Trinity County Fire Department remembers long time former fire chief

VIDEO: Wayne Huffman served as Trinity County Fire Chief for over 60 years, and he retired back in January. Some of those who’ve had the honor of working beside him say he was a giant in not just the Trinity Fire Department, but in the community itself. “He was the perfect person to be a public servant,” says newly appointed Fire Chief Keith Johnson. Wayne died earlier this week from health complications at 83 years old. Chief Johnson stepped into his shoes; shoes he says can never truly be filled. “You know you got a hole, right here in your heart. He was that big a part of us,” says Chief Johnson. Along with Wayne, his twin brother Hayne also served as Fire Chief for 50 years before passing from COVID in 2021. As brothers, those who knew them say they lived and breathed Trinity County Fire Department and were an influential part in the department’s success.
KLTV ABC 7 Tyler

Killeen Fire Department breaks ground on city’s ninth fire station

Located at 9200 Trimmier Road, the new fire station that the City of Killeen and the Killeen Fire Department broke ground for on May 8 is "imperative and important" for the citizens. "Currently our average response time to this specific area is eight minutes," said Fire Chief James Kubinski. "Our standard and goal that we shoot for, the national standard, is six minutes. By adding this station, we will decrease the response time to below six minutes." The project totals around $22 million and includes funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). City leaders bragged about the project not increasing any debt for the city at the groundbreaking ceremony. The new building will include fire station #4, an emergency operations center and also a training facility.
KCEN-TV NBC 6 Temple

No injuries in 2-story fire in McLennan County

The Elm Mott Fire Department was dispatched at 2:47 a.m. Thursday to reports of a fire at an industrial building on Fort Graham Road in McLennan County. Officials say no one was injured as a result of the blaze. At the fire’s peak, crews on the scene included responders from the Gholson, Waco, Elm Mott and Lacy Lakeview fire departments. Elm Mott Fire says the cause is still unclear.
KWTX-TV CBS 10 Waco

Driver killed after car splits in half, catches fire during crash near downtown Houston

PHOTOS: A woman is dead after police say she crashed her car into a tree near downtown overnight Wednesday, causing it to split in half before catching fire. It happened a little before 2:30 a.m. on Memorial Dr. near Sawyer St. exit when officers say an unidentified woman speeding in her car, crashed sideways into a tree, splitting the vehicle in half. Authorities say the woman was ejected from her car due to the crash’s impact and passersby tried helping her before law enforcement and first responders arrived. She was later confirmed to have died from her injuries. Currently, investigators don’t suspect the driver to be under the influence, but medical examiners are expected to do a toxicology report to find out for sure.
KPRC-TV NBC 2 Houston

Dimmitt Fire Department gets upgrade with new fire truck purchase

The Dimmitt Fire Department is retiring its oldest fire engine and upgrading to a brand-new, custom-made fire truck. “The fire trucks we have now, our main engine is 32 years old, our back up engine is over 20 years old. They’re still in good shape but it’s something that needs to be addressed and that’s what we did by ordering this new engine,” said Dimmitt Fire Chief Corey Lane. Dimmitt City Council approved a 50/50 split between government and city funds for over $800,000. “We’d been discussing this, the fire chief and I, and the council for a little while now. We were looking to need to spend the ARPA funds that had been obligated to the fire department, so this is the consensus we reached to purchase this engine,” said Daniel Jackson, Dimmitt city manager.
KFDA-TV CBS 10 Amarillo

Governor Abbott deploys additional resources ahead of West Texas fire threat

As East Texas recovers from severe flooding as of late, the opposite end of the Lone Star State is gearing up for the threat of wildfires. On Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to deploy additional state emergency response resources ahead of increased wildfire danger in the Panhandle and West Texas. “Following the largest wildfire in our state’s history, Texas stands ready to provide all available resources to assist firefighters and local officials and protect Texas communities,” said Governor Abbott. “As dangerous wildfire threats continue in the Panhandle and West Texas, Texans are encouraged to remain vigilant, regularly monitor weather conditions, and take necessary precautions ahead of potential wildfires impacting their communities. I thank our brave firefighters and emergency response personnel who continue to serve and protect their fellow Texans.”
KTSA-FM 107.1/AM 550 San Antonio

Firefighters in Madison County deploy their tanker ‘The Beast’ in multiple high-water rescues

VIDEO: First responders across the Brazos Valley and the region have been grappling with high waters and unsafe conditions, as recent heavy rains inundated the area, keeping emergency teams on their toes. Firefighters in North Zulch utilized their specialized rescue vehicle, known as “The Beast,” donated by the Texas A&M Forest Service, to successfully rescue a couple stranded in rising floodwaters during its first high-water rescue operation. “The Beast went on down to where they were and had to drive about two hundred yards out through the water to them and was able to pull up right beside the car,” said North Zulch Volunteer Fire Chief Tony Clay. Clay highlighted the persistent nature of the rain, noting that the water rescues continued through the week, with the team responding to three additional calls in two days.
KBTX-TV CBS 3 Bryan

Austin Energy puts up AI cameras to help fight fires with wildfire season ahead

VIDEO: The recent rain in Central Texas could actually make our fire risk more dangerous this summer. Both city and county officials said all this wet weather is helping the grass grow, which adds more fuel for fires when the weather is drier. “We get into our summer setting where those grasses stop growing,” Pflugerville Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Moellenberg said. “They actually die off if we get into a drought. That becomes a fuel load.” Pano AI cameras are expected to help with quick response times, which is critical for fire departments. An alert will be sent so fire departments can respond to these wildfires faster. Austin Energy is putting 13 of those 360-degree cameras on cell towers throughout Travis County.
KXAN-TV NBC 36 Austin