A firefighter suffered minor injuries by debris from an explosion at a Lockport Township building that was on fire. About 5:15 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to a fire in the 3500 block of State Street in unincorporated Lockport Township, according to a news release from the Lockport Township Fire Protection District. Fire companies arrived to find a vacant two-story building that had a one-story addition off the back, officials said. The one-story portion of the structure was found to have heavy fire through the roof. As the firefighters were stretching initial hose lines to the back of the building, there was an explosion in the two-story portion of the structure, officials said.  

St. Charles firefighters will see a 2.25% pay increase in the first two years of a new four-year contract with the city. At its June 15 meeting, the St. Charles City Council approved a collective bargaining agreement between the city and the St. Charles Professional Firefighter's Association I.A.F.F. Local 3322, which represents the city's captains, lieutenants, firefighter/paramedics, firefighters and fire prevention bureau officer. The contract, which runs through April 30, 2024, calls for a 2.25% increase for the first two years of the contract and a 2.5% increase for the last two years of the contract. Union members had ratified the contract on May 28. The cost of the four-year contract is $760,429.47.  

A rural Coffeen man lost a lifetime in collectibles in a machine shed fire at his residence Wednesday afternoon, June 17. The Coffeen Fire Department was dispatched to the residence of Robert Lentz on Old Cemetery Trail north of Coffeen for what at first was described as a tractor fire. The department arrived to find a machine shed–packed with antique tractors and vehicles–fully engulfed in flames. The fire began when an antique tractor back-fired after it had been started, and the owner was unable to get it out of the shed in time. Coffeen requested mutual aid from the Hillsboro Fire Department and the Fillmore Fire Department.  

Firefighters in Cary were able to quickly extinguish a garage fire on Wednesday night at a residence on Boxwood Drive. The Cary Fire Protection District was called to the home in the first block of Boxwood Drive, at 9:09 p.m. Wednesday. A married couple were the only people home at the time. They had noticed smoke coming into the house from the garage area, went outside to find the source and found the rear wall of the garage on fire. The couple had attempted to put out the fire but then left the garage before firefighters arrived. Firefighters were able to quickly put out the garage fire upon arrival. The house was not damaged from the fire but it had to be aired out as it was filled with smoke. No damage estimate was available and the fire remains under investigation.  

The Jacksonville Fire Department and State Fire Marshal's Office are looking into a Tuesday night fire, making it the second fire this week in the city that is under investigation. Firefighters were called about 10 p.m. Tuesday to a house at 1333 E. Wolcott St. after flames were seen coming from the structure. Firefighters returned early Wednesday after the fire reignited. A fire Sunday at 710 E. Douglas Avenue, which is about a half mile away, is also under investigation. There was no immediate indication whether officials believed the fires were related.  

The Union for the Kansas City Fire Department says they are already short 60 firefighters. Cutting 4.5% of the department budget would mean close to $9 million. That would have dangerous impacts on public safety. "I believe that fire department cuts and public safety cuts should be the last to be made," to International Association of Firefighters local 42 President Tim Dupin said. Dupin says the cuts the department is being asked to consider would mean laying off at least 142 firefighters and closing three to seven fire stations. "The mission of the fire department is to be anywhere within four to six minutes. That would definitely slow that response. We believe we are understaffed now. We have a shortage of 60 firefighters right now and any further cuts would be detrimental to the mission of the department," Dupin said.  

VIDEO: Thursday marks 13 years since nine Charleston firefighters were killed in a fire at the Sofa Superstore on Savannah Highway. It was June 18th, 2007 at 7:09 p.m. when the alarm sounded – firefighters sprang into action. Black smoke was seen pouring from the furniture store and warehouse, and as firefighters began to battle the flames, a 911 call comes in saying an employee is trapped inside. Firefighters rushed inside and rescued the employee. The fire quickly consumed the building once that worker was freed. But the firefighters still inside the building sent out a "mayday call." The fire caused the roof to collapse. That call would be one of the last things we heard from the nine heroes inside.  

FirstNet, the dedicated public safety communications network built by AT&T through a public-private partnership, is getting more than $200 million for enhancements to its portable assets and core network for 5G. The First Responder Network Authority Board at its quarterly meeting yesterday signed off on $218 million for strategic investments targeting two areas: initial core network upgrades as the first phase of moving to 5G, and expanding FirstNet's fleet of deployable assets. These both align with FirstNet's six Roadmap domains, which help prioritize investments, among other resources. "These investments mark the next major step in our mission as we continue to evolve the FirstNet network based on public safety's needs," said FirstNet Authority Board Chair Edward Horowitz in a statement.  

More than 30,000 gallons of toxic fluorochemical foam has been collected from municipal fire departments and commercial airports in Michigan in an effort that state officials believe is the nation's largest collection and disposal program of its type. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and the state fire marshal's office announced the milestone for their per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, foam disposal program on Wednesday, June 16. "There have been some smaller collection programs around the country, but this is the first statewide collection program of this magnitude that we're aware of," said Steve Sliver, head of EGLE's PFAS Action Response Team, or MPART. Since December, EGLE says about 32,000 gallons of Class B aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, has been collected for shipment to a hazardous waste landfill in Grand Ville, Idaho.