For many Alaskans, spring's warming temperatures and lengthening days stir a sense of apprehension about the threat of wildfires. Last season, just under 300,000 acres burned statewide, including high-impact fires like the Lost Horse Creek Fire and Anderson Complex. These Interior Alaska fires, which threatened nearby communities and required significant firefighting effort, were a stark reminder of fire's potential devastation. Our northern neighbors in Canada experienced devastation across the country last year. More than 37 million acres burned in a record-shattering season that lasted seven months. Eight people died, about 232,000 residents evacuated from more than 200 communities, and millions, including in the eastern U.S. and western Europe, experienced unhealthy air quality from smoke.  

VIDEO: A Colorado teen has been rescued from an abandoned missile silo after falling 30 feet inside early Sunday morning. That teen is seriously injured, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office, after responders from several agencies were at the silo near 82000 East County Road 22. That silo is near the town of Deer Trail, about 50 miles east of Denver. The sheriff's office says the teen fell into that silo around 3:30 a.m. and now is safely outside. Rescue teams were able to get into that silo. Deer Trail Fire Chief Rich Loveless said he and crews from his department arrived in the night and called in additional resources to assist in a technical rescue. He says the inherent dangers involved in the rescue meant they needed other agencies to assist with a "high-angle rescue," which involves lowering crews with ropes and other climbing gear and hoisting victims up the same way.  

New Bedford is often pitched to tourists for the opportunity to observe its "working waterfront," and with the coming of things like ferry service and now the offshore wind industry on top of being a bustling fishing port, it's only getting busier. That's one reason why New Bedford has been "on the hunt" in recent years for equipment that would safeguard the city from any potential radiation-related threats coming by sea, says New Bedford firefighter and hazmat coordinator Travis Rebello. Now, New Bedford and a number of SouthCoast communities will be able to detect any such threats, Rebello said, thanks to equipment and training provided recently through the federal Securing the Cities program. "It's at zero cost to the city," Rebello said, noting New Bedford got about $150,000' worth of equipment, as well as the in-depth classroom and field training that's been carried out this week by staff from Nevada-based CTOS (Counter Terrorism Operations Support), Rebello said.  

VIDEO: Almost a dozen first responders in the city of Racine recently completed an introductory Spanish language course tailored to their line of work. From January to April, once a week for three hours police officers and firefighter-paramedics go to the class, "Spanish for First Responders" at Gateway Technical College. Racine Fire Department (RFD) Captain Jeff Ayres was also among those who participated. He said he's been with RFD for about 18 years and can't remember an initiative like it. "It was an amazing class," he said. Fellow firefighter-paramedic Ben Stephenson said he took the class to brush up on the Spanish he took in school knowing that would come in handy at work, especially with Racine's growing Hispanic community. "It has come up in the past where I wish I would have known more," Stephenson explained.  

VIDEO: Neighbors helping neighbors is the motto of the Calhoun Volunteer Fire Department. Mark Hardin brought that mindset to the table when he started as Fire Chief back in December of 2021. "There's a sense of pride and community," Hardin said. "It's not just one person. It's all of us." But when he started, it was a department of just one, with old gear and trucks that didn't run. "It needed a lot of work," he said. "Not many of the trucks were in operation. Not many of them ran. Only one ran at the time." So, Hardin opened the doors to the community. He posted on Facebook, hosted trainings almost weekly, and grew his department to where it is now – with 28 volunteer firefighters. The department made repairs to the old trucks and has pride in the work that they do.