Last year, 19 people died in residential structure fires in Alaska. Those fires cost nearly $47 million in Alaska. That's according to a resolution from the Dunleavy Administration declaring October as Fire Prevention Month. Talkeetna Fire Chief Eric Chappel says this year's focus is smoke alarms. He says there should be a smoke alarm in every sleeping area. And that those alarms should be tested monthly. They should not be more than ten years old. Willow-Caswell Fire Department Chief Rich Boothby says carbon monoxide is also an issue during the winter months. Especially with increased use of generators. Boothby encourages anyone using a generator to inspect the lines and connectors to be sure they are venting properly. And to be sure there are no cracks in lines or isolators that would allow exhaust into the home.  

VIDEO: Emergency personnel responded to the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine near Cripple Creek to reports of multiple people trapped underground after an elevator malfunctioned on Thursday afternoon. On Friday, officials identified the person who died in the incident as Patrick Weier, 46, a local father and a tour guide at the mine. Officials got the call around 12 p.m. on Thursday. Upon arrival, first responders learned there were 11 people on an elevator about 500 feet down. That elevator was brought back to the surface. Multiple were injured, but officials did not detail the extent of the injuries. Another 12 visitors and a tour guide were 1,000 feet down on a tour of the mine. Multiple units were assisting with the rescue including Divide Fire, the Colorado Springs Fire Department and the Teller County Sheriff's Office alongside state responders sent by Colorado Gov. Polis.  

VIDEO: A Lubbock firefighter has helped create a global standard, when it comes to keeping first responders and roadside workers safe. Lubbock Fire Rescue Lieutenant Brady Robinette wants to make wearing lifesaving helmets the new norm. Before 2022, Lubbock firefighters wore their structural firefighting helmets on roadside calls. That's what firefighters Eric Hill and Matt Dawson were wearing while responding to a crash on I-27 in January 2020. Robinette remembers talking to Lieutenant Hill, just a day and a half before he was killed. Lubbock Police Officer Nicholas Reyna was also killed and Dawson suffered a traumatic brain injury, before dying last year. "That was a huge motivation for me to say, what can we do better to help prevent something like this in the future?" Robinette said.  

Communication is crucial to understanding what needs to be done in emergency situations. However, for individuals with speech disorders or for non-native English speakers, there can be barriers between first responders and those seeking help. University of Iowa Clinical Professor Krista Davidson in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has worked to develop an app that solves these issues. The app, RescueVoice, was released earlier in 2024 and is a speech-generating app engineered specifically for first responders and medical personnel to use with individuals who have limited speech or who are unable to speak because of a medical event, according to the app's landing page. The app is not currently designed for translation, but Davidson hopes to add tools for multilingual speakers in the future.  

Kidde, a trusted leader in fire safety for more than 100 years, has introduced the next phase of its Cause For Alarm campaign, focused on helping families prioritize fire safety. Candid conversations about fire safety are often dismissed because many parents find it hard to imagine they will ever experience a fire in their home. In fact, 40% of people believe they are more likely to win the lottery or get struck by lightning than experience a home fire. However, over 1,000 people have died in house fires across North America this year – including children. To help inspire people to prioritize fire safety, Kidde is launching its new "Living Jingle," an emotional plea and call to action – directly from the voices of children who have been impacted by house fires. The Living Jingle features the voices of brave children who have survived house fires, reminding all who listen that the risk of a home fire is real for everyone.  

VIDEOS/PHOTOS: Evacuees returned Friday to clean up the debris from two back-to-back hurricanes that destroyed homes and buildings and flooded neighborhoods. Hurricane Milton carved a path of destruction across a wide swath of the Florida Peninsula less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the state. At least 16 deaths were connected to the storm as of Friday afternoon. Hundreds of people were rescued, while at least one person died because emergency services couldn't reach them in time. Milton's impacts were felt from Southeast Florida, where tornadoes left several people dead, over to the Southwest Coast where Milton came ashore, up through the Tampa Bay area and back across to the Atlantic Coast.