A highly trained rescue team equipped to save lives from natural disasters is hunkered down in Skagit County, ready to jump into action and floods, high wind and landslides threatens the region. “It’s really terrible to see what a natural disaster can do to people, large numbers of people. It’s really heartbreaking,” said Brett Collett, a leader with Washington Task Force 1. The Pierce County-based group is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team and was activated by the Washington State Military Department and Emergency Management Division to participate in search and rescue missions.

“This is exactly why we do this, this is exactly why these members are part of this team,” said Collett. “The power of our team to go help Washington state is a great privilege for us. We’re honored to be in this position, it means a lot to be called to help.” The team is often deployed to natural disasters throughout the country and was last activated in its home state after the Oso landslide in 2014.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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Businesses and homes were evacuated in Wenatchee on Tuesday after a gas leak was detected, and officials urged people to avoid the area as crews responded. The Wenatchee Valley Fire Department was called at 2:04 p.m. to a gas leak at the intersection of Yakima Street and South Chelan Avenue. The leak occurred when heavy equipment drilling through concrete struck a gas line, Chief Brian Brett said.

“I don’t know if it was construction related to the Majestic Apartments under construction, or if it was some maintenance to the Vradenburg Apartments under construction,” Brett said. Anyone within a 300-foot radius was required to evacuate, he said.

The Wenatchee World – Metered Source

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PHOTOS: A massive blaze at a lumberyard shot flames into the air that could be seen by morning commuters as they headed through the Jackson Curve east of downtown Kansas City Tuesday. Firefighters responded to the blaze around 6:15 a.m. at the Central Missouri Reload Inc. lumberyard, 3900 E. 14th Terrace, said Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins, a spokesman for the Kansas City Fire Department.

The first crews to arrive found a large outbuilding, where stacks of lumber that had come off the rail yard were fully engulfed in flames, Hopkins said. Firefighters took an immediate defensive attack due to the size of the blaze and sprayed large streams of water from multiple aerial trucks to bring the fire under control, Hopkins said. The fire was brought under control shortly before 9 a.m.

“We’re just working on hot spots, starting to unpile it and getting down to the meat and potatoes of it down in the middle,” Hopkins said. Smoke still filled the air at the lumberyard after the flames were extinguished. A stream of water flowed down from Truman Avenue where a tanker truck attached a hose to a fire hydrant. Earlier, the fire department issued a second-alarm assignment as they were battling the blaze, mainly to bring additional pumpers to run hose lines needed to supply water.

The Kansas City Star – Metered Site

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VIDEO: North Collier Fire Rescue District is leading the way in Florida by introducing plant-fiber helmets for children to enhance connections with kids and educate them about fire safety.

The district noted that plastic helmets are rarely recycled and often end up in landfills for years. They expressed gratitude to the Bonita Shores community for the opportunity to unveil these helmets at a recent event.

They also thanked Better Choice Costumes, whose founder spent 30 years as a firefighter, for leading this initiative and finding a way for the fire service to join the effort to reduce plastic waste.

WBBH-TV NBC 2 Fort Myers

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PHOTOS: Fire crews watched as a property crumbled to the ground in Camden, New Jersey, early Wednesday, as firefighters worked to put out flames at the building.

NBC10’s SkyForce10 captured the moment the roof of the structure collapsed into itself as crews worked at the scene along the 1600 block of South 6th Street in Camden, NJ, at about 6:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to officials, the fire was placed under control shortly after the building collapse and no firefighters were hurt in the incident. Crews were dispatched to the scene at the two-story property at about 5:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

Officials said the property was vacant. Officials did not immediately detail what may have caused the fire. An investigation is underway.

WCAU-TV NBC 10 Philadelphia

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