Forty eight years of service later, the Zapata County fire chief is nationally recognized. As Chief Juan J. Meza approaches his retirement this December, he received a Congressional certificate of recognition on Thursday as well as a Certificate of Commendation from the U.S. Senate on October 20. Congressman Henry Cuellar honored Chief Meza and presented the certificate to him. In a previous interview with KGNS, Chief Meza had this to say. "I've been doing it so long that it's part of my life. This is my second home.... I think it's time to give new, young blood time to come in." Chief Meza has about a month and a half of service, but we wish him all the best in his retirement.  

Multiple Cedar Creek Lake area fire departments responded to a fatal house fire in the Enchanted Isle subdivision early Sunday morning, according to a post on the Payne Springs Fire Rescue Facebook page. "At approximately 0234 hours the volunteers of PSFR were alerted for a working structure fire with entrapment on Enchanted Isle," the Facebook post stated. "PSFR Chief 1 arrived to find one structure with 90% fire involvement and a second structure with fire in the eaves on side Bravo and fire on side Charlie." The winds were very strong coming off of Cedar Creek lake because of a passing cold front, the Facebook post stated. A short time later, Payne Springs Fire Rescue's Engine arrived, and its crew started working to contain the fire in the second house. Burning downed power lines between the two houses added to the challenging conditions, the Facebook post stated.  

The Odessa fire department is remembering firefighter / EMT, Michael Mack. Investigators in Colorado say Mack was shot in the head and killed Wednesday night by fellow firefighter Evan Gaw at a KOA campground. In an affidavit obtained by CBS 7, investigators say Gaw was high on mushrooms the night he killed Mack. Investigators report that the two were wrestling over a gun – and Gaw claims Mack was going to shoot him first - so he acted in self-defense. The death of Michael Mack has sent shockwaves through the Odessa fire department on Friday. Fellow firefighters have already started placing flowers and candles at Mack's locker to honor their fallen colleague. Fire chief John Alvarez says that Mack had only been with the department since January but made a significant impact in a short time.  

When young kids say they want to be firefighters when they grow up, they may not imagine themselves providing flu shots to economically disadvantaged residents to keep hospitalizations low during a pandemic—but for the Victoria Fire Department, it's all in a day's work. Although many residents may not realize it, the fire department is equipped to respond to a variety of health care crises, which is why we've been working closely with the Victoria County Public Health Department on our region's COVID-19 response. The flu shot clinic was a natural fit because our paramedics are trained to administer injections and we have the resources and mobility to conduct pop-up clinics. Whether we're responding to a pandemic or connecting a resident with community services after a 911 call, protecting public health is deeply interwoven with our mission.  

Houston Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at the Kroger Store in the 3300 block of Montrose, otherwise known as "Disco Kroger," Monday morning. HFD was called to the store around 4:30 a.m. Upon arrival, officials found a fire outside the store in the back. Firefighters say a pile of trash, shelving and other items were on fire. Smoke from the flames made it into the store. Officials were able to quickly control the fire. The "Disco Kroger" location has been a hot topic after the company announced last week it will be shut down in mid-January.  

A bronze sculpture honoring the City of Arlington's retired and deceased fire and police service dogs is now on display in Downtown. Nearly $65,000 in private donations was collected to commission the K9 Memorial Monument to represent the Arlington Fire Department and the Arlington Police Department service dogs. Arlington police, fire and other city leaders unveiled the monument, located in the City Center plaza between City Hall and the Downtown Library, during a dedication ceremony Wednesday afternoon. From helping officers apprehend suspects to conducting sweeps of buildings and public gathering for threats, Arlington's service dogs work tirelessly to keep The American Dream City safe for citizens and visitors. District 2 City Councilwoman Sheri Capehart began championing for a moment to recognize these service animals in 2011. "We had large donations, we had small donations — but it was the community that really made this happen," Capehart said during the dedication. "We have this beautiful sculpture, for all the dogs that served before and for the dogs that will come after."  

VIDEO: A fast-moving fire tore through three buildings overnight in the Bronx. The flames broke out around 1:30 a.m. on Harding Avenue near Emerson Avenue in Throggs Neck. Neighbors told CBS2 the strong winds caused the fire to spread. "I looked out the window, and I saw the houses were on fire, and the wind was blowing. I knew we had to get out right away – get all of us out of the house, grab all important documents, just get out," witness Shabana Arjune said. Officials said the three three-story homes appear to be a total loss. Fortunately, everyone inside escaped safely, but two firefighters were hospitalized with minor injuries. There were approximately 138 first responders on the scene, and they had the flames under control in about 1.5 hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

PHOTOS: Not long after the fire burst out of the deli, sending columns of thick black smoke shooting up inside the MGM Grand hotel tower, then-Nevada Gov. Robert List arrived at the flooded casino floor to survey the damage. It was dim, and the debris was blackened and torched. Bodies were on the ground or slumped over gaming tables and chairs. The scene was nightmarish: "It was hell on Earth," he recalled. "That time in that casino is etched into my memory just like a tattoo that would never come off," List, 84, said. "It was just tattooed in my mind: that terrible smell and the blackness without color, and the bodies that were there. It was awful." Other memories can fade with time, so after the devastating fire, rookie Clark County fire Capt. Jerry Bendorf dictated personal recollections to his wife to type. He said he had done so in order to remember specific accounts of his experience to tell his children and grandchildren.  

Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate a two-vehicle crash at about 8:16 a.m. Sunday that resulted in a man's death. A 2005 Nissan Armada struck the back of a Reece City fire truck, killing a passenger in the Nissan. The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the scene, Senior Trooper Brandon Bailey said in a press release. The driver and two other passengers were taken for treatment; they have yet to be positively identified. The crash occurred on Interstate 59 at the 195-mile marker, six miles north of Gadsden. Reece City Volunteer Fire Department Chief Joel Boggs provided the context of the crash in a Facebook post. Reece City fire personnel were on the scene to help control traffic for another crash when the driver hit the fire truck.  

VIDEO: With volunteer firefighter numbers dwindling in Pennsylvania, some fire companies said they're seeing a positive new trend when it comes to new recruits. "We have to be ready for the unexpected," said Lexi Thompson, a volunteer firefighter with Earl Township Fire Company, "ready for anything to take on." Lexi, Lauren, Katie and identical twin sisters Kendal and Jordan make up one-fifth of the Earl Township's fire company. That's a pretty big percentage for a male-dominated industry. "When I joined and saw all the females that were here, I was shocked," said Kendal Moyer, who joined two years after her twin sister, Jordan. "I didn't expect to be surrounded by such strong women." For some of them, it runs in their families, like Katie Groff, whose father and husband are also firefighters, or Lauren Dragan, whose locker says 'Lil Dragan,' because her father also volunteers for Earl Township. For all of them, there is a shared desire to help people.  

If there was ever a year where real-life heroes were needed most, 2020 might be it. The past 11 months have brought with them challenges requiring resilience, courage, and most importantly love to overcome them, and heroes to inspire all of us to put our best foot forward. SoCal-based global lifestyle brand UGG wants to celebrate these heroes, introducing three courageous Californians in their FEEL LOVE holiday campaign. Food activist LaRayia Gaston, ICU nurse Grace Kim Lee and firefighter Hunter Hanson are the real-life superheroes stepping out of their professional capes and into the faces of the campaign, sharing their stories, kindness and generosity in the brand's campaign as part of the #UGGTOGETHER giveback program in response to the pandemic.