The San Angelo Fire Department celebrated new leadership, retirements and promotions at the McNease Convention Center on Oct. 28. Lieutenant Santos Elizando, who has helped teach training, was recognized for his more than 25-year career. Corry Sanders was promoted to the assistant fire chief and Patrick Brody was promoted to the new San Angelo fire chief. Both Michael Anderson and Chuck Patterson were promoted to battalion chief as well. Chief Brody shares more of what the promotion process looks like for the firefighters at the department. "Our promotional process is 100% civil service. It entails a 100-question promotional exam and the study materials, you have anywhere from five to six books about 3,000 pages of material," Brody explained.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Emergency crews responded to a two-alarm fire at a historic house in Tyler at the corner of Broadway Ave. and Houston St. A call about the fire was received by emergency services at about 5:20 p.m. Saturday. Large flames were seen coming from the roof of the historic Ramey House. No injuries were reported. It's not known if anyone was inside the building at the time of the fire, but Tyler fire officials say it does not appear the fire was intentionally set. The fire was under control by 6:46 p.m. Saturday. The exterior walls are still standing, but the building sustained significant damage. Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire and where exactly it started. South Broadway Ave. and Houston St. near the house were closed as crews worked to put out the fire, but have since reopened to traffic.  

First responders sacrifice a lot in the name of public safety, and they sometimes pay the ultimate price. So far this year, Texas has experienced more law enforcement deaths than any other state. It accounts for nearly a quarter of officer fatalities in the United States, according to a report by Officer Down Memorial. Fatalities among firefighters are also above the national average, according to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). In Bexar County, those who died in the line of duty were honored Saturday morning. The 100 Club of San Antonio hosted the 20th annual Run to Remember at Comanche Park. "I know four people who were killed on the job," Manuel Donias said. "One of them was John Wheeler. He was a patrol officer. In 2003, he was shot in the line of duty. He wasn't expecting to survive, but he survived. Then in 2005, unfortunately, he was killed by a drunk driver while he was working traffic enforcement."  

One person died in a Plano house fire early Monday, officials confirmed. The fire happened at a home in the 7900 block of Simpkins Place, near Hedgcoxe Road and Alma Drive. The fire department Battalion Chief said multiple neighbors called at about 5 a.m. Firefighters saw a heavy fire coming out the back half of the home with flames reaching nearby trees, according to a press release. It was too hot to go through the front door, so firefighters went through windows to get inside. Other crews moved hose lines and ladders to put out the flames. The department confirmed with WFAA that a man was found dead in a room at the front of the house. His identity hasn't been released, but they say he was in his 50s. Firefighters also found a deceased pet in another room. Both victims were removed from the house as the fire was being put out.  

One man suffered a laceration in his arm after the first floor of a Northwest apartment caught on fire. Firefighters were dispatched to the 800 block of Gentleman Road at the Terrace House Apartments for a reported structure fire. Upon arrival, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the unit. Fire officials say that the first floor of an apartment caught on fire. Two other units were also affected by the fire. One man suffered a laceration on his arm and was transported to University Hospital. All residents in the building were able to evacuate safely. Apartment management is assisting residents in relocating them. Fire investigators are determining the cause of the fire. This is an ongoing investigation.  

VIDEO: A vacant apartment building on Waco Street was damaged during an early morning blaze. The Corpus Christi Fire Department was dispatched to the corner of Waco and Comanche Street around 5:30 a.m. on Halloween for reports of a structure fire. When fire crews arrived, they found the structure engulfed in flames. "The fire was extinguished in about 20 minutes, and the building suffered heavy damage," said Batallion Chief Johnson. According to Batallion Chief Johnson with the Corpus Christi Fire Department, investigators are still working to determine what started the fire or if anyone was hurt in the inferno.  

PHOTOS: Fire crews from both Sedgwick County Fire District 1 and the Wichita Fire Department are still fighting a fire at Evergreen Recycle in north Wichita. The fire broke out Sunday night in the 300 block of W. 53rd Street North. The fire was clearly visible on KSN's SkyView camera. The Wichita Fire Department said a large mass of wood products was burning and that thousands of gallons have been dumped on the fire. Crews are still working to get the fire under control due to the depth of the materials involved. The Salvation Army South Central Area Command's Emergency Disaster Services teams were deployed late Sunday night to provide hydration and food support for firefighters.  

VIDEO: A high school student from Roslindale got the perfect Halloween costume to complement his wheelchair on Friday. Jose Bello suffers from muscular dystrophy, which leaves him wheelchair-bound, but he also loves firefighters. This Halloween, his mother reached out to a company called Magic Wheelchair to get her son a costume. Much to her surprise, the company, along with the Boston Firefighters Union, made her son a firetruck costume complete with lights and sirens. "When I heard of Magic Wheelchair and saw the incredible work that they have done especially for MDA families, I knew I wanted Jose to have this experience as well," said mother Stephanie Bello. She filled out the application and said he wanted a fire truck. "For as long as I can remember Jose has always admired and loved firefighters," Stephanie said.  

Statesboro Fire Department has announced that beginning November 1, 2022 they will be offering "Virtual Fire Inspections" for certain types of fire safety inspections. The department says the program is intended to make fire inspections easier and more convenient for business owners and their employees. The program will focus primarily on re-inspections, which account for approximately 25% of the department's total fire inspections each year. "As with any organization or business, we are always looking for ways to improve the services we deliver to the community," says Fire Chief Tim Grams. "Our hope is that the Virtual Fire Inspection Program will allow our fire inspectors to be more effective and efficient in their duties while also offering a more convenient option for the business owners."  

VIDEO: A joke over breakfast turned into a life-changing moment for two Lower Michigan firefighters. They were in Upper Michigan - hours from home - battling the Menominee warehouse fire. Joshua Halliday is a firefighter at the Frederic Fire Department near Grayling. His wife, Stephanie Halliday, is also a firefighter at the nearby Beaver Creek Fire Department. Stephanie joined Beaver Creek in June 2021 and completed the fire academy in May 2022. Joshua said he first became interested in the fire department in 2009. "My family lost our house in a house fire when I lived in Afton. There were about five different fire departments that showed up. Seeing what every one of them went through, I was immediately intrigued," Joshua said.  

The future of recruitment in emergency services is changing, and Burke County is getting a head start. Burke County EMS and Western Piedmont Community College are partnering to offer the region's first EMS Academy next year, where participants will earn all the credentials they need to to be paramedics. The twist is participants will go through the program on the county's payroll, getting paid for 40 hours a week while they learn the ins and outs of EMS work and get hands-on, field experience, said Burke County EMS Maj. Nikki Hudson. When they finish the program, they'll be first in line to fill positions at Burke County EMS. The entire program comes at no cost to the students, Hudson said. This is the second academy of its kind in the state, as far as Hudson is aware. "We're going to take people that have no EMS credentials but want to get into the field of emergency services and become a paramedic, we're going to put them on payroll and send them to school," Hudson said.