Fire Chief Don Crowson has said throughout the years he bleeds "Arlington fire engine red." He rose through the ranks after joining the department in 1983, before being appointed chief and director of emergency management services in 2010. "The fire department really represented an opportunity for me to sort of claw my way out of, you know, less than perfect circumstances. And I'm like everybody else around here. I kind of bleed Arlington fire engine red because we live it 24-7," Crowson said. Crowson describes Arlington like most other city officials or council members: one with big-city issues. During his tenure with the department, the city contended with myriad natural disasters; new homeland security threats after Sept. 11, 2001; major sporting events including Super Bowl XLV and two World Series; and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

VIDEO: A firefighter suffered second-degree burns while responding to a fire at a home in central El Paso Tuesday afternoon. The fire happened at the 4110 block of Tularosa Avenue. El Paso Fire Department Battalion Chief Christopher Escandon said the firefighter was taken to University Medical Center of El Paso for burns to their neck, shoulders and upper back. Escandon said 27 to 30 firefighters responded to a shed fire. "This was a pretty big shed, a significant size, upon arrival it was fully involved," said Escandon. The fire caused damage to the home and broke some windows. A nearby apartment was damaged on the outside, Escandon said. Firefighters went inside both the home and apartments to prevent the fire from spreading. No injuries were reported, according to fire officials.  

The Frisco Fire Department dealt with three house fires on Tuesday afternoon that they believe were caused by possible lightning. At least one appears to have been destroyed. Crews rushed to put out flames on Silverbrook Lane, Old Province Way and Norwich Lane just after 3 p.m. The three homes are within three miles of each other. Pictures from the department show flames coming out of the roof of one of the houses. One homeowner said she can't describe the sound, but she just knew her house was struck by lightning. "It's a sound I've never heard. But when you hear it, you know your house got hit by lightning. I can't describe it," said Kelly Mallory, whose home was hit by lightning. She says she immediately went upstairs to check the attic.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: Wednesday marks another year since the massive fire that resulted in the deaths of five Houston firefighters. On May 31, 2013, firefighters were called to the five-alarm blaze at the Southwest Inn along the Southwest Freeway. Believing there were people trapped, Houston Fire Capt. Bill Dowling led a rescue attempt. A roof collapsed, killing firefighters Robert Bebee, Matthew Renaud, Anne Sullivan and Robert Garner. Dowling was seriously injured in the collapse. His legs were amputated, and he was left unable to communicate after suffering serious brain damage. He died last year. Thirteen others were injured in the blaze. An investigation revealed that the fire started in an attic about three hours before firefighters were called, and the department's radio system became overloaded when rescue teams were trying to locate the missing firefighters.  

A firefighter has been injured and multiple stores are destroyed after a massive fire started in the Bronx late Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning. Officials say the flames destroyed a tire shop and flower store on the Cross Bronx Expressway Service Road just before 11 p.m. Tuesday. Video shows how large the fire was from far away, with its thick plume of black smoke rising above the flames. Firefighters had the fire under control as of early Wednesday morning, but remained on the scene to continue working. There were neighbors cleaning up debris early in the morning, but those living and working in the area won't forget the sight of those ginormous flames. The owner of the flower shop says his business has been a big part of this neighborhood for 35 years. His nephew was at the scene to assess the damage to their beloved store.  

VIDEO: "It had to be a narrative, a documentary or a how-to," said Shawn Packard, a Cinematography student at Full Sail University. A school capstone project inspired a student to dig deep into his hometown. "I live here, I have lived here my whole life. It has been home for me. It kind of means a lot with family and the traditions and the community that we have built here," Packard said. As a graduating senior, he says it was important to him to leave and spread the legacy of Maine through film. "I know how important it is for film in a lot of bigger states, and in Maine, it's a blip," Packard said. Hoping to change that soon, he starts with an emphasis on the dwindling volunteerism at fire stations across Maine. "We see so many volunteer fire departments traveling through Maine, and we never see anyone really there and this is why," Packard said.  

VIDEO: Local and state fire safety officials are discussing implementing more fire-prevention requirements at large wooden-building construction sites after this month's massive, deadly blaze in Charlotte. The five-alarm fire killed two construction workers and sparked spot fires on nearby structures. Firefighters and a crane operator battled to save lives as flames swept the site, where 15 workers were rescued, city officials said. A day after the fire released smoke visible for miles, Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal Ted Panagiotopoulos sent an email to North Carolina Chief Fire Code Consultant Charlie Johnson, saying that there may be "an opportunity" to discuss updates to the state's fire code. He pointed to 2022 standards from the National Fire Protection Association that give input on how to safeguard construction operations at tall, wooden structures, and large, wood-frame structures.  

VIDEO: The past winter was a heavy one for respiratory viruses, dominated by surges of RSV, influenza and Covid-19. But just as it was winding down, a little-known virus that causes many of the same symptoms – a lower lung infection, hacking cough, runny nose, sore throat and fever – was just picking up steam. Cases of human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, spiked this spring, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's respiratory virus surveillance systems. It filled hospital intensive care units with young children and seniors who are the most vulnerable to these infections. At its peak in mid-March, nearly 11% of tested specimens were positive for HMPV, a number that's about 36% higher than the average, pre-pandemic seasonal peak of 7% test positivity. Most people who caught it probably didn't even know they had it, however.