Video via kiiitv.com

With cooler weather circulating and heightening the possibility of drier brush and thus fires, some Coastal Bend (TX) fire departments are being proactive, reports kiiitv.com.

Nueces County Emergency Service Department is receiving two new brush trucks, which can take a department further into a fire and get into areas where the previous apparatus could not, according to officials. The department also has a heavy-duty brush truck that will be ready for use soon.

The Corpus Christi Fire Department uses specific resources designed to combat brush fires. Plus, officials say the department has three stations designated as the brush truck teams.

Both departments are ready to assist local departments with mutual aid.

Officials recently held the grand-opening ceremony for the Wilbanks (SC) EMS-Fire station, reports indexjournal.com.

The facility features a fully equipped kitchen, three laundry machines, office space, and private bedrooms, the report says, but its location is the big draw.

Officials estimate the station will be within five miles of 75% of its calls. In addition, they say its centralized location should shave five minutes off response times to medical calls in the area.

The station will house the Medic One ambulance unit as well as a fire engine, the report says, though the bay is large enough to house two EMS and two fire apparatus.

City officials say the station was paid for using county operating funds, and it joins the six stations built using Capital Project Sales Tax funds.

In honor of National First Responders Day, the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana presented Gary (IN) fire and police officials with novelty, guitar-shaped checks worth $72,000 for the purchase of two new 2022 Ford F-150 trucks for each department.

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“We are very grateful for the wonderful donation given on National First Responders Day!” Gary said on Facebook.

Video via sacramento.cbslocal.com

The Sacramento (CA) Fire Department has created a new virtual reality experience and jumped into the social media game in an effort to recruit the next generation of firefighters, reports sacramento.cbslocal.com.

Part of the new Division of Diversity, Outreach and Recruitment Program, the VR experience aims to allow the user to experience a day in the life of a firefighter—climbing a tall ladder, fighting a fire, and even vehicle extrication, the report says.

The technology—which uses 360-degree video to display the three aforementioned fire-centric scenarios—will be used at public events, the first of which will be the November 5 Kings/Hornets game at the Golden1 Center, the report says.

On the social media app TikTok, the department’s account boasts more than 65,500 followers, and its most-viewed video has more than 7 million views, 1 million likes, and more than 20,000 comments.