VIDEO: Eight families managed to escape with their lives but lost their homes when a three-alarm apartment fire broke out Thursday afternoon in north Houston, officials said. At about 1:30 p.m., the Houston Fire Department received a call about the blaze at 16826 City View Place, near Bush Airport. When crews arrived, they saw smoke and fire coming from the building. According to officials, the fire escalated to a three-alarm because of manpower and heat. This was to help rotate the teams and keep the fire contained. One firefighter was treated on scene for heat exhaustion. Officials said the civilians were able to evacuate and were not injured in the fire. It's still unclear what sparked the fire, but officials said that at least eight units were destroyed as a result. The Red Cross is on the scene assisting the victims.  

Amarillo College and the Amarillo Fire Department have joined forces to provide EMT and paramedic training to students and firefighters. This all started when the Amarillo Fire Department came to Amarillo College with the need to teach personnel EMT and paramedic instruction. "The Amarillo Fire Department has been pushing for paramedic education. So we have a lot of our guys that are attending paramedic school. One of those current classes has about 13 members in it are going through an Amarillo College class," explains Jeff Harbin, District Chief of EMS for Amarillo Fire Department. Because of this, there was an influx of students, so much so that professors at Amarillo College needed help. "That's why this partnership is really important. So we can use some of their firefighters who are already EMT certified to help train and teach these classes," says Chris Sharp, Vice President of Business Affairs and Amarillo College.  

The city of Sherman is set to break ground on a $7 million renovation project to Sherman Fire Rescue Station 1 in downtown. Sherman Fire Rescue Chief, Billy Bob Hartsfield, said the renovation will add modern amenities to the 1964 building while preserving the historical aspects. Fire Station 2 on Dewey St. will be merging with station 1. This will add five firefighters and additional equipment. "It better serves the needs of the city from the incident area maps that we use," Hartsfield said. The re-model will also include an expansion to accommodate for the added resources. The living area will be moved to where the apparatus garage currently is. There will be five private rooms added to make space for all 11 firefighters. "All the modern functionalities that a fire station should have with decon areas and individual restrooms," Hartsfield said.  

VIDEO: The Texas Brotherhood Ride, a group of dedicated first responders, is currently on its annual cross-state bike ride. The journey from Maxwell to Amarillo covers 550 miles in seven days, honoring fallen heroes along the way. This year, the ride pays tribute to 32 first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2022, including two firefighters from the Dalhart Volunteer Fire Department. Fire Chief Curtis Brown and Firefighter Brendan Torres lost their lives tragically while returning from a call, their SUV colliding head-on with a semi. The Texas Brotherhood Ride has reached out to their families, who will be present for a special presentation on Saturday. The Texas Brotherhood Ride's motto, "Texas Never Forgets," encapsulates their commitment to preserving the memory and legacy of those who gave their lives in the line of duty.  

VIDEO: There was outrage in court in Rockland County where a father and son avoided prison time for starting a fire that killed a firefighter and a man at a nursing home. Dozens of firefighters protested outside the Rockland County Court House in New City and emotional victim impact statements were read in court. While a plea deal was agreed upon in June, Wednesday was the formal sentencing for 71-year-old Rabbi Nathaniel Sommer and his 29-year-old son Aaron after pleading guilty for causing the March 2021 fatal fire that killed Spring Valley Firefighter Jared Lloyd. A resident of the home, 79-year-old Oliver Hueston, was also killed. In a plea deal with the Rockland District Attorney's Office that was approved by Judge Kevin Russo, the father and son will not serve jail or prison time, but will pay $600 in court fees.  

In the chaos after a Norfolk Southern train careened off the tracks and caught fire in eastern Ohio in February, it took roughly 45 minutes for firefighters to learn exactly which chemicals were involved. Now the railroad industry is trying to ensure that never happens again. Ever since that Feb. 3 derailment prompted concerns about rail safety nationwide, the major railroads have redoubled their efforts to make sure that more and more first responders can immediately look up the contents of any freight train. This week, the two counties that handled the initial response to the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border were set up with the AskRail program that will allow dispatchers to look up everything a train is carrying as soon as they get one car number.  

VIDEO: The Los Angeles Fire Department is asking for the public's input as they revisit their "firefighter tattoo policy," officials announced on social media Thursday. "We would love to hear your input, to help us factor in the views of the public we serve," the post read. "Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts on tattoos on your firefighters." The department's current policy was established in May 2008 and sets strict guidelines on the display of tattoos, scarifications or brandings that firefighters may have. "All sworn members, while on-duty, shall not display any tattoos, scarifications, and/or brandings," the policy states.  

Amazon is making it easier to get emergency help without your phone. The retail giant announced a new Alexa Emergency Assist service as part of its September product event on Wednesday. The service will allow customers to reach emergency responders through Echo devices while also sending alerts to emergency contacts. The service will cost $6 a month or $59 a year and will be available later this year. Guard Plus customers can access the Alexa Emergency Assist for $5 per month or $50 per year. In an emergency, users can just say, "Alexa, call for help," to be connected to an agent, who will then request emergency services from the police, fire department or an ambulance, based on the information they provide during the call.  

VIDEO: Some of the firefighters responding to calls on Chicago's South Side are a long way away from home. In fact, they traveled thousands of miles just to be here. CBS 2's Noel Brennan introduces us to the German firefighters who've joined the Chicago Fire Department for a couple of weeks. In Chicago, a firehouse and good food go hand in hand. "Every day, eating here is basically like eating at a restaurant, so it's always pretty good," said Philip Gramberg. The young firefighter loaded his plate full of sausage and sautéed green peppers inside a CFD fire station in Englewood. "I think we should send our chefs over here," Gramberg joked. "Get some training in." Gramberg was taking notes for his home department.