Hoping his strengths balance well with those of his new boss, Brendan McKee joined Edwardsville as its new assistant fire chief. His first day on duty was Monday. McKee started his firefighting career in Brighton as a volunteer firefighter for 10 years and he has worked as a paramedic. He holds a degree in fire service management from SIU Carbondale. He joined the Wood River Fire Department in 1996. He was promoted from captain to fire chief in Wood River in January 2017 and retired in December 2019 following 34 years in the fire service. Earlier this year, he worked for Phillips 66 as their Emergency Response Training Specialist. McKee came onboard after former Fire Chief Richard "Rick" Welle retired in July and current Fire Chief James Whiteford, who used to be deputy chief, was named Welle's successor. "Edwardsville has a very progressive community and fire department; something I would like to be a part of," he said to explain why he applied.  

Springfield's fire department reported 73 total firefighters in quarantine Friday, along with a total of 19 who had tested positive for COVID-19. This comes after firefighters reported 37 people were quarantined on Nov. 9. Twelve firefighters had tested positive for the virus at that time. Crews said all fire stations are open and providing services. Engine 2 and Engine 12 will not be operating until further notice due to the change in numbers. Both engines are part of a multi-company station house. "While this is not ideal, it is our current reality with so many of our members who have been exposed," said Springfield Fire Chief Allen Reyne. "The department will begin working with our regional hospitals to determine if our methodology for quarantine, which we have used since day one, is still supported by CDC."  

One person was killed in a lab explosion at an industrial park in northwest suburban Bensenville. A man in his 20's was killed following a lab explosion inside Pureline Treatment Systems Wednesday afternoon, according to the Bensenville Fire Department. The company manufactures chlorine dioxide technologies used to purify water. The explosion was of such force and magnitude that multiple agencies had to be called to aid in the response. "They were actually met by an individual who was able to drag himself out of the building and proceeded to say that his partner was still inside the building," Bensenville Fire Chief Scott Walker said. Crews took a hose line to search for the missing employee, trying to make their way through piles of debris and what turned out to be a toxic cloud caused by a damaged container of hydrochloric acid. Two firefighters were briefly hospitalized after inhaling the fumes.  

Firefighters helped people escape an arson at a high rise apartment building in Washington Park. The fire broke out in the elevator of the building located at near 63rd Street and Michigan Avenue around 9 p.m. Thursday. According to Chicago police, an unknown offender used an incendiary device to start the fire, causing smoke damage. Residents said the building started to fill with smoke and neighbors began knocking on doors. No injuries were reported. It is not clear who started the fire, but the arson unit is investigating.  

A fire in an apartment complex in Belvidere has killed two domestic cats, according to the Belvidere Fire Department. Just after 6:40 p.m. Thursday, Belvidere fire responded to the 600 block of Whitman Street for a call of smoke in a second floor apartment of a three story multi-family apartment complex. Fire crews entered the building and were able to locate a fire in a first floor apartment. Upon entering and searching the building, fire crews were able to rescue two reptiles, but unfortunatelysay that two cats did not survive the fire. No injuries were reported to any residents or firefighters, and the fire was isolated to the apartment. The damage is estimated at $30,000, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.  

Police and firefighter/paramedics from Arlington Heights responded about 2:10 p.m Thursday, November 12, 2020 to a report that a car crashed with a Metra train on the Union Pacific Northwest Line near Northwest Highway and Ridge/Walnut Avenue. The car was hit by an eastbound Metra passenger train near Euclid Avenue and was dragged to Ridge Avenue/Walnut Avenue. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Metra police were dispatched to the scene, and were managing the investigation of the crash with the assistance of the Arlington Heights Police Department. All police cleared the on-scene investigation by about 6:00 p.m. The driver of a silver Mercedes sedan was crossing the railroad tracks westbound on Euclid Avenue when the train hit the vehicle.  

VIDEO: A Civil Air Patrol pilot was killed when a small plane slammed into multiple vehicles that were parked on a residential street in Pacoima on Thursday morning, igniting a fire near several homes, officials said. No other injuries were reported in the crash, which occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m. in 10000 block of North Sutter Avenue, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. The deceased pilot, the only person onboard the aircraft, was not immediately identified. The Civil Air Patrol's California Wing later identified the pilot as a member of that organization, but did not release the pilot's name. The plane was identified as a Cessna 182T. "Our hearts go out to the family of the member involved, and to all of the volunteer Civil Air Patrol members in California Wing who diligently serve their state and country with pride and professionalism," said Col. Ross Veta, Commander of the California Wing, Civil Air Patrol.  

While Emergency Medical Service workers and firefighters were 15 times more likely to contract the coronavirus than members of the public during the early weeks of the pandemic, the Fire Department's decision to exempt firefighters from responding to calls involving COVID symptoms made them five times less likely to develop infections than their EMS counterparts, according to a study led by Dr. David Prezant, the FDNY's Chief Medical Officer. The exemption of firefighters from responding to those cases was designed to minimize the possibility that entire firehouses—where members eat and sometimes sleep—would come down with the virus. During the time period studied beginning in March, 62 department responders contracted severe COVID-19 infections, and four EMS members died.  

As COVID-19 cases across Connecticut continue to climb, first responders in eastern Connecticut are asking for more regular access to COVID-19 testing. Members of the Region 4 EMS Council, covering New London County and parts of Windham County, are working to secure weekly, in-station testing for their members. "If a responder has an exposure at work and they become sick we can get testing pretty ready available, but the testing that I am trying to get established for us is surveillance screening to test providers weekly," said Maria Wilson, who serves as the president of Region 4 EMS Council. "Catch those asymptomatic carriers before they have the chance to potentially infect the rest of their stations." Wilson, with the support of other organizations in Region 4, wrote a letter to state leaders last week asking for help establishing a program for first responders to have easier access to free asymptomatic testing in their stations.  

"Grey's Anatomy" is kicking off its 17th season on ABC. The celebration includes a crossover with their firehouse friends at "Station 19." The blended families of both series allow fans to see the doctors and the firefighters combine their TV worlds; it's even more fun for the actors on both shows. "What I love is the writers treat it like one big world," said "Station 19's" Jason George. On the COVID front, the actors say, given the settings for both shows, there was never a doubt they'd address the coronavirus - especially as an homage to the real-life first responders out there. "It's really about this new world we're living in, and the human consequences,' said "Grey's Anatomy's" Chandra Wilson. "Bringing the humanity to stories of front line workers and first responders." "For us to be able to shine a light on that, create conversations and awareness is the least we can do, and we're honored to be a part of that," said "Station 19's" Boris Kodjoe.  

A marina fire in Scottsboro, Alabama, earlier this year illustrated how such a situation can turn tragic in just minutes. At 12:35 a.m. on January 27, 2020, a man living aboard a houseboat at Jackson County Park Marina awoke to a "popping" sound and smoke filled the cabin. According to the report from the National Transportation Safety Board, the owner told investigators he saw flames coming from the forward bulkhead near the vessel's electrical panel. He emptied his fire extinguisher on the flames then went to the neighbor's boat to get another extinguisher. When he returned to his boat the fire had grown and using the second extinguisher had little effect on the fire. The boat owner called 911 at 12:38 a.m. When Scottsboro police officers arrived seven minutes later, they reported the whole dock was on fire. The fire department arrived four minutes later. "Within 10-12 minutes every boat under the dock was somehow involved," said Scottsboro Fire Department Chief Gene Necklaus.