As new information was released Monday about murders at a Dallas hospital which first responders consider part of their extended family, Dallas County unveiled a plan to offer mental health care to first responders. There's a growing suicide problem in the US among first responders in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the daily tragedies they face. A hospital police officer wounded the shooter at Methodist Medical Center Saturday, putting an end to the fatal attack. "It's almost like hitting on our home turf, our home territory. This is supposed to be a place for people come and get help. It's never a place where you would expect to have something like that happen," said Cedar Hill Police Captain Colin Chenault. Just days after the hospital tragedy, Chenault and other first responders gathered with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins Monday to praise the planned mental health program.  

PHOTO: Severe storms and a possible tornado in Central Texas Monday night damaged a fire station in Jarrell, according to a spokesperson with Williamson County. The ESD 5 Fire Station, located at 155 County Road 313, had part of its roof blown off as well as doors. The spokesperson said no one at the station was hurt. "One of the firefighters came out and started opening up the door. He said all six of the doors sucked inward and then five of them just collapsed," said Fire Chief Ron Stewart. The chief said the damage shouldn't affect their services. The county said it also received reports at least two residences had parts of their roofs ripped off. A home being constructed on County Road 310 was also blown over in the strong winds.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Wichita Falls Fire Department officials have confirmed the apartment burned in Monday's fire was vacant at the time of the blaze. According to a report from WFFD, firefighters were called to the scene at approximately 11:56 a.m. Monday, for a structure fire at the Clark House Apartments. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they reported heavy fire showing from the two-story, wood-framed, brick apartment building. It took approximately two and a half hours for fire crews to extinguish the blaze, and most crews were forced to remain on the scene throughout the day to extinguish hot spots. Nineteen WFFD units were on the scene of the huge fire along with multiple other agencies, including Sheppard Air Force Base, who assisted at Central Fire Station for back-fill, WFPD officers, who assisted with crowd and traffic control, and AMR.  

Addressing a steady demand for protective and emergency services personnel due to typical turnover and a growing community, Laredo College announced Monday a partnership with the Laredo Fire Department to begin a program for students interested in becoming firefighters or support personnel. The Laredo College Fire Science Program will begin providing training in the fire service field during the spring 2023 semester. It will allow students to complete multiple task-oriented exercises to earn a one-year certificate. After earning the certificate, they can continue working to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree, and they will have the opportunity to test for state firefighter certification. "Laredo College is excited to provide the Laredo community with another great program that will facilitate career aspirations," Program Director Dr. Michael Bailey said in a release.  

VIDEO: Emergency crews responded to a fire at the Gilmer Starplex skating rink Monday evening. Around 6:30 p.m., crews were called to the Gilmer Starplex skating rink, just off Highway 271. A Gilmer firefighter on the way to another call first spotted the skating rink fire. Gilmer's fire chief said they had to bring in a dozen fire engines and emergency response vehicles to get everything under control. "It was pretty much 50% involved when we pulled up," said Gilmer Fire Chief Jerry Taylor. "It's going to be a total loss. We had to get help from three other rural departments because we were so far out, tied up on that jaws call, so it stretched us pretty thin." The fire was out by 8 p.m. No injuries were reported, and it's still not clear what caused the fire.  

VIDEO: On Monday, the Austin Fire Department introduced its newest member of the department – Zsa Zsa Sabor. The 1-year-old German Shephard is AFD's new arson dog – the department's "accelerant detection canine." She's trained to sniff out anything that could potentially be used to start a fire. All of her commands are in Czech. She's a little young for the job, but her handler said she's getting better all the time.  

VIDEO: A dramatic two-alarm fire erupted Monday afternoon at a commercial building in Monrovia, prompting a quick response from at least two local fire departments. The blaze, fueled by stacks of pallets, was reported about 5 p.m. at a structure in the 800 block of East Huntington Drive. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find flames shooting through the roof. No injuries were immediately reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

VIDEO: At just 18 years old, Jah'ere Robinson became a hero in the same Palm Beach County neighborhood where a stray bullet injured him as he took out the garbage. Jah'ere spent six months in the hospital and months recovering. Two years after surviving the shooting, a neighbor credited him for acting quickly during an apartment building fire. Jah'ere grabbed a fire extinguisher, stepped inside through the smoke, and he remained calm. "I see the fire from the stove to the roof and it caught the cabinet. It caught the roof and it was almost to the attic," Jah'ere told the ABC News affiliate in Palm Beach. "I'm trying to breathe and see at the same time and just happened to put it out." John Curd, the city's fire chief, and Keith Golden, the city's assistant fire chief, both agreed his decision to take action in August deserved recognition, and when they learned he is an aspiring firefighter knowing what to do next was easy.  

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott along with the Baltimore City Fire Department, elected officials launched its Unsafe Vacant Marking Initiative Monday. The initiative will help first responders identify unsafe vacant homes, buildings, or structures when determining the structural integrity before entering by noting the secured 12x12 inch red square reflective signs on properties considered unsafe for anyone to enter. Fire Chief Niles R. Ford also noted when identifying an unsafe vacant property, firefighters will consider the stability of a structure & the roof, previous fire damage, and visible signs of a collapse. "Vacant properties present a danger to our entire community. My administration has committed to addressing this issue with the utmost urgency. We refuse to leave anything on the table and are working to improve all operations, procedures, and processes connected to how the city government deals with vacant houses," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott in a news release.  

VIDEO: A daring rescue off a cliff at Peninsula State Park in Door County this weekend saved a woman's life. She was in stable condition Monday after the difficult task of getting her safely off the cliff. Multiple agencies responded to make this rescue mission a success. Video shared by the Gibraltar Fire Department is just a glimpse of the treacherous rescue at the park in Door County after a 32-year-old woman fell from a parking lot on top of Eagle Bluff, landing on a ledge about 50 feet below. Gibraltar Fire Capt. Bob Volpe said, "We had very little space and it was on an incline, probably 15-20 degrees where she was." Getting to that ledge was no easy task. "I had all my resources that were coming on scene," Ephraim Fire Chief Justin MacDonald said. "I would tell them you need to take all your equipment, go down the trail."  

One City of Erie fire department is celebrating Halloween with a carved pumpkin that weighs more than 1,000 pounds. It's the second time an Erie firefighter has grown a pumpkin for the community to enjoy. Erie Fireman John Stewart grew a pumpkin that weighs over 1,000 pounds. The pumpkin sits outside Firehouse 13 on East 28th Street. It took an artist seven hours to carve and create the display. "People stop by, they'll take a lot of pictures, they'll have their kids run up next to it, get some pictures with them. Yeah, it's really cool. Something different to focus on, especially this time of year, and kids love to come check it out with their families, and it's a really cool thing," said Matt Vickey, Erie firefighter.