The Killeen Fire Department just got a little bit bigger. The City of Killeen announced on Monday, April 29 that 11 new firefighters had been sworn in to Killeen FD's ranks at a badge-pinning ceremony. The City said Fire Chief James Kubinski gave remarks at the ceremony and each recruit and their families were acknowledged by Mayor Debbie Nash-King and Killeen Fire Department leadership. The new firefighters were then sworn in by Judge Krishna. The badge pinning ceremony is a long-standing tradition in the fire service, said the City of Killeen. The City said the badge represents both authority and protection and "pays tribute to the men and women who first responded to the needs of others." "Each brave new firefighter who wears the Maltese Cross is willing to lay down their life to protect our citizens," said the City of Killeen in an announcement on social media.  

PHOTO: The pilot of a single-seat aircraft crashed in Castroville, but was able to escape before the plane burst into flames. Medina County EMS says they got a call at around 1:30 p.m. Monday. The plane reportedly crashed in a field near the Castroville airport. The pilot, whose name wasn't released, was brought to a hospital but there's no word on how badly he was injured. The crash is still being investigated. No other injuries have been reported.  

The Payne Springs Fire Rescue (PSFR) said they responded to a single vehicle wreck where the driver had to be removed with rescue tools on Monday. The volunteer fire department arrived at the intersection of TX-198 and CR 2529 after being alerted of the wreck at 12:09 p.m., a release said. According to PSFR, the driver of the truck was unable to get out so firefighters removed the roof with rescue tools to safely remove them. "The driver was transported by EMS with what appeared to be minor injuries," PSFR said. Due to the wreck, traffic on TX-198 was down to one lane for some time. PSFR said they appreciated the assistance of two volunteers from other departments that were there prior to their arrival.  

VIDEO: Whenever there is an emergency, such as a tornado or flash flooding, you will likely hear the sirens going off. This is one of the ways cities warn their residents that there is danger nearby and to find somewhere safe immediately. According to McLennan County emergency management, they have 34 sirens throughout the county, but they don't cover every city in the area. "Something to remember about the outdoor warning sirens is that, best case scenario, they only have about a two mile diameter," said Ryan Dirker, the county's emergency management coordinator. This means that some cities in the more rural parts of McLennan county don't have the ability to sound an alarm. Crawford is one of these cities, and while their volunteer fire department does have a small fire siren, it only reaches part of the city.  

Crews were battling a large fire that broke out in Concord Monday night. The fire was in the area of Sunset Street and East Street. That is right across the street from the BART station and in a stretch of commercial buildings. The Contra Costa County Fire Department says that the fire has been knocked down. They also say that the building was vacant and no injuries were reported. The Concord Police Department says road closures are expected to last into the morning hours. The BART parking lot on Park St. has also been closed. Drivers are being warned to expect heavy traffic in the area. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

PHOTOS: Firefighters are used to getting to their destinations in a hurry. Hubie Widmer took 10 years to complete his quest. "I said, ‘You know, I want to get my picture taken in front of every fire department in the state,'" Hubie said. In March, the Watertown firefighter completed his task. Over a decade, Hubie visited 775 fire departments – as best as he can tell relying on state records – every fire department in Minnesota. "We kind of didn't think it was ever going to get done," Denice Widmer, Hubie's wife, said with a laugh. Denice traveled with Hubie on most of his trips, crossing off towns on a 20-page list and photographing her husband in front of the fire stations they visited. The pictures Denice took of her husband fill 14 photo albums. "We've basically been to every town in the state of Minnesota." Hubie says.  

Monday, The Milwaukee Fire Department announced they are partnering with Ignite the Spirit to provide essential mental health resources for firefighters through fully funded therapy sessions facilitated by licensed mental health professionals. The program is launching under the All-Hands Initiative, and Fire Lieutenant Joseph Flick founded Ignite the Spirit in 2018. He told WTMJ the importance of mental health for firefighters. "The culmination of everything that we go through and the traumas that we see… sometimes the human brain has a hard time dealing with that." he said. "We want to make sure that that's not what's going to keep our people from being our best selves." "Sometimes it's injury and illness… Other times, untimely death, and [during] this time, we've been looking for ways we can proactively support their mental and behavioral health," he said.