VIDEO: Flags across Houston flew at half-staff yesterday as the City of Houston and the Houston Fire Department celebrated the life of Lemuel Delray Bruce Jr. Friends and family knew Bruce by his nickname, "DJ." The 44-year old Houston native is the city's first arson investigators killed in the line of duty. Hundreds of firefighters walked through Greenway plaza, following Bruce's casket which was transported on the back of a Houston fire truck. Wife Rachel Bruce was escorted by firefighters into Lakewood Church for the this morning's memorial service. More than a half dozen firefighters, some of Bruce's closet friends, shared details of the Klein Oak High School graduate. "He's rare. Irreplaceable. The best person I've ever known. The best father I've ever seen," said Bobby Delgado. "He was a mountain of a man."  

A couple in their 70s is recovering after a massive blaze broke out at a home in northeast Houston Thursday, firefighters said. Officials said a fire started at a home located in the 13300 block of Lake Terrace Drive around 10 p.m. Upon arrival, firefighters said there were heavy flames and smoke coming from the garage area of the home. According to firefighters, there were no fire hydrants in the area, so after two minutes, HFD ran out of water. Officials said the fire spread to multiple cars and a boat and then into the main house. Houston firefighters said they requested mutual aid with Sheldon and Crosby and had to use tankers to get water. The fire took about an hour to tap out, officials said. The homeowners' son, who was staying here, says around 10 p.m. his dad knocked on his door and said there was a fire in the carport area. As soon as he rushed to get out of the home, he says the screen door melted.  

Lyric Fisher, 12, a seventh-grade student at Craig Middle School, has no recollection of what happened Oct.6. Yet, it's likely school nurse Jennifer Hoffman and Texas Tech nursing student Grant Gamble won't ever forget. On Thursday afternoon, with Lyric and her mother, Jennifer, in attendance, Hoffman and Gamble receive Lifesaving Awards from the Abilene Police Department and Abilene Fire Department. Their emotions took over. "The last thing she remembered was getting picked up from school the day before," Jennifer Fisher said. "At least, that's what she told me." A naturally shy girl, Lyric didn't say a word. But her mother had tears on her cheeks throughout the ceremony. Lyric's story starts two years ago, her mom said.  

A fire broke out at the Polycoat Products manufacturing plant but was quickly contained. It happened at 4 a.m. on Oct. 22. at 2100 Reliance Parkway in Bedford. Crews made entry into the building and found a fire involving manufacturing equipment. The fire had made headway and threatened the underside of the roof. A second alarm was called at 4:49 a.m. for precautions but the fire was extinguished ten minutes later. The assisting fire departments were Hurst, Grapevine, Euless and Colleyville. There were no injuries.  

VIDEO: A vacant church in a northeast Houston neighborhood was destroyed by fire early Thursday and investigators were working to determine if it was intentionally set. It happened around 12:30 a.m. in the 7900 block of St. Louis Street at the corner of Fleta Drive in the Settegast neighborhood. Houston firefighters were able to bring the fire under control before it could spread to nearby homes. Arson investigators were looking into the cause because it was the second fire within a few blocks in about an hour's time. The vacant building was once home to the Truevine Baptist Church, according to a sign in front of the property. No injuries were reported. The building is considered a total loss.  

This is the first year the Victoria Fire Department will administer flu shots for the homeless and low-income families and it's all part of a long-range plan for the department to have more public health outreach. "Due to COVID-19 we felt this was a great year and a great opportunity to start that," said Tracy Fox, VFD Chief. …and they're not just doing it to help the most vulnerable members of our community. "Well we also want to reduce the impact on the hospitals are going to be faced with COVID-19 and then flu after that," Fox said. It's clear the homeless community's health needs are not being met, Fox said, which makes outreach important. "This is just one of those ways where we can also help our response by improving the health of our homeless and vulnerable populations," Fox said. "By vaccinating them for flu, we won't have to take care of them during the flu season." Vaccinations were paid through a Community Block Development Grant for resources to combat COVID-19. If they aren't able to make it on either day, Fox said low-income or homeless families should contact Midcoast Family Services.  

VIDEO: A crash that sparked a brush fire forced the closure of part of Interstate 80 in Placer County for several hours Thursday. A vehicle slammed into a power pole on westbound I-80 at Highway 193 in the Newcastle area, knocking powerlines onto the highway and Ophir Road and igniting a fire, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office. I-80 was closed in both directions between Highway 49 at Auburn and Highway 193 at Newcastle. The roadway reopened around 10:50 a.m. No one was injured in the crash and crews were able to contain the blaze.  

On Thursday, Brittani Rawls became Passaic Fire Department's first female tillerman. That's the firefighter who sits in a seat in back and steers the tail end of a firetruck. It's the kind of challenge she relishes, because in a city crammed with traffic, tight streets and double-parked cars, life for the tillerman is never dull. There are no brakes. Instead the job requires a feel for how the back of the truck swings and for what the driver is doing so that the tillerman can adjust the movement of the back end. Rawls often has to steer one way and then quickly recover. "It kind of glides," Rawls said, adding that often people don't realize how far the rear of the enormous ladder truck might have to swing out. "I love it. I live for the thrill of things." Becoming certified as a tillerman requires nerves of steel and lots of training. It's a big achievement, fire officials say.  

This is the first year the Victoria Fire Department will administer flu shots for the homeless and low-income families and it's all part of a long-range plan for the department to have more public health outreach. "Due to COVID-19 we felt this was a great year and a great opportunity to start that," said Tracy Fox, VFD Chief. …and they're not just doing it to help the most vulnerable members of our community. "Well we also want to reduce the impact on the hospitals are going to be faced with COVID-19 and then flu after that," Fox said. It's clear the homeless community's health needs are not being met, Fox said, which makes outreach important. "This is just one of those ways where we can also help our response by improving the health of our homeless and vulnerable populations," Fox said. "By vaccinating them for flu, we won't have to take care of them during the flu season."  

Tifton fighters are trading in their boots for high heels to show support for the fight against domestic violence. Kiefer Daughtry is an engineer at the Tifton Fire Department, and right before the interview, he traded in his work shoes for a pair of fuchsia-colored high heels. "What's going through your head right now? How does it feel?" asked Poitevint. "It feels terrible. I'm ready to put shoes on," said Daughtry. "How long have you been in them right now?" asked Bobby. "Five minutes," replied Daughtry. Daughtry said it's nothing like anything he's ever worn before. "Oh, absolutely not. The boots we wear are steel-toe and pretty sturdy. These shoes are way worse," explained Daughtry. This is all part of an outreach initiative by Ruth's Cottage and the Patticake House.  

Have you ever heard of a fire truck being raffled off? That's what one Schuylkill County fire company is doing. "We've gotten some messages. I've gotten some messages from people saying, 'what are you guys thinking?' But honestly, it's a good truck, and we're going to give it a shot," said Sam Detweiler of Liberty Fire Company No. 4 in Schuylkill Haven. "Wherever it goes, it'll get a good home." Liberty Fire Company is raffling off this 1992 Pierce Arrow Pumper fire truck. "We had this apparatus for sale three months ago, and it's been for sale ever since," said Aaron Schimpf of Liberty Fire Company. "I think because of the pandemic, fire companies just not interested in making an investment at this time, so we decided to raffle the truck." If you want it, you'll be facing some competition. It's $100 a chance, and the fire company is only selling 250 tickets and a good chunk of those are already sold. Bids have come in from all across the country, including Oregon.