VIDEO: A raging fire broke out at a home on the west side early Tuesday morning. The house next door was also damaged, fire officials said. It took firefighters about a half-hour to get the flames under control when they received the call around 1:30 a.m., investigators said. The house, located at South Brazos Street and Nancy Place, was believed to have been vacant. So far, there's no word on what caused the fire.  

Austin's Public Works Department gave an update to the mayor and council members on the city's efforts to build and staff five joint fire-EMS stations in six years. The update was released in a city memo Monday. Public Works says construction is finished for two out of five stations so far: Del Valle/Moore's Crossing Station and Travis Country Station. The Travis Country Station is also operational, and EMS and fire personnel have moved in. Public Works is planning to schedule a grand opening celebration for the station. For the Loop 360/Davenport Station, the design phase is nearly complete, and contract amendments to begin construction on the station is up for discussion on this week's city council agenda. Public Works is estimating the station will be complete in January 2023, and the department is planning for a ribbon cutting to be scheduled soon.  

Firefighters in West Jefferson County kept a fire from spreading across an entire building near Winnie late Monday night. The Hamshire Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire at DCP Midstream in the 28500 block of Texas 124 at about 11:50 p.m. according to a Facebook post from the department. The fire started as an electrical fire inside the building and spread to nearby offices the post said. Hamshire firefighters put out a call for help and firefighters from Chambers County Emergency Services District 1 and Jefferson County Emergency Services District 4 responded according to the post. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one end of the building and keep it from spreading throughout the entire structure the post said.  

A Monday fire on the 1400 block of Hayden Street prompted the Amarillo Fire Department to remind the community of its "Close Before You Doze" message. Firefighters responded to the duplex home on Hayden Street to find light smoke coming from the building. Upon going inside one of the units, according to the department's report, firefighters found a mattress smoldering in the back bedroom. The fire was ruled accidental, and no injuries were reported by the department. Officials reasoned that the fire smothered itself out because the bedroom door was closed. This can isolate a fire's flow, reduce room temperatures, and keep carbon monoxide levels down, said the Amarillo Fire Department. The incident was a "good reminder" to others to keep such doors closed.  

Two children in the Austin area are recovering from rattlesnake bites that happened at two separate parks within days of each other. The Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said the latest case happened Monday at Pace Bend Park, which is along the Colorado River and near Briarcliff. ATCEMS paramedics, STAR Flight and the Pedernales Fire Department responded to the call and the pediatric patient was transported to a hospital. That was the second rattlesnake bite in two days, according to ACTEMS. KVUE reported that another child was bitten Saturday at the Lake Hills Community Park, which is also along the Colorado River and just west of Loop 360. "Be aware that snakes may be in or around water, tall grass, fallen logs, outcroppings, hiding under debris or other objects, or in animal burrows," ATCEMS tweeted.  

PHOTOS: A major highway on the North Side was shut down after an 18-wheeler accident early Monday morning. The accident happened just before 3:30 a.m. on U.S. Highway 281 South and Hildebrand Avenue. Police said at one point, the trailer of the big rig was across all lanes of the highway. Crews had to use the Jaws of Life to rescue the driver, who was then rushed to the hospital. Police are investigating what caused the accident. The southbound lanes of U.S. 281 were closed due to this accident.  

At least one person was severely burned in a fire that started Monday afternoon at mobile homes in Manteca and prompted evacuations, authorities say. Multiple homes caught fire at the Islander Mobile Home Park. Embers from that fire then sparked a vegetation fire close to the mobile home neighborhood, fire officials said. As of around 3 p.m. the vegetation fire had burned about 10 acres. The person who was injured was hospitalized with third-degree burns. It is not yet known how the fire started.  

Something as simple as a sticker can now be a game-changer for first responders. The Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue came together Monday to unveil stickers they developed to identify specific special needs. "Sometimes when first responders respond to the scene, we're not always quite sure what we're responding to," said Tampa police interim chief Ruben Delgado. City of Tampa ADA coordinator Raquel Pancho likens it to the medical alert. "For people who have diabetes and are acting unresponsive or like they might be intoxicated, when the first responder sees these on the windows, they'll know that there's probably a diabetic emergency," she said. Recent police cases highlight the importance of the decals. Last September, police in Utah shot a 13-year-old boy on the autism spectrum after his mother called 911 asking for help because he was having a mental health episode.  

When Greg West received the alert for a motorcycle accident just after 2 a.m. last August, he dragged himself out of bed, then drove to the intersection of Stoddard Pond Road and Route 201 in Bowdoin. He was the only member of Bowdoin Fire and Rescue to respond. West, the deputy fire chief, found himself wearing "a lot of hats" at the scene. He was responsible for assessing the critically wounded driver, coordinating LifeFlight's landing and commanding the emergency response. Emergency personnel from Lisbon Emergency and Bowdoinham Fire Department arrived soon after, yet West was still juggling duties normally assigned to several people. West and the other members of Bowdoin Fire and Rescue have grown accustomed to responding to emergencies on their own or with little help.  

The yellow signs on the outside of some buildings means a little more than some might think. Fire Station one isn't just another fire station – it's also a safe place for kids who find themselves in tough situations. Assistant Chief Duane Hughes said having this designation is an honor. "Fire stations in Columbus and around the nation have always been considered safe places for kids. It's just great that we get that information out and those children know that whether they're maybe facing an abusive situation or they're lost, whatever it may be, they can come to fire stations and receive the help they need," Hughes said. Safe Place is a national organization that helps connect kids who are in danger with counselors. Sally Kate Winters in West Point saw the need and has trained 34 businesses and offices in Northeast Mississippi on how to better help a child.  

The Clarksville Fire Department is ramping up its attention to fitness through a recently implemented program that uses simulated work situations to help firefighters improve health. The project has been among the first from from Maj. Jeff Spainhour, who has been the department's training coordinator since December. Through support from the administration, Spainhour and firefighters Becky Oesterritter and Tim Cook have created a functional firefighting fitness program that uses real movements used in emergency situations. Spainhour, who is passionate about fitness and health, said the program "is very important for our firefighters to stay healthy and safe. We want them to have a long career here and when they retire, we want them to be healthy as well."