What started out as four television monitors on top of a vehicle dashboard is now the first complete ambulance simulator in North America. Texas State Technical College's Emergency Medical Services program hosted area first responders at the unveiling of the simulator, a multinational project between the college, Echo Healthcare, and SimLeader, a Canada-based company that develops safe training environments that allow teams to prepare for the unpredictable. Robert-Francois Demers, executive director of SimLeader, said the ambulance unveiling capped a 10-year dream for him. "We have finally been able to give students the technology to train with what is not just a tabletop screen," Demers said of designing the technology inside the converted Ford F-350 ambulance.  

Lewiston, Maine is about 1,900 miles from Prosper, Texas. But the recent attacks by a lone gunman, and the human toll he left behind, were not far at all from the thoughts of first responders on Thursday training for the possibility of a similar tragedy here. The Town of Prosper, along with other federal, state, and local jurisdictions, participated in a statewide Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack (CCTA) exercise designed to simulate a complex terrorist attack scenario at Prosper ISD Stadium and Prosper Central Fire Station. The primary objective was "to assess the readiness of first responders and communications personnel in managing a coordinated statewide attack involving multiple agencies with overlapping jurisdictions." But with a death toll rising, and a gunman still on the loose in the state of Maine, the North Texas drill took on added meaning.  

Several people and a dog were rescued from floodwaters after heavy rain moved through McKinney overnight, fire officials said. The McKinney Fire Department (MFD) said in total, it responded to four water rescue calls early Thursday morning. In each instance, the MFD's Technical Rescue Teams were able to bring the trapped people to safety. MFD said the first call came in just after 4 a.m., concerning two people trapped in a vehicle that became stuck in high water near the Bonnie Wenk Dog Park – located in the 2900 block of Virginia Parkway. When crews arrived, they successfully rescued them. MFD said a few minutes later, a call came in about a person stuck in their vehicle under the bridge next to Town Lake Park. At about 5:19 a.m., crews responded to the 200 block of Valley Creek Trail to rescue a person in their vehicle, MFD said.  

Bullard firefighters were able to save a home after a car went up in flames under an awning Thursday. Just after 12 p.m. Thursday, fire officials were called to a report of a car on fire under the awning of a home. When they arrived, the engine of the car was engulfed in flames. Fortunately, fire crews were able to contain the situation with no damage to the home and minimal damage to the awning above. The owner said she was just on her way out. "I started the car and it made a popping sound, and I saw smoke and boy I hot-footed it out of the car and called 911. While I was on the phone with them I did see flames. Then they stopped but then they started up again. It was just, horrendous," owner Cindy McCugh said. The woman was not injured in the fire. Her car has been reported as a total loss.  

Several off-duty firefighters rushed to the aid of the driver of a tanker truck who was involved in a fiery rollover crash, leading to hours-long lane closures and massive traffic backups along Interstate 595 in Davie. All westbound lanes were shut down near Nob Hill Road after the tanker rolled over and caught on fire, Thursday afternoon. The highway did not reopen to traffic until just after 9 p.m. Several agencies responded to the blaze near the Nob Hill Road exit, including Davie Fire Rescue, Hollywood Fire Rescue and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue's hazmat team. The tanker carried waste products, and its fuel lines were ruptured. Officials said the driver was traveling west when the vehicle swerved, went on its side and caught on fire. The smoke was visible from several miles away.  

Several Memphis fire stations are home to new engines, albeit on a much smaller scale. Fire Replicas, a company that makes high end fire truck models for the largest departments all over the country, created several to represent the Memphis Fire Department (MFD). Four models can be found on Fire Replicas website, including a University of Memphis engine themed in Memphis Tigers colors. Those four engines, which Fire Replicas said are only the first four MFD engines created, were delivered to stations across Memphis on Monday, October 23. The replicas are available for purchase on Fire Replicas website starting around $329. The company has also created replica engines representing fire departments in New York City, Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Dallas and Philadelphia, among other cities.  

The Auburn Fire Chief says they often get thank you cards and the occasional donation, but nothing has ever been so large that it will help for years to come. A few months ago, the chief got the surprise of a lifetime when a former patient donated $500,000. "This is the ultimate in paying it forward," Chief Stephen Coleman said. "She's going to still be able to provide assistance for people in a final act of kindness." The donor was Debbie Virgilio, who was a regular patient of Auburn first responders toward the end of her life. With the donation, the fire department purchased a brand new, fully loaded ambulance, as well as new equipment for the department's three other ambulances. "She was just always impressed with the level of care and compassion she received from the paramedics," Coleman said.  

VIDEO: Salina Emergency Management last week took a new approach during a training session. The effort to give first responders a more realistic simulation borrowed some ideas from a role playing game that's regained popularity in recent years after reaching its initial peak about 40 years ago. Salina Emergency Management Director Michelle Weis said traditional regular training has its drawbacks. "The discussion can get kind of boring," she said. "To the point that the actions are just kind of assumed and you just kind of roll with it, no pun intended." Weis decided to go with a novel idea. "We kind of took a concept from "Dungeons and Dragons" and eased some of our first responders into a board-game-style discussion-based exercise," she said.