VIDEO: Videos and photos are circulating of the historic Mason County Courthouse engulfed in flames. County Judge Jerry Bearden said the building is destroyed. In the overnight hours of Feb. 5, multiple volunteer fire departments including the Brady Fire Department were called to Mason County to respond to "multiple structure fires" including the Mason County Courthouse, the Brady Fire Department said on Facebook.
- PUB DATE: 2/5/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHOU-TV CBS 11 Houston

I have no doubt we've all done it. We're watching a movie or TV show and they're doing something that we personally know really well. Maybe you're a dancer and this person is supposed to be a prima ballerina and you're thinking, "Nope. No way." Maybe you pitched in college and watch an actor try to throw a fastball and you can't help but laugh.
- PUB DATE: 2/5/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KSL-TV NBC 5 Salt Lake City

The Spokane Fire Department is finding new ways to connect with families during COVID. They've recently launched a new webpage to teach young kids about fire safety. It's like a virtual classroom, with icons and avatars for kids to click on. Jamie McIntyre, with the Spokane Fire Department, says firefighters really value that one-on-one connection they can have with the community.
- PUB DATE: 2/5/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KHQ-TV NBC 6 Spokane

A Black Firefighters Association fundraiser in Indianapolis starts with t-shirt sales, but it ends with big dreams of owning the property right next door to their headquarters. Capt. Corey Floyd serves as the recruitment officer for the Indianapolis Fire Department. He is also president of the Black Firefighters Association, which was created back in 1992 to help people of color at IFD fight against injustices and equality.
- PUB DATE: 2/5/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WTHR-TV NBC 13 Indianapolis

Frightening coronavirus variants have found footing in the U.S. Experts caution that the worst may still be yet to come. Super Bowl watch parties could be the next superspreader event. This is, without question, not the time to let one’s guard down. And yet, the COVID-19 picture in America at this moment in time is vastly improved from what it was just a few weeks ago.
- PUB DATE: 2/5/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Intelligencer - Metered Site

A Town of Washington home is considered a total loss after a fire Thursday afternoon. According to a news release, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office and Hillpoint and Loganville fire departments responded to a possible chimeny fire on West Hillpoint Road around 4:10 p.m. The release said a caller reported smoke visible near the roof of the home.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 11:04:35 PM - SOURCE: WISC-TV CBS 3 Madison

A La Crosse kindergartener is being hailed a hero for helping his family safely escape a house fire. There is no shortage of super heroes in the Cochrane family home, but Liam Cochrane’s super power saved his family’s life. “I just used my sense of smell.”, says the 6 year old. Liam was the first to smell the smoke coming from his basement.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 5:50:11 PM - SOURCE: WKBT-TV CBS 8 La Crosse

A 35-year-old woman is accused of setting to fire at a Beloit home early Thursday morning; while another 35-year-old was also taken into custody and is facing domestic violence allegations. According to the Beloit Fire Dept., firefighters could see smoke and flames coming from the home, in the 1700 block of Hemlock St.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 11:24:17 AM - SOURCE: WMTV-TV NBC 15 Madison

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office says everyone in safe following a car fire Wednesday, Feb. 3, thanks in part to a good Samaritan. It happened Wednesday evening on Highway 175 near American Family Field. That person was able to get the driver of a burning car off of the freeway. The Wauwatosa and Milwaukee fire departments were able to get the fire under control.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WDJT-TV CBS 58 Miwaukee

The owner of a Pearl Street tavern impacted by a Monday fire in downtown La Crosse credited firefighters with staving off a major disaster. Eric Fortney, who owns Brother's Bar and several other properties on the block, said the quick action of the La Crosse Fire Department likely saved an entire half block of buildings.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Chippewa Herald

Two Coulee Region tenants who lost their apartments in a fire on Monday night are getting some extra help. First News at Nine’s David LaClair shares how helping a friend in need inspired the start of a generous community fundraiser. Christine Kahlow has owned buildings on Pearl Street for more than 25 years and was shocked to hear about a fire that badly damaged the Casino Bar and Brothers Bar Monday night.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WLAX-Tv Fox 25 La Crosse

A Greensboro firefighter is being recognized for his life-saving invention. Capt. CJ Woody earned the city’s Innovator of the Year award for designing and creating a decontamination shower head that attaches to fire trucks. The idea came to Woody after battling cancer. Firefighters are at a high risk of exposure to cancer-causing toxins.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WGHP-TV Fox 8 High Point

24-year-old Dejah Woods will make history when she begins her first shift as a firefighter in DeLand Thursday. At that moment, Woods will officially become the city’s first ever black female firefighter. Of the 49 firefighters in the department, Woods is one of just three women, and four minorities.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFTV ABC 9 News Orlando

Google asked the US Federal Aviation Administration for permission to test a drone for monitoring and fighting fires. However, its drone plans, which were published Thursday in the federal register, have since been extinguished. The request came from Alphabet's Google Research Climate and Energy Group -- not the company's Wing subsidiary, whose drone delivery service was certified by the FAA in 2019.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: CNET

PHOTOS: In nearly 50 years of reminiscing about his hometown of Park Ridge with fellow members of the Park Ridge Historical Society, a favorite topic for Ralph R. Bishop was his adventures with the Lil’ Pirsch fire truck, first bought by the city in 1921. His father, Ralph E. Bishop, was fire chief when the city bought the pumper truck, built by Nash.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Journal & Topics

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, recently commented in a blog post that a next pandemic could be 10 times worse than the one we are currently experiencing. In this context, the billionaire proposes to create "a squad of pandemic firefighters" to take action against such a threat. “The unfortunate reality is that COVID-19 may not be the last pandemic.
- PUB DATE: 2/4/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: The Hour

Beaver Dam Fire Chief Alan Mannel has announced his retirement. His last day will be in mid-April. He has been in Beaver Dam for 12 years and has served decades in the field. He announced his retirement to Beaver Dam Police and Fire Commission Tuesday. "It's time," he said. "They say you'll know when it's time" The city's police and fire commission will now have to plan for a transition.
- PUB DATE: 2/3/2021 6:42:47 AM - SOURCE: Daily Citizen - Metered Site

One woman is dead and another in stable condition after an explosion and fire leveled their River Falls home. Crews arrived on Monday night to find the house engulfed in flames. The structure eventually collapsed, leaving nothing but rubble. St. Croix gas crews were in the River Falls neighborhood all day going door-to-door, checking gas lines at neighbors’ homes who live along River Hills Road.
- PUB DATE: 2/3/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WCCO-TV 4 CBS Minneapolis

VIDEO: A Fort Meade voluntary firefighter is “responsive and talking” after being struck by a train while battling a brush fire Tuesday. Polk County firefighters were on the scene of a 3-4 acre wildfire near 1491 14th St. NW in Fort Meade after it began threatening buildings in the area. The fire was contained and buildings were saved but while working on the blaze, officials said a Fort Meade voluntary firefighter was struck by a train.
- PUB DATE: 2/3/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: WFLA-TV NBC 8 Tampa

The swearing in last month of Dominick Trozzi as a new Parma Fire Department cadet marked a two-decades-old dream come true for the Parma native. However, setting goals and reaching for dreams is nothing new to Trozzi, who has been competing as a world-class weightlifter around the globe for the last decade.
- PUB DATE: 2/3/2021 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Cleveland.com