History will be made at the Town of Sunnyvale's council meeting on Monday night. Tami Kayea will be sworn in as Sunnyvale's fire chief, taking the place of Doug Kendrick, who announced his retirement in August. Kayea was announced as the pick to take over the fire chief role on December 20. She has spent more than 27 years with Dallas Fire-Rescue, where she served as EMS Section Chief and Battalion Chief before being promoted to Deputy Chief in 2018. Kayea also holds a master's degree in management and leadership from Tarleton State University, a Master Firefighter Certification and graduated from the Executive Fire Officer Program through the National Fire Academy. In addition to her experience, Kayea is a fourth-generation firefighter.  

Firefighters responded to a deadly fire just before 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 19. They were called out to a home in the 1600 block of W 17th Street. When firefighters arrived, they saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the home. "We could not get in immediately and once we started to extinguish the fire, we did get notified by the neighbors there may be a gentleman inside the house and as quickly as we could get the smoke cleared and search, we did locate the gentleman in there," said Texarkana Texas Fire Chief Chris Black. Chief Black says the man was found in the kitchen. Friends and fellow church members of the deceased identified him as Richard Armstrong. "I've been blessed to be his pastor for three years and when I say wisdom, understanding, knowledge…he was all that, very gentle and kind person," said Arthur McElroy, a pastor.  

VIDEO: The Jacksonville Fire Department have battled four major structure fires over the last week, with three of the four fires taking place in a 24 hour period. Fire Chief Paul Findley said this had put a strain on the firefighters. "They had back-to-back, leaving one structure fire and headed to another one and both fires were working fires," said Chief Paul Findley of the Jacksonville Fire Department. Firefighter uniforms can also cause problems during this time. Uniforms usually weigh around 80 pounds that keeps firefighters warm. But when their suits become soaking wet, they can add about 40 more pounds, and ice may form on their masks during freezing temperatures. "It turns to about 120lbs in gear and it gets very heavy. When it gets cold a layer of ice develops on the outside of it, sometimes it crosses the mask and so, you cant see," said Nathan Palmer, Jacksonville firefighter.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A concession stand at a McKinney park was destroyed by a fire Saturday night. Video shows McKinney firefighters battling the fire at the Grady Littlejohn Softball and Baseball Complex at Towne Lake Park with hoses. McKinney Fire Department said firefighters would stay at the park for hours to keep an eye out for any remaining hot spots.  

Massive flames were seen shooting out of every window of a home on Second Street in Brownsville. Captured video shows heavy black smoke and the intensity of that fire just minutes after it started. "The house of origin was completely destroyed. The alpha and delta side exposures both suffered heavy damage," said Ron Barry, South Brownsville Fire Chief. Chief Barry says flames spread to two homes on each side, and freezing weather conditions made it difficult to put out. "One of the hydrants was frozen up. It took a few minutes to get the water flowing. That was an issue because of the cold weather." The fire chief says the homeowner was able to make it out alive but was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment. One firefighter was also evaluated on scene after possibly being electrocuted.  

Through most of his career, Monterey Park Fire Chief Matthew Hallock would absorb the news of mass shootings with the discerning eye of a first responder, but with understandable detachment. His department trained. He cared. His instinct was to think "what if it happened here." But year after year, shooting after shooting, they never did. Small suburban L.A. town. Tight-knit, peaceful community. That nightmare could not possibly come to Monterey Park. And then, on a celebratory evening in his city, the dispatch came: "It happened," he said. 10:20 p.m., Jan. 21, 2023. Star Ballroom Dance Studio on Garvey Avenue. Mass shooter. Multiple casualties. Hallock's small department of firefighters and paramedics — on the first night of a 48-hour shift — would respond to a scene that up until then was the kind that only happened in other places.  

VIDEO: A 10-year-old boy turned tragedy into triumph after a TikTok challenge left him with devastating burns. Channel 9's Almiya White spoke with the boy who formed an extraordinary bond with the firefighters who came to his rescue. Charlotte Fire Captain Garry Barham said the fire started with a social media challenge. "He was doing a TikTok trend with rubbing alcohol and an ignition source which was a lighter," Barham said. "And it exploded." While he recovers from the second-degree burns at a burn center in Winston-Salem, Jared Pacas sent the Charlotte Fire Department a special video message, thanking them for saving him and his family from his mistake. And the firefighters at Charlotte Firehouse 40 were glad to hear from him.