Anchorage police are investigating a series of vehicle fires near Jewel Lake and South Anchorage that have happened within the last week. Police have confirmed at least four fires, but Anchorage Fire Investigator Jen Tulare said there are likely more. Greg and Kat Stuckey, who live not far from Dimond High School, have been hit twice. Their family was awakened early Friday morning, Oct. 21, to a loud boom. Kat Stuckey looked out and saw her husband's Dodge Ram on fire in the driveway. The fire was so hot it melted the siding on their neighbor's home, who thankfully was out of town. The Stuckey's truck was a total loss. Just four days later, Stuckey said that the arsonist struck again, targeting her son's Chevy Silverado. Stuckey said they found material used to light the fire under the truck and police were able to photograph footprints of someone leaving their yard. A neighbor also reported seeing someone fleeing the scene.  

New video shows the moment a Broward firefighter saved his girlfriend from a burning car after a fiery crash involving a fuel truck on Interstate 95 earlier this week. The cellphone footage shows firefighter Bryan Aparicio and his girlfriend, Su Hninyi, running as the fuel tanker and other vehicles are consumed by flames. The crash happened on I-95 near Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday. Aparicio and Hninyi were in an Uber heading to a cruise port at the time. Florida Highway Patrol officials said a car had traveled into the tanker's lane of travel, resulting in a collision that caused the tanker to overturn. A third driver swerved to avoid the crash and hit the median, knocking down a light pole that fell into traffic, hitting the fourth and fifth cars, officials said. Aparicio was able to break the back window of the burning car he was in to escape but Su was still trapped inside, so he went back to save her.  

On National First Responders Day, we honor the bravery of our Nation's heroes who put their lives on the line for their fellow Americans each and every day — from law enforcement officers who keep our streets safe and firefighters who rush into burning buildings, to relief workers who care for our families after natural disasters and EMTs, paramedics, and other public health workers who provide life-saving emergency care at a moment's notice. When tragedies strike, these women and men are always there to help us, and we thank them for their extraordinary service to our country. I have witnessed up close the courage, character, and valor of first responders across the Nation. In Florida, Puerto Rico, and Kentucky, search and rescue teams swooped in to save lives in the aftermath of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona and historic flooding.  

The ATF says they've completed their investigation into the January 24 fire that killed three Baltimore City firefighters. It was that morning when a vacant home at 205 S. Stricker went up in flames. Paul Butrim, Kelsey Sadler and Kenneth Lacayo were among the firefighers who responded to battle the blaze. The privately owned vacant home collapsed, trapping the trio, ultimately killing them. Their deaths were ruled homicide, as an act of arson was determined to have caused the fire. Little information has been revealed on any potential suspects. So far, investigators have only released a 40 second video clip that shows a person near the scene of the fire the night before. A $100,000 reward was being offered for information leading to that person's identity.  

Starting Nov. 1, firefighters who were let go from South King Fire and Rescue because of the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate will be allowed to come back to work. The agency's board of directors voted unanimously during their Sept. 27 meeting to authorize Fire Chief Dave Mataftin to let unvaccinated firefighters return beginning Nov. 1, which is the day after Gov. Jay Inslee's vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is scheduled to end. That means SKFR employees who were put on leave for choosing not to take the vaccine can return to their public-facing jobs. Those separated from the agency can also return as long as vacancies for their positions exist. (New employees will still need to receive a COVID vaccination, Mataftin said.) Mataftin said he is confident it's safe for those unvaccinated personnel to return.  

A year of preparations and negotiations has led to a new, four-year contract for firefighters with the City of Fort Worth. The Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved the agreement on Oct. 25 following 97.4% approval of the proposal by the 970 members of the association. The agreement is the fourth collectively bargained agreement between the city and firefighters, according to the Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association. "This agreement is a win for the city, the taxpayers and for firefighter families. City leaders showed that they are committed to cooperating with firefighters on important issues such as labor-management agreements," said Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association President Michael Glynn.