VIDEO: One day relatively soon, the old Chicago Tribune printing plant known as the Freedom Center will be home to the new Bally's Hotel and Casino. But before then it is the perfect testing ground for the Chicago Fire Department. Under the command of 1st District Chief Jim McDonough, the men and women of CFD drill in scenarios that routinely occur. When help is needed, having a practiced response can be the difference between success and failure, life and death. McDonough is the department's go to pro for the latest in training. Firefighters train on everything from trying to find someone in a dark, smoke-filled room to rescuing a troubled window washer, elevator and machinery rescues and more. The casino interior demo and overall construction is now the responsibility of Bally's Chicago Community Builders Collective, a joint venture of nine separate companies.  

VIDEOS: Downers Grove firefighters battled a blaze at Good Shepard Lutheran School and Church on Monday morning. An alarm sounded at 6:15 a.m., summoning the Downer's Grove Fire Department. Fire officials said flames were shooting through the roof when they arrived on the scene. Good Shepherd Church and School are located on 63rd Street, which was closed for activity. Gas and electric companies were on the scene but fire officials did not say if utilities were impacted. Reportedly, there was a vehicle crash on 63rd Street at about the same time. No one was in the building when the fire broke out. The Illinois State Fire Marshal and ATF agents were on the scene investigating.  

VIDEOS: A dramatic video 8 News Now obtained captures a person dangling out of the second-floor window of an apartment building that was on fire. The fire happened on Sunday night in the 3900 block of Spencer Street at the Riverbend Village Apartments near Flamingo Road. According to the American Red Cross, Sunday's deadly fire displaced 19 residents but that number could rise. The video 8 News Now obtained showed a person with one leg out the second-story window as flames blocked off the exits. Out of desperation to escape, the person jumped from the window and landed on a bush. A minute later, another person was seen on video running out of the building covered in flames. They then dropped to the ground and quickly got back up with the flames extinguished.  

VIDEO: It's been five months since three first responders were killed in the line of duty in Burnsville. Police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, along with firefighter and medic Adam Finseth, were shot as they responded to a 911 call for help on Feb. 18. There are reminders everywhere at Burnsville police headquarters; in hallways and offices; and even the garage. At Fire Station 1, there is a lone picture of Finseth on the Memorial Wall. He's the first and only city firefighter ever killed on the job. "Grief doesn't end, certainly not quickly," said Burnsville Police Deputy Chief Matt Smith. "People are still grieving, and so we're still taking care of each other and making sure everyone is OK." Smith says the best way he and his colleagues honor the fallen is getting to work, and they're doing that thanks to big assists from the department's growing list of mental health resources.  

VIDEO: A pair of bills recently signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer seek to help address the EMS Staffing Crisis. HB-4613 and HB-4614 stretch "temporary licenses" for medical first responders from 120 days to a year and allow them to work on ambulances as long as they're supervised. Genesee County has been struggling especially during the shortage. First responders and local officials said this might be a helpful shot in the arm, but added that the state still needs to address the factors that are discouraging people from entering the field in the first place. Kyle Ward, an EMT in the Genesee County Area, is cautiously optimistic. The new policies allow the state to grant one-year temporary licenses to trainees who've completed everything but their exams.