Hurricanes and Floods are being emphasized Thursday as part of Florida's Hazardous Weather Awareness Week. So, it means a big day for South Florida's "Disaster Survival House." Doug Phillips explains…

Some southwest Floridians will be getting a phone call in the coming week – they’ll be asked how they would react to an approaching hurricane, or other natural or manmade disasters. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more.

A peer review of the U-S Army Corps of Engineers' plan for strengthening the dike around Lake Okeechobee gives a thumb's up to the proposed project. WGCU's Valerie Alker reports.

Firefighters, forestry officials, emergency managers and landowners are gathering in Ocala starting this morning for the 5th Florida Wildland Fire Conference. The 3-day event includes training sessions and demonstrations of new firefighting technologies. Wildfire Mitigation Specialist with the Florida Division of Forestry - Jerry LaCavera – told WGCU's Mike Kiniry that firefighters here in the Sunshine State face similar challenges to what firefighters are up against in southern California.

As Hurricane Season once again threatens Florida residents and their homes, the state is sending out inspectors in an effort to strengthen houses against hurricane damage. WGCU's John Davis has this look at the My Safe Florida Home program.

One of the many challenges during a disaster, whether man made or natural, is getting medicine to people as quickly as possible. There’s a new program that may help resolve that problem. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Governor Charlie Crist has officially designated July 31st as Florida Animal Disaster Preparedness Day. It comes on the same day Lee County opens its first Emergency Mandatory Evacuation Pet Shelter. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Two Cape Coral firefighters travelled to Charleston, South Carolina to honor the nine fallen firefighters that died when a roof collapsed during a warehouse blaze earlier this week. It was the single deadliest day for firefighters since 9-11. The tragedy was also fresh on the minds of their colleagues on Thursday during a training session focusing on dealing with structural collapse. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

A group of firefighters from Ft Myers and Cape Coral were honing their skills Thursday as part of a monthly set of training programs.

The three dozen or so firefighters on hand are part of the Technical Rescue Team unit. Early Thursday they trained in structural damage rescue techniques at the old Michigan Links apartments in Ft. They went through a series of drills including setting up structural supports, entering through debris and rescuing victims. The drills were a reminder of the recent tragedy in South Carolina where nine firefighters died after warehouse roof caved in on them. Keith Cortner with Ft Myers Fire Rescue says the tragedy was on everybody’s mind.

“Do we talk about it sure? So it is in our mind? Absolutely! Can this training be tied into that? Sure. There was a structural collapse due to a fire rather than natural disaster and that type of thing. A structural collapse is a structural collapse and a lot of what we do today can be applied to that once the fire is out and taken care of.”

The TRT unit holds monthly training sessions similar to this one. Other skills the team trains on include; high angle rescue, swift water rescue and wilderness search and rescue.

First responders from 19 states will be learning strategies to help their peers deal with job related stress at a conference that gets underway Thursday in Naples. WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.