PHOTO: The Stockton Fire Department responded to an agricultural fire Sunday morning. Firefighters were called to extinguish a grain dryer fire in the Jo Daviess County community. "The only course of action is to completely drain the dryer of all corn," said crews concerning the situation over social media. Because of the immense action, the fire required "a lot of manpower," the department continued. While sharing the news of this fire, Stockton reminded farmers to check all the columns in their grain dryers; if they're not all moving, a fire risk rises. Firefighters also sent thanks to Stockton ambulance responders for "performing Rehab" efforts.  

The Village of South Jacksonville Fire Department will soon have a new emergency response truck. The Board of Trustees approved a purchase of a 2023 Ford F-250 for approximately $55,000 from Morrow Brothers Ford in Greenfield on Thursday night. Talks of purchasing a truck for the fire department to take out on medical calls began almost a year ago. Fire Chief Rich Evans, Jr. says they want to reduce taking out one of their fire engines for medical calls: "We've been looking for a pickup truck for over a year. It's a little bit smaller and easier to maneuver around town just for our basic medical calls instead of taking a $200,000 fire truck out on a medical call. We had put an order out for the pickup about a year ago. With the vehicle demand within the last several years, we've been having trouble getting one."  

Large flames could be seen as firefighters battled a well-involved 2-alarm fire in Bethlehem Township early Monday morning that injured three people. The fire was reported around 3:50 a.m. at 2-story home Monday on the 3700 block of Tiffany Dr. A media release says the fire was discovered by Palmer Township police units on patrol near the border of Palmer and Bethlehem Township. Officials say the initial fire crews forced entry into the dwelling and made an aggressive attack on the interior of the building. The release continues to say two homeowners and a firefighters were injured in the blaze. The firefighter injured is a 28-year-old Nancy Run firefighter with 11 years of service. Officials say 50 firefighters responded to help extinguish the blaze that took about 45 minutes to get under control.  

Firefighters with Decatur Fire & Rescue will soon be tested on whether they can swing a sledgehammer, drag tires, climb and descend a tower, do a pipe crawl and five other challenges meant to test their readiness for the job. The Personnel Board approved last week Fire Chief Tracy Thornton's proposal to implement a new fitness test that firefighters must pass to remain on active duty. Thornton said Henry Williford, a professor in Auburn University's Kinesiology Department, certified the new fitness test as a job-task readiness assessment. "We want our people to physically be able to do the job they're going out and doing every day," Thornton said. The chief said they set up a course for the firefighters to take once a year. Williford then certified the course and tailored it to Decatur Fire & Rescue's needs.  

When Andy Alexander moved into his grandparents' farmhouse a few years ago, he knew he was moving in next to the Dakota Access oil pipeline. It chugs away about one-eighth of a mile from his doorstep under rows of corn ripening from green to gold. Then he learned another pipeline could go right next to it. "They're proposing that they put a carbon dioxide pipeline running parallel to the oil pipeline that's currently here," Alexander said. The current route of a 1,300-mile pipeline proposed by Navigator CO2 Ventures cuts right between Alexander's house and the small town of Fremont, Iowa. An oil spill would be an environmental disaster, Alexander said, but he is actually more afraid of a release of carbon dioxide. He imagines an invisible cloud of CO2 drifting close to the ground, displacing oxygen along the way.  

PHOTOS: Four Annapolis Fire Marshal's Office K9s received donations of body armor, according to the Annapolis Fire Department. Annapolis Fire Marshal's Office K9s Jackson, Maddy, Milly, and Ronny received bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. According to the release, K9 Jackson's vest was sponsored by George Trever of Albuquerque, NM, and embroidered with the sentiment "This gift of protection provided by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.". K9 Maddy's vest was sponsored by Denise Nading of Anchorage, AK, and embroidered with the sentiment "In memory of Mel Nading Pilot of Helo 1". K9 Milly's vest was sponsored by the National Police Association and embroidered with the sentiment "Gifted by NationalPolice.org".