A 15-year veteran with the Zapata County Fire Department has been named the new fire chief to take over at the start of the new year. Lieutenant Daniel Arriaga often works seven days a week as a constable and arson investigator in addition to his duties at the fire department. The announcement comes as the current Fire Chief, Juan J. Meza, will retire at the end of the year. Lieutenant Arriaga sent a statement to KGNS saying, "This was almost 15 years in the making. I just want to thank my family and everyone else that supported me along the way. I want to reassure the community of Zapata County that as your new fire chief and fire marshal, I will do everything in my power to provide the best service possible to the community of Zapata County."  

She was born into a family of firefighters and that is all she wanted to become. Randa Brown is a mother of two and a 20 year veteran with the San Antonio Fire Department. Growing up, Brown was surrounded by firefighters. "I had three brothers. I always wanted to be one of the boys," said Brown. That is when her love for the career started. At the time, she was working multiple jobs trying to pay off her college tuition. "It was always something that interested me. (I wanted to) show that I could do everything that my brothers could do, despite that I was small and a girl," said Brown. As a woman going into the industry, Brown said she felt she needed to prove her skills on a different level.  

Several Houston firefighters will spend Thanksgiving in El Paso, away from their families as they continue to battle the coronavirus. Seven members of the Houston Fire Department and several other first responders from surrounding fire departments were dispatched to El Paso in late October to assist local authorities with fighting the spread of COVID-19. El Paso has seen a spike in cases in the last few months, eventually garnering 82,809 total cases as of Tuesday, according to the El Paso Times. Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña told Chron that the firefighters will be deployed through Dec. 1, meaning they will be there for the Thanksgiving holiday. While many of us forgo seeing distant family this holiday, we are at the very least allowed to see nearby loved ones in our immediate family and those within our "quarantine bubble."  

Fort Worth fire marshals are increasing patrols around entertainment hotspots this week ahead of what's expected to be a big week for people who want to go out. Code enforcement is on standby in case bars or restaurants are not following COVID-19 protocols. The Fort Worth Fire Department is expecting a busy holiday weekend for restaurants and bars. So they're preparing to make stops around town starting Wednesday to make sure business owners and patrons are following state laws and county orders. "As good as intentions as there have been, it has been a big challenge for everybody to try to adapt to these required changes," said Fort Worth Fire Chief Jim Davis. Those include 50% occupancy for bars, 75% for restaurants and a mask on your face when you're not eating or drinking.  

VIDEO: You want to deep fry a turkey for Thanksgiving this year? Terrific. The Austin Fire Department wants to make sure you take advantage of this quick way to prepare the bird safely. Typically, AFD gathers a captive audience and they demonstrate how to, and how not to, deep fry a turkey, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, they had to make adjustments. In a video put together by AFD's Chris Wilkinson, assistant fire chief Andre de la Reza goes over some tips on how to safely deep fry a turkey. In AFD's release, the department cites National Fire Protection Association data saying deep fryers cause an average of five deaths 60 injuries and more than $15 million in property damage every year. Fire departments across the country respond to more than 1,400 fires on Thanksgiving, and that's more than three times the average of any other day during the year, AFD says.  

Montgomery County commissioners adopted the 2018 International Fire Code earlier this month which will bring the county's code up to date and ensure best practices by builders. Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams said updating the code is critical as the county continues to grow. The new code will be effective Jan. 1 "We are currently on the 2012, we are looking to move to the 2018 which brings us up to the latest technology, latest building practices and allows the commercial building industry to continue using best practices," Williams said during the court's Nov. 10 regular meeting. "We are six years down and we need to get up to date." Williams noted since the county adopted a fire code in 2008, more than one million square feet of commercial construction has gone up in Montgomery County.  

VIDEO: Four firefighters suffered burns Tuesday while trying to rescue someone they thought was inside a burning home in the New Town neighborhood of Northwest Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department was called just after 1 p.m. and saw flames and heavy smoke coming from the house on Acorn Street near West 2nd Street. Neighbors said someone was trapped inside, so four firefighters forced their way inside and encountered high heat and flames. JFRD Chief Keith Powers said the firefighters sustained first- and second-degree burns, but they were in good condition and should be treated and released from UF Health Jacksonville within hours. Powers credited the high-quality bunker gear the city issues with preventing more serious injuries to the firefighters. "It's the best gear in the business, and if it wasn't for that gear, these burns would have been a lot more significant," Powers said.  

The city held a socially-distanced ceremony showcasing Carrollton's newly renovated Harold K. Bessire Park Playground (1117 Dentonshire Drive) on Nov. 21. The City Council approved funding in February for renovations, including a synthetic turf surface as well as new playground equipment with a firefighter theme, honoring Carrollton's first responders and the namesake of the park, former Carrollton Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Harold K. Bessire. "Chief Bessire was in command during a time of growth for the city," Carrollton Fire Chief Gregg Salmi said. "The department went from one station to six under his leadership, and the City became the first suburb to train and staff paramedics on ambulances offering advanced levels of patient care. His command presence and professionalism elicited feelings of confidence, support, and great respect from those who served under him. I am proud to have served with him."  

On May 16, 2020, eleven firefighters were seriously injured during one of the most intense and dangerous fires in the history of the Los Angeles Fire Department. One of those firefighters was Fire Capt. Víctor Aguirre, who suffered serious burns. He spoke with our sister station Telemundo 52 about his miraculous recovery and the voracious fire that almost took his life away. Aguirre recalls giving the order to leave the roof and calling out "Mayday," the emergency signal, during the May 16 fire in downtown LA. "I will never forget that day, I have it engraved in my mind and in my body," said Capt. Aguirre. When Aguirre and his team tried to enter the building through the roof to attack the fire, he said he had a strange feeling. "In my heart, in my mind, I felt uneasy," said the Los Angeles Fire Department captain. Minutes later when the fire was too intense to bear, Aguirre gave the order to retreat, and I heard multiple explosions and the roar of the fire.  

At a fire house in King City Tuesday, crews gave KGW an up-close look at one of their newest tools, the Lucas Mechanical CPR Device. "It's highly efficient," said Capt. Tim Nokes of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R). "It's highly effective." Capt. Nokes says the device is one of three in service in the TVF&R district. He says it could not have come at a more ideal time. "I've been doing this job for over 20 years," he said. "I feel a sense of stress this past nine or 10 months more than I've ever felt in my career." COVID-19 is the reason why. First responders could contract the coronavirus from any patient, but especially those in cardiac arrest. "Chest compressions are a huge generator of that aerosolizing product so when you're doing chest compressions physically on someone's chest they are obviously exhaling," said Capt. Nokes. "There's a high potential for us coming in contact with aerosolized particles of COVID-19."  

VIDEO: Charleston first responders are joining forces to ‘wave goodnight' to the children and healthcare heroes at Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital. Police, fire and EMS park their vehicles outside the children's hospital, and when the clock strikes 7:30 p.m., they turn their lights on for five minutes, so that the patients inside can see them shine and know their community is here to say goodnight. It's a simple gesture, but with a big impact. With these children facing their own battles every single day, the hospital can be a scary place to live; especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic. "We wanna brighten their night, put a smile on their faces before they go to bed. All the Lowcountry's first responders; fire, EMS, police, it's a collaborative effort," said Sgt. Sean Engles with the Charleston Police Department. Engles says the light display is only visual so they make as little noise as possible at bedtime.