Fire Chief Walter Fairbanks has been serving the City of Cisco for more than 25 years. He says the fire department, especially in the small town, has been like family to him. Now that phrase is taking on a more literal meaning. His son, 18-year-old Caleb, is no stranger to the Cisco Fire Department. "We'd always be coming down here to the station," said Caleb Fairbanks. Being the chief's son, you could say Caleb grew up in the department. "I mean, when you're little, it's like a little jungle gym," said Caleb Fairbanks. It was a place where he used to just have fun, but now it's become his place of work. "I kind of feel like this is something I felt like I should do, you know, follow in his footsteps," said Caleb Fairbanks. On Caleb's 18th birthday, he joined his father at the Cisco Fire Department.  

A dog survived a fire by hiding in a closet and getting the attention of residents nearby, the San Antonio Fire Department said on Tuesday. The fire happened on Friday at the Rio Springs Apartments in the 2800 block of West Hutchins Place. The department said during the fire, which displaced several residents and destroyed the building, there was a dog who had yet to be saved and whose barking got the attention of residents in the area. According to a Facebook post by the department, a responding engine was called back to the apartment complex, where a resident informed firefighters that she could hear a dog barking in one of the apartments. The department said the dog was in a closet with the door closed and was the only survivable space in the unit.  

The Wichita Falls Fire Department fought a garage fire on Karla Street Tuesday night. Firefighters arrived on scene around 6:45 p.m. and reported fire coming from the garage at the backside of a house. It reportedly took firefighters about 15 minutes to get the fire under control. Oncor was also called to the scene to take care of two downed power lines. No injuries were reported and the Red Cross was not called to the scene. The fire caused about $20,000 in damages to the garage and $1,000 in damages to the contents. WFFD is continuing to investigate the fire.  

A backyard apartment caught fire in north Abilene Tuesday afternoon. The fire ignited behind a home on the 1900 block of Walnut Street around 2:30 p.m. First responders arrived on scene to find heavy smoke coming from the apartment. Fire officials say the flames spread to a pile of trash in the backyard and a neighbor's storage shed. It also caused some power lines in the area to fall. Family members of the main home say the apartment, described by firefighters as a shed, was occupied but had no plumbing or electricity. Officials say all occupants have been accounted for. The cause of the fire is still under investigation and remains undetermined at this time. Damage is estimated at $15,000, according to the Abilene Fire Department.  

An overnight fire gutted a building at the Claybar Cemetery near Bridge City early Wednesday morning. The Bridge city fire department received a call in reference to a structure fire at the Orange County cemetery in the 4500 block of Texas 87 just after midnight.. When fire fighters arrived they found the office and cremation room on fire with flames coming from the building. A mutual aid call was put out and firefighters with the Orange County Emergency Services Districts 3 and 4, West Orange and the Pine Hurst Fire Departments responded to help. There is no determination of the cause at this time.  

The Victoria Fire Department has stepped up to help our community once again. The Victoria Fire Department and volunteer registered nurses worked together on Friday to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to Victoria Meals on Wheels clients. The Victoria Fire Department partnered with Meals on Wheels to deliver 150 doses of the vaccine to homebound Victoria residents. Fire department employees assisting in the effort were Battalion Chief Tim Hunter, Captain Jennifer Dailey, Fire Medic Brandy Marek (team leader), Fire Medic Pamela Yanta, Fire Medic Gabriel Balcorta, Fire Medic Jorge Mora, and Firefighter Spencer Craig. The distribution was part of a limited pilot program available to homebound Meals on Wheels clients who are 65 years old and older.  

VIDEO: A familiar red glow encouraged Dwayne Ivey to make a beeline for the landmark Krispy Kreme on Ponce de Leon Avenue early Wednesday morning. When he neared the store, however, he realized the doughnuts weren't the only things hot. Flames were shooting from the back of the building, an Atlanta institution for more than 60 years. "I had seen the hot doughnuts sign on, and as I got closer, that's when I notice the place is on fire," Ivey told Channel 2 Action News from the scene. Fast-moving fire broke out at the Midtown doughnut shop about 1 a.m. Two employees working the drive-thru told the news station they were able to make it out safely after seeing wires smoking. Atlanta fire officials have not confirmed the cause of the blaze but said the building is likely "totally destroyed."  

The Spirit of Liberty Foundation, a local 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, recently unveiled the soft-launch of a national campaign "Operation Thumbs Up!" with the first "Thumbs Up" billboard installed in San Diego. The Spirit of Liberty Foundation's Operation Thumbs Up campaign provides an opportunity for Americans to positively recognize and thank first responders, healthcare professionals, members of law enforcement, firefighters, Armed Forces and veterans whenever they see them by just giving them a big smile and an "enthusiastic Thumbs Up!" "These are very difficult times and now more than ever we need to bring America together for positive causes and one that almost every American can embrace when recognizing and thanking America's real heroes — our first responders, healthcare professionals and military, the people who have kept us safe 24/7," said Richard Rovsek, chairman of the Spirit of Liberty Foundation.  

"Brotherhood." That's one word that's used a lot around a firehouse, or when talking about the fire service. But within these tightly-knit groups of brothers are sisters, too, scattered throughout the ranks of career and volunteer fire departments across the country. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), women made up eight percent of the more than 1.1 million firefighters in the United States in 2018—most of them volunteer, and just over 11,000 career staff. At Harmonville Fire Company in Plymouth Township, there are just a few female firefighters. Though they may be small in number, each of them are more than up to the challenge of protecting the residents in their service area. "I've always been treated as one of the guys," says Amanda Hoade, one of only two women on Harmonville's career firefighter roster. "I didn't want to be treated differently." Hoade started serving in a volunteer capacity when she was 14, alongside her father.  

Lawmakers have reintroduced legislation which aims at protecting firefighters and the communities they serve from PFAS and other dangerous chemicals. The Protect Firefighters from Adverse Substances (PFAS) Act was introduced in the Senate Feb. 4 by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and other lawmakers. The PFAS Act was also introduced in the last Congress and was passed by the Senate, but didn't pass the House. The bill would direct federal agencies to develop training and best practices to limit exposure to PFAS in fire departments nationwide. PFAS are often referred to as "forever chemicals," since they are extremely difficult to break down. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are contaminants that can cause health concerns such as thyroid disease, kidney and testicular cancers as well as higher levels of cholesterol. According to the EPA, PFAS can be found in stain- and water-repellent fabrics, nonstick products, polishes, waxes, paints, cleaning products and fire-fighting foams.  

Even though the pace of vaccination has picked up dramatically and the number of daily new COVID-19 cases continues to decline in all regions of the United States, the emergence of new strains of the disease remains cause for serious concern. The COVID Tracking Project has reported that seven-day average cases in the U.S. are down nearly 50% since their peak in the middle of January while the number of people hospitalized has fallen for the 28th consecutive day. Meanwhile, 44.4 million doses have now been administered and the daily average last week was 1.53 million. Despite the progress, a clutch of more infectious COVID-19 strains have arrived in the U.S. and the CDC has warned that one of them, B.1.1.7 or the so-called "U.K. variant", is likely to become predominant by March.