An Irving firefighter was severely injured early Sunday when he was struck by a suspected intoxicated driver going the wrong way on State Highway 183, police say. At about 3:45 a.m., Irving police and fire crews were working a five-vehicle accident on SH183 near Story Road. The accident, which had injuries not thought to be life-threatening, had shut down the highway. Police said Yajaira Estrada Calderon, 23, of Arlington drove a 2016 Dodge Challenger the wrong way down the highway and into the accident scene, where she hit the firefighter. The 30-year-old firefighter was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital with severe injuries, police said. Police did not release the firefighter's name, but said he has been with the department for 4 1/2 years and asked for prayers.  

This holiday, a new Lubbock organization is shining a light on the importance of first responders in our community. It's been nearly a year since tragedy struck three Lubbock first responders who were providing emergency services to a vehicle that had flipped during an ice storm on Interstate 27. A driver heading south in the early hours of Jan. 11, 2020, veered into the center median and opposite-bound lanes, striking Lubbock Fire Rescue Lieutenant Eric Hill, police officer Nicholas Reyna, and firefighter Matthew Dawson. Dawson was hospitalized in critical condition. Officer Reyna was pronounced dead at the scene, while Lt. Eric Hill died a short time later at the hospital. Over the past 10 years, an average of 230 first responders have died per year in the line of duty. This includes 70 firefighter-EMTs and more than 160 police officers per year – public servants who give their lives in service to their communities.  

Seven people were injured in an oil storage tank explosion at the Magellan plant in Corpus Christi, according to the Corpus Christi Fire Department. Officials held a press conference Saturday afternoon on the incident. The explosion happened just after 10 a.m. at the Magellan oil refinery, located in the 1800 block of Poth Lane. Firefighters and first responders found heavy fire and smoke upon arrival. The flames were just 150 yards away from the main road, according to officials. Seven people were injured in the incident, with four of them in critical condition. One of the victims was taken to a burn center in San Antonio as well, according to CCFD. Residents in the immediate area were ordered to shelter in place for a few hours as fire crews worked to extinguish the flames early Saturday.  

One woman is dead following a mobile home fire in Montgomery County, according to the Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office. Around 10:40 p.m. Saturday, fire crews were dispatched to a mobile home on Ben Smith Road near FM 1486 on a report of a fire. While en route, firefighters received a report a 56-year-old woman was trapped inside. On arrival, units observed heavy fire and smoke coming from the mobile home. Fire crews attempted to gain entry into the home but intense flames drove them back. Once they gained entry inside, firefighters found the woman dead. The woman's identity has not been released. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office.  

Firefighters from the White Oak Volunteer Fire Department fought to extinguish a house fire on Cupit Friday night. The VFD posted a picture of the fire on its Facebook page. "Please keep this family in your prayers," the Facebook post stated. "This structure fire occurred this evening." In a comment under the post, someone with the White Oak VFD said that all the occupants of the home go out safely. However, the fire left a family of seven homeless. According to someone with the White Oak VFD, the fire started on the home's porch. When firefighters arrived at the scene, the fire was already through the roof, and the house was about 50 percent involved. The post also thanked the Longview Fire Department, several area volunteer fire departments, the Red Cross, and the Gregg County fire marshal for their assistance.  

Fire destroyed a home in Collin County Saturday night. Firefighters arrived at the home in Parker just before midnight, and found smoke coming from the attic. It wasn't long before flames tore through the roof, as part of the home collapsed. The family who lived there managed to get to out to safety. Firefighters from Murphy, Lucas, Plano, Fairview, and Wylie helped put out the flames. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

PHOTOS/VIDEOS: A six-alarm fire tore through a historic, 128-year-old Reformed church in the East Village early Saturday morning. Firefighters rushed to Middle Collegiate Church on East 7th Street and Second Avenue following reports of a fire at an empty, nearby building—48 East 7th Street—that began just before 5 a.m., FDNY told Gothamist. The fire soon spread to the church, triggering more alarms. A total of nearly 200 firefighters from 44 units had converged on the scene. Crews battled the large blaze under a steady rain, with fire trucks extending to the top of the church, with water hoses cutting through the church's steeple. FDNY said four firefighters were injured battling the blaze. No civilians have been reported injured. "We are going to be operating here for a while. The fire is under investigation by our marshals," FDNY Assistant Chief John Hodgens said from the scene of the fire, according to a post on the FDNY's Facebook page.  

Three Montana wildland firefighters had a significant reason to be grateful on the recent Thanksgiving holiday. On Sept. 5 at around 1:45 p.m., as 100-foot flames shot overhead, the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation helitack team was trapped by the Bridger Foothills fire. Cornered by a spot fire that had spread as winds gusted up to 28 mph, cutting off their escape route, they scrambled to protect their lives. To complicate the life-threatening situation, only two of the three firefighters had the portable fireproof shelters issued as personal protective equipment. Consequently, two of the men struggled to share one of the thin aluminum foil shelters. The surrounding blaze made the 87-degree day's heat feel closer to 300 degrees, the upper temperature limit at which a human can survive. Embers sifted into the shelters as violent winds whipped the area. The men struggled to breathe as oxygen was sucked from the air.  

The Portland Fire Department's entire Bramhall and Engine 11 Stations called out sick Sunday. "Basically what happened is we had a member who came in and didn't know that they were COVID positive but after they got off duty they found out," Portland Firefighters Local 740 Union President Chris Thomson said. Thomson said that caused concern for others who work the same shift because the on-duty firefighters spend 24 hours at a time together. Portland firefighters work 24 hours on, 24 hours off, 24 hours on, five days off. When asked if these employees who called out on Sunday will be quarantined for 14 days, "you're able to achieve that quarantine by just taking that condensed one week, the two 24 hour periods off," Local 740 Vice President Ben Freedman said. According to Portland Communications Director Jessica Grondin, the fire department members called out sick out of an abundance of caution concerning COVID-19.  

An Irving firefighter was severely injured early Sunday when he was struck by a suspected intoxicated driver going the wrong way on State Highway 183, police say. At about 3:45 a.m., Irving police and fire crews were working a five-vehicle accident on SH183 near Story Road. The accident, which had injuries not thought to be life-threatening, had shut down the highway. Police said Yajaira Estrada Calderon, 23, of Arlington drove a 2016 Dodge Challenger the wrong way down the highway and into the accident scene, where she hit the firefighter. The 30-year-old firefighter was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital with severe injuries, police said. Police did not release the firefighter's name, but said he has been with the department for 4 1/2 years and asked for prayers.  

The Philadelphia Zoo is thanking frontline workers in a big, blue way. The Philadelphia landmark recently lit up its Main Plaza with dazzling blue lights to thank healthcare workers and first responders. The new light display on the trees and front entrance buildings at 34th and Girard are illuminated with the goal of ringing in the holidays while also thanking healthcare workers and first responders during the global pandemic. By lighting up the front plaza in blue, the Zoo is extending its wishes for a peaceful holiday and its appreciation for the thousands of citizens throughout the greater Philadelphia region for their kindness, dedication, and courage during an exceptionally challenging year. "It has been a difficult time for so many, with people across the region and across the world being so deeply affected," says Vikram H. Dewan, Philadelphia Zoo's President and CEO.