VIDEO: A gathering of first responders took place at University Fire Dept. Station 12 on Sept. 11, as local crews took part in a ceremony to remember and honor their fallen brothers and sisters that died 22 years that very day. The chill of autumn weather added to the somber mood on the morning of Sept. 11, 2023. Firefighters, EMTs and police reflected on the terror attacks on the United States that occurred 22 years ago. Four commercial planes were hijacked and used to crash into buildings along the east coast of the country, only three of the planes hitting targets. One plane struck the Pentagon killing 184 people and the other two planes struck the Twin Towers, resulting in the death of nearly 3 thousand people, 343 of which were first responders.  

Crews in downtown Los Angeles are battling a massive structure fire Tuesday that's already collapsed the building's roof. The fire broke out just after 1 p.m. at a building in the 300 block of E. 4th Street. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the building is approximately three stories, with a basement. Early images from SkyFOX showed portions of the roof near the back of the building had apparently collapsed. Smoke was also billowing out of the front windows of the building while crews fought the fire from outside and above. About an hour later, most of the roof had collapsed. According to the LAFD, the fire broke out on the third floor of the building in "dense storage." Crews initially tried fighting the fire from inside the building, before removing all firefighters from the building and fighting it from the outside.  

VIDEO: For first responders, an eye in the sky or a canary in the coal mine could mean the difference between life and death. Units like the Lake County Public Safety Unmanned Response or Drone Team provide just such a service, venturing ahead and providing a first look or acting as a guide on traitorous calls. "It's grown, all of the ways that we could use these aircraft, honestly, to protect our people and, more importantly, serve the public," said officer in charge of the team, Scott Mlakar. "A drone is a lot more cost-effective and a lot more effective because we can fly it at lower altitudes." The 24-person unit, composed of police officers and firefighters, runs through nearly a month of studying to prepare for a licensing exam before the work begins on training to fly the drones.  

The latest installation coming to the Sigal Museum is going to be about more than just hoses and firetrucks. "Even if you think you know the story of firefighting, there will be something here to surprise you," said the museum's curator of exhibitions, Tim Betz. The exhibit titled "Forged by Fire: The Heroism, Honor and History of Firefighting," is scheduled to open to the public on Sept. 21 and will explore the roots of local fire prevention and response dating as far back as the Great Fire of London in 1666, Betz said. "It's about firefighters from the 18th century to the present and the ways communities worked to ensure that their towns and people in them were protected from fires," he said. The exhibit will run through July 7, 2024, the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society that runs the Sigal Museum said in a news release Tuesday.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Each year, Merrill and Antigo High School Football compete for a ‘War on 64' trophy but the rivalry goes far deeper. Merrill Fire Department Chief Josh Klug grew up in Merrill, but has connections in the Antigo Fire Department. Prior to this year's game Chief Klug called up one of his friends and former colleagues, Antigo Fire Chief Corey Smith. Smith said, "I was very happy to accept that bet." He continued, "I think it's just too small close-knit communities that are relatively close to one another and good fun spirited rivalry with high school sports." The two made a bet that the losing team's fire department chief would have to wash a truck of the winning team's department. Antigo ended up pulling out the victory, and Chief Klug had a new Monday morning task.