A new federal program is aiming to improve Alaska's most dangerous roadways and help curb traffic deaths, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Wednesday that millions of dollars in grant awards will be dispersed to hundreds of communities throughout the nation, with Alaska getting more than $2.6 million in funding spread over seven projects. It's part of President Joe Biden's massive 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that allocated $550 billion in new spending for the country's roads, bridges and transit infrastructure. ... All seven projects are considered action plans, which are used to help lay the groundwork for communities that do not have a plan in place.  

Newly-released bodycam video shows the dramatic rescue of a trapped driver moments before his car burst into flames on the Las Vegas Strip. The sudden crash happened just outside the Venetian resort last week. A good Samaritan and police officer quickly jumped into action to pull the man from the smoking car. Footage shows flames exploding from beneath the vehicle just as they pulled the man free. A nearby security camera also captured the amazing rescue with only seconds to spare. As more helped arrived, the driver was pulled even further from the fiery wreck. "If we weren't there, I think he would've been burned in the vehicle," said Officer Derek Stebbins. "Would he have died? I don't know, but I think he would have suffered severe burns just from how fast the vehicle caught fire."  

As we enter Black History Month, a local fire company makes history here on Delmarva. The Carlisle Fire Company recently appointed Shawn Hinton as chief. He is the first African American chief in the department's 221 year history. Chief Hinton has 15 years of experience under his belt and said he is honored to be the new voice of the department. He said fellow firefighters pushed him to take on the role they believe he was destined to fill. "I've always got questioned by membership or other friends in other departments about running," said Chief Hinton. "I was always like 'next year I'll run' and they were like 'man you just have to do it.'" Milford Mayor, Archie Campbell, who made his own mark as the first black mayor in 2018, said he is glad to see times changing.  

A machete attack and a fire captain punched in the face — it's what Sacramento Metro Fire is facing with a growing homeless crisis. They say their jobs are getting more and more dangerous. Squatters in vacant buildings are responsible for fires causing millions in damage. Metro Fire Capt. Parker Wilbourn said his agency responded to more than 2,500 fire incidents last year directly related to homeless encampments or people experiencing homelessness. Of those fires, 27 were at commercial structures or homes. Wilbourn said they have had an issue with the homeless tampering with fire suppression systems to wash clothes. This has caused false alarms or rendered those systems useless. And even if the homeless are keeping to themselves at campsites, what's left behind is not only a danger to the public but the environment.  

VIDEO: Marion County Fire Chief James Banta is promising to make changes to better respond to mental health struggles in the department after two firefighters died in less than a month. The chief released a video message to the department and residents of Marion County following the deaths of MCFR firefighter paramedics Allen Singleton and Tripp Wooten. Singleton died on Jan. 28 and Wooten died on Jan. 9. Both left behind wives and children. In the video, Banta acknowledges the concerns people in the department and the community have raised regarding how low pay and mandatory overtime impacts the mental health of firefighters. "If the answer was as simple as eliminating mandatory overtime, I would shut trucks down immediately, but I can tell you it goes way deeper than that," Banta said.  

PHOTOS: The city of Opelika just added a new fire engine to its fleet. The new truck, which cost $1.2 million, is called an aerial. It's the first of four new firetrucks that will arrive this year. The total price for all four firetrucks will be close to $3 million. Opelika Fire Chief Shane Boyd said the new aerial is a multi-purpose truck with a pump, a water tank, a water hose, an aerial device, and ground ladders. Boyd said the truck was customized to the Opelika Fire Department's specifications. "We'd never done this before, but we put together a committee of our own officers and firefighters that wanted to be part of building the truck and said let's try to maximize the uses," Boyd said. "Firemen are notoriously hard to please. We second guess everything we do. We're probably our own worst critics, but they've been really happy with the way they laid it out. I don't think we would change anything if we ordered another one."