By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• Helmet camera footage captured a Smith County, Texas, rookie firefighter falling through a floor while fighting a structure fire on Jan. 23.
• The incident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. as crews worked to extinguish a blaze in a single-story building.
• The firefighter fell through interior flooring but was able to pull himself out of the hole.
• No injuries were reported, and the crew successfully extinguished the fire, according to the department.

SMITH COUNTY, TX — Helmet camera video released by Smith County Emergency Services District 2 shows a rookie firefighter falling through a weakened floor while battling a structure fire Jan. 23.

The incident occurred just before 10 p.m. as Engine 72A responded to a single-story building fire in Smith County and crews worked to extinguish the blaze, officials reported.

Footage from the helmet-mounted camera shows the firefighter dropping through the floor during interior operations, after which a crew member asks if he is through the floor.

The firefighter, identified by the department as a rookie, responded and was able to pull himself out of the hole without assistance.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fall, and firefighters completed fire suppression efforts at the scene, according to the emergency services district.

The department posted the video and highlighted the incident on its social media, noting the rookie’s calm response amid the unexpected fall.

The Briefing
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency would have an estimated $7 billion–$8 billion in its Disaster Relief Fund to support ongoing winter storm response if a partial government shutdown begins Jan. 30.
• The agency is actively assisting state and local efforts responding to a widespread winter storm that left hundreds of thousands without power and caused dozens of deaths.
• FEMA’s ability to use those funds in the short term was affirmed by experts and former officials despite public warnings from the administration.
• Funding for some FEMA programs outside the Disaster Relief Fund, such as National Flood Insurance operations, could pause during a shutdown.

By MES Dispatch staff

WASHINGTON, DC — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to maintain its response to the ongoing winter storm even if a partial government shutdown begins at midnight Friday, officials and experts said.

FEMA would continue operations using its Disaster Relief Fund, which is estimated to hold between $7 billion and $8 billion after funds from the latest appropriations bill potentially expire, according to people familiar with agency planning.

The agency has been supporting state and local responses to extreme winter weather that affected large areas of the United States, coordinating emergency aid and pre-positioning resources such as generators and supplies.

Experts said the remaining balance in the Disaster Relief Fund should cover near-term needs tied to the storm and other likely demands over the coming weeks, even if broader federal funding lapses.

However, FEMA operations funded outside the Disaster Relief Fund, including the National Flood Insurance Program’s policy actions, could be suspended during a shutdown, and essential personnel might work without pay, experts noted.

As of this report, Congress had not finalized funding to avert a shutdown, and federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security have been negotiating the fiscal year 2026 budget.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• A man in Oklahoma used his privately owned fire truck to rescue residents stranded during a severe winter storm.
• The winter weather dropped temperatures and created dangerous road conditions across parts of the state.
• The man’s efforts helped evacuate individuals from flooded or snow-blocked areas to safer locations.
• Local emergency services authorities acknowledged his assistance during the response.
• No serious injuries were reported in connection with the rescues.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — A private citizen in Oklahoma deployed his personally owned fire truck to aid in rescue efforts during a recent winter storm that created hazardous conditions across parts of the state.

The storm brought heavy snow, ice and subfreezing temperatures, contributing to stranded motorists and residents in need of assistance, officials said.

Using his fire apparatus, the man helped transport people from flooded streets and snow-blocked areas to locations where they could receive shelter and aid, authorities reported.

Local emergency management and responders noted the individual’s actions complemented official response efforts amid resource demands caused by the storm.

No serious injuries related to the weather conditions or the rescue efforts were reported, and responders urged continued caution as winter weather persists.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at cutting bureaucratic red tape and speeding up rebuilding of homes destroyed by last year’s Los Angeles wildfires.
• The order directs federal agencies to preempt state and local permitting requirements and allow builders to self-certify compliance with health, safety and building standards.
• It also calls for expedited federal waivers and approvals that may be required under environmental and historic preservation laws.
• Fewer than a dozen homes had been rebuilt in the county as of early January; hundreds more are under construction.
• California officials have urged approval of state disaster funding, saying permitting is not the primary barrier to reconstruction.

LOS ANGELES, CA — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday intended to cut through bureaucratic red tape and accelerate reconstruction of homes destroyed by the January 2025 Los Angeles area wildfires, federal officials said.

The order directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration to develop rules that would preempt state and local permitting requirements, allowing builders to self-certify compliance with substantive health, safety and building standards.

It also directs federal agencies to expedite waivers, permits and approvals under federal environmental, historic preservation and natural resource laws that may otherwise delay rebuilding work.

As of early January, local officials said fewer than a dozen homes had been rebuilt in Los Angeles County, although hundreds more were under construction following the wildfires that destroyed tens of thousands of residential properties.

California’s governor and Los Angeles city leaders have called for expedited federal disaster funding and faster reimbursements, saying financial barriers and insurance issues remain major obstacles to rebuilding.

By MES Dispatch staff

The Briefing
• Four Jacksonville, Florida, firefighters were arrested and booked on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges for involvement in a paintball incident that struck a patrol vehicle and other property.
• The incident occurred Dec. 29 and involved paintballs hitting a marked law enforcement patrol vehicle near a fire station.
• Investigators recovered paintballs and shells at the scene and identified personnel believed to have fired the paintballs.
• The firefighters were reassigned to administrative duties pending an internal department inquiry.
• Fire department officials said emergency operations and public safety services will continue without interruption.

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Four firefighters with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department were arrested Jan. 23 and charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief in connection with a paintball incident that struck a marked law enforcement patrol vehicle and other property on Dec. 29.

Officials said the investigation began after a patrol officer discovered green paint splatters on his vehicle while on duty near a fire station in the LaVilla area. Additional reports indicated other vehicles and nearby property also had paint damage consistent with paintball impacts.

Investigators located paint splatters on the roadway, street signs and adjacent surfaces, and recovered multiple paintballs and spent shells on the roof and driveway of the nearby fire station. Evidence indicated the paintballs were fired from an elevated position, and detectives identified four fire department personnel in connection with the incident.

Arrest warrants were obtained, and the four firefighters were booked into the Duval County Jail on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges. The department has reassigned the personnel to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

Fire department leadership stated it is cooperating with law enforcement and that the arrests will not affect emergency services or staffing levels at the station where the incident occurred.