Leland Township (MI) Fire Rescue covers territory without municipal water supplies, but loads of lakes, rivers, and streams.

So at almost every fire call in the county, the department uses its hydrant truck. Keeps their other apparatus freed up.

Heroes Next Door and Brandon, Zorran, and James from Leland Township give a demo of how it works.

Visit Heroes Next Door for more videos.

A Syracuse (NY) Fire Department pickup truck filled with medical equipment and supplies, was stolen at a call and totaled in a wreck by the man who stole it, according to a report published by Syracuse.com.

According to the report, fire crews were at a medical call, treating a patient when the crew from the AMR ambulance noticed the pickup truck being driven off. The vehicle’s GPS system located the vehicle heading on to the New York State Thruway after it was stolen at about 1 am Friday, according to the report.

A dispatcher tracked the vehicle as police pursued it and a helicopter followed it shining a light on it as it traveled. Police used spike strips to try to stop the vehicle, but the driver continued on the Thruway east until he eventually hit a median and rolled the truck several times, according to the report.

The driver, Nathan Kane, 23, of Syracuse, suffered minor injuries but the truck and all the equipment inside, including medical and trauma equipment, radios, SCBAs, computers and tools were consider total losses.

Kane was charged with a number of crimes, including grand larceny and motor vehicle violations, according the report.

Houston (TX) Fire Department medics were hurt in a two-vehicle crash on the Gulf Freeway Friday, according to a report published by KPRC2.

According to the news report, the crash happened in the early morning hours and the medics were taken to the hospital.

There was no word on their conditions.  

According to a report from NBC5, a private citizen who was volunteering his help in fighting the Chalk Mountain Fire in Somervell County, Texas, with his “military-style fire truck” escaped serious injury after being overtaken by flames on Monday. The vehicle, however, was a total loss after the sustained fire damage.

The Somervell County Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Greg Sharp was going door-to-door to give evacuation notices, when he came across the man as he was fighting the flames with his own

Eventually, man was forced to abandon the vehicle as it was overcome by fire. He joined Sharp in his vehicle as they narrowly escaped the oncoming flames. Both escaped with just minor injuries. Sharp’s department vehicle was also damaged.

The Somervell County Sheriff’s Office said the two vehicles were the only ones to be known to have been damaged by the Chalk Mountain Fire.

As of Thursday, the Texas A&M Forest Service said the Chalk Mountain Fire has scorched 6,339 acres and is just 10% contained.

The FDNY is touting its Alternative Support Apparatus, which its members call ASAP units.

“In areas around the city where we have long sections of beach and boardwalk, we have dedicated FDNY units that can respond into these often hard to access areas to quickly treat and transport sick and injured patients. We refer to them as ASAP units, Alternative Support Apparatus.

“We are able to bring this vehicle, which has all the lifesaving equipment that a Basic Life Support ambulance would have, right to the shoreline. Currently we have these units in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens,” said FDNY Lieutenant LaToya Darden of Station 47.

“A lot of the areas of beach we cover are very wide, and often crowded. Being able to drive the ASAP unit right up to a patient with all the equipment we need to treat them benefits them greatly. Once we remove the patient off the beach or the boardwalk we then will transfer care to an Advanced Life Support or Basic Life Support Unit for transport to a local hospital. I have seen firsthand how beneficial these units are for New Yorkers and anyone who visits are beaches and boardwalks,” said FDNY EMT Andrew Ochtera of Station 47. 

FDNY ASAP Units are also used throughout the year in Times Square and at special events such as the NYC Marathon, July 4th fireworks, parades, and other events.