The Bethel Fire Department is always looking for volunteers and recruits and ways to entice them. They have a new fire engine and training facility being barged in, and this summer they're offering a free firefighter certification that would otherwise cost a pretty penny. At the end of July, Bethel Fire Department is offering two comprehensive courses that give qualifications to community members interested in becoming a volunteer or joining the team. "I know that some people that have gone through fire academies, they've had to pay for it, they've paid upwards of $15,000 to attend those," said Bethel Fire Chief Daron Solesbee. "But we're providing that all free, along with all the equipment and supplies and stuff for that. So it's a good deal, and this is a certification that does not expire."  

A crane went up in flames Wednesday morning high above Manhattan, then partially collapsed onto the street below. The fire broke out shortly before 7:30 a.m. on top of a 50-story building that was under construction on 10th Avenue between West 41st and 42nd streets in Hell's Kitchen. Mayor Eric Adams was on the scene to provide an update, along with the FDNY and Department of Buildings. First Deputy Commissioner Joseph W. Pfeifer told reporters "this could have been a lot worse." "As our fire units responded to the scene, we had a collapse. The top part of the crane, the boom and a 16-ton load crashed to the ground," he said. "At that point, we had injuries to civilians and firefighters, but they were minor." Six people were hurt, including two firefighters. All of the injuries were described as non-life-threatening.  

VIDEO: The San Antonio Fire Department is returning to cartoons to help educate children and their families on the importance of fire safety. The newest cartoon comes a day after Fire Chief Charles Hood held a news conference regarding a deadly house fire over the weekend. Hood stressed the importance of having working smoke alarms. The newest cartoon depicts firefighters changing the batteries in a family's smoke detector, further stressing the importance of working smoke alarms. Alongside the cartoon is a helpful website concerning fire safety. The website is equipped with fire safety resources for various community needs. Under the public services tab is a place for the public to enter their information for a free safety check and smoke alarm evaluation.  

VIDEO: WESH 2 News reporter Nancy Alvarez got an exclusive look at the fire station headquarters located in the central part of its jurisdiction behind Epcot. Deputy Fire Chief Eric Ferrari showed WESH 2 the range of emergency services his department provides to Disney and the rest of the district. Nancy Alvarez: Talk to me about the magnitude of service and the work that you all provide here. Eric Ferrari: We deliver service 24/7, 365, with over 200 professional public safety personnel ranging from firefighter paramedics, EMTs, 911 dispatchers, fire inspectors, all in service every day, protecting the public that come to enjoy the tourism activities around the property.  

PHOTOS: The Boston Firefighters Burn Foundation brought a little extra cheer to Shriners Hospital for Children Tuesday for their annual Christmas in July visit. Santa and Mrs. Claus joined firefighters as they raised the ladder to wave to child patients and greet staff, including doctors and nurses. Firefighting elves moved about giving out presents, and the whole crowd enjoyed cake and ice cream. "We receive much more than we give," said Burn Foundation Director Steve Turley. "We take away true reminders of what really matters." The Boston Firefighters Burn Foundation is a volunteer organization with a mission to "ease the suffering and hardships of burn victims, survivors and their families."  

Why is Washington the epicenter of the fentanyl crisis? U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell posed the question at a Seattle round table she convened Monday about the deadly drug, where speakers talked about innovations happening locally and the challenges that lay ahead. The senator pointed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers showing the state had the biggest increase in the nation—more than 21%—in fatal overdoses reported between February 2022 and February 2023. One big reason, explained Robert Hammer, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge of the Pacific Northwest region, is that fentanyl is extraordinarily cheap in Washington. The powerful synthetic opioid sells for as little as 80 cents a pill, about 50 cents cheaper than in California.