The Wichita Falls Fire Department has asked Wichita Falls City Council members for $9.9 million to purchase 13 new fire engines. "We have a third that either based on the manufacturer the condition of the apparatus has exceeded it's intended life. Some of those were a purchase that we made because we believe we might get 20 or 24 years out of, and we just simply have not," said Chief Ken Prillaman, the Wichita Falls Fire Department. Prillaman also said some of the engines have spent weeks in the shop receiving repairs because of mechanical issues. However, it's not just the trucks themselves that could stand to be replaced if that $9.9 million is approved. "There are other things on that apparatus that has an intended life span. All of our hoses are over 10 years old and while it may perform well for another month, or a year, or three years, it might also fail this afternoon," said Prillaman.  

VIDEO: Fire Station No. 6 and its administrative office are opening where the historic 25th Street Theater once stood. However, the city is making sure it keeps its familiar look. Construction is now wrapping up on the buildings, which stand at the corner of 25th Street and Grim Avenue. They will replace the current Fire Station No. 6, located just blocks away right now, and the downtown fire administrative office located on Columbus Ave. Both are more than 80 years old. "It's coming along pretty well," Waco Fire Department Executive Deputy Chief Robby Bergerson said. "It looks very similar to what the 25th Street Theater looked like, both outside and then inside, we have a large community room that almost mimics what the inside of the theater looked like."  

The Bay City Fire Marshal's Office said there were no diminished souls after a funeral home fire that completely destroyed the building Friday afternoon. The Bay City Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home in the 2300 block of Avenue I around 10:52 a.m., officials said. It took firefighters about 3.5 hours to control the fire, according to a statement from officials. Police confirmed all employees safely exited the building so there were no injuries. Firefighters were at scene investigating what may have caused the fire. The funeral home was still fully functional and will be handling business as usual out of their location in Palacios, Texas.  

The Elm Mott Fire and Rescue team held an extrication training today to keep up with the newest vehicles and their materials. This training happens every 6 months for McLennan county and the surrounding counties. The Elm Mott Fire chief said vehicle extractions are always changing as manufacturers are building new cars and changing the materials used. "There's a constant game for us to learn how to adapt to that and ensure that we're able to perform our job effectively and remove the victim from the entanglement in an efficient manner to get them to definitive care," he said. He said it's important to hold these trainings bi-annually because they need to keep practicing and using updated techniques. BYOT auto parts plays a big role in making the trainings possible as they donate the land and the cars for free.  

Temple Fire and Rescue responded to a structure fire early Sunday morning, according to a news release. The fire happened around 4:01 a.m. at 407 N. 8th Street in Temple, per fire officials. Officials say when they arrived on the scene they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the front of the house, which was igniting assorted material and a vehicle in the front yard. "Firefighters had the fire under control within the hour and began salvage and overhaul operations. Three occupants have been displaced by the fire," said fire officials. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.  

PHOTOS: Crews from the Weslaco Fire Department and Weslaco Public Works rescued a horse mired in the muck at the bottom of a muddy embankment Saturday. According to social media statements made by the fire department, the 800-pound horse was at the bottom of the 20-foot embankment for almost a full day. Photos show men from the departments setting up a makeshift harness for the horse with cables and large pieces of rubber, and a crane set up at the edge of the ditch. Video shows the mud-coated creature hopping up to a quivering, wobbly stand on the side of the embankment while a handful of men looked on. "There you go," one of the men coos before the horse's cowboy leads the horse off down the trail. "Great job to the Weslaco Firefighters and Weslaco Public Works that made this possible," the fire department said on Facebook.  

PHOTOS/VIDEO: A dozen trailers full of donations were destroyed in a massive fire at a southeast Springs Goodwill Monday morning. Firefighters were called to the blaze just after 5 a.m. "We got a report of a trailer that was on fire at the Goodwill [at Hancock and Academy]," said Colorado Springs Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Mike Smaldino. "We have a station that's right up the street, and when they left the station they could see a glow in the air." By the time crews reached the scene, the flames had spread to more semi-trailers, mainly due to their close proximity in the parking lot, Smaldino said. "In total, there are 26 trailers that are back there; 12 of them had fire in them at some point or are still on fire right now [at 7:15 a.m.]. ... They're just all close to each other, so when one's on fire, the fire as it gets outside the box just spreads to the next one."  

VIDEO: The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department received state-of-the-art eBikes so crews can provide faster care in hard to reach areas. The bikes were donated by California-based company Aventon. "As visitors and residents get outdoors, we want them to continue to feel safe," said Shirley Anne Smith, Executive Director for Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation. "We may have medical emergencies and in the event that that happens, we have firefighters and EMTs ready on site and on staff ready to provide the medical care they need if that happens." These bikes will help crews navigate areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. "Saving lives is a matter of time so the eBikes allows us to get there faster and further," said Smith. "You know engines and firetrucks can't get through the paths and the beltline."  

A South Carolina fire department is thanking the community for its support after a frightening moment that injured two firefighters on Sunday afternoon. According to Richburg Fire-Rescue, the incident occurred as crews were battling a barn fire off of Old Richburg Road in Chester County. The department said the barn was burning heavily and a grass fire was spreading toward other structures as well as a heavily wooded area. At some point during their efforts, the department said a tractor on the property slipped out of gear and rolled down a hill, hitting two firefighters who were operating machinery on a fire engine. According to Richburg Fire-Rescue, one firefighter was treated for cuts, but the other had to be checked for a hip injury. Fortunately, an update around 8 p.m. shared the positive news that the more seriously injured firefighter was going to be OK. "The second firefighter will be released tonight and didn't have any broken bones," the update said.  

PHOTOS/VIDEO: The Wilmington Fire Department celebrated its 100th anniversary Saturday with the "largest parade the city's ever seen." The historic parade stepped off at 10 a.m. on Oct. 23, 2021, at at East 14th Street and Park Avenue and proceeded south to King Street to 4th Street. Several thousand people lined the parade route, which included all 156 members of the Wilmington Fire Department decked out in double-breasted coats. The Marine Corps Marching Band and the FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drum band participated in the event along with 40 fire departments that joined in solidarity with WFD. A celebration on Wilmington's Riverfront followed the parade complete with antique fire trucks and a fireboat water display.  

More than 100 people were injured and a dozen buildings were destroyed by fire during riots at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill in Lower Allen Twp., Cumberland County, from Oct. 25 to 27, 1989. The cost of the damage eventually exceeded $57 million. The riots started around 3 p.m. Oct. 25 when an inmate attacked a corrections officer during a routine move bringing inmates inside after yard time. The prison at the time had a capacity of 1,826 inmates but a population of 2,600 inmates. Investigators determined that "severe overcrowding, inmate anger at policy changes regarding visitors and sick calls, and an administration that was either too slow to respond to or ignored numerous warning signs had combined to raise pressure inside the 50-year-old compound to a boiling point."