Fox Weather To Present ‘Into The Storm: Fox Weather Honors The First Responders Of 2023’ On Dec. 9

Fox Weather will present Into the Storm: Fox Weather Honors the First Responders of 2023, a special dedicated to the heroic work of first responders, on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m. ET.

Hosted by meteorologists Janice Dean and Britta Merwin, the special will spotlight stories of strength and service from first responders across the country who have helped their communities. Notably, these stories have special meaning for both Dean and Merwin who are married to members of the New York City Fire Department and U.S. Coast Guard, respectively.

The honorees:

Tracy Harden (Rolling Fork, Miss.) – Harden managed to save dozens of lives at her restaurant Chuck’s Dairy Bar in Rolling Fork as an EF-4 tornado rolled through the town. Hardin and nearly a dozen others sheltered in a freezer as the tornado came through, and she’ll share her story with Dean and Merwin. Harden was also awarded at last month’s Fox Nation Patriot Awards where she received the Fox Weather Courage Award.

Tracy McMillion (Fort Myers, Fla.) – McMillion, who serves as the Fort Myers fire chief, will recount the magnitude of Hurricane Ian, which severely damaged the area in 2022 and discuss preparations and takeaways the city took in recovering from the Category 5 storm.

Krya Dykeman (Lahaina, Hawaii) – Dykeman, a 16-year U.S. Coast Guard veteran, responded to the devastating fires in Lahaina this past summer. Dean and Merwin will highlight her acts of bravery and how she’s still managing fire outbreaks every week since the origin of the disaster. Fox Weather correspondent Max Gorden, who covered the storm from Maui, will also join the episode to discuss his experience reporting on the ground as well.

Stacy Chiarolanza (Fairfield, N.J.) – Chiarolanza, a Fairfield police officer, was put to the test when severe flooding caused a state of emergency this past September. She joins Dean and Merwin to reflect on the events and spotlights her colleague, Corporal Steven D’Aregnio, who rescued a man from his car as it was engulfed in water.

Art De La Cruz – De La Cruz, who serves as Team Rubicon’s CEO, joins Dean and Merwin to discuss their efforts in relieving communities with help from natural disasters. The veteran-led nonprofit travels to areas devastated by hurricanes tornadoes and more to help citizens rebuild after disaster strikes.

Jillian Crane – Crane, who is president and CEO of The First Responders’ Children’s Foundation, joins Dean and Merwin to discuss their foundation which provides financial support to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty, as well as families enduring significant financial hardships due to tragic circumstances. Last month, Fox teamed up with the foundation to donate more than 1,000 gifts for children this holiday season.