Peoria fire department crews said they've seen an increase in fires over the past few months. While this may not be unordinary as season transition, it can still take a mental and physical toll on firefighters. "We're spread more thin than we have been in the past," said Jim Bachman, Assistant Fire Chief at the Peoria Fire Department. "When we have 14 pieces of fire apparatus to operate in the city and 6 of them– 7 of them– are on a working fire, it can get pretty hectic." Battalion Chief Ralph Phillips has been a firefighter for 27 years. "Sleep deprivation is a real thing," Phillips said, "and it takes a toll on your body over time." For Phillips, however, the fulfillment of the job makes the mental and physical demand worth it. "It's rewarding to come to somebody's aid when they're having their darkest hour and you have to be at your best," Phillips said. Bachman said the Peoria Fire Department has acknowledged the mental health of firefighters recently.  

Springfield Local 37 crews responded to multiple fires Sunday evening. Crews responded to a structure fire in the 2900 block of South 12th Street around 7 p.m. on Sunday. The structure was occupied. However, all residents were safely evacuated. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames and have now begun ventilating the structure. Hardly 42 minutes later, Local 37 crew were called to a structure fire in the 1400 block of East Capitol Street. Crews battled to find a water source but eventually were able to extinguish the fire. Both fires remain under investigation, yet no other information has been released at this time.  

Decatur firefighters were called out for a suspicious house fire Sunday night. Crews responded to the 1400 block of E. Condit St. around 9:40 p.m. Light smoke was coming from the rear window of the home. The first arriving ladder truck forced entry into the back door which let the Engine company get in and quickly extinguish the fire. The fire damage was limited to one room with smoke damage throughout. The Office of the State Fire Marshal was contacted and is assisting with the investigation due to the fire being of suspicious nature. There were no injuries, and investigation is ongoing.  

Alton firefighters called a Box Alarm early Saturday morning for an apartment fire in the 3200 block of Myrle Street in Alton. When firefighters arrived on the scene they were met with heavy fire and smoke coming from the apartment building. Firefighters did a primary search for residents still in the building. No occupants were located inside the apartments. Firefighters had a tough time putting the fire out due to the fire making it into the walls and ceiling and spreading to all the apartments. The apartment building suffered significant damage. East Alton Fire Department was on scene to help Alton with the fire. No injuries were reported.  

PHOTOS: Firefighters from multiple East Texas fire departments battled a house fire in the Long Cove subdivision in Malakoff early Sunday morning. According to a post on the Payne Springs Fire Rescue Facebook page, firefighters with PSFR were asked to provide mutual aid for a structure fire in the Long Cove subdivision at about 1:54 a.m. Sunday. The Malakoff Volunteer Fire Department chief arrived on the scene first, and PSFR's chief and Engine 1 got there a short time later. They found that the fire had already been burning in the home's void and attic spaces for some time, the Facebook post stated. Firefighters used multiple fire hoses to put the fire out. "This fire was a challenge due to building construction, setback, and a lack of water supply," the Facebook post stated. "Multiple fire departments were requested due to these challenges." The Payne Springs Fire Rescue chief was in command at the scene, and that fire department responded with three engines and a tanker.  

Every year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Christ the King High School in Middle Village played host to a commemoration of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in Manhattan — one of the worst tragedies to hit New York City in the 20th century. The longtime chairman of Christ the King's board of directors, former state Senator Serphin Maltese, along with his brothers Vincent and Andrew, organized the annual memorial service. The Maltese brothers lost three members in the tragic blaze — Caterina, their grandmother, and Rosaria and Lucia, two aunts. "We're hopeful that this is a rejuvenation of their memory. If we honor their memory, we'll ensure that nothing like that ever happens again," Serphin Maltese said during the 2011 ceremony that marked the centennial anniversary of the horrific blaze. The tragedy occurred on March 25, 1911, 110 years ago this month.  

The Peoria Fire-Medical Department, the Peoria City Council and Human Resources Director Christine Nickel are piloting a cancer screening program for line-of-duty firefighters. The program would allow all firefighters to receive an initial screening to determine their risk level. Based on the risk factors, the firefighters with the highest risk would be included into the program as a participant and the screenings would begin. The data from the screenings and treatments will be collected and reported to the council to ensure efficacy of the program. "For a long time, firefighters have always known that they are going to have a shorter lifespan than other professions," Mayor Cathy Carlat said. "If it doesn't have to be that way, then we certainly want to do everything that we can so that it isn't that way." Cancer is the leading cause of death for line-of-duty firefighters. The program is designed to take a preventative approach. "(The department) has been focused on mitigating the risks through early detection and treatment," Nickel said.  

With the arrival of spring and after an exhausting year of COVID-19 restrictions, Americans are eager to return to some sense of normalcy. However, many health experts are urging patience, warning a possible fourth surge may be on the horizon, with over a dozen states exhibiting early signs of increasing case numbers. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, raised the alarm this week, expressing his concern that we may be reopening faster than we should. "There were times when we thought things were getting under control and then it exploded again," Fauci said. "So although we are going in the right direction, we've got to keep our foot on the pedal with regard to public health measures." Over the last week, more than a dozen states have seen increases in their daily case averages. Parts of the upper Midwest have been exhibiting particularly concerning trends, including in Michigan, where cases have been on the rise since late February.  

VIDEO: The Navarre Beach Fire Department is asking for help on a special project. The dept. wants to build a motorized scooter for a Navarre 11-year-old to help him move across the sand on the beach. Christian has Kabuki syndrome and going to the beach is one of his favorite things to do. He loves the beach so much, Fire Chief Danny Furiegh tells Channel 3 News his family relocated to the area so he could be closer. That's when Fureigh says he knew his department had to come up with some way to make his trips to and from the beach easier. "Some people love the beach but Christian truly to his soul loves the beach so I just felt there are enough tech-savvy people in our community that can make this happen for them," said Fureigh. "We really need help from the community for actually coming up with a way to build a cart that can either be hinged or pinned that can fold and go into a trunk. Fureigh says they have the wheels and the motor; they're now just looking for the right design. &n bsp;