VIDEO/PHOTOS: Firefighters battled a detached garage fire on Vanderploeg Drive Thursday evening, according to the Chesapeake Fire Department.

On Nov. 12, firefighters responded to the 1000 block of Vanderploeg Drive after dispatchers received multiple calls about a structure fire.

Crews were dispatched at 5:18 p.m. After arriving to the scene within minutes, they found a large detached garage heavily involved in fire, with flames spreading to nearby structures.

Firefighters then deployed multiple hose lines to contain the fire, preventing it from spreading further to the homes. The fire was brought under control at 5:42 p.m.

There were no injuries, and firefighters protected the homes from damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

WAVY-TV NBC 10 Portsmouth

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This week, state leaders shared some big news for first responders – on Nov. 16, a new homeownership assistance program is launching for firefighters, police officers, and EMS employees.

It’s called the First Responders’ Time to Own program and will give eligible state and local first responders up to $25,000 in forgivable down payment and closing cost assistance.

The idea is to give more incentives to people seeking a career in these fields, and give current first responders more motivation to continue their careers.

There are many states struggling to fill first responder jobs, including Connecticut. State police say they’re currently short about 250 officers short right now.

North Haven Fire Chief Paul Januszewski said this is a huge step in making sure people aren’t priced out of careers they love by having to choose between their job and buying a home in their community.

“As housing becomes increasingly unaffordable, maintaining that connection becomes more difficult. When younger individuals and families cannot afford to live in the communities where they volunteer, we risk not only losing dedicated firefighters, but the next generation of community leaders,” Januszewski said.

The new program has expanded eligibility, reduced interest rates, and more flexible requirements than the state’s standard Time to Own program.

WTIC-TV FOX 61 Hartford

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The Arlington (TX) Fire Department needed to beef up fire protection at the Arlington Municipal Airport with a more modern ARFF truck, before the World Cup came to town.

The post Arlington (TX) Fire Department Puts Oshkosh Striker 4×4 ARFF Truck in Service appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

VIDEO: New body camera video shows the aftermath of a helicopter crash near Orting that injured a pilot Saturday, as a flight instructor explains how an emergency maneuver may have helped the pilot survive. The helicopter was involved in Christmas tree harvesting on Nov. 7 when it made a hard landing in a parking lot.

Central Pierce Fire & Rescue reported that the pilot, the only person aboard, was taken to a hospital with moderate, non-life-threatening injuries. In newly released Pierce County Sheriff’s Office body camera footage, a deputy speaks with a witness who says the helicopter lost engine power approximately 40 to 50 feet above the ground while coming in to land. The pilot can be seen inside the helicopter as emergency responders arrive.

“Forty to 50 feet is very low,” said Mike Murphy, a helicopter flight instructor at Glacier Aviation at Olympia Regional Airport.

Murphy, who has taught helicopter pilots for 26 years, said an engine failure at such a low altitude leaves little time to react. One emergency maneuver pilots train for is called autorotation, which allows a helicopter to descend without engine power. The move has been discussed among aviation enthusiasts reacting to the crash online.

KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

The post New body camera video shows aftermath of Washington helicopter crash as instructor explains emergency maneuver appeared first on Daily Dispatch.

Battalion Chief Bill Dennstaedt with Spokane County Fire District 3 told KREM 2 crews on scene that a fire started at a shop near Geiger Heights on Wednesday night. Crews put out the fire quickly before it spread anywhere else.

According to Dennstaedt, the garage was fully engulfed when crews arrived, but a quick response from the team stopped the flames from spreading to nearby structures. No one was injured in the fire. The cause remains unknown.

KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

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