Decatur residents will soon see more technology at different intersections across the city. Decatur city council sits down Monday night to approve the purchase that will make it easier for emergency vehicles to drive across town. Thirty-Seven intersections in Decatur already have these Opticom GPS units that switch stoplights for emergency vehicles. Twelve more will be purchased and installed after City Council?s decision Monday night. The Opticoms are installed on traffic lights while the vehicle has a device inside to notify the driver if they'll have the green light. The Decatur Fire Department says that additional intersections with the devices would help a lot in response time. Deputy Chief Jim Ohl said, "We kind of have them in main corridors, our high-traffic areas. At certain times of the day, we have heavy traffic volume  

A home in Champaign was damaged on Sunday when a fire broke out on the front porch. Officials with the Champaign Fire Department said the fire happened just after midnight in the area of Fifth Street and Beardsley Avenue. Crews received multiple reports of fire and found heavy flames when they arrived. They were able to quickly put it out with multiple hose lines and the flames were contained primarily to the porch. No one was home at the time the fire started and no firefighters were hurt battling the flames. The cause is under investigation. The Champaign Fire Department also took the opportunity to remind homeowners to maintain a working smoke alarm in their home and to practice a home escape plan.  

One of two Birmingham firefighters shot last week at a fire station in the city's Norwood community has died. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Firefighter Jordan Melton was pronounced dead at 6:06 p.m. Monday. He was 29 and had only been a firefighter for several weeks. "Birmingham Fire and Rescue mourns the loss of Firefighter Jordan Melton, who passed away this evening, ‘' Capt. Orlando Reynolds announced at 7:17 p.m. Firefighter Jamal Jones also was shot, and is recovering. "I'm absolutely heartbroken by this senseless and tragic act of gun violence against our brothers,'' said Fire Chief Cory Moon. "We will continue to wrap our arms around Jordan's family to support them. Please continue to pray for them and the BFRS family."  

VIDEO: Earlier this month, the Canyon County Historical Society unveiled a new exhibit highlighting Nampa's history with fire and the history of Nampa's Fire Department. The exhibit is in one of the city's oldest buildings, the Nampa Train Depot, celebrating its 120th birthday this July. On July 3rd, 1909, an unknown individual lit a firework inside the cigar store across from the Train Depot causing a massive explosion and fire. "A lot of people may not understand or appreciate how close the town came to being destroyed and wiped off the map," says Canyon County Historical Society President Aldis Garsvo. Around half the town was destroyed. The parking lot across the street used to be buildings that were lost in the blaze. In true Idaho fashion, Nampa residents picked themselves up by their bootstraps and held Fourth of July celebrations the very next day.  

Dallas Fire-Rescue officials say a relatively new program aimed at addressing mental health wellness within their ranks is already proving to be successful. The program was rolled out a little over a year ago, following a trend of suicides and suicide attempts not just within DFR, but within fire departments across the country. "Since 2018, we've had four suicides, and two attempted suicides...so, we are trying to be as proactive as possible," Executive Assistant Fire Chief Brett Stidham said. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation began tracking firefighter suicides this year and at the time of this publishing, they've reported a total of eight firefighter suicides across the country. Texas leads the list with three. DFR's mental health wellness program counts on a multi-pronged approach that offers help to firefighters and the families who need it.  

A recent house fire in the Capital Region added four more people to the state's residential fire death toll for 2023. According to a press release from the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY), in 2017, 2018, and 2019, New York led the nation in fire deaths. The state is presently on track for the same mention in 2023. Earlier this year, FASNY cautioned that New York was again poised to lead the nation in fire fatalities, with 45 residential fire deaths reported as of March 14. This week that number climbed to 98 – almost double the number of home fire deaths in the next leading states of Texas and Ohio (59), Pennsylvania (57), and California (55). Destructive and deadly house fires have occurred not only in the dense neighborhoods of New York City but also on Long Island, Buffalo, the Hudson Valley, the Adirondacks, the North Country, and other communities around the state where volunteer firefighters provide the vast majority of response.