Angry bees, low water and a disturbed man armed with a shovel were all hazards firefighters had to deal with on Tuesday while they tried to fight a fire on an island in the Sudbury River. In the end, firefighters decided to let the rain extinguish the fire, Deputy Fire Chief Mark Leporati said. Firefighters got the call about the fire on the island in the Sudbury Reservoir off Central Street around 10 a.
- PUB DATE: 9/20/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Metro West Daily

Houston firefighter Brian Sumrall, described by friends and co-workers as "an amazing person" on Sunday, was in the midst of doing what set him apart: helping others. He was traveling southbound on FM 770 about two miles from the rural town of Batson in a Kubota tractor when he was hit from the rear by a Chevrolet pickup driven by Joe Patton, 35, of Hull.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Houston Chronicle

A fire chief said he had to take matters into his own hands when a UPS driver was attacked by pit bulls. Orting Valley Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Steve Goodwin said he rammed a gate when someone at the house refused to open it. The rolling chain-link gate in question is back upright now after the Fire Department crashed through it Wednesday.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KOMO-TV ABC 4

Broward County’s firefighter-paramedics are used to wearing protective gear for battling blazes. Now they’ll be getting new protection — body armor vests and helmets — for when they’re assisting victims in incidents involving guns or other dangerous weapons. It’s a sign of the times, officials say, with the proliferation of active shooter and mass casualty cases across the country, including deadly incidents at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in January and at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando last year.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: Sun Sentinel

A City of Houston Hurricane Harvey Preparation Plan, obtained by Channel 2 Investigates, shows the Houston Fire Department has shockingly little flood rescue equipment, and it appears to have contributed to millions of dollars in losses for the city in totaled fire trucks. “The reason I think we sank six engine companies is (that) they’re not built for a high-water environment,” said Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena.
- PUB DATE: 9/19/2017 12:00:00 AM - SOURCE: KPRC-TV NBC 2 Houston