VIDEO: 1 dead, 2 missing after massive fire that consumed Massachusetts lodging house

One person is dead, two are unaccounted for and several others are hospitalized following a massive fire that consumed a rooming house in New Bedford on Tuesday afternoon. As of Tuesday evening, fire officials were using a drone to peer through windows and search the ruined building. "We can confirm one fatality," Mayor Jon Mitchell said. "We can confirm there are two people who are unaccounted for." The fire at Royal Crown Lodging, on Acushnet Avenue, was initially reported shortly after 3 p.m. More than an hour later, as Sky5 flew over the four-story building, firefighters were dousing the building with water from all sides. The water was pouring out from doors on the ground floor but flames and heavy smoke continued. New Bedford Fire Chief Scott Kruger said that the first firefighters to arrive rescued several people from the windows of the building.
WCVB-TV ABC 5 Boston

Caring for Florida’s first responders’ mental health in Hurricane Ian’s wake

Since Sept. 28, when Southwest Florida’s first responders and dispatchers took thousands of heartbreaking 911 calls, there has been a big focus on those first responders’ mental well-being. Part of Florida’s emergency response plan for Ian was providing mental health support for our first responders. WINK News asked them what that day was like and how they’re doing six months later. “I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it,” said Diana Hernden, division chief of EMS and health/safety with the Iona-McGregor Fire District. Hernden was one of the people keeping track of those emergency calls as the wind picked up and the storm surge rushed in. “Our hearts were just breaking for the community,” Hernden said. She didn’t hear the panic in the voices on the other line—dispatchers handled that—but she wrote down all the calls. Looking at the call logs six months later still gives her chills: Water rescue, 11 people… water rescue, three people in an attic… 1-year-old needs oxygen.
WINK-TV CBS 11 Fort Myers

’Eyes of Fire’: ER doctor and photographer captures Illinois fire department for 20 years and counting

PHOTOS: While some doctors play golf or tennis on their days off, one local emergency room physician spends his free time riding along with the Peoria Fire Department with his camera. Dr. Elsburgh Clarke is an ER doctor at Hopedale Medical Complex. He’s been working in emergency medicine for more than 40 years and previously trained at LA County Hospital, where he began taking photographs. “I started to do pictures in the ER. I have multiple pictures from back in the day, back in 1977, ‘78 when ‘ER’ was just coming about,” said Clarke, referring to the TV show. Growing up, Clarke said he always knew he would be an FBI agent, a fireman or a doctor. While he ended up as the latter, he always took an interest in fire departments, frequently following fire engines around whenever he could.
WCBU.org

Bicameral FIRE STATION Act introduced to upgrade fire, EMS facilities nationwide

With a proposed $750 million grant program, the newly introduced FIRE STATION Act (Facilitating Investment Required for Emergency Services to All Towns in Our Nation Act), put forth by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), as well as U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), pushes for modifications, upgrades and build-up of fire and EMS facilities across the country. “Our firefighters deserve the best possible facilities so they can be ready with everything they need to spring into action when duty calls,” Van Hollen said. “Yet nearly half of the fire stations across America require major repairs – with some even posing serious health hazards to the men and women who protect our communities. This bipartisan bill will unlock more funding to ensure our fire and EMS heroes have modern, safe, and mission-ready facilities.”
Homeland Preparedness News

Missouri firefighter ensures special needs kids are enrolled in the ‘STARS’ program

VIDEO: Zach Krato is a Florissant Valley Fire District firefighter, husband, and dad who has spent over a decade serving as a first responder. Zach receives the FOX 2 Proud to Serve award in March 2023, including $500 from Brown & Brown Law Firm. In addition to being a valued firefighter, Zach has the added responsibility of implementing and training the district on the ‘STARS’ program. The STARS program was created along with Cardinal Glennon to create a registry of high risk pediatric patients in the community close to where they live, and better prepare and train first responders to know how to treat those individuals. STARS stands for Special Needs Tracking and Awareness. It’s a one-of-a-kind program designed to improve emergency response and emergency care for children who live with complex medical conditions.
KTVI-TV FOX 2 St. Louis

VIDEO: Firefighters battle large house fire in New York

A Soundview house fire has left multiple families without a home overnight, officials say. Firefighters responded to the house fire on Rosedale Avenue at around 11 p.m. Monday. The owners of the home lived there since 2017 and included three brothers and their parents who lived on the second floor and another family downstairs who rented the space. The owners say they were coming back from praying at the mosque for Ramadan when the fire started. Officials say the fire started on the second floor, but it's unclear how. Both families are OK, but the home has been completely destroyed.
News 12 Bronx

South Carolina fire department adopts new schedule for firefighters

VIDEO: Changes are being made to work schedules for some Summerville firefighters that could give them more time with family. Traditionally, firefighters worked 24 hours in a row, and then they would get 48 hours off. So, you would work one day and then have two days off. But a new plan would give them a better schedule and spend more time with their loved ones. “We started off on this idea of giving our guys and gals and opportunity to go to an alternate schedule,” explained Summerville Fire and Rescue Chief Richard Waring. They decided to test working 48 hours in a row, followed by four days off, about three months ago. “Put it out for a vote again and over 80% of the department was in favor of keeping the schedules. So all-in-all, I think it will fit their needs and give them a better work/life balance which we’re all about,” said Chief Waring.
WCDB-TV NBC/CW+ 2 Charleston

Eye drops recall have caused 3 deaths, dozens of infections, and vision loss for Florida fire captain

VIDEO: Fox 4 is following up on a recall for a brand of eye drops called EzriCare Artificial Tears or Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears. According to the CDC and FDA, these eye drops have caused 3 deaths, dozens of infections, and more than a handful of vision loss cases. It was just 3 days ago that North Collier County said their Fire Captain has been affected by these eye drops. North Collier County Fire Rescue District posted a message on their social media extending their condolences to the captain adding the negligence associated with the product has far-reaching consequences for their department and the residents and visitors within our community. We took the concerns to a local optometrist to get you answers. "We’ve had phone calls and our patients are not on those lubricants but they are calling asking about what’s on the news," says Dr. Jessica Cameron O. D. FAAO.
WFTX-TV FOX 4 Cape Coral

On this day in history, March 28, 1866, first US ambulance service rolls through Cincinnati

VIDEO: The first ambulance service in the United States reportedly rolled to the aid of patients in Cincinnati, Ohio, on this day in history, March 28, 1866. "For many years, Bellevue Hospital in New York claimed to have introduced the first citywide ambulance service in 1869, but records show Cincinnati beat them to it," the Cincinnati Enquirer reported in 2018. It was citing the 1978 book, "The Ambulance: The Story of Emergency Transportation of Sick and Wounded Through the Centuries," by Katherine Traver Barkley. The book claims Commercial Hospital of Cincinnati at 12th Street and Central Avenue holds this claim to medical fame. "Hospital employment records listed employee No. 27, James R. Jackson, as an ambulance driver for $360 a year, according to Barkley," the Enquirer reports. "The 1866 Williams’ Cincinnati Directory verifies that James A. Jackson worked as a ‘teamster,’ or driver, for Commercial Hospital."
FOX News

Georgia house fire survivor continues to thank first responders 11 years later

VIDEO: The survivor of a house fire in Columbus is making good on his mission to reward the crew at the station that came to his rescue. The fire, more than 10 years ago, caused $325,000 in damage. “It was fully involved,” Firefighter Jeffrey Yepez told WRBL. “When we pulled out, we could see heavy black smoke. So, we knew it was pretty bad. We had to hurry up and get our gear on really, really quick. I mean, it was fast.” Yepez was one of the firefighters that responded to the scene Sept. 28, 2012. That day Jason Martin’s car burst into flames while he was working on repairs. “It was the vehicle that I was working on when it caught on fire. Apparently, the fumes got sparked somehow. According to the investigation, it was my old refrigerator that may have sparked the fumes. I actually opened my garage door because I was like, ‘wow, the fumes are so bad here,” Martin said.
WRBL-TV CBS 3 Columbus