Two Illinois State Police Troopers suffered minor injuries early Saturday morning while rescuing a driver from a fiery crash on Cedar Street in East Peoria. Assistant Fire Chief Ronnie Marmitt says the vehicle was heading east on Cedar Street when it drove through the construction zone where there was no pavement, and hit the guardrail. The East Peoria Fire Department quickly put out the fire. "Both troopers, whose names have not been disclosed at this time, exhibited exceptional bravery in the face of danger, risking their own safety to save another. Despite sustaining minor injuries during the rescue, their selfless actions undoubtedly prevented a potentially fatal outcome," said Marmitt in a press release. The driver, who was the only person in the vehicle at the time of the crash, was taken to the hospital for treatment. Their condition is unknown.  

Multiple central Illinois fire stations are recipients for the 2024 Small Equipment Grant Program, according to an Illinois State Fire Marshal news release. In total, 165 fire departments/districts and EMS providers were granted up to $26,000 for small firefighting and ambulance equipment. We continue to see and hear about the need and understand the issues fire departments face when it comes to funding across the state. I am proud this year we were able to increase our grant funding to $4 million, a $2.5 million increase from last year, which has allowed us to award over 100 more departments money to purchase lifesaving tools they might not have been able to afford otherwise." said Illinois State Fire Marshall James A. Rivera.  

A massive fire broke out at an apartment complex in Randolph, Massachusetts, on Sunday night, prompting large-scale evacuations and warnings from police and town officials about smoke in the area, as well as low water pressure. The Randolph Fire Department was called to the multi-family residential blaze at 60 Bridle Path Circle just after 6 p.m., and the fire was still active late Sunday night. The acting fire chief told NBC10 Boston that there were multiple collapses, including the roof and walls. According to the fire chief, one person was injured after he jumped from a second floor balcony to the ground. He was taken to the hospital with minor burns. There were no sprinklers inside, the fire chief said, and the building is a total loss, leaving more than 80 people without a home.  

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) will host the 43rd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend (Memorial Weekend) on May 4-5, 2024 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This year's national tribute will honor 89 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2023 and 137 firefighters who died in previous years. Detailed information about each of the 226 firefighters being memorialized can be found on the 2024 Roll of Honor. "National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend is a time for our nation to pause and reflect on the heroic efforts and selfless service of the fallen firefighters we are paying tribute to this year," said NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro. "We will always remember the bravery, commitment, and sacrifices of each of these 226 heroes—and their families."  

VIDEO: Multiple tornadoes tore across Oklahoma on Saturday night, leaving a wide trail of destruction, leveling homes and buildings and knocking out power for tens of thousands of residents and businesses. At least four people were killed in the state, including a child. The region remained on high alert for severe weather after thunderstorms and tornados rolled through Friday and Saturday from Texas to the Great Lakes. About 106 tornadoes were detected in six states on Friday, with Nebraska and Iowa the hardest hit, officials said. Officials in Pottawattamie County, in southwest Iowa by the Nebraska border, said one resident was killed and three others hurt by severe weather that hit Friday. In Oklahoma, a tornado ripped through Holdenville, a small town of about 5,000 people, around 11 p.m. Saturday night, destroying or damaging several buildings in its path.  

VIDEO: University of Texas students created a robot that can help protect firefighters. Their startup is called Paradigm Robotics. The technology is meant to assist with search and rescues in structure fires or other dangerous situations. Recently, the Austin Fire Department reported two firefighters were injured after searching for a person inside a house fire. The invention is called FireBot. Founder Siddharth Thakur said fire departments around the country are testing the robot. World's first high temperature resistant, un-manned," Thakur said. "So think remotely controlled search and rescue robot, designed to enter structural fires or other hazardous situations and provide life-saving, mission-critical situational awareness."