Firefighter to Medicolegal Death Investigator – Wayne Hopkins

Story by Staff Sgt. Noah Coger September 22, 2026 at 09:54AM “I have always felt like I do my best work when the stakes are the highest.” Born in Baltimore and raised in York County, Pennsylvania, Wayne Hopkins, an Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) medicolegal death investigator (MDI), has built his life and career through service.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/575318/firefighter-medicolegal-death-investigator-wayne-hopkins"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9956736/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Firefighter to Medicolegal Death Investigator – Wayne Hopkins" /></a>

Fort Buchanan firefighter shares professional expertise during training exchange in Panama

Story by September 17, 2026 at 02:53PM — Fort Buchanan Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Fire Chief Héctor Rivera recently traveled to Panama on his personal time for a weeklong professional exchange with Panama Canal firefighters, where he shared firefighting expertise in Spanish to help strengthen instructor qualifications, live-fire training and accreditation programs.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/575007/fort-buchanan-firefighter-shares-professional-expertise-during-training-exchange-panama"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9945125/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Fort Buchanan firefighter shares professional expertise during training exchange in Panama" /></a>

MCAS Miramar Welcomes New Firefighters

Story by 1st Lt. Blake Starbuck September 17, 2026 at 12:20PM MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (September 15, 2026) – Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar is leaning into an unconventional, deeply historical, and highly effective tool for mitigating fire risk: goats. The installation is releasing herds of grazing animals in a targeted effort to reduce dry brush and invasive grasses, turning to nature-based solutions to protect military infrastructure and neighboring civilian communities.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574981/mcas-miramar-welcomes-new-firefighters"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9942670/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="MCAS Miramar Welcomes New Firefighters" /></a>

From first response to first cry: Fort Leonard Wood firefighters help deliver baby in on-post housing

Story by Melissa Buckley September 17, 2026 at 08:44AM Fort Leonard Wood’s firefighters train for long hours to battle dangerous blazes, but on Sept. 1, 2026, they answered a call of a completely different nature — helping an Army family welcome a rapid-delivery newborn.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574962/first-response-first-cry-fort-leonard-wood-firefighters-help-deliver-baby-post-housing"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9943976/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="From first response to first cry: Fort Leonard Wood firefighters help deliver baby in on-post housing" /></a>

Blood, Sweat and Stairs: Goodfellow honors 9/11 first responders

Story by Senior Airman Renee Nicole Finona September 16, 2026 at 05:39PM Firefighters climbed five stories carrying 42-pound packs, advanced hose lines and dragged a 185-pound mannequin as part of the 14th annual Blood, Sweat and Stairs event, Sept. 12. Hosted by the 312th Training Squadron at the Louis F. Garland Department of War Fire Academy, the event honored the first responders who answered the call during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while challenging participants through a memorial run and firefighter combat challenge.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574939/blood-sweat-and-stairs-goodfellow-honors-9-11-first-responders"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9942369/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Blood, Sweat and Stairs: Goodfellow honors 9/11 first responders" /></a>

How the APG community carried a message of readiness for 9/11

Story by September 16, 2026 at 03:41PM U.S. Army Garrison Aberdeen Proving Ground police and fire departments recently hosted the second annual 9/11 Memorial March. The march began Sept. 10, 24 hours before the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. An American flag was continuously carried on Aberdeen Boulevard by participants across the installation until 8:46 a.m. Sept. 11, closing with Fire Chief Jimmy Ray ringing a bell six times to signify the first plane hitting the World Trade Center's North Tower.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574919/apg-community-carried-message-readiness-9-11"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9941872/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="How the APG community carried a message of readiness for 9/11" /></a>

Photo Story: Fort McCoy firefighters honor those lost on 9/11

Story by Scott Sturkol September 16, 2026 at 01:53PM Fort McCoy firefighters participated in the 2026 9/11 Memorial Run and Stair Climb on Sept. 11, 2026, at Fort McCoy, Wis.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574890/photo-story-fort-mccoy-firefighters-honor-those-lost-9-11"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9941306/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Photo Story: Fort McCoy firefighters honor those lost on 9/11" /></a>

Weight they carry: Fort McCoy firefighters honor those lost on 9/11

Story by Scott Sturkol September 15, 2026 at 07:26PM Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the memory of the emergency responders who ran toward danger that morning remains deeply connected to the work of firefighters who continue to answer calls for help today.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574818/weight-they-carry-fort-mccoy-firefighters-honor-those-lost-9-11"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9938507/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Weight they carry: Fort McCoy firefighters honor those lost on 9/11" /></a>

Real heat, real reps — Fort Wainwright firefighters train their own

Story by Brady Gross September 15, 2026 at 05:20PM Fort Wainwright Fire Department crews from Stations 1, 2 and 3 conducted annual live-fire training Sept. 12, 2026, at the garrison Firefighting Trainer facility to sharpen core emergency tactics.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574811/real-heat-real-reps-fort-wainwright-firefighters-train-their-own"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9938783/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Real heat, real reps — Fort Wainwright firefighters train their own" /></a>

Real heat, real reps — Fort Wainwright firefighters train their own

Story by Brady Gross September 15, 2026 at 05:20PM Fort Wainwright Fire Department crews from Stations 1, 2 and 3 conducted annual live-fire training Sept. 12, 2026, at the garrison Firefighting Trainer facility to sharpen core emergency tactics.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574811/real-heat-real-reps-fort-wainwright-firefighters-train-their-own"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9938783/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Real heat, real reps — Fort Wainwright firefighters train their own" /></a>

‘A Duty to Act’: Off-duty Picatinny firefighter’s selfless act earns heartfelt thanks from crash victim’s family

Story by Eric Kowal September 14, 2026 at 12:34PM PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – The family of a motor vehicle accident victim is praising the quick and selfless actions of an off-duty Picatinny Arsenal firefighter who stopped to provide critical roadside aid before emergency crews arrived to the scene earlier this summer.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574621/duty-act-off-duty-picatinny-firefighters-selfless-act-earns-heartfelt-thanks-crash-victims-family"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9934822/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="‘A Duty to Act’: Off-duty Picatinny firefighter’s selfless act earns heartfelt thanks from crash victim’s family" /></a>

Still Standing

Story by Staff Sgt. Christian Silvera September 13, 2026 at 07:15PM The story follows U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Marshall Nerios, a firefighter who battled testicular cancer, recurring infections and chronic pain while refusing to give up on his deployment. After returning home, he struggled with the emotional weight of what he had endured and turned to alcohol before seeking help through ADAPT and therapy. Through sobriety, family, and learning to prioritize his own well-being, Nerios discovered that true strength can mean setting aside pride, asking for help, and continuing forward one day at a time.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574587/still-standing"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9933240/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Still Standing" /></a>

Fort Bragg Community Stands in Silence to Commemorate 25 Years Since 9/11

Story by Staff Sgt. Nirak Manuel Garcia Navarro September 11, 2026 at 02:22PM Twenty-five years after the 9/11 attacks, Soldiers, first responders, Veterans and community members gathered at the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum at Fort Bragg to honor those who lost their lives and those who answered the nation’s call. Lt. Gen. Gregory K. Anderson reflected on how the attacks shaped a generation of military service, while retired New York City Fire Department paramedic and 9/11 survivor William J. Lehmann Jr. emphasized the connection between first responders and service members and the responsibility to preserve the stories of 9/11 for generations who did not experience it. The remembrance concluded with a bagpipe procession into the museum, reinforcing the importance of carrying the memory and legacy of Sept. 11 forward.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574460/fort-bragg-community-stands-silence-commemorate-25-years-since-9-11"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9928182/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Fort Bragg Community Stands in Silence to Commemorate 25 Years Since 9/11" /></a>

Marine Corps facility tests coordinated response to worst-case fuel spill

Story by Dustin Senger September 11, 2026 at 11:57AM An exercise alert directed personnel Sept. 10 to avoid roads near a simulated fuel spill at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island in Florida. Firefighters worked to secure the response area and assess immediate hazards. Beside a storm drain, environmental protection specialist Tyler Kinsley met with base operations support and spill-response contractors to determine how they would keep fuel out of nearby waters.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574423/marine-corps-facility-tests-coordinated-response-worst-case-fuel-spill"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9927526/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Marine Corps facility tests coordinated response to worst-case fuel spill" /></a>

Looking back at Ground Zero, Part 2: Personal accounts of Omaha District employees who joined disaster response following the 9/11 attacks

Story by Delanie Stafford September 10, 2026 at 12:46PM The images of Sept. 11, 2001, are familiar to generations of Americans - the collapsing towers, the smoke rising over lower Manhattan, firefighters moving toward the devastation and the massive recovery effort that followed. Less visible was the enormous logistical operation required to keep the disaster response moving. The following accounts are from Marilyn Mikula and Dave Holley, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District employees, who shared their experience as first recorded in December 2001 from an assignment unlike any they had experienced before. They are among seven U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District employees to support search and recovery efforts whose experiences are being highlighted again today as part of a short series in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The attacks claimed 2,977 victims and required one of the largest disaster response efforts in U.S. history. Both deployed shortly after the attacks and supported the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the New York City Fire Department and other agencies involved in the search and recovery effort.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574294/looking-back-ground-zero-part-2-personal-accounts-omaha-district-employees-who-joined-disaster-response-following-9"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9924313/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Looking back at Ground Zero, Part 2: Personal accounts of Omaha District employees who joined disaster response following the 9/11 attacks" /></a>

Looking back at Ground Zero, Part 2: Personal accounts of Omaha District employees who joined disaster response following the 9/11 attacks

Story by Delanie Stafford September 10, 2026 at 12:46PM The images of Sept. 11, 2001, are familiar to generations of Americans - the collapsing towers, the smoke rising over lower Manhattan, firefighters moving toward the devastation and the massive recovery effort that followed. Less visible was the enormous logistical operation required to keep the disaster response moving. The following accounts are from Marilyn Mikula and Dave Holley, two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District employees, who shared their experience as first recorded in December 2001 from an assignment unlike any they had experienced before. They are among seven U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District employees to support search and recovery efforts whose experiences are being highlighted again today as part of a short series in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The attacks claimed 2,977 victims and required one of the largest disaster response efforts in U.S. history. Both deployed shortly after the attacks and supported the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the New York City Fire Department and other agencies involved in the search and recovery effort.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574294/looking-back-ground-zero-part-2-personal-accounts-omaha-district-employees-who-joined-disaster-response-following-9"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9924313/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Looking back at Ground Zero, Part 2: Personal accounts of Omaha District employees who joined disaster response following the 9/11 attacks" /></a>

MI Reservist Saves New Yorkers (11 SEP 2001)

Story by Erin Thompson September 9, 2026 at 11:11AM On Sep. 11, 2001, New York Fire Department Fire Marshal Ronald P. Bucca gave his life while responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center. At the time, Bucca was also an Army reservist serving as operations chief of the 3413th MI Detachment out of Fort Totten (Queens), New York.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574166/mi-reservist-saves-new-yorkers-11-sep-2001"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9921309/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="MI Reservist Saves New Yorkers (11 SEP 2001)" /></a>

Fort Rucker Firefighters Climb to Remember 9/11

Story by John Drew Hamilton September 4, 2026 at 04:36PM Firefighters on Fort Rucker took to the stairs of the Soldier Service Center today executing a memorial stair climb in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. More than 20 of Fort Rucker’s firefighters, as well as plenty of volunteers, supporters, and members of Fort Rucker leadership took time out of their day and climbed the stairs of building 5700 repeatedly until they’d reached 110 flights of stairs, representing the number of flights of stairs in the World Trade Center.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/574017/fort-rucker-firefighters-climb-remember-9-11"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9914553/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Fort Rucker Firefighters Climb to Remember 9/11" /></a>

Evans personnel participate in Colorado Springs full-scale exercise

Story by Gino Mattorano September 4, 2026 at 01:13PM Evans Army Community Hospital personnel participated in a full-scale Mass Casualty exercise simulating a commercial aircraft crash at the Colorado Springs Airport Aug. 19, 2026. Teams from the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Airport, fire department, law enforcement, emergency management, community hospitals, Peterson Air Force Base and more than two dozen additional partners participated in a realistic emergency response scenario.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/573996/evans-personnel-participate-colorado-springs-full-scale-exercise"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9914060/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Evans personnel participate in Colorado Springs full-scale exercise" /></a>

Memory and Light: USAG Italy readies to mark 25 years since 9/11

Story by Anna Ciccotti September 4, 2026 at 09:48AM A quarter of a century after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. Army Garrison Italy Soldiers, military police and firefighters will gather alongside local Italian officials in Padova for a solemn 25th anniversary commemoration at Memoria e Luce, the Memory and Light monument.<br /><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/news/573985/memory-and-light-usag-italy-readies-mark-25-years-since-9-11"><img src="https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2609/9913209/250w_q95.jpg" width="250" alt="Memory and Light: USAG Italy readies to mark 25 years since 9/11" /></a>