U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), today introduced legislation designed to reduce crashes involving distracted driving and save lives, including preventing first responder roadside deaths. The bill would require the implementation of life-saving safety technologies on all new vehicles, including federal fleet vehicles, fund the deployment of digital alert technology for first responders, and increase public awareness of "Move Over" laws. "We see heartbreaking stories of roadside accidents in Illinois every year due to distracted driving. To help save lives and reverse the alarming rise in first responder roadside deaths, we must increase the use of crash avoidance technologies and awareness of ‘Move Over' laws," Durbin said. "The Protecting Roadside First Responders Act will require life-saving technologies in all new vehicles while providing states with the resources they need to help keep our first responders safe."  

Tensions have been high between Springfield city officials and the fire department recently. Now, the city could give the Springfield Fire Department more than half a million dollars to cover their overtime costs from the previous budget. On Tuesday, April 27, the Committee of the Whole passed an ordinance that would give SFD $565,750 for overtime costs. This would cover overtime costs from the fire department's Fiscal Year 2021 budget that ended earlier this year. This does not apply to the current 2022 budget, which started March 1. Springfield Fire Chief Brandon Blough said a lot of those extra costs were from when a third of their department had to quarantine because of COVID-19 exposure last year. "We had a lot of overtime then and then just overall with the quarantining and all the rules that were in effect at that point, that's what really drove that particular part of the overtime up," Blough said.  

The Alton Fire Department's quick response once again was the difference when a salvage vehicle caught fire near the old Clara Barton School Monday night. The fire call to Alton came in at 8:09 p.m. Monday. Alton Fire Capt. Derrick Richardson said the car next to the building was totalled. However, the vehicle was not workable before the fire. There were also three other salvage vehicles involved parked on the lot. "Thankfully, the old Clara Barton School building did not catch fire," Capt. Richardson said. "We had a full response and and they did a great job of sizing up the situation and attacking the fire. The scrap cars belonged to the owner of the building." The exterior brick of the old Clara Barton School building was singed by the fire, but that was the extent of damage because of the firefighters' actions. Capt. Richardson said a a determination has not yet been made on what caused the fire.  

Quick-thinking staff were able to put out a fire that started near oxygen tubing and a humidifier in the Oak Woods Apartments, Tuesday, April 27. Peoria Firefighters were called to the scene in the 700 block of West Joan Court, off North Sheridan Road, at approximately 9:05 a.m. Prior to their arrival, the staff activated the fire alarm system and used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Upon arrival, crews saw the building being evacuated. The resident was removed from their apartment, and transported to the hospital by AMT. There is no report of the patient's condition at the time of this report. Firefighters checked the apartment for and extinguished any remaining hot spots before leaving.  

A deck fire at a historic home in Downtown Concord kept Concord firefighters busy on Wednesday and eventually led to four alarms and — and fire crews from around the capital region assisting city firefighters. Around 12:30 a.m., firefighters were sent to 32 Merrimack St., a four-unit building, for a report of flames seen from a deck. Upon arrival, firefighters confirmed the fire on the second-floor deck that was "rapidly extending" into a third floor and attic, according to Sean Brown, chief of the Concord Fire Department. "Companies initiated search operations and an aggressive interior attack," he said. "It was determined that the five occupants of the building were able to self-evacuate." A cat was also rescued by a Concord firefighter. Due to the size and age of the building — it was constructed in 1880, according to city records, the fire spread easily via "multiple void spaces between walls and floors, creating a very challenging firefighting conditions," Brown added.  

This year, the Austin Fire Department said it has gotten a 10% increase in interested African Americans compared to 2019. Its largest demographic group is Hispanic candidates — a more than 21% increase. Overall, nearly 75% of people who submitted a cadet interest card are diversity targets, which means they belong to a minority group. That includes Black, Hispanic, Asian and female Austinites. "We never had that number before," said Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker. "I think the highest we have had in the history of Austin of minorities that have shown interest is 59-point-something." He hopes diversity on the front end of hiring will also help down the line, so there are more of those people to promote to higher positions. After expressing their interest through a cadet interest card, candidates then have to submit an application.  

VIDEO: A church in Vermont's Orange County spent Tuesday working to salvage what it could following a massive overnight fire. One of the artifacts pulled from the rubble of the Williamstown Federated Church is linked to a famous name in American history. "That's an incredible historic artifact," Stephen Morse, a church organist and historian, said of the bell that was removed from the site and stored for safe-keeping. Markings show the church's bell was made in the famous Boston foundry of Paul Revere. t was badly blackened, and the wood in its frame charred, but the important link to the founding of the congregation in the 1700s was saved. Church members said they believe it can be cleaned and restored. "We have a lot of heritage in our church," said church treasurer Nancy Avery, who added that the church also had an unusual and historic organ that was lost to the fire.  

PHOTOS: Two inches of water filled what was once the poker space in the old Bonita Springs Greyhound Racing building off Bonita Beach Road. "We're going straight into the room on the left," one Estero firefighter said into his mask radio. An ominous orange glow bled from a back office. "Moving in," another replied. "There's no more hose, no more hose," said one firefighter, manning the pipe connection 100 feet away. One minute passed. "Fire out," the first firefighter said. The crew of four extinguished the simulated fire in less than three minutes. They walked back out of the emergency exit to the full parking lot — to a cacophony of fire engines from 19 departments across Lee County. The crews all came to exploit the final days of the 250,000-square-foot monolith built 70 years ago. A new building, the Bonita Springs Poker Room, opened six months ago and sits much closer to the road.