Wednesday, Sunnyvale named Tami Kayea the town's next fire chief. Kayea is the first female fire chief in North Texas and one of only five in the state. Sunnyvale's previous fire chief, Doug Kendrick, announced his retirement in August. "When evaluating our applicants, Chief Kayea's story got our attention," Town Manager Jeff Jones said. "Not only is she impeccably qualified to run a department, her family history and penchant for the community spirit in smaller towns made her the perfect choice." Kayea has more than 27 years of fire service experience with Dallas Fire-Rescue where she served as EMS Section Chief and Battalion Chief before being promoted to Deputy Chief in 2018. During her tenure, she served on the department's Critical Incident Stress Management Team and Peer Support Team as well as the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council.  

VIDEO: A driver was seriously injured Wednesday after crashing into a firetruck responding to another crash, Dallas Fire-Rescue says. According to DFR, at about 11:30 a.m. firefighters were sent to a crash along the 2500 block of Robert B Cullum Boulevard near Fair Park. While specific details about the crash are not yet known, two people involved in the crash were hospitalized. DFR said a driver not involved in the original crash slammed into Engine 44 from behind at about 11:40 a.m. The fire truck, DFR said, was blocking the scene when it was hit by the driver. The driver of that vehicle was ejected and was seriously injured. The driver's current condition is not known. A firefighter who was on the truck when it was struck had a minor injury and was hospitalized for evaluation. DFR said the firefighter was OK and was expected to be released from the hospital soon.  

Wednesday morning, the San Antonio Fire Department responded to a distress call reporting a working fire near the 100 block of Maiden Lane. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a heavily involved fire in a two-story residence with potential exposure to adjacent houses. Despite the challenging situation, the fire crews executed a swift and aggressive attack. Amid the chaos, two victims were successfully rescued by the firefighters, while two others managed to escape. The rescued individuals were immediately given medical attention, with a female victim taken to University Hospital due to smoke inhalation. As the evaluation of three other individuals suffering from smoke inhalation continues, there are thankfully no reports of thermal burns.  

VIDEO: A fire that forced hundreds of people from their homes for the holidays in Queens was caused by a contractor illegally using a torch, FDNY officials say. Fire officials say the contractor was using the torch to heat lead paint off a metal closet door frame when it started to smoke. The owner of the contracting company will face three criminal summonses from the Bureau of Fire Prevention, officials say. The fire prompted a massive scene Wednesday afternoon on 47th Avenue in Sunnyside. Firefighters were met with heavy flames, which quickly spread inside the six-story apartment building that was home to more than 100 units. Officials said part of the sixth floor burned out, and the apartments on the other floors sustained smoke and water damage.  

VIDEO: A driver was seriously injured Wednesday after crashing into a firetruck responding to another crash, Dallas Fire-Rescue says. According to DFR, at about 11:30 a.m. firefighters were sent to a crash along the 2500 block of Robert B Cullum Boulevard near Fair Park. While specific details about the crash are not yet known, two people involved in the crash were hospitalized. DFR said a driver not involved in the original crash slammed into Engine 44 from behind at about 11:40 a.m. The fire truck, DFR said, was blocking the scene when it was hit by the driver. The driver of that vehicle was ejected and was seriously injured. The driver's current condition is not known. A firefighter who was on the truck when it was struck had a minor injury and was hospitalized for evaluation. DFR said the firefighter was OK and was expected to be released from the hospital soon.  

VIDEO: It's been a little over three months since the Goose Creek Fire Department announced the new medical tool Pro-Nox that reduces patient pain. The department is excited to share their progress with the pain reliever. So far officials with the fire department said Pro-Nox has been used 20 times and has improved patient care tremendously. The Goose Creek Fire Department added Pro-Nox to its tool kit back in September. The safe analgesic gas delivers a balanced mixture of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen, commonly known as "laughing gas." Pro-Nox alleviates pain while also reducing stress, anxiety, and discomfort. The department uses a scale of 1 to 10 to measure pain and has seen a 50 percent reduction in pain management.  

VIDEOS: A training deadline is quickly approaching for EMTs in Massachusetts to be prepped on caring for police dogs — and it's all hands on deck to get all of them up to speed. Nero's Law allows emergency crews to treat and transport police dogs if they are hurt in the line of duty, and also requires them to complete three hours of education on the basics of animal care. Those trainings are ongoing ahead of the February deadline, which had previously been pushed back a year. One of these trainings was held for members of the Westwood Fire Department on Tuesday, with first responders learning everything from CPR to treating wounds. "The importance of this law is to get some basic CPR, some basic oxygen support to them and be able to transport them in the rigs, so that they have the ability to keep them stable until they get to where they need to go," veterinarian Dr. Sandy Higgins said, who was helping to instruct Tuesday's course.