VIDEO: The Lubbock Fire Rescue (LFR) sent its first drone up into the sky back in 2017. Since then, its used the device while responding to numerous calls throughout the city. "We're always looking to make our job a little better, and hopefully a little safer," said Blake "Lumpy" Ball, an LFR firefighter. "We look at technology, and that's one technology that we've been able to take advantage of." Ball said LFR's fleet of drones takes his crew to new heights. "Before, you'd pull up to a scene and you'd see the one side of the structure that you're facing, and you'd have to do a 360-degree walkaround which takes time," Ball said. "With the drones, you can get them up in the air, and you have that constant overview of the entire scene that gives you that one extra tool."  

A house fire over the weekend has brought the community of Hilltop Lakes together to help the people who lived there get back on their feet. The fire happened on Saturday and the cause is still being investigated. Hilltop Lakes Volunteer Fire Department said when they arrived a garage on the property was engulfed along with a car. It was quickly extinguished; however, the fire spread to the attic. An aggressive interior attack on the home and attic by the Volunteer Fire Department helped contain the fire in two rooms so that it could be extinguished, but the fire left behind a massively damaged home. Hilltop Lakes EMT Jennifer Travis lived in the home with her kids and roommate. She has been with Hilltop Lake EMS for 6 years and worked for Jewett EMS for the last 10 years.  

A fire at the Port of Brownsville early Tuesday morning destroyed several tanker trucks, according to a news release from the port. The fire was reported around 2:45 a.m. and about 12 trucks were reported damaged during the incident, said port authorities. Brownsville Fire Department along with the Port Isabel and Los Fresnos Fire Departments contained and confined the fire to a small sector of the truck staging area, according to the port's news release. The port's police department established roadblocks to secure the site inside the port. Cameron County Sheriff's Office and Texas DPS assisted with traffic control outside the port gates. No injuries or fatalities were reported. All efforts were made to ensure the safety and security of people and property, according to the news release.  

VIDEO: The city's fire chief explained Monday how the devastating apartment fire in northeast Atlanta was an absolute "anomaly," requiring crews to shift response. The fire destroyed much of The Reserve at LaVista Walk complex after it was sparked by what police said might have been two people setting off fireworks late Friday night. Both those suspects have been arrested. "Somebody has to be held accountable for this," Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said. "We have a building that may collapse." Atlanta Fire and Rescue Chief Roderick Smith answered questions Monday evening, saying the investigation into how the fire happened will have a three-prong approach: where the fire originated, a look into code enforcement and what was authorized by the City of Atlanta's Office of Buildings.  

IMAGE: The Middlefield Fire Company has a new logo that brings "aspects from our fire company history as well as a few details about our town." The logo is separate from the company's traditional patch and seal, which will still be displayed on uniforms. The new logo allows "our members to come together and display their company pride," according to a Facebook post from the fire company. The members behind the logo were Trevor Anderson and Nicholas Tyc. Jobtown Graphics also worked on the design. "We decided to change this logo as a project to connect the newer members to the veteran members and to instill the 'firehouse pride' in the newer members," Tyc said. "We currently have a flag with this logo in our apparatus bays to be seen as soon as you walk in the firehouse. We also purchased stickers for members to display how they see fit and are likely to be putting this logo on some of our apparel and merchandise."  

VIDEO: Aurora Fire Rescue crew members are completing de-escalation training to help crew members respond to people experiencing a crisis. Despite paramedics regularly responding to these types of calls, de-escalation training is pretty rare within fire departments. "I've been doing this for 34 years and it's nothing we've ever formally done, and it seems like the right time and place to bring this to life," said Aurora Fire Rescue's training chief, Commander Mark Hays. The training comprises three phases that teach self-awareness, body positioning and voice modulation to help soothe individuals experiencing anxiety, stress or psychological trauma. On Monday, paramedics walked through scenarios played out by actors, such as a veteran with PTSD or a woman experiencing a mental health crisis.