VIDEO: A large tire fire got out of control on Private Road 3390 off of Almond Road. It is north of Hwy 80 between Big Sandy and Gilmer. According to Big Sandy police, a Pritchett VFD firefighter was overcome by heat exhaustion and taken to a hospital. His current condition is not known. Two houses in the area appear to be damaged and evacuated. Three other homes in the area appear to be OK. Gilmer, Big Sandy, Pritchett and Gladewater VFDs responded. As of 4:30 a.m., the fire was about the size of a basketball court.  

VIDEO: A search for the right artist to paint the walls at a fire station in Bedford turned out to be Something Good. As the city says, the mural painted inside the training room at fire station no. 1 is "on fire!" It is exactly what the fire department wanted: a mural that tells the story of the various ways it serves the community from firefighting to emergency medical care, fire education, and community engagement. In the lower right hand corner of the mural, the city's three fire stations are represented by logo and nickname. Back in April, the city asked artists to submit proposals for the mural. Ten came in, and artist Audie Pope got the job. It had extra meaning for her because she was given the opportunity to paint for the community she grew up in. The Bedford Fire Department and city's Cultural Arts Division picked up the $2,500 tab.  

El Paso City Council approved a 3% pay increase for firefighters. The vote to approve a new contract was unanimous. The new contract also provides expanded vacation slots and incentive pay for those who join specialized teams. Paul Thompson, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 51, said a vote by members last month drew 600 votes in favor and only 50 against. "I can't remember a time when a contract passed with this much support," Thompson told council members Tuesday. The new contract goes into effect on September 1.  

San Antonio police and Crime Stoppers are searching for a man and woman connected to an arson investigation. On April 10, the San Antonio Fire Department responded to a large vacant structure fully involved in a fire. The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. on Culebra Road and Colorado Street. Fire officials said the building was a complete loss. According to SAPD, the investigation into the fire determined a possible connection to a business' fire just five hours after at West Laurel Street. Camera footage from a surrounding business showed a Ford Mustang (2005-2009) -- dark in color, with a black convertible top and loud exhaust -- parked in front of the Colorado Street building just before the fire, SAPD said. Additional camera footage showed an unknown woman leaving the location on a bicycle just before the fire started.  

The Corsicana Fire Department recently teamed up with Corsicana Parks and Recreation to install Automated External Defibrillators for public use in 10 area parks. "We wanted to place the AEDs in areas of high activity as a safety feature for our park visitors. In the event a cardiac emergency occurs, the public will have access that can save lives," said Sharla Allen, Parks Director. "The AEDs will be installed at Pioneer Village, Stewart J. Beebe Athletic Complex, Nature Park Softball Fields, Community, Lake Halbert, I.O.O.F., Fullerton -Garitty, Jester, Bunert and one Downtown Pocket Park." Assistant Fire Chief Wade Gillen said, if you see someone in the park who is unresponsive or does not have a pulse, to turn on the AED, follow the prompts it provides, and call 911.  

VIDEO: An early morning house fire has displaced three people from their home and caused more than $50,000 in damages. It happened around 4:18 a.m. on the 1300 block of Greer St. not far from S. Gevers St. on the southeast side of town. When firefighters arrived, they saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the home. Two people in their 80s were able to make it out of the home on their own, and a third person was helped out by a ladder crew. They were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. Firefighters said the home was very cluttered, which made it difficult to battle the blaze. The battalion chief believes the fire began in the front of the home. Officials estimate the damages are about $50,000, most in the front room  

A juvenile trial in Tulare County that was expected to last about two weeks wrapped up in just four days, catching families from both sides and attorneys off guard. Two teens were accused of setting the Porterville Library fire in February of 2020, which led to the death of Porterville Firefighters Captain Raymond Figueroa and Patrick Jones. Minors are not entitled to a jury trial, only to a Jurisdiction Hearing in front of a judge. But four days after the hearing began, the proceedings took a sharp turn on Monday evening - Judge Loza felt he had heard enough to make his determination. He determined that two counts of arson were committed by one of the teens, a 'delinquent offense.' The petitions for counts of murder were dismissed, as was the arson charge for the other teen.  

Hyundai and Kia are recalling more than 280,000 SUVs over fire risks, and telling owners of the recalled vehicles to park them outside and away from buildings. The recall includes more than 245,000 Hyundai Palisade and 36,000 Kia Telluride SUVs in the U.S. with model years 2020 through 2022. In a news release posted Tuesday, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said debris and moisture can accumulate in the vehicles' harness modules after attaching an accessory tow hitch, which are sold at dealerships. The debris and moisture can cause an electrical short, and may spark a fire while the cars are driving or parked. The Korean automakers reported 25 fires or melting incidents in the U.S. and Canada, but no crashes or injuries.  

Joe Arico has earned bragging rights in the Eureka Fire Protection District's houses. The 59-year-old volunteer firefighter set a Firefighter Challenge world record earlier this month with his tandem race partner Lianne McAuley, a firefighter from Ottawa, Ontario. In the challenges, which are held throughout the year, firefighters complete five drills of technical skills they use to fight fires. Arico and McAuley completed the challenge in 2 minutes, 32 seconds on Aug. 6 at an event in Ocean City, Md. The previous record was 2:51. "It was really surreal," Arico said of setting the record in only the second event he competed in with McAuley, who had held the record with a different partner. Arico has competed in challenges since 2019, capturing two national championships and a bronze medal three times in world competitions.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: I'm a bit of a history buff. I love looking at old pictures of Maine in the days of passenger rail with steam-powered locomotives, old photos and postcards of the town I grew up in and seeing how things used to be done before the age of computer chips, smartphones and electric vehicles. Firefighting has changed over the centuries as well. With the invention of the automobile, fire trucks replaced horse-drawn firefighting equipment which became a thing of the past. Many fire department's throughout Maine have vintage fire equipment that you often see in Fourth of July parades and other festivals. The Limestone Volunteer Fire Department in Aroostook County is one of those departments and they have a 1928 American Lafrance pumper.  

The state launched a new Emergency Services task force bringing together experts from across Colorado to evaluate the current state of the EMS system and make recommendations for improvements. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Emergency Services Division, it's the first system review in over two decades. He says it's timely as the state struggles with a lack of paramedics and resources. "We're losing EMS agencies in our rural communities at a rate that I've never seen in my four plus decades of EMS service," said Randy Kuykendall, the Division Director. He says the dissolution of rural agencies and manpower shortage is just one thing the 20-member task force will tackle. Additionally, it will work to identify the individual needs of rural communities to determine where the state resources should go.