Tyler Firefighters are mourning the loss of one of their own today. Fire Captain Stuart Weatherford passed away on Friday morning, January 24, 2020, after a long battle with cancer. Weatherford, 57, was hired by the department in July 1998. He was promoted to Fire Engineer in December, 2006, and Fire Captain in February, 2011. Well known for his physical fitness, Capt. Weatherford was the recipient of the department's Gold Fitness Award for many years, and was a member of the department's "Most Physically Fit Crew" in 2002. He also received the Outstanding Firefighter Award that same year. According to Tyler Fire Chief David Coble, "Captain Weatherford was one of our most admired employees. He was well-respected in our department and throughout the community. He served with distinction and leaves a lasting legacy. He will be truly missed."  

The members of the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association could soon have a contract for the first time since September 2014. In an email obtained by KSAT 12, the fire union's arbitration team told union members it would be holding twice-a-day town hall meetings on Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to summarize the "final award" based on a "draft." The specifics were not laid out in the message, which state the final arbitrator award would be sent out to the union membership when it is received. "The final Arbitrator Award should be announced very soon," the message reads. Under the arbitration process, the terms handed down by the three-member panel will be binding for both the union and city. In July, the fire union used the power it had gained in a charter amendment to unilaterally call for binding arbitration.  

City crews are scheduled to start road construction Monday on Morgan Avenue as part of the 2012 and 2014 bond projects. This means motorists will now be dealing with even more delays and one area fire station may be impacted. On Monday, traffic will become one way traveling from the Crosstown Expressway to Ocean Drive. "We are looking forward to this construction that is going to take place on Morgan. We recognize the long-term benefits are going to outweigh the short-term difficulties we are going to face," said Corpus Christi Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim DeVisser. Firefighters at Station Number 3 are concerned about how the construction on Morgan road will affect their response time. Over the years, when it comes to traveling on Morgan, the degree of difficulty for the busiest fire station in the city has been turned up.  

Dallas Fire Captain Cristian Hinojosa carried his 6-year-old son, Max, up the tallest building in Dallas on Saturday. It was to raise money during The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Big D Climb. The event is in its 12th year, and there were more than 1200 climbers alongside them for the big day. They climbed to the top of the Bank of America Plaza building at 901 Main Street, which has more than 1,500 steps and 70 flights of stairs. Dallas Fire-Rescue had its own team walking alongside Hinojosa, with more than 40 firefighters participating this year. They all wore their gear to get to the top, but Hinojosa had an extra on his pack-- Max. When Max was about 1 month old, he was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. He was faced with shots and treatments at a very young age.  

Dispatch audio from the Houston Fire Department is giving us a better idea of the first moments when a deadly blast was reported Friday morning in northwest Houston. Two people were killed in the explosion at Watson Grinding and Manufacturing in the 4500 block of Gessner Road near Clay Road. "Engine 77, we're getting multiple calls in your territory for an explosion. They are giving different streets, Ivy Oaks Lane, Terrace Manor and Shadowdale Drive, supposed to be an explosion somewhere," the call said. Station 77, which would be home to Engine 77, is in the 10000 block of Kempwood, about a mile away from the business. During the call, fire crews also reported feeling the explosion, which some ABC13 viewers said felt like an earthquake.  

The city of Corinth retained the Center for Public Safety Management LLC (CPSM) to evaluate the Lake Cities Fire Department (LCFD) and conduct an Operational and Administrative Analysis of the department. The study included a detailed review of department operations, its interaction with hospital services, workload, staffing, fire stations, fire apparatus, and deployment practices and options that can position the department to best manage the community's anticipated rapid growth. "This review was more than just finding cost savings, but about identifying efficiencies that will translate to a stronger fire department," said Fire Chief Michael Ross. "The hard work and dedication from every member of the department can be seen in the positive results of this report. I am confident we will continue on the path of operational excellence to better serve the residents of the lake cities."  

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: A fire chief in Scottsboro, Alabama has confirmed fatalities in a massive fire that consumed at least 35 boats docked along the Tennessee River early Monday morning. Witness Carol Fuller took video of the boat dock as it was engulfed in flames. She tells us she could hear people cry, but was frustrated that there was no way to rescue them. Scottsboro Fire Chief Gene Mecklaus isn't saying how many people have died. Scottsboro Fire Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen tells WTVC's Aaron Farrar the number of missing, which was 7 earlier, now stands at 8. Chief Deputy Harnen says when crews arrived, there were several people in the water, who crews were able to rescue. Chief Mecklaus said 7 people were hospitalized, and the fire destroyed at least 35 boats docked in Jackson County Park.  

The union representing full-time Yonkers firefighters is accusing the city of cutting future benefit payments for some fire officials who may retire after becoming permanently disabled while on duty. Yonkers Firefighters, Local 628, International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO filed a petition against Yonkers and the state Public Employment Relations Board last month. The petition hinges on whether current members of Local 628 and the Yonkers Uniformed Fire Association are affected by the city's 2015 choice to stop disbursing night differential, check-in pay and holiday pay to retired firefighters who qualify for certain benefits under state law. Permanently disabled firefighters and fire officers who receive a retirement pension are generally entitled to the difference between their disability retirement and their regular salary or wages until they reach the mandatory retirement age, according to state law.  

Since 1998, the city's fire department has had a tactical paramedic team that assists the Summit County sheriff's SWAT team whenever called. With a 2018 change in state law, the nine members on the team and Fire Chief Jeff Funai are hoping that next month City Council will OK the paramedics to be armed during such calls. The council approval could come Feb. 11 or Feb. 25. Team members have paid for their own 9 mm semiautomatic weapons, which Funai repeatedly stressed, would never be carried by Green paramedics when responding to routine medical calls, just on SWAT emergencies. The handguns would allow team members to protect themselves when needed Funai noted that Green isn't the only community in the region with specially trained paramedic teams working with SWAT units.  

Ron Howard knew Paradise, the northern California town devastated by the most destructive wildfire in California history. His mother-in-law had lived there and he had visited the town. He had some understanding of its people. Ten days after what became known as the Camp Fire swept through Paradise, killing 85 people and destroying roughly 19,000 buildings, Howard went to see it. "I've never seen anything like it," he said. A little over a year later, Howard came to the Sundance Film Festival to premiere "Rebuilding Paradise," a documentary he directed about the aftermath of the Camp Fire, including the colossal cleanup and rebuilding efforts of the close-knit rural community. "It's the story of a community, not the story of a fire," Howard said in an interview. "It's a story of a very cruel test."  

Huntington is now a mentor site for law enforcement officers and first responders from across the United States who are looking to launch or expand drug diversion programs like those already in place in Cabell County, including the Quick Response Team. "There will be people coming from all across the country, actually coming here to go out with the team and see what we're doing firsthand," said Connie Priddy, program coordinator for the Huntington QRT. Those with the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance recently selected the eight locations for the Law Enforcement and First Responder Diversion and Referral Program Mentoring Initiative out of a competitive process. Along with Huntington, the other mentor sites are in Philadelphia, Pa., Colerain Township, Oh., Plymouth County, Mass., Lucas County, Oh., Seattle, Wash., Lake County, Ill. and Pima County, Az.