VIDEO: Hundreds of North Side residents were without power Wednesday night after an electrical pole caught fire in Lakeview East. Video captured by residents near Broadway and Barry captured the fire and the Chicago Fire Department's response. In one video, which was taken from behind a building on the alley in which the fire occurred, you can hear loud popping sounds indicating that transformers on the pole blew during the fire. It wasn't immediately clear if the fire was caused by blown transformers or whether they blew as a result of the fire. The Chicago Fire Department has not yet commented on the incident. Hearing the commotion, James Carney wandered outside his West Briar Street apartment building to see what was going on and was confronted with a distinctly unpleasant surprise.  

The Peoria Fire Department has a new program bringing chaplains to the scene of emergencies. Chief Shawn Sollberger says he became interested in developing a fire chaplains program after seeing a similar program in action at the Peoria Police Department. He started asking questions and researching if there was a similar model to follow for a fire department. "What I started to find is there wasn't much information out there in regards to chaplains, related to fire service that piqued my interest even more," Sollberger said. "You know, are we potentially embarking on something that's relatively unique?" Sollberger says the idea really came together with the addition of Peoria Pastor William Preston. Preston is a pastor at City on a Hill Church in Peoria. Sollberger says he's been in the area for 20 years and has a son who's a police officer.  

Firefighters from 18 departments in four counties have put out the massive chemical plant fire at Sound Resource Solutions in Shepherd, Texas, the San Jacinto County Office of Emergency Management said. The fire on FM 1127, approximately 75 miles northeast of Houston, started with an explosion that happened at 8:17 a.m. and it burned for hours. There was a shelter-in-place for residents in a one-mile radius that was lifted nearly 7 hours after the explosion. Single northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. 59 reopened by 6:30 p.m., TxDOT said, but expect delays until all lanes reopen. Sound Resource Solutions president Geoff Harfield said the explosion was caused by a "forklift incident." An individual working on a forklift noticed chemicals leaking from a container and when he went to lift the container up, he noticed a fire.  

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services (BFRS) is launching an in-house paramedic training program, which will be the first of its kind in the entire state. Birmingham Fire Chief Cory Moon said the inspiration for this program was born from the nationwide shortage of paramedics they feel the effects of locally. This will be a 7-month fast track program that starts early next year. The first group of 15 people will begin in February and will finish in October. Chief Moon said the training is free and personnel will be paid their full salary while in class. A $10,000 sign on bonus is included alongside an annual $5,000 bonus for paramedics assigned to rescue units.  

November 11 is Veterans Day, a celebration to honor America's veterans for their service, dedication, and sacrifice. The theme for Veterans Day 2023 is "Service." This week, consider how your department supports and recognizes your current and potential members who have served in the U.S. military. Joseph Danao is the deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, a fire instructor, a volunteer firefighter/EMT, and a member of the National Volunteer Fire Council's SAFER Work Group, among other positions. He provided his insight on how volunteer firefighters and emergency services personnel can recruit and retain veterans in their organization.  

VIDEO: A spicy challenge had Hall County firefighters laughing and gasping for air as they tackled insanely hot wings while answering questions. Like the YouTube series "Hot Ones," hosted by Sean Evans, where celebrities answer questions while enduring increasingly spicy wings, three Hall County Fire Rescue team members decided to try the idea themselves. In their show, "Too Hot to Handle," Lieutenant Brian Gregory, firefighters Gavin Berry and Coleman Lowenthal gave the audience some memorable moments between water and milk-drinking breaks. "The point of this exercise is to show that we can withstand the heat," Lowenthal said, laughing. While the firefighters may have been left reaching for milk and coughing, the show served as a unique opportunity for residents to connect with the local heroes who protect their community.