The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced Tuesday it is making naloxone more readily available to reverse the effect of opioid overdoses impacting people across the state with opioid use disorder. IDHS is investing nearly $13m aimed at fighting the opioid epidemic through expanding access to this lifesaving medication. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist used for the treatment of overdose from opioids, such as heroin and fentanyl. In the U.S., the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists naloxone as a prescription drug...This funding will also support first responders and other community partners in their efforts to widen the availability of the overdose reversal medication naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan. The project will allow Illinois to increase its capacity to identify and report timely, comprehensive syndromic surveillance data on fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses.  

Godfrey Fire Protection District members responded to a small kitchen fire at Chic 'N Pig in Godfrey on Tuesday morning. The firefighters quickly extinguished the small fire and limited the damage. The fire was contained to a broaster, said Jamie Edwards, manager at Chic 'N Pig. She said the business hopes to be back open by noon today. "We are so grateful for the fire department and how quickly they responded," she said. "It was a small kitchen fire and everyone is fine; no one got hurt. We are just cleaning up now, working with the health and fire departments. We should be back open today about noon." The broaster fire was in a hood system, contained, and didn't spread anywhere," she said.  

It is unclear what caused an early morning fire in Peoria's North Valley neighborhood. Battalion Chief Clint Kuhlman says firefighters were called to the 500 block of Camblin Avenue around 2:40 AM Wednesday, where they found smoke coming from a side window. Once they gained entry, firefighter found fire in the living room. The fire was under control in 10 minutes. All seven occupants were not home when the fire started. No one was injured. Damage is estimated at $40,000.  

A Cicero man was in custody Tuesday on charges that he burned down a Walgreens in the West Lawn neighborhood. Jose Valdovinos, 32, was charged with arson, on allegations of "maliciously damaging and destroying" the building at 4000 W. 59th St. on Monday, June 1, 2020. The address belongs to a Walgreens store. An indictment against him was returned last month by a grand jury. Valdovinos was arrested on Monday, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. While the indictment and a news released do not provide any further details, published reports said the Walgreens was set on fire after being looted in the days of civil unrest in Chicago in late May and early June 2020. Chicago Police last year released surveillance video of three men going through the Walgreens with hand trucks and apparently looting it before the fire was set.  

VIDEO: An underground explosion engulfed a Queens sidewalk, sending flames shooting several feet into the air and injuring a man who happened to be standing on the grate at the precise wrong moment, surveillance video exclusively obtained by NBC New York showed. Barry West was walking along Farmers Boulevard in St. Albans around 5:30 p.m. on July 22 to pay a cellphone bill when the sudden blast occurred without warning. It knocked the 57-year-old father to the ground on his chest, video shows, but he was able to get away before he was burned any worse. He appeared shaken up, and friends told NBC New York that West suffered second-degree burns. He was said to be in good spirits as he recovers at Nassau University Medical Center, but still stunned by what happened.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: People have called Pat Aust crazy, and he's fine with that. The retired Redondo Beach Fire Chief's passion for collecting has him living atop a custom built 2,400 square foot garage in his Redondo Beach home. It's crammed with 13 vehicles from mostly another place and era, like a vintage Fire Chief's 1938 red Ford from Pomona. His 4,000 square foot home has over 35,000 collectibles, mostly related to fire fighting, classic cars, gas stations, soda pop signs and other relics of another era. Aust also has a separate facility in Gardena for the rest of his vehicle collection, including a 1921 American LaFrance fire truck and 17 vintage cars. "Yeah, people call me crazy," says the 72-year-old former fire chief. "It's insanity to a degree, but my children and grandchildren will be happy that I'm crazy." The collection "is worth a lot of money," and it will all go to them one day.  

VIDEO: It's summertime, the season of getting things done around the house. If you're looking for some help with your yard work or moving furniture, look no further than your local firefighters! You can find them on a new app called "Hidrent," designed to connect you to local firefighters who are eager to help their community and make a few extra bucks along the way. "Through Hidrent, we do odd-and-end jobs," said firefighter Tim Hoberg. Hoberg is not stranger to using a drill, power saw and ladder, and he's utilizing Hidrent to use these talents to make some extra cash when off-duty. Most firefighters work 24 hours a day, followed by 48 hours off. During those 48 hours, some seek out side jobs. Dave Heimbuch, CEO of Hidrent, came up with the idea for the app when looking for an easy way for the community to reach out to off-duty firefighters to help with work around the house.  

VIDEO: The Pittsburgh Pirates visited Pittsburgh Fire Bureau Station 20 Tuesday — the engine company that is mourning firefighter Lee Weber. Weber died in a drowning accident on Lake Erie over the weekend. A family member said Weber got caught in the tide and went under. The 38-year-old was a husband, father of two and an Army veteran. "It's been awesome to go to see all the first responders and come here and pay our respects and on behalf of the Pirates organization, just show how appreciative we are of what they do on a day-to-day basis," Pirates pitcher David Bednar said. The Bucs' visit comes on the first day of the First Responders Appreciation Days at PNC Park. The Pirates are distributing thousands of free tickets to firefighters, police, paramedics and other first responders for their games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers.  

VIDEO: By this time of the summer, nearly every year, many fire and police departments start receiving panicked calls from people about children or pets trapped inside hot cars. It's enough of a concern one local fire department actually purchased new equipment to help reach victims faster and safer. Whether it's a day that makes you beg for air conditioning, or it's just a beauty from mother nature, it's not always the temperature outside that's a concern for firefighters. "The statistics show the outside temperature can be as low as 57 degrees out, which isn't very warm, and the car can heat up enough if a child is left alone in there," says De Pere Fire/Rescue Assistant Chief of Training and Safety Eric Johnson. He has been on the calls. He's seen parents frantic because their child got locked inside a car, or a dog somehow hit the lock button.