In the heart of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, a remarkable event unfolds every fourth Saturday of August. The Lost Lake Run, a trail race that has been a beacon of hope and inspiration since 1992, is not just a testament to human endurance but also a shining example of what can be achieved when public and private entities come together for a noble cause. The Lost Lake Run is more than just a race. It's a lifeline for those battling cystic fibrosis (CF). Over its illustrious history, the race has raised over $2 million for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. These funds have been instrumental in pioneering groundbreaking drugs and therapies, extending the median age of Alaskans with CF from 28 years in 1992 to an impressive 56 years today.  

PHOTOS: A row of Cypress trees caught fire on Friday night, threatening nearby structures and residents. Video from the scene, near the intersection of Waring Avenue and Highland Avenue, captures onlookers warning others to get away from the fire that started around 10:30 p.m. Firefighters rushed to the area and were able to extinguish the blaze before it completely spread to an apartment building adjacent to the row of trees. One person was taken to the hospital, but their condition is unknown, authorities said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

A Cincinnati firefighter is the first woman in the history of the Cincinnati Fire Department to be certified as a bomb technician. Firefighter Nykeba Banks joins a select few as a prestigious United States Public Safety Bomb Technician, the fire department said in a news release Monday. She received her certification from the Hazardous Devices School at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. Banks was one of only two women in her six-week training class. She graduated on Sept. 22. It's estimated that nationally only about 9% of 3,000 certified bomb techs are female, according to the city's release. "They told us [at the school] that only 400 people would graduate from the program this year. They said that more people would climb Mt. Everest this year," Banks said in the release.  

The Valley Hispanic Bomberos have been mentoring aspiring firefighters for decades. Now that those volunteers are on Valley firefighter crews, they're carrying on the legacy. From outreach to training programs, the Bomberos are connecting with Spanish-dominant neighborhoods to get teens involved. They've partnered with Franklin Police and Fire High School in Phoenix to put on workouts for aspiring recruits. "We're a small organization, but our bread and butter is mentorship and community involvement," said Phoenix Fire Captain Greg Morales who volunteers with the Bomberos. Capt. Morales got his start with the organization. "They helped me and guided me to do all the things that I needed to do to get hired," he recalled.  

Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine said that the Department of Fire Services has added mammograms to the complement of free, early-detection cancer screenings available to Massachusetts firefighters. "Firefighters are at greater risk of developing cancer, developing it at younger ages, and receiving a late diagnosis than the public they protect," said State Fire Marshal Davine. "This includes the growing number of women firefighters in Massachusetts and across the nation. As we kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're proud to announce that we've added mammograms to the array of free cancer screening options we offer to Massachusetts firefighters." An April 2023 article in Frontiers in Public Health found that breast cancer accounted for more than 25% of cancer diagnoses among women firefighters who took part in a 2019-2020 survey.  

VIDEO/PHOTOS: The Indianapolis Fire Department rescued an unruly police drone that got stuck on top of a crane this weekend. The crew was asked to get the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department drone after it landed on the structure near the "Rise on Meridian" apartments construction site on South Meridian Street on Saturday. The fire department posted a video and pictures of the retrieval on social media, showing a firefighter making the 130-foot climb. The rescue started around 10:15 a.m. on Saturday. "After an errant IMPD drone perched itself on top of a construction crane while in the course of its duties overnight, IFD TacTeam 7C utilized the ask by IMPD Logistics to help retrieve it, (and took it) as an opportunity to conduct some spur of the moment high angle ropes/crane training," IFD wrote in the post.