Heroes of the Week: Firefighters and Dog Boarding Business Help with Shelter Dogs from Fire

 One of the scariest things that can happen in a pet shelter is a fire. Fortunately, this week's heroes are the firefighters of Dover, NH and k9 Kaos, a nearby dog boarding business, who both stepped in to rescue dogs from a shelter fire and temporarily house them! 

(Photo: Dover firefighters Sierra Rodenhuis, left, and Trevor Smith comfort Flower, one of the rescue dogs at Pope Memorial Humane Society - Cocheco Valley, after responding to a fire at the shelter on May 5, 2026)

Fire stopped fast at Pope Memorial animal shelter in Dover, NH

Karen Dandurant, Foster's Daily Democrat, May 6, 2026, 1:07 p.m. ET

DOVER — Firefighters quickly responded to a fire at at Pope Memorial Humane Society - Cocheco Valley on the night of May 5, taking mere minutes to prevent it from spreading with no injuries to animal or humans, officials said.

Dover Fire Chief Brendan Driscoll said the cause of the May 5 fire has not yet been determined, but it appears to have started in a laundry cart at the rear of the building, in the area where the dogs are housed. He said it was knocked down quickly.

Driscoll said the department received a general fire alarm for the 221 County Farm Road shelter at 8:20 p.m.

"As crews made entry they noted a large amount smoke, so we sent the rest of the crew," Driscoll said. "A small fire was located in the rear of the building, in a laundry cart. We pushed it outside and continued to work. The laundry cart is the only thing that burnt, so damage is minimal. They will have some smoke and odor mitigation to do."

Driscoll said all the animals are safe. This includes Flower, one of two pups that remained up for adoption from among 26 dogs rescued by the shelter working in tandem with Mary's Dogs Rescue & Adoption of Northwood.

"Once the cart was removed and extinguished, we ventilated to remove smoke," Driscoll said. "(Pope Memorial) crews and volunteers were on site. We cleared the scene at 8:28 p.m., after making sure there was no more smoke and/or toxic gases."

The chief added, "I want to stress the importance of a properly functioning smoke alarms and fire alarm systems. The system worked as it should and alerted the department before the fire was able to grow in size. Crews were able to quickly handle the issue without loss to the animals or structure itself."

Driscoll said mutual aid came from Newington, Somersworth, Rochester and Stewart's Ambulance.

Pope Memorial staff responds, too, with assist from K9 Kaos "We had a very long night," said Molly Shanahan, development and marketing director for Pope Memorial. "All the dogs were safely removed. Some were taken to foster homes and many were taken to K9 Kaos, located down the street from the shelter."

Shanahan said Pope Memorial's team jumped into immediate action when they received word of the fire.

"A few of our management team gets notified when the alarm goes off," Shanahan said. "Caryn Fugatt, our executive director, lives on County Farm Road so she and her fiancé got there really fast. The fire department shut down the road but were letting us in. Our police and fire personnel were fantastic, so helpful, so quick."

Shanahan said K9 Kaos staff showed up, offering to take as many dogs as needed. K9 Kaos is a boarding, day care, grooming and training center located at 432 Sixth St. in Dover. 

"It blew my mind how quickly they came to help," Shanahan said. "All the dogs are happily having sleepovers with friends right now until we can clean out the area and make sure it's safe for their return."

Heroes of the week: Crew of the Fishing Boat "Sweet Jane" Rescues Man in Icy River

 This week's heroes are two unnamed fishermen who pulled a man from the icy waters of a New Hampshire/Maine river after a suicide attempt. 

(Photo:   Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, a lift bridge spanning the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Kittery, Maine, carrying traffic of U.S. Route 1 Bypass. This is the replacement bridge, which opened in March 2018. View from the New Hampshire side. Credit: Wikipedia)

Man rescued after jumping from NH/ME Sarah Long Bridge

Portsmouth Herald. Ian Lenahan, October 27, 2025

PORTSMOUTH — An Eliot, Maine, man was pulled from the frigid Piscataqua River alive on Oct. 27 after jumping from the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, according to authorities.

The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge is a lift bridge spanning the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Kittery, Maine, carrying traffic of U.S. Route 1 Bypass.

The man was rescued shortly after 10 a.m. by the lobster boat Sweet Jane on the New Hampshire side of the span, according to Kittery police Lt. John Desjardins, the department’s interim chief. The vessel is owned and operated by two brothers from Eliot, Maine.   

“He rode his bicycle from Eliot up on the bridge and jumped,” Desjardins said.

(Photo: The new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge across the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, N.H., and Kittery, Maine, replaces an existing span built in 1940. Credit: American Institute of Steel Construction) 

Vehicles go over the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge connecting Portsmouth and Kittery via the Route 1 Bypass July 8, 2025. The lobster boat brought the man to the Atlantic Marine Corporation terminal at the Market Street pier. The Portsmouth Fire Department transported the man to Portsmouth Regional Hospital for assessment.

The man’s family was on scene, according to Desjardins.

Port leader describes rescue scene Richard Hartley, acting director of the New Hampshire Port Authority, was told by staff the fishing boat was at the secure pier unauthorized Monday morning.

It quickly became clear that the two brothers aboard the Sweet Jane were seeking assistance in a dire situation.

Hartley got on the boat, held the hand of the man who had jumped and waited for emergency responders to arrive at the terminal. Hartley noticed a woman on the scene, who identified herself as the man’s mother, then drove her to Portsmouth Regional Hospital after her son was transported. Hartley, a retired Coast Guard veteran, said he guided the woman through breathing exercises and spoke with her at length.

The port leader estimated the Sweet Jane lobstermen reached the man in the water within 90 seconds of impact from his jump.

“I’m just so glad those guys were there,” Hartley said of the fishermen.

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RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE IN CRISIS

The National Alliance on Mental Illness - New Hampshire offers the following resources to those in distress:

1. NH Rapid Response Access Point – Call/Text 1-833-710-6477 – If you or someone you care about is experiencing a mental health and/or substance use crisis, you can call and speak to trained and caring clinical staff. You’ll be served by compassionate providers from mental health centers in your community who can help you access vital resources in an emergency.
2. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 for 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. (Chat option is also available at 988lifeline.org.)

The Maine chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Health offers resources for anyone, of any age, who is experiencing any level of distress.

1. Call 9-8-8 to access the Suicide and Crisis Hotline, 24 hours a day. The hotline offers help through phone calls, texts, and online chats. The Maine Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1-888-568-1112.
2. The Maine Intentional Warm Line, for anyone not experiencing an immediate mental health crisis but still needs support, can be reached at 1-866-771-9276.
3. A Teen and Young Adult Helpline is available Mondays through Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. This service can be accessed by texting “Friend” to 62640, by calling 1-800-950-6264, or by using the “Chat With Us” function online at NAMI.org.

Heroes of the Week: Nebraska State Patrol Troopers Respond to Hundreds of Weather-Related Roadway Incidents

On March 19th this week, the state of Nebraska was hit by a blizzard. There were many accidents, but the Nebraska State Patrol officers were out in it, and helping stranded motorists.  They are Nebraska's only statewide, full-service law enforcement agency. They are this week's heroes!

(Photo:  On the morning of March 19th while a trooper was helping a driver south of Fremont, another driver lost control and struck his patrol unit. (Pictured here). Fremont is a city and county seat of Dodge County in the eastern portion of Nebraska. Thankfully the trooper was not in the cruiser at the time and was not injured.)

Nebraska State Patrol Troopers Respond to Hundreds of Weather-Related Roadway Incidents

Nebraska State Troopers were busy as blizzard conditions moved across much of the state. Troopers responded to approximately 500 weather-related incidents on Wednesday.

From the early morning to the evening hours of Wednesday, troopers performed 448 motorist assists and responded to 27 crashes. Troopers also helped other agencies with 32 responses.

Two troopers’ patrol vehicles were also struck while responding to incidents in the blizzard. One cruiser suffered significant damage and the other suffered minor damage. Neither trooper, nor other drivers, were injured in these incidents. 

(Photo: The Blizzard as it was happening on March 19, 2025: Credit: NSP)

LINK TO SHORT VIDEO OF THE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ON MARCH 19: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18osAW6vsV/
 

On the 19th, the Nebraska State Patrol reported, "The snow may be stopping, but the winds are still blowing and many roadways are snowpacked."  

 At 3:41pm Central Time, this is the Road closure map for the state. Updated closure map from 511. Get updates from Nebraska Department of Transportation at 511.Nebraska.gov as their crews continue to work after March 19th's blizzard.

Heroes of the Week: Dixon and Posen Illinois fire departments Extinguish a Magnesium Factory Blaze

A magnesium factory is considered highly flammable. When it catches fire, it's difficult to extinguish, but that's what this weekend's Dixmoor and Posen, Illinois fire department heroes managed to do. Magnesium readily ignites and burns at a very high temperature, making fires in facilities extremely difficult to extinguish and posing a significant safety risk. Even small sparks or heat sources can potentially trigger a fire in a magnesium processing environment.

(Caption:  A magnesium factory in south suburban Dixmoor was destroyed by fire overnight. Firefighters have extinguished the blaze but remain on scene to make sure it does not reignite. Credit: WGN TV)

Overnight fire destroys building at magnesium factory in south suburban Dixmoor 

by: Michael Johnson, Erik Runge, WGN- TV, Updated: Mar 6, 2025 / 11:19 AM CST

DIXMOOR, Ill. — After an all-night battle, firefighters extinguished a blaze that erupted at a magnesium factory in south suburban Dixmoor late Wednesday night.

Crews had the fire under control by early Thursday morning (March 6, 2025), but not before one of three buildings belonging to the Chicago Magnesium Casting Company in Dixmoor was destroyed. Inside the burning building, fire officials say, were 55-gallon drums of chemicals and magnesium, which is highly flammable and can ignite easily under certain conditions.

(Caption: Dixon and Posen Illinois fire departments fighting a Magnesium Factory Blaze. Credit: WGN-TV) 

“On arrival of the first engine company on the scene, well over half the business was on fire,” Jeff Cook, chief of the neighboring Posen Fire Department, said early Thursday morning. “Companies went right to work on saving the buildings to the north and south, which we did.”

According to its website, the family-run Chicago Magnesium Casting Company was founded in 1953. It’s an aluminum and sand casting foundry, specializing in parts used in the aerospace industry, and holds some government contracts.

The roof of the affected building caved in due to the fire, and firefighters were pouring water on the facility all night long. Skycam 9 was over the building early Thursday morning to get a bird’s-eye view of the damage.

No injuries, however, were reported. Nobody was inside the factory when it caught fire.

(Caption: 1 of 3 buildings were damaged as the Dixon and Posen Illinois fire departments were fighting a Magnesium Factory Blaze. They saved the other buildings Credit: WGN-TV) 

“Magnesium reacts with water, so that makes it a challenge,” Cook said. “We had quite a few different explosions that were happening from that chemical reaction. We were able to contain it, but that was one of the big issues.”

Fire officials have been working with the Environmental Protection Agency, which arrived to the scene and has been monitoring the air to make sure it’s safe for people nearby to breathe. Cook said fire crews were lucky with the wind overnight, so there’s been no need for evacuations thus far.

Officials say it will be a while before it can be determined what caused the fire.

Heroes of the Week: CBS Crew Rescue Dogs Trapped in Home During Californa Wildfires

Here's a story about three heroes who work for CBS News that rescued 3 dogs trapped in a California home, surrounded by wildfires. This video report will bring happy tears to your eyes as it did to mine (well, unless you're cold hearted!). This week's heroes are reporter Jonathan Vigliotti (whom I love), and his two unnamed camera crew. 

Caption: It was a dramatic rescue. CBS News' Jonathan Vigliotti was contacted by a stranger who told him his three rescue dogs were stuck inside his Pacific Palisades house – alone – as the Palisades Fire closed in. Jonathan and his producer, who were reporting nearby, did not hesitate to help – risking their lives to save all three dogs.

Rescue dogs stuck in home during California wildfires saved by CBS News crew

A family's dogs were trapped in their LA home with wildfires closing in. A CBS News crew saved them.

By Simrin Singh, January 13, 2025 / 9:36 AM EST / CBS News

Andrea Pasinetti was in San Francisco for work and his wife, Sixuan, was overseas when the Palisades Fire broke out on Tuesday, devastating neighborhood after neighborhood — including their own. Their dogsitter was stuck in the roads leading to their block, leaving the Pasinettis' three dogs waiting at home as the flames began ravaging their street, Lachman Lane.

Bundled with anxiety and not knowing the fate of his beloved pets, Pasinetti said he jumped on a flight to Los Angeles, hoping to make it home in time to get Alma, Archie and Hugo out of danger.

"The flight into [Los Angeles] was definitely very, very hard because we just didn't have any information," he told CBS News from a hotel room.

Pasinetti's friend picked him up with a car full of fire retardant materials and blankets, in case he would need them when rescuing the pets, and they sped over to the Palisades. But when they were about eight minutes out, Pasinetti said they struggled to find a way in with "cops at most intersections."

"It's this feeling of helplessness and devastation and also just the unknown," he described. "Wanting to maintain hope, but also kind of bracing for the worst."

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/euH4LoeeK5o?si=8jAxEUPd383xpsWm

While on the phone with his wife, Pasinetti said he determined there were two options they could move forward with — either he finds a way to the house, or someone else needs to. That's when Sixuan saw CBS News' Jonathan Vigliotti reporting from Palisades Charter High School, which was a short distance from their residence.

"We started wracking our brains to see if we knew anyone who might be able to get in touch with Jonathan, and we were tweeting at him and eventually we found a friend and sort of colleague of his, who was able to get a message through," Pasinetti said.

That colleague was CBS News producer Christian Duran, and the two-man team decided to help, heading over to the house that was "on its last legs," according to Pasinetti — despite the risk involved.

"We knew it was a tall order to extract all three dogs from the house," he said. "Obviously, Jonathan didn't have a key to the house, so I told him to break whatever window he could and he managed to get into the house."

Alma, Archie and Hugo are rescue dogs, and as a result, "pre-wired with a lot of anxiety," Pasinetti explained. The three of them were likely in separate areas of the house — with Alma right at the entrance and Hugo likely under a bed, he said, potentially making the rescue even more difficult.

"They managed to wrangle [Alma] somehow and I think they threw a blanket over her and kind of got her covered, then they proceeded to the second pup, Archie," he said. "I imagine they had to lift the bed in the primary bedroom and extract Hugo."

"The circumstance probably couldn't have been any more dramatic. The house was surrounded by flames," Pasinetti continued. "I think it burned down a few hours after he was able to get the pups."

Pasinetti said he was almost in disbelief when he found out all three had been rescued from the house safely.

"I have never felt that mixture of joy and relief and exhaustion and despair and gratitude towards someone," he said. "The generosity and kindness and risk that they put themselves through to get the dogs was really — I think it's the best that humanity has to offer."

The Pasinettis still have a long road ahead — picking up the pieces of a lost home, something they haven't even had an opportunity to comprehend yet, he said. The Palisades Fire has destroyed nearly 23,000 acres and continues to burn with little containment.

Pasinetti added that the experience has reminded them about what's important in life.

"I think we go through life accruing so much stuff and curating our belongings, but at the end of the day, it's all stuff — and while it's sad to lose, I think the possibility and prospect of losing something much more important, just put it into perspective," he shared.

Pasinetti also emphasized he was grateful for the efforts that first responders and firefighters had been tirelessly putting in to save lives and homes. One firefighter even offered to take him to his home that night amidst the chaos, he said.

"I think all the plaudits and all the commentary on the firefighters and the first responders really, really is very much deserved and they put themselves in harm's way to try to save what they could," he said. "They were sort of in the line of fire, literally, for many hours and days often without water."

Heroes of the Week: Arkansas couple uses wedding fund to save Goldendoodle

This week's heroes of the week are a young couple from Arkansas, Dylan McCay and Emily Roberts who saw a facebook posting about a dog apparently struck by a car, and in serious condition on a road. They jumped into action and decided to spend their wedding savings to rescue the dog. WOW. They are true heroes. Today's blog is about their story. 

Arkansas couple uses wedding fund to save Goldendoodle

by Kaelin Clay 

Thu, November 7th 2024 at 10:01 PM

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — A central Arkansas man, performing a selfless act of service and rescuing a Goldendoodle that was stranded and on the brink of death, acted on an inclination to help.

On Halloween night, Dylan McCay was scrolling on Facebook when he saw a post that instantly grabbed his attention: an injured dog, abandoned on the side of the road, scared and desperate for help. This marked the beginning of an emotional journey for McCay and his fiancé, Emily Roberts.

“As I was just scrolling through all of the comments and stuff, I was seeing a decent amount of comments, and I was just like it doesn’t seem like anything’s in action yet, and this is definitely like a time urgent situation," McCay says.

He quickly jumped in his vehicle and embarked on a rescue mission. There it was. Between Conway and Greenbrier, McCay says she likely had been hit by a vehicle and moved over to a nearby driveway. He found her shivering and covered in blood.

“As I got closer to her, she started trying to crawl to me," McCay says.

Family members came to the sight to help. Covering the dog with blankets, they made the journey to Greenbrier Animal Hospital, and the diagnosis was not promising. The dog had bruised lungs, two fractured femurs-one of them an open fracture-and doctors were gravely concerned about infection.

***********************************************

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/fvxrepf_QIg?si=a9vfr7PaR2TCR18s

“The original plan was that one would have to be amputated and the other would need a pretty serious reconstructive surgery," Roberts says.

No microchip was found either, and later they discovered the owner had been looking to rehome the dog.

“So this dog was basically just surrendered to the hospital, and so we kind of like looked at each other and looked at the dog, and we were just like we know what we have to do," Roberts says.

The dog was now a member of the family. Throughout the ordeal, a Facebook community came together by offering encouraging comment and donations.

“We just feel really blessed that people love her like we do and want to help her get better,” Roberts says.

A surgery surpassing $10,000 meant that McCay and Roberts cut into their wedding fund.

“And so that budget disappeared," McCay says.

They were doing everything they could to give the dog her life back, even traveling to Mississippi for an extensive surgery on Monday. Now, post-operation, the reconstruction was nothing short of successful.

“We went into the weekend thinking that she was going to get amputation on one leg, and then, the other leg hopefully fixed, but Monday morning they were confident that they could fix both of the legs, and that turned out to be true," Roberts says.

Now a part of the family, Dylan and Emily are looking forward to bringing the dog home to be with their other dogs. They plan to name it after a food item, like the rest of their pets, but for a middle name, they chose Acklin. Acklin is the name of the street they found her at.

The couple says they still have a long journey ahead, with physical therapy, vaccinations and spaying, but there is now light at the end of the tunnel.

Heroes of the Week: Two fishing buddies rescue man from hull of capsized boat off Nantucket

This week's heroes are Nicholas Whitbeck and Joe Tormay, both of Nantucket, Mass, were fishing for striped bass Saturday, Oct. 19, when they found the older man floating on his capsized vessel. They rescued the man from the hull of his capsized boat off the coast of Nantucket   Here's the story from the Associated Press. 

(Credit; Kanal13) 

 By The Associated Press and STEVE LeBLANC, Oct. 24, 2024

BOSTON (AP) — The sun was starting to dip low on the horizon off Nantucket island when fishing buddies Nicholas Whitbeck and Joe Tormay spotted what they thought was a dead whale.

Squinting closer, they noticed what appeared to be a man perched on top of the “whale,” waving his hat.

The whale turned out to be a capsized fishing boat that the man — who had lost his cellphone when his boat tipped over — had been using to stay above the water as he tried to attract attention from passing vessels.

If nobody responded, the man faced a long and chilly Saturday night (Oct 19, 2024) on water about 55 degrees F to 58 degrees F (12.8 degrees C to 14.4 degrees C) — cold enough for hypothermia to set in quickly.

Whitbeck said they’d just relocated to an area with fewer fishing vessels when they spotted the object in the distance.

“Joe initially pointed it out, thinking that there was possibly a dead whale on the horizon a couple miles from us or less,” Whitbeck said. “It ended up looking a lot more like a boat that had capsized.”

Then they saw a pair of hands waving and kicked into action. The two stowed away their gear, pushed their boat to full throttle and alerted the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We got close to him, spoke to him first, got him a life jacket with a boat hook so that if in the exchange of him getting onto our boat there was a mishap or anything and he was in the water, he had a flotation device with him,” he added.

VIDEO OF ONE OF THE RESCUERS DESCRIBING THE EVENT: https://apnews.com/video/whales-massachusetts-6de944859ef14b70b42becf2b28fe7c9

The man said he’d been sitting on the hull of the capsized boat for about an hour, drifting away from land and other boats. It was about 4 p.m. — and darkness was soon approaching.

“Us arriving at that time really was a right time, right place scenario for that type of rescue,” Whitbeck said.

The man told them that a larger wave had tipped over his boat. He said he’d attempted to flag down three other boats, but no one saw him. Whitbeck said it was just luck that they’d spotted him. They maneuvered their boat into position to get him on board.

He said the man at first was reluctant to talk about his ordeal but was “very, very grateful” when they connected later.

“It could have been an entirely different situation,” Whitbeck said. “Somebody could have come out in the morning and just found a boat capsized. Scary, but what a great ending ultimately.”

Tormay, who had Coast Guard training, said those on the water are quick to help each other out if they find themselves in trouble, especially on the island off Massachusetts.

“Any fisherman would do the same as we did,” he said. “We rely on each other a lot, especially on Nantucket.”

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Heroes of the Week: 2 Teens Rescue Men After Whale Capsizes Their Boat!

 Fortunately for 2 men who were enjoying the ocean off the coast of southern New Hampshire, two teens, brothers Wyatt and Colin Yager, were nearby when a breaching whale overturned the boat! The two teenaged brothers who were nearby are the heroes of the week as they immediately jumped into action to help.

(Photo: A whale breached and slammed into boat off the coast of Rye, New Hampshire on July 23, 2024. Wyatt Yager) 

Whale capsizes boat off coast of New Hampshire

By Molly Farrar, Boston. com, July 23, 2024

Two boaters were rescued from the water after a whale breached and slammed into their vessel off the coast of Rye, New Hampshire Tuesday morning, July 23, 2024.

The two men were off the coast of Odiorne Point State Park when the Coast Guard received a mayday alert. Both were ejected from their boat but were rescued by “good samaritans” and were uninjured, the Coast Guard said.

In a video that went viral Tuesday, a large breaching whale lands on the stern of a small boat, making it capsize. One of the occupants can be seen falling from the boat before it crashes into the water.

(Photo: Heroes; Colin and Wyatt Yager were fishing On July 23, 2024  when they witnessed a whale capsize a nearby boat. (WGME)

The boat’s two occupants, Greg Paquette and Ryland Kenney, called the experience “harrowing” in an interview with WHDH.

They told the news station they were out in the boat around 7:30 a.m. when the whale hit them. Paquette said he ended up under the boat when his life jacket inflated.

“I’ll tell you, we were lucky, we were really lucky,” he told Channel 7.

The pair were rescued by two teen boys who also filmed the incident, WCVB reported. Wyatt Yager, 19, and his brother Colin, 16, were fishing when they caught the crash on video.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/eq8yaRRu1dY?si=6EnLu2qrszcN2tjV 

  

(Video: A whale breached and slammed into boat off the coast of Rye, New Hampshire on July 23, 2024. Wyatt Yager) 

“It was very chaotic, it all happened so fast,” Wyatt told Boston.com “It was a very unique experience, and I hope it never happens again.”

The whale appeared to be uninjured from the incident, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard thanked the teens for their quick actions and reminded boaters to report all whale sightings to their local command centers.

“We are grateful to the good samaritans for taking such quick action to rescue these two individuals,” they wrote on X. “Bravo Zulu!”

Heroes of the Week: MBTA (Boston Subway) Employees Rescue a Nest of Baby Bunnies from Tracks

 This week's heroes are employees of Boston's subway lines, known as the MBTA (or T), or the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. They recently rescued a nest of baby bunnies from one of the subway lines. Here's the story.

(Photo: A rabbit that was rescued near Blue Line tracks earlier this week. (Courtesy photo MBTA))

Baby bunnies rescued from Boston Blue Line Subway tracks 

MBTA workers pulled the baby bunnies from harm’s way on Tuesday. 

By Morgan Rousseau, Boston Com , June 8, 2024

MBTA workers rescued a family of baby bunnies that was found in a nest near Blue Line tracks.

The T employees discovered a rabbit nest near a Blue Line rail yard on Tuesday and pulled about eight baby bunnies to safety, according to a WBUR report.

The bunnies were relocated to a safer area away from the stretch of T tracks. The agency shared a photo of one of the bunnies nestled in the hands of a T worker.

“Every life is precious, and we’re glad they were able to act quickly,” the T told WBUR.

The rabbit rescue comes a week after T workers relocated a turtle found on the Green Line D branch tracks at Chestnut Hill.

In March, T workers helped a baby duck that was seen on the Green Line tracks between North Station and Science Park. The turtle and duck rescues both caused minor delays of between 10 and 15 minutes, the T said.

SHORT VIDEO REPORT: https://whdh.com/news/mbta-staffers-rescue-bunnies-from-blue-line-tracks/

Heroes of the Week: Many Rescuers Free a Stuck Maine Moose!

What do you do if a moose gets stuck in your backyard? In Maine, you call the police and other experts! This week's heroes worked together to free a stuck moose in a Maine backyard. The Auburn Police and Public Works, the Maine Warden Service and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife were joined by some neighbors to help free a trapped moose. Here's the story!

(Photo: Young moose stuck behind garage in Auburn SOURCE: Auburn Police Department)

Young moose rescued after getting stuck in Auburn neighborhood 

  WMTW- tv May 31, 2024 Kerry Brookes

AUBURN, Maine — "We moose tell you a tale (tail?) of a special rescue mission that took place this morning," Auburn police said in a Facebook post from Friday afternoon, May 31, 2024. Officials say a young moose got stuck between a tree and the edge of a residential garage on Josslyn Street overnight.

"At first, we thought this might be a wild moose chase, but it was very real," officials said.

A crew of moose wranglers with members from Auburn Police and Public Works, the Maine Warden Service and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as well as a few helpful neighbors worked together to safely free the moose.

Photo: Staff from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife use an electric saw to free the moose. Credit: Auburn Police Dept.

Staff from the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife were able to tranquilize the moose to keep him calm and allow them to work safely, according to officials.

Photos show them using a small electric saw to cut parts of the building away to make space for the moose. Once freed, it took most of the group to carry the moose into a Warden's truck.

Auburn police say that after the male moose is evaluated for any injuries requiring treatment, he will be either released or taken to the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.

Heroes of the Week: NH Fish and Game, Randolph Mtn Club and National Guard Rescue Hiker

There are a lot of heroes this week who came together to rescue a man in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, two caretakers from the Randolph Mountain Club’s Gray Knob hut, and the National Guard Blackhawk Helicopter crew all came together to rescue a well-equipped and knowledgeable hiker who accidentally broke his leg while climbing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

 

(Photo: Mount Adams (5,794 ft) and Jefferson (5,712 ft)  by Grant Ritter | Oct 26, 2013) 

Hiker with ‘severely’ broken leg airlifted from White Mountains 

By Ross Cristantiello, May 29, 2024

A Connecticut man suffered a “severely” broken leg while hiking in New Hampshire, crawling more than three-tenths of a mile before he was found by rescuers and airlifted to safety.

At about 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department received an emergency signal from a satellite device being used on the Edmands Col Cutoff Trail in Thompson & Meserves Purchase. No additional information could be broadcast via the satellite device, but a 911 call came in shortly afterward from the same location. The call was brief, and it was dropped before officials could learn anything more than the fact that a hiker had a serious injury.

The signal and the call were made by Andrew Davis, 27, of West Hartford, according to NH Fish and Game. He is described as an “avid” hiker who has completed the Appalachian Trail and is familiar with the White Mountains. Davis was in possession of a Hike Safe card and had all the proper gear for camping in the mountains.

His broken leg was the result of an accident, not negligence, officials said. He contacted authorities from a spot on the exposed ridgeline between Mount Jefferson and Mount Adams, four-and-a-half miles from the nearest road.

Since NH Fish and Game had no ability to confirm the nature of the injury or whether it was life-threatening, the department requested help from the National Guard. A crew was quickly assembled, and a Blackhawk helicopter took off from Concord just after 3 p.m. in search of the injured hiker.

In the meantime, two caretakers from the Randolph Mountain Club’s Gray Knob hut were contacted. They volunteered to hike up to the ridge and attempt to find the hiker. At the same time, conservation officers were hiking up to the location with a litter along Lowe’s Path.

Not long after the Blackhawk took off, the RMC caretakers found Davis. They discovered that he had crawled away from where he had been injured, at the junction of Randolph Path, Gulfside Trail, and Edmonds Col Cutoff.

The Blackhawk arrived and landed at the location around 3:40 p.m. Davis was loaded into the helicopter and brought to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin. The help from the National Guard was crucial, officials with NH Fish and Game said.

“The National Guard helicopter saved dozens of potential rescuers from having to hike several miles and carry the injured hiker through difficult and dangerous terrain. This evolution would have likely lasted well into the early morning hours. Requesting assistance from the National Guard is not taken for granted and is only utilized in the most urgent or potentially life-threatening situations,” the department said in a statement.

Heroes of the Week: Good Samaritans pull driver out of car engulfed in flames

This week's heroes are the many commuters and Dave Klepaida, the Minnesota Department of Transportation FIRST driver who pulled over to help a man escape his burning vehicle in St. Paul, Minnesota, before it was totally engulfed in flames. The video from a driver's dashcam captures the entire scene (see below).

(Photo:  Dashcam footage showed bystanders racing to help after a fiery crash Monday morning. (WCCO, KADIR TOLLA/CBS)

Good Samaritans pull driver out of car engulfed in flames

By WCCO via CNN Newsource, Published: Apr. 23, 2024

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) - A group of good Samaritans rushing to help was caught on camera in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Dashcam footage shows bystanders racing to rescue the driver of a car after a fiery crash Monday morning.

Dramatic video from Kadir Tolla’s Tesla camera captures the frantic moment drivers run to help save a man trapped inside his car engulfed in flames.

“That was the craziest moment of my life,” Tolla said.

With the guard rail in the way, Tolla and the group of good Samaritans desperately tried to pry the doors open and break the window.

“The worst thing that could have happened was I could probably get burned a little or get injured, but that man could literally lose his life,” Tolla said.

It wasn’t until a driver with the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Freeway Incident Response Safety Team showed up with a tool that could shatter the glass that they were able to pull the driver to safety with just seconds to spare.

 

(VIDEO: Dramatic footage shows a group of good samaritans pulling a man out of car engulfed in flames. The footage was filmed along the Interstate 94 near St Paul, Minnesota, USA.Kadir Tolla, whose dashcam recorded the rescue, was on his way to visit clients on April 18 when he saw the crash along the I-94. Credit: Kadir Tolla) LINK: https://youtu.be/oGbu9U9ON54?si=NTw19jz_gdYaAqe6

“Get him out. It was the only thing going through my head,” Dave Klepaida, the Minnesota Department of Transportation FIRST driver, said.

Klepaida just happened to be patrolling the area. "To me, it’s just doing my job,” Klepaida said.

It was a good showing of humanity as everyone worked together to get the driver out. “Everyone stepped up and just did it. It wasn’t training; it was just being in the right place at the right time,” Klepaida said.

He credited a tool, known as window punch, that Minnesota Department of Transportation FIRST drivers keep on their key chains and in their trucks. “Basically, the black end goes up against the car window, and that little punch comes out and breaks the window,” Klepaida said.

Sam Orbovich, the driver they saved, said he only had minor injuries. “It was incredibly heroic,” Orbovich said in a statement. “Fred Rogers used to say that whenever someone sees something scary, look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Copyright 2024 WCCO via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

Heroes of the Week: Boston police officers revive 83-year-old community activist during meeting

This week's heroes are 2 quick thinking Boston police officers, Lt. Detective John Fitzgerald and Captain John Flynn, who saved an 83 year old teacher's life, after she went into cardiac arrest. 

(Photo: Lt. Detective John Fitzgerald, Myrtle Huggins and Captain John Flynn

BETH GERMANO/WBZ)

Boston police officers revive 83-year-old community activist during meeting

BY BETH GERMANO/ DECEMBER 21, 2023 CBS BOSTON

BOSTON - It was the right place at the right time for Boston police officers and fire department personnel. They rushed into action to save a woman's life during a community meeting back in October.

There are actually few people in Mattapan who don't know Myrtle Huggins, who works frequently on community issues with Boston police. "If it wasn't for them and the fire department, I wouldn't be here talking to you," she tells WBZ-TV.

Huggins remembers suddenly going into cardiac arrest right after she introduced the officers, who were there to discuss crime in the neighborhood, to those in attendance. "I went to sit down but went backwards," she said. "I remember hitting the floor and that was it."

Lt. Detective John Fitzgerald rushed to find a defibrillator and the clock was ticking. "I went through two floors up and down the facility and found it in a closet," he said. "I have long legs so I was really moving."

The officers recently received commendations for their aid to Myrtle Huggins who had actually died for four and a half minutes before being revived with a shock from the AED.  

She only remembers waking up in her hospital bed. "That was joy to me, that was really joy. You don't know how much life means to you until something happens," said Huggins.

It's the kind of medical emergency police are constantly training for, but the officers admit it was the first time they actually put it into action. "It was a lot of emotion to make sure we did everything right," said Capt. John Flynn.

Especially for Myrtle Huggins who believes a higher power decided she wasn't ready. "God has something in place for me, he does," she said.

The retired Boston school teacher says she'll pour even more energy into mentoring youth in the community but has something a little more immediate on her agenda. "I'll be 84 years old January 11, and guess what I can still play basketball," Huggins said. "I can take it to the hoop."

She says doctors have changed some of her medications, but other than that is eating well and exercising every day with a new lease on life.

Heroes of the Week: Bostonians launched a project to Fight Florida Book Bans

 This week's heroes are Bostonians who are fighting back against Florida's Nazi-style book bans.  

(Photo: THESE 176 BOOKS WERE BANNED IN DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA ,By: Lisa Tolin)

Want to fight Florida book bans? These Bostonians launched a project to help readers in the Sunshine State.

Boston. com Oct 15, 2023 By Dialynn Dwyer

If you’re looking for a way to fight the growing movement of book bans in Florida, you’re not alone.

Helping readers in the Sunshine State is the idea behind a new project, BannedBooksUSA.org, launched by local tech entrepreneur and Kayak co-founder Paul English and Joyce Linehan, a former policy chief for the City of Boston and member of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

The platform allows libraries, educational institutions, and anyone living in Florida to receive a banned book for just the cost of shipping. Anyone can donate to support the initiative or “order a book that has been banned from local schools or libraries to be shipped to someone in Florida,” according to the initiative’s website. A dollar from every order will be donated to the Florida Freedom to Read Project.

English and Linehan are working together on the project with nonprofit Electric Literature and Bookshop.org, which donates profits directly to independent bookstores.

A September report by PEN America found that Florida now leads the nation in book bans — more than 40 percent of the book bans in the United States are taking place in the Sunshine State.

“If you look at the authors behind the books that are banned, they’re largely BIPOC, Black, gay, Indigenous,” English told GBH. “They’re people that have been marginalized with more attempts to marginalize them. And so what the bans are doing is they’re not letting these marginalized people tell their story. They’re instead trying to tell a very different story about American history and our society”

According to GBH, the cost of the project is being covered by a $100,000 investment by English.

 The West Roxbury native told The Boston Globe he was a regular at the local library growing up and that he knew he had to do something about the book bans when started hearing about the growing challenges to texts across the country.

“Not everyone can afford to travel around the world, but in books, you can,” he told the newspaper. “You can open your mind outside your bubble.”

Linehan told GBH she is alarmed by the ongoing restrictions across the country.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/lGMkigPQFY0

 

(VIDEO caption: PEN America and We Need Diverse Books presented a letter to the school board urging them to put the books back on shelves. These Authors discuss their award-winning books for children that were banned in Duval County, Florida (For STUPID reasons). Link to more info here: https://pen.org/banned-books-florida/)

“Intellectual freedom is the very cornerstone of our democracy and it has to be protected,” she told the station. “It’s a fundamental piece of the First Amendment rights that we have as Americans.”

If successful, the English and Linehan will work to expand the project to other states, including Texas, and Missouri.

Heroes of the week: TN state Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, Gloria Johnson

 This week's heroes are the 3 lawmakers in Tennessee who stood up against the conservatives that rule the Tennessee legislature over gun control: TN state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two Black millennial freshmen, and Gloria Johnson. Jones and Pearson were kicked out, while Johnson remained. After the school mass shooting in Nashville, these 3 lawmakers called for gun control and had to use bullhorns because the Republican Speaker of the house turned off their microphones. The Republican majority do not want any gun control or gun safety. Here's the update from April 12, 2023: 

(Photo: TN state Reps. Justin Pearson,  Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson. Cr; EastTennessean.com) 

Tennessee Republicans may have just handed a lifeline to Democrats

Outrage over the ouster of two Democratic lawmakers has supercharged party organizing in a Republican stronghold.

By LIZ CRAMPTON , 04/12/2023 12:09 PM EDT, Politico

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Democrats can’t believe the moment they’re in.

On the day that state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two Black millennial freshmen, were kicked out of the Legislature, 33,000 people called into the state party office looking to get involved, Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus said. 

So far, nearly 10,000 have signed up to volunteer, he said in an interview, and hundreds of people have expressed interest in running for office — many in districts where Republican lawmakers ran unopposed in the midterms. More than half of Republican lawmakers serving in the statehouse today were uncontested in November.

An emotional, weeks-long confrontation in the state Legislature has thrust Nashville onto the national political scene and put the southern city at the center of a debate about race, activism and gun violence.

While Republicans intended their ouster of two progressive lawmakers last week to be a punishment, the move has turned into one of the Democratic Party’s best chances in years to boost their organization in the South. Democrats are dreaming up ways to claw back some power from the GOP, fueled by an influx of out-of-state dollars and new commitments from Tennesseans to get involved with politics.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we have to take advantage of,” state Sen. London Lamar, a Democrat who represents parts of Memphis, said in an interview.

A blue turnaround in Tennessee seemed like a pipe dream just a few weeks ago — and maybe still does. Democrats are outnumbered, out-resourced and hamstrung by a legislative map drawn to favor Republicans. It’s also a state that suffers from one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country.

Party insiders and organizers are the first to concede just how bad they have it.

“Nothing changes the fact that these districts are highly gerrymandered,” said Lisa Quigley, a former chief of staff to Rep. Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat who didn’t seek reelection after his district was effectively eliminated in redistricting last year. “It’s going to take some really smart organizing all over the state, because none of us vote very well.”

But if there was ever a moment when the party stood a chance, it’s now. The state Democratic Party has been flooded with donations and interest since the GOP started moving against three Democrats for participating in a gun safety protest on the state House floor, and ultimately expelling two of them last week for violating decorum rules. Their stunt angered Republicans who wanted to see them promptly punished, invoking a rare removal process marked by its partisanship and accusations of racism.

Most Republicans have avoided commenting on the spectacle outside of last week’s removal proceedings, where they admonished the Democrats for disrupting the process. FULL STORY:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/12/tennessee-democrats-justin-jones-pearson-00091631?utm_source=cordial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hp-us-reg-morning-email_2023-04-13&utm_term=us-morning-email

Heroes of the Week: 2 Men in Wales Rescue 3 People from Small Plane Crash

This week's heroes/good people of the week are two men who live in Wales and ran to a crashed, burning small plane and pulled out the pilot and two other people before it was consumed by fire. Here's the story from BBC News.

(Image: Rescuers Daniel Nicholson (l) and Joel Snarr (r) ran to the crashed plane to help. Credit: BBC NEWS )

Abergavenny plane crash: Rescuers awarded bravery medal 

By Jordan DaviesBBC News  Feb 15, 2022

Two men who rescued three people from a burning plane have received one of the highest civilian honours for bravery.

Daniel Nicholson, from Monmouthshire, and Joel Snarr, from Hampshire, pulled a pilot, his niece and nephew from the wreckage after the light aircraft came down on the A40 in Abergavenny.

They have now both been awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal by the Princess Royal.

Mr Nicholson, from Abergavenny, said: "My family and I are very proud."

The pilot, Stuart Moore, had flown the single-engine four-seater plane from Buckinghamshire and landed in Abergavenny to pick up his niece and nephew.

However, there was a fuel problem during take-off and the plane hit power cables and crashed onto the dual carriageway.

Mr Nicholson and Mr Snarr were travelling along the A40, in May 2019, when the plane ditched onto the road.

The men ran towards the burning wreckage and smashed the plane's windows.

Mr Snarr, a former Army bomb disposal officer, pulled Mr Moore from the plane and Mr Nicholson, a shop manager, saved passengers Billie Manley and Jack Moore.

The plane was engulfed in flames not long after they were rescued.

Daniel Nicholson met Jack Moore and Billie Manley for the first time at the Pride of Britain Awards Mr Nicholson met the family at the Pride of Britain Awards months later, as he collected a bravery award for the rescue.

On surviving the crash, Mr Moore said: "We are very lucky, lucky people." He thanked his rescuers.

Speaking after receiving the gallantry medal, Mr Nicholson said: "It is an honour to be regarded in the same manner as previous QGM winners."

Heroes Of the Week: Paul "Pen" Farthing and UK for Rescuing Afghanistan Rescue Animals

 As someone who works in animal rescue, I have seen many go above and beyond to ensure all animals are safe. That's the case of this week's heroes: Paul 'Pen" Farthing in Afghanistan and the United Kingdom Royal Air Force who helped him and the animals in the rescue, evacuate the country safely. Here's the story from BBC NEWS

 image caption: Pen Farthing hellped get the rescue animals out of Afghanistan Credit: NOWZAD

Afghanistan: Pen Farthing has 'mixed emotions' after landing in UK

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-58370218  Aug 29, 2021

The founder of an animal shelter in Afghanistan has said he has "mixed emotions" after arriving in the UK after leaving Kabul.

Paul "Pen" Farthing landed at Heathrow Airport on Sunday morning, August 29th, having previously been caught up in Thursday's Kabul airport bomb blasts. Mr Farthing's charity Nowzad confirmed he and his animals left the country on Saturday without his staff

Mr Farthing's charity Nowzad confirmed he and his animals left the country on Saturday without his staff.

He said on Twitter he had "true deep feeling of sadness for Afghan today".

Arrived Heathrow with partial success of #OpArk Mixed emotions & true deep feeling of sadness for Afghan today. Heathrow Ops centre, Border Force, HARC & Air Pets were all bloody amazing. Witnessed 1st hand the compassion Heathrow is showing Afghan refugees. #AboveAndBeyond

Mr Farthing, a former Royal Marine who is originally from Dovercourt in Essex, set up the Nowzad animal shelter in Kabul, rescuing dogs, cats and donkeys, after serving in Afghanistan in the mid-2000s.

Since the collapse of the Afghan government, Mr Farthing and his supporters have campaigned to have his staff, their families and 140 dogs and 60 cats evacuated from the country in a plan he named Operation Ark.

Afghanistan: UK offers to help evacuate rescue animals and staff 

 AUGUST 25, 2021 BBC NEWS 

The UK says it will help evacuate staff and animals from a charity sanctuary in Afghanistan.

Paul "Pen" Farthing had accused ministers of cutting him off after supporters funded a chartered plane.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace now says that if Mr Farthing arrives at Kabul airport with his animals "we will seek a slot for his plane".  "If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight," he added on Twitter.

Royal Marine veteran Mr Farthing founded the Nowzad animal shelter, rescuing dogs, cats and donkeys after serving in Afghanistan in the mid-2000s. He has said he would not leave the country without his staff or animals.

Ex-Marine: I'm not leaving Kabul without animal rescue staff 

On Tuesday, Mr Wallace said he was not prepared to prioritise animals ahead of the evacuation of people "in real danger".

He said he couldn't push them through Taliban checks or crowds.

Vet Iain McGill told the BBC that a private flight funded by donations is on standby to rescue the group.

"The important thing about this mission is that it's a humanitarian mission. It is to rescue Pen Farthing, his 68 staff, and 130 other vulnerable Afghan people," Dr McGill said.

"It will also rescue over 150 cats and dogs, many of them belonging to UK servicemen and women. The important thing is that every seat on that plane will be filled on the flight back to the UK."Mr Wallace said he had authorised the Ministry of Defence to facilitate the processing of Pen Farthing's staff to fly to the UK. 

Nowzad Update - Operation Ark   31 August 2021

Operation Ark was a partial success with the safe evacuation of the Nowzad animals and Pen from Kabul during the last few hours of Kabul airport being secured by British and American troops.

Sadly the Taliban were not willing to let our Afghan national staff leave Afghanistan even though they finally had the correct paperwork from the UK government.

The dogs and cats of Operation Ark are now safely in quarantine and holding kennels relevant to their vaccinations and DEFRA approved blood testing dates and will be available for adoption from the Nowzad website in due course. Please do not message the quarantine kennels directly. They do not have the capacity or authority to adopt out any Nowzad dogs or cats.

The list of available dogs and cats and the procedure for adopting them will be published during mid-September. Our only focus now as a charity is the safety of our staff who were forced to remain in Kabul.

WEBSITE FOR THE RESCUE https://www.nowzad.com/news/article/nowzad-update-operation-ark