Amid warnings that Chicago Fire Department paramedics are "taking a literal beating at the hands of their patients," a City Council committee on Monday answered the alarm. The Committee on Public Safety unanimously approved an ordinance championed by Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th) at the behest of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2. It would create a special category of crime for assaulting CFD paramedics, private ambulance workers, American Red Cross or any other emergency medical services and disaster response personnel in Chicago. If convicted, an offender would face up to 180 days in jail and fines as high as $1,000. Chicago is in the middle of a "mental health crisis" and paramedics are "sadly, on the front lines" of that crisis, said Joe Senorski, director of political action for Local 2.  

VIDEO: Firefighters braved frigid temperatures fighting flames at an apartment complex in Waukegan. The fire was at 520 North Genesee Street in Waukegan. Firefighters encountered two frozen hydrants and tenants were forced into the cold. One man was seen only wearing shorts and a T-shirt. "We had 12 different departments out here," Fire Chief Gregg Paiser said. "We had seven engines, three ladder trucks, a rescue squad, and finally ambulances here. And again, due to the extreme cold. We had extra crews here to help out." Three people were taken to the hospital. Their conditions are not known. Officials said the four-story building has approximately 50 units, with about four of the units damaged.  

Firefighters rescue a person from a burning home in Marion Monday morning. Fire crews in immediately responded to a structure fire call at 1805 Holmes Drive in Marion at 3:35 a.m. on Monday. Firefighters with the Marion Fire Department found a home with heavy dark smoke at the front door area. Crews then quickly went inside the home. A news release from the fire department stated they had zero visibility inside the home but were able to find a person and bring him out of the home. Firefighters then continued searching inside the home to search for anyone else that may be in there. It was later determined there were no others inside of the home.  

Three weeks have passed since the fire at the Carus chemical plant in LaSalle, and the company still does not know what caused the fire. The state fire marshal listed the cause of the Jan. 11 fire as undetermined after a preliminary investigation, and there was no evidence of suspicious activity, the company said in a news release. "It's important that we all understand how this fire started. We have engaged a third-party consultant who specializes in root cause analysis for these types of incidents. said Carus Vice President of Operations Allen Gibbs in a prepared statement. "They are conducting a thorough investigation of the fire and we expect preliminary results in the coming weeks," said Gibbs.  

The Peoria Fire Department responded to the Lariat Steakhouse sign catching fire near Glen Avenue and War Memorial Drive Monday. According to Peoria Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger, an Electrical shortage caused the fire at approximately 4:30 p.m. Firefighters put out the fire in approximately 20 minutes. The fire caused approximately $25,000 to $30,000 in damages. The Lariat Steakhouse building was not impacted by the fire.  

We are now seeing what firefighters saw as they worked to keep downtown Bedford from going up in flames on Friday. ABC13 received helmet camera footage from the fire department that shows how crews got the fire at the Sister to Sister Custom Catering and Café under control in 50 minutes on Friday. Crews fought the fire from the ground and the rooftops. Town of Bedford Fire Chief Todd Stone said their main plan was to cut the fire off so that it wouldn't spread up the block. "If this fire gets out of control and we can't stop it quickly enough, every building we lose we impact people's livelihoods," Stone said. He said the biggest thing is to get above and below the fire and they were fortunate to have the manpower to do that. "We had six firefighters on our ladder and the first arriving engine had four and our second engine had four," Stone said.  

Amid warnings that Chicago Fire Department paramedics are "taking a literal beating at the hands of their patients," a City Council committee on Monday answered the alarm. The Committee on Public Safety unanimously approved an ordinance championed by Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th) at the behest of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2. It would create a special category of crime for assaulting CFD paramedics, private ambulance workers, American Red Cross or any other emergency medical services and disaster response personnel in Chicago. If convicted, an offender would face up to 180 days in jail and fines as high as $1,000. Chicago is in the middle of a "mental health crisis" and paramedics are "sadly, on the front lines" of that crisis, said Joe Senorski, director of political action for Local 2.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A piece of Albany history is out for public viewing after being hidden away for 20 years. The restoration of the 1925 Seagrave engine was an arduous process that took gallons of paint and even more patience. Inside what was once the old museum at Fire Station 12, Larry Allen and Brian Vorderstrasse put the finishing touches on the fire engine. The room smells of cleaning agents and gasoline. Paint brushes, rags, measuring tape, stencils and toolboxes with wrenches pool over the tables and onto the ground of their workstation. The fire engine sits proudly, commanding space in the small museum-turned-workshop. For the past three years the two retired firefighters have worked to restore the engine to its glory. "It's important because it's preserving history," said Vorderstrasse, sporting orange gloves and a shirt splattered with grease.  

The International Association of Fire Fighters called on Monday for the elimination of protective gear that contains "forever chemicals," saying swift regulatory action is needed to address the toxic substances. The union — which has more than 333,000 members — announced that it has retained the services of three nationally recognized law firms to pursue these goals, and to help members and their families seek compensation for related illnesses. The toxins in question — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — are known for their presence in both jet fuel firefighting foam and the gear worn by firefighters and rescue workers. They are also common in a variety of household items, such as nonstick pans, cosmetics and waterproof apparel. These cancer-linked compounds are notorious for their ability to linger in the human body and the environment.  

President Joe Biden intends to end the Covid-19 national and public health emergencies on May 11, the White House said Monday. That means that many Americans could have to start paying for Covid-19 testing and treatment after the declarations cease. The White House, in a statement of administration policy announcing opposition to two House Republican measures to end the emergencies, said the national emergency and public health emergency authorities declared in response to the pandemic would each be extended one final time to May 11. "This wind down would align with the Administration's previous commitments to give at least 60 days' notice prior to termination of the (public health emergency)," the statement said. The public health emergency has enabled the government to provide many Americans with Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines at no charge, as well as offer enhanced social safety net benefits, to help the nation cope with the pandemic and minimize its impact.