At least three fires broke out in Jacksonville during the weekend, raising concerns about fire safety as the colder months approach.

The lives of 26 courageous Jacksonville firefighters will be honored during a Wednesday ceremony for their sacrifice in the line of duty.

Jacksonville firefighters battled a massive fire for hours Tuesday at a Northside recycling facility that focuses on vehicle tires.

Jacksonville firefighters battled a massive fire for hours Tuesday at a Northside recycling facility that focuses on vehicle tires.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is mourning the loss of one of its beloved members, who will forever be remembered for his dedication to the community.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department tested out a new hybrid fire truck that could potentially be added to its fleet.

Florida’s new law banning people from sleeping outside on public property will go into effect Oct. 1.

It has been one year since the top floor of a three-story parking garage at Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside on King Street partially collapsed and left multiple cars damaged.

On Tuesday, the city of Jacksonville broke ground on a new fire station. The new building will be on the north side of the city and is expected to open on nine months.

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Engineer Ian M. Church was laid to rest Friday.

The City of Jacksonville and agency partners will hold a news conference Monday at noon to provide updates on preparation and response efforts for Tropical Storm Debby.

Agencies in Jacksonville are preparing as Tropical Storm Debby approaches the Florida Big Bend.

The Jacksonville City Council will hold a special meeting Sunday morning in the Council Chamber to discuss the latest updates on Tropical Storm Debby and provide recommendations for its potential local impact.

JFRD officially opened Fire Station 22 on Lenox Avenue Wednesday morning, replacing the previous building that housed JFRD personnel in the area.

The Fire Chief Scholarship is privately funded and pays for students’ tuition for EMT school and helps them receive the mentoring and training they need to succeed.

A house fire left a family of 5 with nowhere to live. It happened on Beaver Run Dr. in East Arlington near Kernan Blvd.

A brand new fire station opened its doors on the Northside Thursday morning, filling a major gap in the area.

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department officially opened Station 68 on the east bank of the St. Johns River.

As fire crews battle hot spots that keep popping up at the RISE Doro apartments, officials have brought up the possibility of demolition due to collapse concerns at the Downtown apartment complex.

Until the fire-gutted RISE Doro apartment building can be torn down, the surrounding streets, a nearby parking garage and several businesses will remain closed.

The fire that destroyed the RISE Doro apartments in Downtown Jacksonville sparked just days before the final inspection that would have allowed the building’s sprinkler system to be activated.

A brand-new luxury apartment building that was set to begin housing tenants by this weekend is now a water-soaked wood frame shell filled with soot and ash.

What are the next steps for the future of the downtown apartment complex that went up in flames just days before it was scheduled to welcome residents?

Since late Sunday night, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue has been trying to extinguish a fire at the new RISE Doro Apartments on East Adams Street. JFRD Chief Keith Powers said the fire has been difficult to put out because of void spaces in the building during construction.

As more than 100 firefighters worked through the night battling a massive blaze at a downtown Jacksonville apartment building, they were also working to protect nearby businesses.

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue crews battled through the night as a brand-new luxury apartment building Downtown went up in flames.

The weather has been difficult for firefighters with low humidity and gusty winds. Skies are sunny but filled with smoke around the Sports Complex and Southbank.

A brand-new apartment building that was still under construction in downtown Jacksonville appears to be a complete loss after a massive blaze that kept more than 100 firefighters working through the night.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department will honor the 25 firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty for Duval County while working for the department.

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan on Thursday announced new leadership appointments for the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD).

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is mourning the loss of a firefighter who was killed in an off-duty accident.

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue and city leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday for Station 64, which is on Harts Road, just off I-95.

The clean-up of a toxic acid spill from a railcar from the weekend continued Monday on the Southside. Crews were seen Monday transferring the hydrochloric acid from the leaking car to another tanker.

The builder of the parking garage at Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside hospital that partially collapsed said Wednesday that it stands by its work on the garage and plans to assist in the investigation into what happened.

Questions will be asked for several weeks if not months as to how the parking structure at Ascension St. Vincent’s hospital suddenly collapsed Monday afternoon.

A parking garage for Ascension St. Vincent's Riverside on King Street partially collapsed Tuesday afternoon, damaging multiple cars.

City leaders are asking Jacksonville drivers to obey Florida law and Move Over for first responder vehicles.

Mayor Lenny Curry, Chief Keith Powers and other city dignitaries will be on hand for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for Station 75 on the Westside of Jacksonville.

An E-Town home was destroyed Wednesday morning in a fire sparked by lithium batteries in a golf cart that was parked in the garage, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

Jacksonville Fire & Rescue is sending out a warning about using lithium batteries, if you’re not careful, they can produce a major fire hazard.

With a new mayor and new council members preparing to take office, current city leaders are preparing a budget for them to get started.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is using a new form of fire prevention to help keep families and neighborhoods near forests safe by providing them with another line of defense in case of a fire.

JFRD said it will address the need for additional rescue services in the area.

A lithium iron phosphate battery fire Tuesday at a sprawling Jacksonville plant that produces industrial-sized batteries forced the evacuation of the warehouse building at Cecil Commerce Center.

Ten local student-athletes are on their way to becoming first responders after receiving scholarships from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

Fighting the opioid epidemic by making treatment more accessible and comprehensive.

The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department broke ground on a new fire station on the Northside on Monday morning.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department on Tuesday showed off some new additions to its fleet.

Jacksonville is playing a major role in the Hurricane Ian recovery efforts in Southwest Florida.

Another new fire station is coming to Jacksonville — this one on the Westside.

A local man who helped save his neighbors from an apartment building fire in June is being called a hero.

Chief Keith Powers tells News4JAX he’s asking for $20 million for 2022-23 capital improvement funds funding a multitude of projects that are critical to saving lives and protecting property.

The Jacksonville City Council on Thursday was going over how to spend over $1.5 billion of your tax dollars.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry on Thursday announced the city has once again been rated Class I by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) in their recent public protection classification.

The American Red Cross is offering free smoke alarms to residents in 35 counties, including all of Northeast Florida, to help prevent fire deaths.

Jacksonville’s fire chief and mayor on Thursday talked with Northside homeowners and gave them new smoke detectors to those who need them to make sure they are safe.

By News4JAX count, five people have died in Jacksonville house fires in 2022, and on Thursday, the city’s Fire and Rescue Department took additional steps to prevent that number from increasing.

House fires happen more in the winter than in any other season, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

A woman in her 70s is dead and two children are critically injured following a house fire Tuesday night on 563 West 21st street, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Family and friends are remembering JFRD engineer Michael Freeland, as they said their final goodbyes Saturday.

A 36-year-old firefighter died after he collapsed while trying to rescue the driver of a U-Haul truck that struck a utility pole early Thursday morning.

A new $7 million fire station that is expected to serve thousands of residents in the fast-growing Southside area had its grand opening on Tuesday.

Data provided by Jacksonville Fire Rescue shows that from 2016-2020, 67% of homes that caught fire in Duval County did not have a working smoke detector.

Twenty-four adults and nine children were displaced after a fire ripped through an apartment building in the Jacksonville Heights area on the Westside on Monday, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a new fire station in the E-Town community.

Family, friends, community members, and Jacksonville firefighters will lay to rest longtime Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department Lt. Mario Moya.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry took to Twitter on Friday night to announce the city has shut down a section of Bay Street and the Riverwalk due to “structural concerns” associated with the demolition of downtown’s most notable eyesore.

Mayor Lenny Curry and his staff are working on budget plans and ways to spend tax dollars, and on Friday, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department laid out its wish list.

Fire Capt. Thomas Barber was remembered Tuesday as a man with a bright smile who committed his life to serving others.

One local family, the Aldermans, has over 100 years of family tradition as first responders.

Anyone who owns a single family home or two-family home in Duval County is eligible for a free smoke detector program courtesy of Mayor Lenny Curry's office.

Jacksonville leadership is pooling resources for a new program called Missing Endangered Persons Search and Rescue to rapidly deploy personnel and equipment from both departments to search for missing children and adults.

A firefighter suffered first- and second-degree burns while battling a blaze at a home in Northwest Jacksonville on Thursday, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville has fired a veteran firefighter accused of making sexual advances toward a minor, News4Jax learned Monday. The 48-year-old, who’s been with the fire department 17 years, has pleaded not guilty to those charges. The victim told investigators that Lampkins kissed her, asked her to place her hand on his crotch and offered to buy her a sex toy, among other allegations. The victim’s mother told News4Jax at the time that she was devastated after learning of the allegations. Powers said Lampkins was later allowed to resume regular duties when those allegations did not lead to criminal charges.

JFRD Chief Keith Powers says 1,600 JFRD employees will get vaccinated at the Prime Osborne Convention Center, where a special clinic has been set up. Last week, the first group of JFRD employees -- about 25 people, including Powers -- received their first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. And this is just another way we can do that.”His employees are not required to get the shot, but he says that since the start of the pandemic, 282 JFRD employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Our first responders began receiving the COVID-19 vaccine today. It’s expected to take at least six days to vaccinate about 1,600 JFRD employees.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – About 25 Jacksonville Fire and Rescue employees, including Chief Keith Powers, received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday afternoon. The remaining 1,600 JFRD employees will begin getting the vaccine next week -- a process that’s expected to last several days. The city said it is important that JFRD employees get vaccinated early because about 900 paramedics will be used to administer the shots to the public as early as next month. Clay County told News4Jax its firefighters will also be involved in giving shots to the public but they have not received any vaccine. Statewide more than 68,000 people have received either Pfizer’s or Moderna’s vaccine as of Wednesday.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four firefighters suffered burns Tuesday while trying to rescue someone they thought was inside a burning home in the New Town neighborhood of Northwest Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department was called just after 1 p.m. and saw flames and heavy smoke coming from the house on Acorn Street near West 2nd Street. Neighbors said someone was trapped inside, so four firefighters forced their way inside and encountered high heat and flames. “Every day in this city (there are) house fires and these firefighters respond to them,” Powers said. The man who neighbors believed to still be in the house said he was not surprised the firefighters were told that someone was probably inside.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you haven’t already filled out the 2020 Census, you might be out of luck. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the census, overriding a previous ruling from U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh, which held that the census could continue through Oct. 31. RELATED: Supreme Court halts 2020 census for nowPresident Donald Trump’s administration requested the stoppage, saying the U.S. Census Bureau needed time to make sense of the head count before a year-end deadline set by Congress. Now, let’s say you don’t have children, so childcare funding doesn’t move the needle for you. But if something changes, completing your census is easy and takes no time at all.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department lieutenant was arrested Wednesday based on accusations that he tried to have sex with a minor. According to Lampkins' arrest warrant, the victim told investigators that Lampkins made sexual advances toward her while visiting her family’s home April 16. She said Lampkins told her, “'I know you have cameras in here. News4Jax crime and safety analyst, who is a retired Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office sex crimes investigator, said that was an odd question to ask. Lampkins’ arrest comes a little bit more than a year after a woman accused Lampkins of rape, though he was not charged with a crime.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The fast-growing Gate Parkway area has been served since last September by firefighters working out of a temporary structure. “These fine men and women have been in a temporary station. Reducing response times and lowering insurance rates are a few benefits for the placement of the new station. JFRD said members working at Fire Station No. It’s very important that we can respond and meet those NFPA numbers to keep our response times down,” Powers said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dozens of search and rescue members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department left Tuesday to head west to help with storm efforts. JFRD Chief Keith Powers said he got the official call Monday night that crews needed to be ready to deploy Tuesday morning. He said 41 men and women volunteered at the drop of the hat to deploy to assist after Hurricane Sally passes. This is the first storm of the season that JFRD has responded to in order to help. Keep this crew in your thoughts and prayers as they left their families today to help with the inevitable devastation Hurricane Sally will leave.... be careful out there!

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The city of Jacksonville was awarded more than $14 million in federal grant money to hire 60 more Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department personnel, the mayor announced Tuesday. The $14,240,160 was the second-largest grant awarded this year through FEMAs Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program. MORE: FEMA database of SAFER grant awardsThe $14 million was the largest grant awarded to any city in Florida, and far surpassed the $5.5 million SAFER grant the city was awarded last September, Mayor Lenny Curry said. He said the grant will fund salary and benefits for 60 additional firefighters, freeing up city dollars for other priorities without impacting public safety priorities. Its big for the citizens of this county and the city, Powers said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Dozens of firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19 and hundreds of firefighters have been quarantined, according to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. Fire Chief Keith Powers said Monday that 232 JFRD employees were in quarantine, 33 of whom have tested positive for COVID-19. I think the department has done a great job of making sure everyone is well trained, Wyse told News4Jax on Monday. Wyse said firefighters are trying their best to steer clear of the virus, but some situations are unavoidable. Wyse said he expects everyone in the department to have been tested for COVID-19 by the end of the week.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. More than a week after a group of Jacksonville firefighters were injured while battling a fire onboard a ship docked at Blount Island, the Fire and Rescue Department said Friday that the fire is officially out.According to Fire Chief Keith Powers, eight firefighters were injured in an explosion that occurred while crews were battling the fire, and an additional firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion. According to Powers, the fire started on the seventh deck of the ship. Approximately 120 JFRD personnel were sent to battle the initial fire. The ship was loaded with automobiles. An oil spill response team was brought in by Resolve Marine, which placed a boom around the ship to prevent pollution in the water.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A support fund has been set up to help nine Jacksonville firefighters who were injured last week trying to contain a blaze aboard a cargo ship at Blount Island. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said it was overwhelmed with requests to help the injured firefighters, so the fundraising account was set up on the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters website. The firefighters escaped the ship with their lives, but with burns to their heads and hands. JFRD Chief Keith Powers said its a miracle the eight men caught in that explosion survived. As of Monday, two firefighters were still in the hospital, undergoing skin grafting surgeries in the burn unit at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A fire aboard a cargo ship docked at Blount Island was “under control and contained” as of Sunday morning, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said. According to JFRD, eight firefighters were injured in an explosion Thursday while battling the fire on the ship. On Saturday, JFRD said, crews were cooling the ship with more than 25,000 gallons of water per minute on all sides. Day 3, cooling the ship with more than 25,000 gallons of water per minute on all sides... working with partners to a safe resolve to the situation. RELATED: Maritime expert explains why cargo ship fire is particularly hazardous | Coast Guard working to control potential environmental impact of burning shipThe Coast Guard said there are no signs of contaminants in the water.

RELATED: Coast Guard working to control potential environmental impact of burning shipThese photos from JFRD were taken by drones with infrared cameras to measure the temperatures and show the hottest areas of the ship glowing red. Mark Vlaun with the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard said there are no signs of contaminants in the water. Unfortunately, a number of members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department sustained injuries courageously tackling this blaze. Jacksonville firefighters responded immediately and have worked tirelessly to control the fire.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Eight of 120 firefighters battling a stubborn fire aboard a car-carrier ship docked at the Jacksonville Port Authoritys Blount Island Marine Terminal were hospitalized after an explosion. The explosion occurred nearly three hours after firefighters responded to the fire Thursday afternoon. The ship, a Norwegian vessel called Hoegh Xiamen was carrying old and used cars and had been scheduled to leave Jacksonville. Of the firefighters hospitalized, four were treated for burns, one was taken into surgery for injuries Thursday night and another firefighter has been in intensive care, News4Jax learned. Four of them were taken to the burn unit at Shands in Gainesville -- two by helicopter, two by ground transport.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Some of the Jacksonville firefighters who were injured in an explosion that occurred while they were battling a fire aboard a cargo ship sustained significant injuries and have a long recovery period ahead, Fire Chief Keith Powers said Friday. Eight firefighters were hospitalized in Thursdays explosion on the ship docked at Blount Island, and a ninth was treated for heat exhaustion. RELATED: Maritime expert explains why cargo ship fire is particularly hazardousTheres four or five of them that have got some pretty significant injuries. Theyre going to be out a long time, Powers said. Theyre going to be OK, just a long, long, long recovery.Randy Wyse, president of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters, pointed out that going into a ship thats on fire is one of the most dangerous tasks a firefighter faces.

In this image made from aerial video taken on June 4, 2020, firefighters spray a cargo ship with water, in Jacksonville, Florida. Authorities say nine firefighters responding to a fire aboard a ship in Florida have been hospitalized after the ship exploded. (WJXT via AP)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Nine firefighters responding to a fire aboard a ship in Florida have been hospitalized after the ship exploded, injuring eight and sending one to a hospital for heat exhaustion, authorities said. Of the nine firefighters hospitalized, four were treated for burns, one was taken into surgery for injuries Thursday night and another firefighter has been in intensive care, news outlets reported. Theyll need a lot of that.Nearly 150 firefighters were continuing to rotate in teams to battle the blaze abroad the ship, Powers said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. At least nine firefighters are recovering from injuries, some serious, after an explosion occurred while battling a fire Thursday evening aboard a cargo ship docked at Blount Island, according to a spokesperson for the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters. Fire Chief Keith Powers with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said ship fires are some of the most dangerous fires a firefighter will be faced with extinguishing. RELATED: JFRD: Firefighters injured battling fire aboard cargo ship at Blount IslandMaritime attorney Rod Sullivan spoke with News4Jax about the dangerous of cargo ship fires, especially ones that are carrying automobiles. Those vehicles are filled with with gasoline and gasoline is a highly explosive substance, especially if it becomes vaporized and heats up, Sullivan said. Sullivan also spoke about some of the precautions that are taken when moving vehicles aboard a cargo ship.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A fire in a wooded area just off San Pablo Road on Thursday afternoon came within 100 feet of homes before firefighters, two of whom were treated for heat exhaustion, could beat it back. The Florida Forest Service had two tractors cutting fire breaks and a spotter plane in the air. No homes were burned, but News4Jax heard from residents from the Pablo Bay neighborhood, on the west side of San Pablo Road and north of J. Turner Butler Boulevard, who were evacuated. Little did she know, her mother, Kelly Pogue, was battling traffic and thick smoke as she tried to get home. San Pablo Road reopened by early Thursday evening, though firefighters said smoke could linger and be a problem into Friday or even into the weekend, not only for the immediate area, but possibly even J. Turner Butler and Beach boulevards.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A second person has died and another victim of a large fire early Tuesday morning is in critical condition at a burn unit, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Powers said. News4Jax has learned the two nearby buildings that burned were registered with the state as a group home. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said the fire started about 1 a.m. at a home on 1st Street and Huron Street near the Coca-Cola bottling plant. One of those has died and the second transferred to the burn unit at UF Health Shands in Gainesville. “Our crews did the very best to enter the structure where they could, to where it was safe,” said Capt.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday night passed two emergency bills that allow former Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department members and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office police and corrections officers to come out of retirement to help respond to the coronavirus crisis. The proposals, announced by Mayor Lenny Curry during a virtual news conference Tuesday afternoon, allow recently retired first responders to return to work without impacting their pensions. Both JSO and JFRD said those who opt for that will have to meet state certifications for fitness. RELATED | Former Jacksonville officer says he’ll leave retirement, join fight against COVID-19 if neededRetired Capt. I expect to go back to work anytime.”During Tuesday’s news conference, JFRD Chief Keith Powers also said two more JFRD members were placed in quarantine after showing symptoms, bringing the total of JFRD members in quarantine to 79.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As COVID-19 cases continued to rise and the state and city began putting restrictions in place, the number of overdose calls went up. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Cheif Keith Powers said Monday the agency saw a 20% increase in overdose calls from February to March. The new data from JFRD shows every week in March 2020 there was an increase in overdose calls when compared to 2019. Since the increase in overdose calls, JFRD has distributed over 900 nasal Narcan kits. And as Pietak and other health officials continue to monitor the coming months April is also showing an increase in overdose calls.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the fifth consecutive day, Mayor Lenny Curry held a virtual question-and-answer session Friday to discuss Jacksonville’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Curry said city staff continue to catalog complaints about employers not following the rules allowing employees to work remotely if possible. Why aren’t Jacksonville city officials issuing a shelter-in-place order? “This is important not only for business owners, but also for employees, the works of the city, the people that work here in Jacksonville,” Curry said. pic.twitter.com/DUxbDw8qGH — City of Jacksonville (COJ) (@CityofJax) March 27, 2020To view the up-to-date list of resources, visit the city’s website.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Students at Highlands Middle School could have their bags checked Monday, according to Dr. Diana Greene, superintendent of Duval County Public Schools. Greene was asked whether there would be extra safety measures Monday at Highlands Middle after 41 students were exposed to pepper spray Friday in the school’s gymnasium. It may be we will do random bag checks on Monday," Greene said during a news conference Friday. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Chief Keith Powers said those affected were transported to area hospitals out of an abundance of caution. According to the school administration, parents of students should have received a robocall explaining Friday’s situation.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Firefighters responding to a mass casualty event at Highlands Middle School on Friday afternoon took 41 seventh-grade students suffering effects from pepper spray to area hospitals, according to Duval County Public Schools. The incident happened just after 1 p.m. in the gym when it is believed multiple students released pepper spray during a fifth-period physical education class. "Give them a chance to recover, recoup, return to school and then get the information from them then.”Edwards said any container with more than 2 ounces of pepper spray for personal use is not allowed at school. Eight students were also taken to UF Health North, six to Memorial, five to Baptist North and three to Normandy Park ER. “My goal is to ensure that we can provide an environment that students can feel safe to come to school.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is seeking young men and women to join its apprentice program. The program focuses on people in specific Jacksonville ZIP codes (see details below). The apprentice program has been around since 2016. Dwayne Lee, who went on to become a Jacksonville firefighter, was the first person to graduate from the program. He graduated from the apprentice program in fall 2017 and became a Jacksonville firefighter in January 2018.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Five people accused of selling opioids to victims who died of overdose deaths over the last 18 months are facing murder charges, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams and State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced Tuesday. Williams said that his deputies responded to 263 overdose deaths last year. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Chief Keith Powers said the number of overdose calls in Jacksonville increased by 45% between 2018 and 2019. She said aggressive police work is being met with equally aggressive prosecution to try to stem the number of overdose deaths in the community. Every time you use illegal drugs, you’re taking your life in your hands.”