The McLean County Coroner identified a child that died in a Bethany house fire Friday. Alaina Nicole Jarnagin, 5, was pronounced dead at 3:02 p.m. Friday at St. Mary's Hospital. She was brought from her home on 302 N. Elm St. About 20 firefighters in total responded to a fire at the home. Authorities were on the scene for about two hours. The McLean County Cororner's Morgue indicated that the probable cause of the death was probable carbon monoxide intoxication due to inhaling smoke. The coroner said there was no indication of traumatic injury, no evidence of foul play and no non-fire related injuries to the child.  

Alton firefighters and paramedics were called to a serious motorcycle crash shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday in the 700 block of West Broadway near Piasa Park off of the Great River Road. A motorcyclist was down with serious, possibly life-threatening injuries, according to reports. The Alton Fire Department command ordered an ARCH Air Medical Service Inc. helicopter ambulance to land at the scene, on the Great River Road. All traffic was stopped for the helicopter landing. The subject was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital. At the same time, the Madison County Sheriff's Department requested the Alton Fire Department's fire and rescue boat, Marine One, to assist on the Mississippi River with an unrelated incident in which people aboard a boat were waving a white flag in distress near the foot of Clifton Terrace Road at the river.  

Stress is one of the common denominators for first responders, but some calls that police officers, firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians respond to don't leave their minds when they punch out at the end of their shifts. Local emergency response agencies take steps to provide support for colleagues after critical incidents, as well as the day-to-day job stress. EMS Chief John Simon of the Adams County Ambulance Service said some critical incidents can have a drastic effect on paramedics and EMTs regardless of age or experience. "We can train all day long with our skills for paramedics and EMTs and make sure they have the lifesaving skills at their fingertips and are laser sharp," Simon said. "But you can't really prepare your mind for what you're going to see or what you're going to feel afterwards."  

Charleston firefighters thanked two businesses for donations of supplies during the pandemic. The fire department received 10 cases of bottled water and a case of hand sanitizer from Carl Wolff, the owner of Gateway Liquors, and Koerner Distributor Inc. Donations will also be used by Charleston police. Fire Chief Steve Bennett told WAND-TV firefighters not have a shortage of supplies, but the hand sanitizer helps with COVID-19 cases recently rising in Coles County. The bottled water will help firefighters stay hydrated as they respond to fires.  

A man has been charged with setting fire to his family's home last week in west suburban Carol Stream. The fire was reported about 10 a.m. Aug. 19 in the 700 block of Aztec Drive, according to a statement from Carol Stream police. Witnesses told investigators a man in black clothing was seen leaving the home carrying a black bag as the fire started. The man, later identified as Kashyf H. Syed, stole a bicycle from a nearby school and rode south into Armstrong Park, authorities said. When police approached him, he allegedly became combative and injured one officer before he was taken into custody. Police said Syed used gasoline to start the fire in the home where he lives with his family before fleeing with some personal items. The family was not home at the time and no injuries were reported.  

The Grant Park Fire Department board will again be asking residents in the district to approve a property tax increase due to an aging fleet of apparatus, staffing needs and mandatory equipment replacement. The referendum will appear on the ballot in November's general election. A similar referendum was defeated 58-42 percent in the March primary election. Two other Kankakee County fire districts — Bradley-Bourbonnais and Limestone — are facing the same hurdles as Grant Park and also had similar referendums defeated in March. Grant Park trustees are asking voters to approve increasing the property tax rate to 1.0367 from its current rate of .6867.  

VIDEO: Hundreds of firefighters battled a six-alarm fire at a warehouse in the Tioga-Nicetown section of Philadelphia Sunday morning. Fire Commissioner Adam Theil said that about half of all on-duty firefighters were at the scene battling the blaze at a warehouse on the 3300 block of Stokley Avenue. The fire, which started around 2 a.m., quickly grew so large that it could be seen from miles away. Flames could be seen shooting from the roof as part of the building collapsed. Officials said one firefighter suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is being treated at the hospital. No other injuries were reported. The city-block long building reportedly houses a paper company called Treco Fibematics. The opposite end of the building is said to be owned by Temple University and houses administrative offices. "I open up my bedroom window (and) my curtains, and I was like, 'you've got to be joking,'" said Wanda Compton of the moment she saw the flames.  

PHOTOS: IMPD is investigating after a woman was killed when her car collided with an IFD fire engine at the intersection of Shelby Street and Southern Avenue Sunday morning. Around 10:45 a.m., the IFD truck was responding, with lights and sirens activated, to a possible residence fire on Sumner Avenue. On the way to the fire, the IFD truck collided with a Silver Jeep Liberty driven by a 71-year-old woman at the intersection. IFD officials say, "the car collided with the engine at the intersection, affixed itself on the engine windshield and traveled about 100 feet before disengaging from the windshield and sliding another 100 feet to a stop." The engine sustained significant damage to the front and side, with equipment ripped from its holders and windshield glass strewn throughout the interior, according to officials. There were four IFD firefighters on board who were all wearing seat belts. One of the firefighters was transported to Methodist for cuts to their face from the windshield glass.  

VIDEO: A group of DeKalb County firefighters showed off their musical skills during a recent jam session. In a video posted to Twitter, DeKalb County Fire Company 23C jammed together to Carlos Santana's "Maria Maria" in a "post workout jam session." A group of DeKalb County firefighters showed off their musical skills during a recent jam session. In a video posted to Twitter, DeKalb County Fire Company 23C jammed together to Carlos Santana's "Maria Maria" in a "post workout jam session." "All instruments and voices are authentic. The apparatus bay creates a great acoustic setting," officials said.  

The budget Austin City Council approved on Aug. 23 for the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year comes with a number of different investments in Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Much of the discussion around Austin's new budget revolved around the ways the budget begins a process of transitioning around $150 million dollars from the Austin Police Department into other areas of public health and safety over the course of the next year. But the budget encompasses many areas outside of policing. While funding for medics may not have been the topic most residents weighed in on during public comment, the dollars set aside for ATCEMS represent another key theme in this budget. Jasper Brown, the Chief of Staff for ATCEMS, said that based on his 23 years of experience working with the department, ATCEMS can have good years and bad years when it comes to how well the approved budget meets the needs the department has expressed.  

New York's first responders were given an unusual warning this week, a first since the Sept. 11 terror attacks: skip this year's in-person anniversary events. In a letter addressed to members of the FDNY, Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro cautioned against the department's members attending anniversary events this year as the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the safety of everyone, especially retired members and families of 9/11 victims that are at a greater risk due to health and age. "From a health and safety perspective, the FDNY strongly recommends that our members forego participating in 9/11 gatherings and events this year," Nigro said. "However, the Department respects our traditions and will authorize certain events if currently accepted protective conditions can be adhered to." The commissioner outlined guidelines required for FDNY members sponsoring memorial events at or nearby FDNY facilities.