Illinois Senate passes law extending protection measures for first responders and essential workers for another six months. The law established back in the spring allows essential workers and first responders to file for workers' compensation benefits if they contract COVID-19 during the course of their employment. State Senator Bill Cunningham led the Illinois Senate in the decision of the extension. "This law was a fair compromise that protects workers without unduly burdening businesses," said Cunningham. "It encourages businesses to protect their employees to the best of their ability and gives workers who aren't protected more resources to help them recover.".."We all need to thank our first responders and essential workers for their incredible dedication and sacrifice during this crisis," Cunningham said. "They've helped Illinois, and so many of its residents make it through this terrible situation."  

23 News has learned the fire that crews have been working on for the better part of three hours has turned fatal. Dozens of Rockford firefighters got to the scene of an apartment fire around 7:45 p.m. in the 1700 block of 12th Ave. Fire officials say they believe the fire started in the upper level of the apartment which contained 10 to 12 units. Officials confirm one person dead at the scene and a firefighter is transported to a local hospital with burns. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.  

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is joining forces with the Fire Fighter Cancer Support Network and the International Association of Fire Fighters to raise awareness about the increased risk of cancer amongst firefighters. The goal of this campaign is to provide fire fighters the necessary tools and guidance to develop life-saving protocols for cancer prevention and to support those with a cancer diagnosis within their departments, according to the OSFM. Firefighter-occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service, according to the OSFM. In 2019, more than 75 percent of the names of firefighters added to the IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were of members who died from occupational cancer. According to a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, firefighters face a nine percent increase in cancer diagnoses and a 14 percent increase in cancer-related deaths compared to the general population.  

A man was seriously injured when two homes in Avalon Park caught fire Tuesday morning. The fire started shortly after 5 a.m. at a home on the 7900 block of South Anthony Avenue. Fire Department officials said the flames spread to a neighboring house. Firefighters had to bring in extra crews and equipment due to water problems at the scene. A 61-year-old man who lived in the home where the fire started was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in fair to serious condition. No other injuries were reported. Three other people were left temporarily homeless due to the fire.  

Firefighters rescued a couple and their dog from a fire in their second-floor apartment in Franklin Park. Neighbors came to help, when they saw the flames shooting from the apartment around 11 p.m. One neighbor was having dinner when she saw the fire and ran over. Firefighters broke windows to rescue the couple and their dog, who were trapped. The family is expected to recover and went to a local hospital to be treated. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.  

At a cost not to exceed $75,000, the Bradley Village Board approved the hiring of Kankakee-based architect Bright Architecture. The board unanimously approved the contract and the firm has already developed preliminary design concepts for the project expected to be in the $800,000 range. In addition to the architect, the village administration will also be hiring a project manager within the next 30 days or so, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Watson said at Monday's village board meeting. The project manager will oversee the project from beginning to end. Doug Bright, president of Bright Architecture, said at the meeting that it is a wise move to have a project engineer. He said that engineer can bring specifics to such a project. "[Architects] can give an idea of what it could cost," he said, noting that is not the architect's role. Bright did note as a resident of Bradley in the Hunter Run subdivision along Armour Road east of Illinois 50, the distance for quick response times are simply too far.  

A Hamilton County Sheriff's deputy was checking on what he thought was an abandoned vehicle in a wooded area Saturday night, but his quick action might have saved a woman's life. Newly-released body camera footage shows the life-saving efforts of the deputy, who discovered the woman passed out and having a medical emergency behind the wheel of her burning car. Just before 9 p.m., the deputy radioed for help in a wooded area behind Pathways Church on Fields Ertel Road. "She's passed out. Foot on the gas. I'm going to try to do a lock out," the deputy said, documented on the newly released body cam footage. The deputy ran back to his car to call for firefighters to their location. "We have flames. Send fire," he told dispatchers. With the woman's foot stuck on the gas pedal, the deputy did everything he could to get in trying to break the driver's window with his flashlight. But the door was locked, and the window wouldn't shatter.  

VIDEO: Within a year of a crash that killed two first responders and critically injured another, Lubbock Fire Rescue has taken steps to keep its personnel more secure when responding to crashes. Another tactic is in development. "We can't sit there and allow tragedies to happen," Lt. Phillip Grandon said. "We have to figure out how can we prevent this from happening later. So, we had to update our procedures." Grandon told KCBD a traffic safety committee formed shortly after the January 11, 2020 crash. It was tasked with researching protocols other fire departments around the nation follow while working accident scenes. "We updated our procedures based on the roadways that we go on," Grandon said. "The major thing we did was increase our response on the major thoroughfares and high-speed roadways."  

Illinois Senate passes law extending protection measures for first responders and essential workers for another six months. The law established back in the spring allows essential workers and first responders to file for workers' compensation benefits if they contract COVID-19 during the course of their employment. State Senator Bill Cunningham led the Illinois Senate in the decision of the extension. "This law was a fair compromise that protects workers without unduly burdening businesses," said Cunningham. "It encourages businesses to protect their employees to the best of their ability and gives workers who aren't protected more resources to help them recover." Cunningham's measure also extends laws that increase the recovery period for certain injured public employees and provides death benefits to certain police and firefighters who die from COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty.  

VIDEO: The state is warning people that Christmas tree burning is not permitted at the Kaneohe Bay sandbar and they're promising enforcement of any violators. State conservation officers got a tip Saturday about a tree bonfire, but were unable to identify those involved. Video posted online showed a tree burning gathering with a large number of people with no masks or social distancing. An estimated 25 to 50 people were believed to have been in the group. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says people hauling trees to the sandbar and burning them is detrimental to the environment. The practice has become an annual occurrence. "Moreover, numerous photos on social media show these people clearly ignoring current COVID-19 mandates, which on Oahu restrict gatherings to fewer than five people and require masking when in close proximity to others," state conservation enforcement Chief Jason Redulla said, in a news release.  

Fresno firefighters are kicking off what could be another record breaking year. "Last year we had a huge record number of fire, everything, homeless specifically we saw like a 95% increase," Shane Brown with the Fresno Fire Department said. The new year is not bringing any relief. Brown said so far there have been 223 fires in the city and 123 have been caused by homeless activity — A 71% increase from last year. He said many times they'll respond to the same buildings over and over, putting everyone at greater risk. "Those buildings, like I said, once they're impacted by fire the structural members are weakened, the roof is more prone to collapse, the floors often times they collapse, they have holes in them," he said. The surge in homeless related fires comes on top of an already busy time. Several fires broke out Monday.