A fire early Thursday in Malta claimed the home of one of Malta Fire Department's own. There were no injuries, but Fire Capt. Mike Isom and his family lost their home when a fire engulfed it about 1 a.m. Roger Elliott, assistant chief with Malta fire, said the blaze, which destroyed the single-family home in the 500 block of East Jefferson Street, surprised Isom. "The house was a total loss," Elliott said. "When we got the page initially, we got the word it was fully engulfed." Elliott said the Malta department contacted the local Red Cross to help the family. "They came over in the middle of the night and talked with the family," he said. The Isom family stayed with friends overnight and are staying with family Thursday night.  

An unattended candle sparked an East Bluff fire that injured one occupant and killed a pet cat late Thursday. At 10:46 p.m., Peoria firefighters were called to a house fire at 807 E. McClure Ave. Crews found heavy flames coming from the front of the first floor of the dwelling, from which two occupants already had fled, according to the Peoria Fire Department. Twenty-three firefighters battled the the pesky blaze, which had burned incoming power lines. Meantime, one occupant was taken to a local hospital for burns and smoke inhalation, while the other declined any medical attention. Firefighters remained on the scene past 1 a.m. to fight hot spots. Inside the house, firefighters found a cat that had not survived.  

One person has died after suffering serious injuries in a car and train collision, authorities said. The collision happened in the area of West Calvert Drive and South Shumway Street, responders told WAND-TV. Crews were still at the scene after 10 p.m. Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp confirmed the woman's condition at 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Responders transported that person to a hospital. He told WAND-TV on Friday morning, the female died as a result of the crash. The sheriff's office said a 2019 Kia Sportage was traveling northbound on South Shumway Street. The driver, Pamela J. Mcpherson, 52 was transported from the scene and later pronounced dead at Taylorville Memorial Hospital.  

Tonica Fire Chief Al Stremlau reported there were 17 emergency calls during September. There were no fire calls, one accident call, 14 ambulance requests, one automatic alarm and two hazardous condition investigations. There have been 119 calls for the year. Treasurer Sue Huss noted that a significant monetary donation was received from Elaine Ford. Huss also reported on the success of the various Tonica Volunteer Fire Department fundraisers that were held during the Tonica Fest. A grant was received from Compeer Financial covering the cost of a rescue winch that will be mounted on the new rescue truck, protective gloves used for extrication operations, additional hazardous materials training material and a new forcible entry rescue tool. The annual request for donations will be mailed to residences within the village limits of Tonica. These donations help the department provide fire, ambulance and rescue services without property taxation.  

The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance has announced the dates for next year's Camp "I Am Me!" The camp will represent the 30th anniversary of Illinois' camp for young burn survivors, ages 8 to 16, who have experienced a burn requiring outpatient treatment or hospitalization. Through the generosity of donors, supporters, sponsors and volunteers, the IFSA continues to offer this unique, week-long experience at no cost to campers. Everything is covered, including lodging, meals, activities and transportation to and from the camp, which is held at the YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside. Next year's Camp "I Am Me" will be June 14-20 with the Fire Apparatus Parade, Appreciation Day and Fun Fair on June 17.  

Two city EMS veterans were in critical condition Thursday after a bizarre episode where one suffered a stroke behind the wheel — and the other an aortic aneurysm while headed to assist his colleague, authorities said. The double dose of tragedy began when Liam Glinane, a 28-year FDNY veteran, was stricken while driving around 1 p.m. on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, with his ambulance veering slightly off the highway as it rolled to a halt. Glinane was alone in the emergency vehicle at the time, officials said. He was transporting it from one FDNY site to another. Lt. Raymond Wang, 47, was on a ride-along with a Elmhurst Hospital doctor when the call about Glinane came across. The pair drove to the scene to assist the ailing EMT, officials said. But 19-year fire department veteran Wang was struck by an aortic aneurysm once they arrived, leaving the doctor to treat both firefighters while waiting for additional help.  

VIDEO: One year ago, a man shot himself after setting a fire that destroyed several homes in Springfield, and today the first responders are looking back. "We started getting ready to fight fire. As we were pulling up on scene, glass exploded through the cab and something hard hit me in the left chest," said Captain Craig Degarlais with Eugene Springfield Fire. At first many of the firefighters thought the noises, shattering and force were all coming from the fire. But as the seconds wore on, the true danger became clear -- they were being ambushed. As the fire call turned into a firefight between a gunman and the first responders, they were forced to take cover, causing the fire to grow even larger. They all went back to the station just a block away after all five of the firefighters were hit.  

The Burlington Rescue Squad will dissolve at the end of the year due to difficulties keeping up with increased call volume and a decline in volunteerism, Mayor Jeannie Hefty has announced. The dissolution will leave the City of Burlington Fire Department to pick up rescue services for city residents. Town of Burlington officials, meanwhile, are negotiating with the city regarding a likely contract for EMS service after Dec. 31. Both municipalities have their own fire departments. The city's department will hire three additional full-time and two additional part-time fire/EMS staff, City Administrator Carina Walters wrote in an email. She did not say the anticipated cost of those additions. With the additions, the city Fire Department's paid staff would be comprised of: five full-time and 12 part-time fire/EMS staff and one part-time administrative assistant, Walters wrote.  

As an emergency medicine resident at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Zachary Wettstein, MD, has seen the effects of wildfires firsthand. On days when it's really smoky, he says, "I'm not surprised that I'm seeing more people with shortness of breath." Densely smoky days certainly are growing as wildfire season worsens, experts say, spurred in part by such environmental changes as earlier snowmelts that can cause drier, hotter conditions. A few years ago, Wettstein and his colleagues suspected that raging fires — and the smoke and fine particulate matter they spawn — also were causing increased cardiovascular problems. "Whenever we have a bad wildfire season like we did last summer here, it definitely seemed like we were seeing an uptick in the number of strokes," he says. So he decided to study the issue.  

In 2020 Arkansas' minimum wage goes up 75 cents: from $9.25 an hour to $10 an hour. For firefighters starting out in Harrison, they currently only make $9.40 an hour. "Roughly 10 members of our department were going to fall below that minimum wage if we didn't do something," said Harrison Fire Chief Marc Lowery. So the fire chief with the help of the city's chief financial officer is asking city council members to change that before the new year. "It actually takes the entire pay grid up. So all the firefighters will see an increase," said Harrison Chief Financial Officer Luke Feighert. Firefighters' pay is a bit different than a typical city employee's. "The fire service traditionally works roughly 800 more hours a year than a 40-hour work week person," said Lowery. They work 24 hour shifts, then are off for 48. "So they do have additional overtime that is mandatory. We built that into their pay, so they actually get paid about $33,000 starting out," said Feighert.