PHOTOS: Eagle Pass firefighters successfully put out an oil tank fire during a major downpour, avoiding a potential disaster. On Saturday, fire crews with the Eagle Pass Fire Department responded to a call from an oil plant that one of the storage tanks had caught fire. When crews arrived, the rain was pouring heavily, but only one tank had caught fire. They quickly sprang to action and used heavy machinery and water to quickly knock down the fire, preventing it from spreading to the other tanks. Footage and photos of the blaze and its aftermath were posted on the department's Facebook page on Monday.  

VIDEO: Firefighters believe in their job, and it helps to be physically fit. The City of Longview is promoting first responder fitness by installing new equipment in their fire stations, and firefighters are excited to see decades-old equipment is being replaced. The City of Longview applied for and received a $260,000 grant from FEMA through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The city threw in $26,000 and LFD now has custom fitness equipment at all eight stations according to Captain James "Buster" Cooper. "I think it's probably one of the most important things, being physically fit. Also, mentally fit," Cooper said. Driver Jason Frey said the equipment at the stations has seen well over a decade of wear and tear.  

PHOTO: As part of of Women's History Month, a photo shared on the city of Killeen's Facebook page is getting a lot of attention. The photo shows female firefighters who work for Killeen Fire Department. "It's #WomensHistoryMonth and we're celebrating the incredible women of our Killeen Fire Department!," the city said in the March 11 social-media post, along with the photo. "We have 11 women (8 pictured in the photo) who serve as firefighters. They are an integral part of our force of 239 and make a significant impact in saving lives every day. Though a small minority on the force (reflecting the national average in other fire departments) they exemplify dedication and courage every day. Thank you for all you do!" The Facebook post has generated nearly 500 likes and similar reactions; over 30 comments and nearly 100 shares, as of early Saturday.  

A three-alarm fire engulfed a historic vacant church Monday night in St. Louis. The St. Louis Fire Department responded at around 8:45 to a fire at the former St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church, located at 3114 Lismore St., in the St. Louis Place neighborhood. The building is designated as a St. Louis City Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said this is the third fire at the church since 2022. The church was constructed in 1896 by St. Louis architect Louis Wessbecher for St. Augustine's Roman Catholic parish. It was purchased by Christ Baptist Church in 1982. The property is owned by the city of St. Louis, according to property tax records. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.  

When former Concord firefighter Chris Andrews introduced himself to city councilors, he described himself as "a cancer survivor — at least for now." At the outset of his career, new types of protective gear, including the addition of breathing equipment and innovations in boot and pant materials, had made Andrews feel safer than his predecessors. "I was part of a new generation," he said. "I felt somewhat invincible." In his 40s, he listened when national organizations started to raise alarm bells about the presence of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in the gear he had trusted to protect him. It made him vigilant about getting thorough health screenings at the first sign of trouble. In 2021, that vigilance led to the discovery that he had prostate cancer and, after choosing to have his prostate removed, that it had been far more serious than his doctor originally thought.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: After thousands of tumbleweeds buried homes in Eagle Mountain, crews have been conducting controlled burns to eliminate piles of them. Unified Fire Authority conducted their second burn on Monday morning in a coordinated effort with the Eagle Mountain City Streets Department. They said it was intended to "efficiently dispose of the tumbleweeds" that accumulated along Eagle Mountain Blvd., specifically in the area of Carriage Hill Dr. The tumbleweeds were blown in after a wind storm on March 2, and city officials advised residents on ways to dispose of them, including through the use of tumbleweed-only dumpsters. "The controlled burn serves as a strategic measure to manage the accumulated tumbleweeds and mitigate potential fire hazards in the area," Unified Fire officials stated.  

Black Butte is an inactive volcano that rises from the high desert in eastern Oregon. In May 2022, a turboprop plane approached its pine-blanketed slopes, carrying about 10 men wearing bulky Kevlar outfits. They were smokejumpers with the United States Forest Service, the agency that directs the majority of the nation's efforts to manage wildfires. Within the vast and hierarchical fire service, smokejumpers occupy a singular niche, parachuting into remote areas to fight early-stage wildfires. There are only about 450 nationwide, and the physical requirements are rigorous. One of the smokejumpers on board was Ben Elkind. Thirty-seven years old with a long, athletic build and restless energy, he had been fighting wildfires for 14 years and jumping for the last eight of them.