VIDEO: San Antonio firefighters who arrived to a burning building early Thursday morning say the flames and smoke that were pouring out of it were only part of the challenge they faced. The building in the 1300 block of Culebra Road, which was home to a sign shop, had a double roof which made it difficult for crews to reach all of the fire quickly. Assistant Chief Neil Ague with SAFD says the fire, which appeared to start toward the back of the building, had made its way into the attic and took off from there. "We were attacking it from both ends, from the front and from the back, and it was just difficult to get into the attic spaces," he said. Firefighters got the first 911 calls shortly before 4 a.m., then continued battling flames for about two hours. Every time it seemed they'd gotten the upper hand, the fire would spring back to life.  

Texas Emergency Communications Center earns elite designation as Accredited Center of Excellence Only a few short months since it was established, the Texas Emergency Communications Center, which serves as the 911 dispatch center for five volunteer fire departments in northern Harris County, has achieved a noteworthy milestone. The local emergency response service was designated as an Accredited Center of Excellence for emergency fire dispatching, one of only 64 agencies in the world to receive that distinction. The accreditation status was bestowed on the TECC last month by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, the standard-setting organization for emergency dispatch services worldwide.  

VIDEO: Prosperity Bank and the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Lubbock hosted their 19th annual unsung heroes event on Thursday. Five first responders received the award, all nominated by the peers they served with. "The unsung heroes are the tip of the sword. The tip of an arrow," Matt Dawson, award recipient and retired firefighter, said. An unsung hero. A savior who is not always recognized. It's a title that could be given to many first responders, but on Thursday night five would receive the honor. Officer Jeffrey Buschman, paramedic Arron Odom, state trooper Drew Woodard, sheriff's deputy Eddie Burton, and Lubbock firefighter Matt Dawson. "For them to nominate me for Unsung Hero and to actually receive it means a lot," Dawson said. "I can't thank them enough. So if you guys are out there, thanks."  

VIDEO: It's known as the old Austin Fire Department training tower – a familiar landmark to anyone who's driven past the slender six-story building on West Cesar Chavez Street between the First Street and Congress Avenue bridges downtown. A deliberately-set campfire near the tower in April 2021 caused some exterior damage. Now, the City of Austin has begun a restoration project that will bring the tower back to its original glory. Windows will be replaced and exterior bricks and the carillon bells restored. Officially known as Buford Tower, it was built in 1930 and was one of the city's tallest structures in its day. When firefighters trained there, big crowds would often come to watch as firemen used flares and smoke bombs to simulate blazes inside the tower.  

A life was saved early Thursday morning when Paris Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire and crews pulled them from the home. "Paris firefighters work and train hard so they're prepared to help our citizens during the worst of situations," said Paris Fire Department Chief Thomas McMonigle. "This morning's rescue is the product of their bravery, dedication, and preparation to do just that. I'm very proud of all who were involved. Paris is blessed to have them, and I'm blessed to be a small part of such a great group of people." At about 2 a.m. Thursday, Paris Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 600 block of S.E. 5th Street with one person outside, where heavy smoke was showing from the home and another still inside.  

VIDEO: The annual Rib Eating Contest, benefiting South Texas Special Olympics was held Thursday afternoon at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant. The Corpus Christi Fire Department, police department, and members of the media, including KRIS 6 News anchor Pat Simon and reporter Eran Hami participated in the contest. "We're trying to partner with our community and our law enforcement so we can help raise money and contribute and give back to the community", said Wes Fair with Texas Roadhouse. CCFD won the contest for a second consecutive year, but the real winner is the community and the Special Olympics athletes.  

VIDEO: Arkansas Department of Transportation crews took over 24 hours to clear all lanes along I-30 westbound after a fiery, fatal, multi-vehicle crash happened on Wednesday. There were 20 vehicles involved in the accident, which also included eight semi trucks. The accident happened near mile marker 86 along I-30 westbound and it resulted in three fatalities. Traffic was backed up for hours and was at a standstill until shortly after 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. "Looking at that road, we had to get all of the damaged trucks off the interstate. The final damaged truck was removed sometime around 7 or 8 this morning," said Dave Parker with ARDOT. Parker said that the crash started as a two car accident, but in the aftermath of that incident having backed up traffic, a second crash involving semi-trucks came around 15 to 20 minutes later. And the second accident caused a large fire to erupt. "The pavement, it literally melted and buckled. So, to reopen it safely we've got to get in there," said Parker.  

Only a few short months since it was established, the Texas Emergency Communications Center, which serves as the 911 dispatch center for five volunteer fire departments in northern Harris County, has achieved a noteworthy milestone. The local emergency response service was designated as an Accredited Center of Excellence for emergency fire dispatching, one of only 64 agencies in the world to receive that distinction. The accreditation status was bestowed on the TECC last month by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, the standard-setting organization for emergency dispatch services worldwide. Accreditation from the IAED is the highest distinction given to emergency communication centers, certifying that the center is performing at or above the established standards for the industry. "The distinction places our center among the highest performing centers in the world," Lori Broadrick, TECC executive director, said in an interview.  

VIDEO: Captain Raymond Coci with Toledo Fire and Rescue went on his last call Thursday morning, leading crews to the intersection of Locust and East Bancroft streets for a fire at a duplex, less than two hours before his scheduled retirement. "Well, I was the first officer to arrive, so I had to take command, so I didn't get to go in immediately but as soon as the chief got here and took command I got to go in and do a little bit of firefighting," Coci said. Coci's fellow firefighters aren't surprised he was working until the last minutes of his 34-year career. He has bounced back from injuries in the past and finished his career as captain at "one of the busiest engine houses in the city," Station 7 on the corner of Bancroft Street and Franklin Avenue in central Toledo, TFD Pvt. Sterling Rahe said. Veterans with the TFD can't remember the last time a crew member retired while on the scene of a fire, which Rahe said "is a storybook ending."  

VIDEO: The FDNY has a brand new way to train its members for some of the most complicated rescues. The simulator was dedicated Thursday to a beloved member of the department who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11. At first glance, the enormous pile of rubble looks like the latest disaster in New York City with the broken fuselage of a plane, crushed cars and piles of concrete, but the firefighters feverishly working the scene are training at the FDNY Fire Academy. "Possibly somebody's under there. They're trying to get them out. They're in a confined space," FDNY Battalion Chief Joe Downey explained. Downey showed CBS2's Andrea Grymes the newest training site -- each piece of rubble meticulously placed to simulate several different real-life disasters.  

VIDEO: There's a team dedicated and ready to transport any future patients suspected of having monkeypox, and any other communicable disease here in Atlanta. The Grady EMS Biosafety Transport Team has already safely transported one suspected case. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 40 cases of monkeypox across the country, including one in metro Atlanta. Team Lead Benjamin Mize and Medical Director Dr. Lekshmi Kumar expect to get more calls in the coming weeks. "We got the call for activation from Emory University Hospital's Serious Communicable Diseases Unit. What happens then is they call us and give us a two hour window to activate the team, get the members here and get the teams set and in suit, get the truck ready," Mize explained. "From there, we respond to the location and make contact with the patient."