Voting will open up from January 24th - February 1st. Get ready to vote for your favorite...last year the competition really heated up!

Four Alarms have been sounded for a fire at the Crossing apartment complex at 30 Dowling Circle in Baltimore County. The call came in around 7pm tonight. A firefighter and two others have been transported to area hospitals for injuries sustained in the fire. The firefighter was rescued by other firefighters after transmitting a Mayday.

Today is the last day to nominate your favorite blog for the Black Diamond Fire & EMS Blog of the Year 2010-2011. Is your favorite blog already nominated? Check here for fire blogs and here for EMS blogs! Currently there are 14 Fire blogs and 21 EMS blogs nominated! Nominations end at Midnight Tonight!

Firefighter Quick passed away from injuries sustained as a result of his response to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11th, 2001. Incident Location: World Trade Center, New York City, NY

Firefighter Harold Frey, 46, died of a heart attack while packing up after ice rescue training.

Quincy Captain William (Bill) Floyd Hopman died at home after battling a house fire the night before. Hopman was 53 and a 20 year veteran of the fire service. He was married for 26 years and had one child. Hopman loved aviation and had been a pilot since the age of 17. Currently, he was the Chief Pilot for Foxen Canyon Motorsports and Alan Johnson Performance Engines for the past 12 years.

A Gas Explosion killed a gas worker in Philadelphia tonight. The explosion was caught on video.

For some firefighters, the loose fire hose drill is a right of passage. I must admit that it was not part of my curriculum as a vollie or career guy....luckily. I know what to do...shut down the supply! If need be, I will get all wet but I am not planning on training on this any time soon. Tell you what, we will make the next rookie we get at the station do it! Here is the Top Ten Youtube Videos of Loose Hose Lines!

Roanoke Firefighters battled a fire at the Days Inn near the Roanoke Civic Center today. They are still on scene hitting the hot spots. The hotel was apparently undergoing renovations. There were no guests in the hotel at the time of the fire. The fire closed down route 460 in both directions right at Williamson Road for hours. The fire even made it on CNN today.

The nominations close on January 19th (at midnight) for the Black Diamond Fire & EMS Blog of the Year contest. So far we have 17 EMS blogs nominated and 12 Fire blogs nominated. The winners receive a pair of the newest boots from Black Diamond Boots and bragging rights for the next year! Voting on the 7 finalists decided by our judges begins on January 24th!