A deadly house fire in rural Jackson County is under investigation. First responders were called to a house fire in rural Rockwood just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 7. When they arrived, the home was fully engulfed in flames. Multiple fire departments responded to the scene. According to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, two people died in the fire. The names of the victims are not being released at this time. Authorities are working to notify family. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office says the investigation into the fire is ongoing. The State Fire Marshal's Office responded to the scene. Members of the Campbell Hill Fire Department, Jackson County Ambulance Service, Ava Fire Department, Steeleville Fire Department, Sparta Fire Department, Chester Fire Department, Percy Fire Department and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office all responded to the fire.  

A house at 1603 Marquette Road was left uninhabitable following Saturday night's fire on Joliet's west side in the Marquette Gardens area. Joliet Fire Chief Greg Blaskey said the fire was reported at 5:17 p.m., prompting firefighters from stations 5, 6 and 7 to arrive at the call. The Joliet Fire Department determined the fire was coming from the side of the house. Blaskey said the fire was extinguished, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire has not been determined, the fire chief said.  

Firefighters were dispatched to a location on South 16th Street at around 7:05 a.m. on Saturday in response to a report of smoke coming from the windows of a residence. When fire crews arrived at the scene, they saw black smoke and found a fire in the kitchen area inside the residence. Occupants talked to the firefighters and said everyone was out but there were cats and a dog still inside. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and rescued five cats and a dog. Four people were displaced at this time. No one was hurt. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.  

Fire officials say they were called to a barn on Concord Church Road just before 9 p.m. Saturday. Flames had engulfed the barn by the time crews arrived on scene. Lewisville Fire was the lead agency, with multiple other fire crews responding. They say they were able to get it under control in about an hour. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.  

When Pavel Zboril moved to Owensboro from the Czech Republic, he thought he left his life as a firefighter behind. Zboril, who comes from a community near the Czech city of Olomouc, was a volunteer firefighter, from a family of firefighters. "We have a long family history of volunteer firefighters in my family," he said. "I had been around firefighting since day one." By law, every community in the Czech Republic has to have a volunteer fire department, he said. Zboril moved to Owensboro to marry his wife in 2016 who he'd met through the Sister Cities program. Zboril thought he wouldn't work as a firefighter again. "I told myself, ‘I'm starting a new life in a new country, probably firefighting is part of my old life in the Czech Republic,' " Zboril said. But, "when I would hear the sirens and see firetrucks, I missed the life."  

The Spokane Fire Department is implementing a new way to care for sick and injured children. SFD has partnered with Handtevy, a company that specializes in EMS pediatric technology, to create a new emergency medical care system for kids. It offers a pediatric resuscitation system and a mobile application to reduce the stress that comes with pediatric medical emergencies. The mobile application provides medical treatment information for firefighters and paramedics within seconds, as well as pediatric medication dosing and tools to help responders perform CPR and defibrillation and document care. "This new system puts critical, life-saving tools and technology in our Paramedics' hands," Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said. "Pediatric and neonatal emergency calls are incredibly stressful and emotional for clinicians due to the unique medical needs of children."  

Volvo is obviously a very safety-oriented brand. It's consistently ranked as one of the safest automakers out there. Now, some firefighters are going to tear up a Volvo XC40 Recharge in the name of safety. Volvo says it's donating the fully-electric SUV to the Boston Fire Department so that the department's crews can learn more about electric vehicle fires. This isn't the first time Volvo has done this either. A nearly-identical XC40 Recharge was donated to the New York Fire Department last year- we say nearly because the XC got a mild refresh this year. Regardless, the aim here is the same as last year- to educate first responders on EV fires. These fires can be particularly nasty due to the batteries, which often don't stay put out after they've gotten crispy, in addition to the toxic nature of the battery's cells. Volvo says first responders need to adapt their extraction procedures to safely work around an EVs large batteries and high-voltage wiring.  

One York County fire department has generations of moms and families to celebrate on Mother's Day, not to mention the traditions they've passed down. Three generations of Micki Rife's family have worked in the West Manchester Township Fire Department, going back decades. She said firefighting is in their blood. "It is kind of like a family business," she said. Many firefighters say the firehouse is an extended family, but for Micki, it really is. "My uncle originally was the first one that joined the fire department," she said. Micki's dad followed, eventually serving as chief. Her mom and aunt joined the social committee, helping run fundraisers and other community events. "I made a lot of lifelong friends," Micki's aunt Barbara Irwin said. At 14, Micki took her place as a junior firefighter. "I do remember my first fire when I turned 16, it was a barn fire," she said.