VIDEO: Firefighters battled large flames on the waterfront in San Leon, in Galveston County, early Wednesday morning. It took about an hour to get the fire under control. The homes that were damaged or destroyed are located on Dick Bay St. west of Avenue P. Firefighters said one home was destroyed and two others were damaged. In all, at least 8 people safely escaped without injury.  

The Plainview Fire Department recognized its own during a special Promotional Recognition Pinning Ceremony over the weekend. Fire trucks were spotted parked along downtown streets as the department employees gathered inside The Fair Theatre Saturday afternoon with their families to mark a tradition of a right-of-passage for members of the Plainview Fire Department. The ceremony usually happens once a year but there was no event last year due to COVID-19 concerns. This year's event featured double the recognitions and ran about an hour. The department recognized team members who promoted from firefighter to equipment operator between 2019 and up to now in 2021. For each promotion, the recognized firefighter took the stage with a loved one ready to place a pin on their uniform.  

VIDEOS: Arson dog handlers from Saginaw, Kauffman, and San Antonio completed their annual recertification on Monday. Investigators and their K9 partners sniff out evidence at fire scenes across their communities and beyond, State Farm said. Arson dog teams are trained to locate potential evidence of arson following a fire. The dog alerts the handler to the specific location of an accelerant like gasoline, oil, or fuel, and the handler collects the evidence for laboratory confirmation. According to State Farm, this evidence is vital to an arson investigation and in the prosecution of this crime. These handlers and their K9s were trained through the State Farm Arson Dog Program and investigate suspicious fires.  

VIDEO: Scary moments for fliers in Midland after an American Airlines plane caught fire at Midland International Airport. The plane carrying passengers of an American Airlines flight remains parked at MAF with damage to one of it's engines. A Midland spokesperson tell us the plane's engine caught fire before take-off. All passengers and crew were evacuated without any injuries. Captain Dennise Tajer, an American Airlines pilot, said they are trained for these kind of situations. "We're not there to fly the airplane when the day is good, we're there when the day is bad to execute our skills and training save the aircraft and the people on it," Tajer said. And even with smaller airports like MAF, Tajer said all airports are prepared for situations like an engine fire. "It wouldn't matter at a large or a small airport because in order for us to take off from there they have to have a highly trained ready to roll rescue crew, like fire men and women out there that are specially trained for these types of situations," he said.  

The Smith County Fire Marshal's Office has been busier than usual with fires this year, but is also working hard on its emergency management duties. Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks gave a report to the Commissioners Court on Tuesday regarding his department. Brooks reports he and other county officials have been meeting in a joint Emergency Operations Center with the City of Tyler for more than a year to deal with issues regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, there has been 73 in-person EOC meetings and 327 virtual meetings. Brooks said his office is still working on reporting to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) costs incurred by the county during Winter Storm Uri. Brooks points out not only does he serve as the county's Emergency Management Coordinator, he and his deputies are law enforcement officials.  

When disaster strikes. Who answers the call? These guys. The crew at the Midland County Northeast Volunteer Fire Department give their time fighting fires all over the county. They come in handy because their trucks carry 3,000 gallons of water, more than any City of Midland fire truck. "You can't fight a fire without water and that's our main goal is to be the water supply and we are that for Midland County," Chief Jimmy Evans said. The only thing they are on short supply of is donations and people. The department has 10 active volunteers, but they need more so the crew doesn't get burnt out. Assistant Fire Chief Zack Czelada said joining is worth it. "It's definitely very fulfilling," he said. Quick action from the department and then donations to fund the equipment needed can make the difference between a small fire and a destroyed home. But putting out the flames is only half the battle.  

VIDEO: A woman has died, a man is in critical condition and another man is hospitalized after a multi-alarm blaze at an apartment building in the Bronx early Wednesday morning. Fire broke out on the third floor of the building in the 3200 block of Park Avenue just before 5 a.m. and quickly went to three alarms. Video from the Citizen app showed flames shooting through the roof after fire officials say the flames spread up through an interior void. It took more than 90 minutes for firefighters to bring the blaze under control. FDNY officials say eleven people were injured, three seriously. Those three were found unconscious and taken to a Lincoln Hospital with injuries described as life-threatening. A 91-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries. An 80-year-old man is in critical condition, and a 54-year-old man is stable. Eight other people plus one firefighter were treated for minor injuries. Fire investigators are working to determine the cause.  

VIDEO: Atlanta firefighters early Tuesday morning got a radio call. They jumped into the engine after midnight for the run. A thief decided it was time to go to work. Someone jumped a compromised portion of back fencing at Atlanta Fire Station 2 located along Jonesboro Road and went after the personal vehicles of the first responders. With some unknown object, the thief smashed windows or forced doors open. Six cars in all damaged. When the firefighters returned, they found glass everywhere. Enclosing the parking lot is security fencing including some barbed wire at the top. But in the rear, there is a small section of fencing -- one half as tall as the other sections. That is how police believe the thief made his way inside. "It's outrageous," said Michael Bond. "These are the men and women who go out and risk their lives to protect all of us."  

VIDEO: Tuesday, May 4th is International Firefighters Day, a day to honor firefighters for their service, including our own. And some members of the Erie Fire Department got a special treat Tuesday night, a virtual cooking lesson from celebrity cook, Rachel Ray! Rachel Ray is on the board of the Leary Firefighters Foundation, which gives grants to fire departments across the nation for life-saving equipment. The City of Erie Fire Department recently received more than $15,00 from the foundation for bailout equipment and training, which will allow firefighters to escape a burning building should they become trapped inside. And they got this remote cooking lesson as added bonus Tuesday, on a day specifically to honor firefighters, "It's very nice that people take the time to remember the men and women who are out there serving and protecting them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year," said EFD Deputy Chief Fred Gillespie.  

VIDEO: As crews worked to take down a large fire in South Los Angeles, a person with a garden hose was spotted trying to help the firefighters out. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to what was initially a literal dumpster fire in the 100 block of West 75th Street in Los Angeles Tuesday evening. The fire extended to the home's detached garage, threatening nearby structures, LAFD said. As SkyFOX hovered over the scene, the guy with the garden hose was standing on top of the roof trying to take matters into his own hands. As of Tuesday night, it's unclear if the garden hose guy lives at the home or was a good Samaritan.  

VIDEO: Some coworkers are like family, but there are two firefighters in Canton that are actually related. In honor of International Firefighters Day, Channel 3 is introducing you to a father and daughter who took bonding to new heights and fighting fires is part of their day to day. "I started off as an EMT about 14 years ago, and a year and a half or so ago, I looked at our ranks and saw we needed some help on the fire side," said Gerry Holland. Gerry Holland was already an exterior firefighter for Canton, but he wanted to be certified with interiors as well, so with the help of the Litchfield County Regional Fire School, he signed up and will soon be certified along with about 20 others. One of those other people is very close to him. "Watching my dad as I grew up, he is really one of my inspirations and to every little girl, their dad is their hero, and then quickly realized that he's not only my hero, but everyone else's too," said Anna Holland.