought outside through a 5th-story window. He got out of the silo around 2 a.m., according to fire department officials on the scene.  

VIDEO: The long-awaited ATF report concluded that the Lahaina fire was started by one fire by re-energization. "The origin and cause of the Lahaina fire is clear. The re-energization of broken power lines caused sparks that ignited unmaintained vegetation in the area. Exactly how this fire rekindled in the afternoon is considered undetermined with multiple plausible hypotheses fitting the known data," said MFD Chief Brad Ventura in the news conference releasing the details of the report. The report stated that the fire was caused by a single fire at utility pole 25 off of Lahainaluna Road, that started at 6:34 a.m. on Aug. 8, 2023. The fire proceeded in two phases, with the first concluding just after 2 p.m. when fire crews left the scene of that fire after all indications showed that the fire had been fully contained and extinguished.  

VIDEO: Firefighters have a higher risk of heart problems, much of it because of the environment on the job, like smoke exposure and lack of sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The Orlando Fire Department is trying to find a solution to part of that problem with a new fire station alert system. It's not unusual for firefighters to respond to calls in the middle of the night. Previously, the alarm woke up the entire crew, even if that unit didn't need to respond. With Orlando Fire's new station alerting system, firefighters now only get the alarm if their unit needs to respond. Orlando firefighters said that the system helps them sleep better at night and even respond more quickly to calls.  

Aid from every level of government is flowing into Western North Carolina, and the city of Baltimore plans to be on that list. The city has an emergency crew at the ready, specifically emergency dispatchers, who will provide relief to local crews that have been working around the clock since Hurricane Helene hit the region Friday, said Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace during a news conference. "This request… is a bit unique. It's normally, emergency response, boots on the ground," said Wallace. "This is a technical team. They have a specific mission when they go down there, and that's to maintain 911, and radio traffic capability." Wallace expects the team to be dispatched down to Asheville or a nearby mountain community.