Cornbelt Fire Protection District firefighters who have passed away will be memorialized as part of a new display at the firehouse in Mahomet. R Unique Creations recently finished the display, which features a bell that was given to the fire department in memory of firefighter Don Deem, who died in 1999 at age 53. The bell was mounted on the front of a firetruck and couldn't be remounted when the truck was refurbished, fire Chief John Koller said. Mr. Deem, who always had a cigar in his mouth, according to son-in-law and fellow firefighter Jimmy Zindars, was a longtime member of the department. "He was on the department for 18 years," said Mr. Deem's daughter, Kristy. "I was little when he joined. I was 23 when he passed away." She said the fire department was a big part of her father's life.  

VIDEO: A man was transported to an area hospital after being stuck in a grain bin for several hours in Westfield, Illinois on Tuesday. When the report came in at 11:00 a.m., multiple emergency service crews responded to the scene. An employee with Littlejohn Grain Inc., the man stayed responsive during the entire rescue process. Firefighters had to empty the grain bin to complete the rescue and were successful around 3:00 p.m. Once the man was out of the bin, emergency responders attended to him and provided medical service until he was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital.  

More than 40 firefighters and a sprinkler system helped to prevent a blaze inside a car and garage from spreading to other units within a townhome complex near Grayslake Monday, fire officials said. The blaze broke out at about 12:40 p.m. Monday at the three-unit townhome complex in the 17600 block of Knollwood Court in unincorporated Grayslake, according to a news release from the Grayslake Fire District. When firefighters arrived they found heavy fire and smoke coming from an end unit of the townhome complex. Two residents inside the townhome at the time of the blaze were able to safely get out, according to the news release.  

Firefighters in Libertyville rescued a dog that had fallen into an icy pond, and returned it to its owner. The Libertyville Fire Department said the dog had broken through the ice in the middle of a retention pond on Feb. 18. The owner had tried to help, but another witness convinced them it was unsafe. In the footage, filmed by onlooker Jerry Bellak, a firefighter wearing an exposure suit can be seen being pulled back to shore with the dog. "The poor, unfortunate dog fell through the ice and was fighting to stay afloat. The only thing we could do was to encourage the dog to swim towards safety, but it could not get back up on the ice. We felt completely helpless," Bellak said. Fortunately the fire department was called and jumped into action upon arrival.  

VIDEOS: A fire Tuesday afternoon completely burned an abandoned warehouse to the ground. The Stockton Fire Department said the wind-driven fire was reported at 4:54 p.m. on Lindsay and Stockton streets. The fire went three-alarm, which means that a larger response of firefighters was required to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported. While officials have not yet released the cause of the fire, video obtained by KCRA 3 shows the building engulfed in flames.  

West Virginia is considering a new bill, House Bill 2191, to provide free motor vehicle registrations and license plates to volunteer firefighters with at least five years of service. The bill was introduced by Delegate Burkhammer on January 11, 2023, and has been referred to the Committee on Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services and then Finance. The proposed legislation aims to recognize and appreciate the invaluable services that volunteer firefighters provide to the state. Volunteer firefighters often put their lives on the line to save others, and the least the state can do is make their lives easier. By exempting them from paying for vehicle registrations and license plates, the state could give back to the volunteers and help ease their financial burden. Additionally, the bill would encourage more people to join the firefighting services and help retain experienced volunteers by showing that their contributions are valued.  

The Susquehanna Flats are unlike any other part of the Chesapeake Bay. Where the Susquehanna River meets the upper Bay, swaths of underwater grasses make for great fishing and waterfowl hunting opportunities. But water depths can change drastically very quickly, causing boaters and paddlers to get stranded. Traditional rescue vessels can't reach the victims, and things get risky for emergency crews. But the Susquehanna Hose Company's new airboat changes all that. It can skim over any depth of water. Cheryl Costello got on board the unique rescue vessel that will make the upper Bay safer.  

The Fire Department of New York is the beating heart of New York City and has come to represent the latest benchmark WOD "New York Minute" released by CrossFit HQ. These brave men and women go head first into burning buildings to save individuals who would otherwise perish, going towards the smoke and flames others wouldn't dream of nearing, in gear upwards of 130 pounds. The FDNY CrossFit team was asked to demonstrate this workout for CrossFit HQ. Now, they are the face of this brutal workout and show us the real impact CrossFit can have on an occupation that could mean life or death. Many of these individuals are also on the medical team for the CrossFit Games.