On a cold winter morning in January, I went to the Fairbanks Fire Department to spend the day with the men and women who put their lives on the line to fight fires. I went inside and was greeted by Captain Zac Rittel, driver Nick Clark and firefighter Brian Winn, I would be spending what turned out to be a slow day at the station with these three. Throughout the day I would meet more of the firefighters on the crew but I went everywhere with Rittel, Clark and Winn. They were assigned to Engine 1. After introductions I was taken to get a set of gear and then settled in to learn about what it looks like to be a firefighter. While the day had less calls than usual, it gave me the chance to see the other side of fire station life. We always see firefighters and EMS on the side of the road responding to accidents, dragging hoses as they work to put out a blaze, or when they are called to give lifesaving aid to a sick person. But, what about when they aren't doing those things.  

The longest duration of a drought on record in Alaska has finally ended. The drought that started on July 17, 2018 continued to worsen through the summer, which not only intensified wildfires on the Kenai Peninsula and across portions of the state but also led to some water restrictions. Now for the first time since then, none of Alaska is experiencing any drought conditions. At its peak the drought even led to the first extreme drought ever recorded in Alaska, with the most intense period occurring during the week of Aug. 27, 2019 where an exceptional drought affected 1.5% of Alaska. The drought intensified during the summer due in large part to a blocking high across the Gulf of Alaska. This not only exacerbated fire conditions across the Kenai Peninsula, but led to a record high of 90 degrees and dangerous air quality levels due to wildfire smoke.  

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: A fire chief in Scottsboro, Alabama has confirmed fatalities in a massive fire that consumed at least 35 boats docked along the Tennessee River early Monday morning. Witness Carol Fuller took video of the boat dock as it was engulfed in flames. She tells us she could hear people cry, but was frustrated that there was no way to rescue them. Scottsboro Fire Chief Gene Mecklaus isn't saying how many people have died. Scottsboro Fire Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen tells WTVC's Aaron Farrar the number of missing, which was 7 earlier, now stands at 8. Chief Deputy Harnen says when crews arrived, there were several people in the water, who crews were able to rescue. Chief Mecklaus said 7 people were hospitalized, and the fire destroyed at least 35 boats docked in Jackson County Park.  

The union representing full-time Yonkers firefighters is accusing the city of cutting future benefit payments for some fire officials who may retire after becoming permanently disabled while on duty. Yonkers Firefighters, Local 628, International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO filed a petition against Yonkers and the state Public Employment Relations Board last month. The petition hinges on whether current members of Local 628 and the Yonkers Uniformed Fire Association are affected by the city's 2015 choice to stop disbursing night differential, check-in pay and holiday pay to retired firefighters who qualify for certain benefits under state law. Permanently disabled firefighters and fire officers who receive a retirement pension are generally entitled to the difference between their disability retirement and their regular salary or wages until they reach the mandatory retirement age, according to state law.  

Since 1998, the city's fire department has had a tactical paramedic team that assists the Summit County sheriff's SWAT team whenever called. With a 2018 change in state law, the nine members on the team and Fire Chief Jeff Funai are hoping that next month City Council will OK the paramedics to be armed during such calls. The council approval could come Feb. 11 or Feb. 25. Team members have paid for their own 9 mm semiautomatic weapons, which Funai repeatedly stressed, would never be carried by Green paramedics when responding to routine medical calls, just on SWAT emergencies. The handguns would allow team members to protect themselves when needed Funai noted that Green isn't the only community in the region with specially trained paramedic teams working with SWAT units.  

Ron Howard knew Paradise, the northern California town devastated by the most destructive wildfire in California history. His mother-in-law had lived there and he had visited the town. He had some understanding of its people. Ten days after what became known as the Camp Fire swept through Paradise, killing 85 people and destroying roughly 19,000 buildings, Howard went to see it. "I've never seen anything like it," he said. A little over a year later, Howard came to the Sundance Film Festival to premiere "Rebuilding Paradise," a documentary he directed about the aftermath of the Camp Fire, including the colossal cleanup and rebuilding efforts of the close-knit rural community. "It's the story of a community, not the story of a fire," Howard said in an interview. "It's a story of a very cruel test."  

Huntington is now a mentor site for law enforcement officers and first responders from across the United States who are looking to launch or expand drug diversion programs like those already in place in Cabell County, including the Quick Response Team. "There will be people coming from all across the country, actually coming here to go out with the team and see what we're doing firsthand," said Connie Priddy, program coordinator for the Huntington QRT. Those with the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance recently selected the eight locations for the Law Enforcement and First Responder Diversion and Referral Program Mentoring Initiative out of a competitive process. Along with Huntington, the other mentor sites are in Philadelphia, Pa., Colerain Township, Oh., Plymouth County, Mass., Lucas County, Oh., Seattle, Wash., Lake County, Ill. and Pima County, Az.