<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/first-responders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">First responders</a> have been hard at work helping people and animals with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hurricane-milton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hurricane Milton</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-hurricane-milton-makes-landfall-over-florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slamming</a> into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> as a &#8220;major&#8221; Category 3 hurricane late on Wednesday.
Milton swept through the central part of the state, unleashing heavy rain, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hurricane-milton-bears-down-on-florida-unleashes-tornadoes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tornadoes</a>, and storm surge. At least 10 deaths have been <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/milton-forecast-hurricane-tracker/?id=114553995" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> &#8212; and millions of customers lost power.
All the while, rescue efforts have been underway. Here are just a few, now that the hurricane has passed:
One striking <a href="https://x.com/USCGSoutheast/status/1844466002584842667" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> posted to social media showed what the U.S. Coast Guard said was a helicopter crew saving a man holding onto a cooler about 30 miles off Longboat Key.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Breaking</a> An <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a> Air Station Miami 65 helicopter crew rescued a man clinging to a cooler approximately 30 mi. off Longboat Key. 
The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care. 
Sector St. Pete lost communications w/ the man at approx. 6:45 p.m., Wed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAR</a> <a href="https://t.co/64wSHuRAeH">pic.twitter.com/64wSHuRAeH</a>
&mdash; USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGSoutheast/status/1844466002584842667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Coast Guard District 7, which shared the video, said the man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care.
In a <a href="https://x.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844401938953084999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> posted by the Hillsborough County Sheriff&#8217;s Office on Thursday, a boat crew can be seen rescuing a 14-year-old boy clutching onto a fence in floodwaters.
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Sheriff Chad Chronister and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/teamHCSO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#teamHCSO</a>&#39;s Marine Unit rescued a 14-year-old boy who was submerged in floodwaters and floating on debris following Hurricane Milton. <a href="https://t.co/mOInO7ZM0j">pic.twitter.com/mOInO7ZM0j</a>
&mdash; HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844401938953084999?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister <a href="https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/14-year-old-found-floating-on-fence-in-tampa-floodwaters-after-hurricane-milton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told WFLA</a> the boy stayed at a friend&#8217;s house after evacuating from the hurricane, and got stuck walking back home when it passed.
&#8220;It was literally out of a castaway movie, him laying on top of a fence, waving us,&#8221; Chronister said. &#8220;Out of breath, gasping for air as we pulled him up.&#8221;
Another <a href="https://x.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844373543523410054" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> from the Hillsborough County Sheriff&#8217;s Office showed the rescue of 135 residents from the Great American Assisted Living facility in Tampa.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/teamHCSO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#teamHCSO</a> rescued over 135 residents from the Great American Assisted Living facility in Tampa. We&#39;re thankful to be able to get all of these people to safety. <a href="https://t.co/LGq2aOWh9q">pic.twitter.com/LGq2aOWh9q</a>
&mdash; HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844373543523410054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The Florida Highway Patrol shared a <a href="https://x.com/FHPTampa/status/1844036069219574083" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> on Wednesday of troopers saving a dog tied to a pole with water up to its waist along I-75.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
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FHP Troopers rescued a dog left tied to a pole on I-75 near Bruce B Downs Blvd this morning. Do NOT do this to your pets please… <a href="https://t.co/8cZJOfkJL2">pic.twitter.com/8cZJOfkJL2</a>
&mdash; FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) <a href="https://twitter.com/FHPTampa/status/1844036069219574083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Responding to that post, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1844058578438717589" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thanked</a> the Florida Highway Patrol and delivered a warning to anyone who brings harm to pets.
&#8220;It is cruel for anyone to leave a dog tied to a post in the middle of an oncoming storm. FL will hold anyone who mistreats pets accountable,&#8221; DeSantis said.
With a follow-up post, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shared an update along with a photo appearing to show the dog in good spirits.
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Update: The dog rescued by <a href="https://twitter.com/FHPTampa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FHPTampa</a> is safe and receiving care. Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health. <a href="https://t.co/cut1jv7cBe">pic.twitter.com/cut1jv7cBe</a>
&mdash; FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLHSMV/status/1844085214131155027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The dog rescued by @FHPTampa is safe and receiving care. Troopers brought him to a vet, where he was examined for injuries and received a clean bill of health,&#8221; it said.

Officials perform water rescues in Clearwater after Hurricane Milton

SEE IT: Scenes From Breathtaking Rescues After Hurricane Milton Hits Florida

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Florida

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Hurricane Milton

Natural Disaster

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U.S.

Weather

The widow of a fire chief — who was killed during the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/9-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9/11 terrorist attacks</a> 23 years ago — blasted President Joe Biden for a callous and &#8220;flippant remark&#8221; about his plans to mark the anniversary on Wednesday at Ground Zero.
Joanne Barbara — widow of Gerard Barbara, an assistant chief in the New York Fire Department who died inside the World Trade Center on 9/11 — participated in Wednesday&#8217;s services but took a moment to call Biden out directly.
WATCH:
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Widow of 9/11 Fire Chief killed in terrorist attack CALLS OUT Joe Biden during her speech:
&#8220;The elected officials here today show their respect and reverence to the families on September 11th—or, in our president&#8217;s words, &#8216;Do 9/11.&#8217; Quite a flippant remark.&#8221;
Wow. <a href="https://t.co/ZYsgWpL6YL">pic.twitter.com/ZYsgWpL6YL</a>
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1833884338359853535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The elected officials here today show their respect and reverence to the families on September 11, or in our president’s words, &#8216;do 9/11.&#8217; Quite a flippant remark. But please remember the September 11 families live it every day, not just on the anniversary,&#8221; she said.
Biden was widely criticized for his phrasing after he spoke with reporters on the White House lawn on Tuesday, first detailing his plans to watch the ABC debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and then adding an aside about attending the 9/11 memorial in New York.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1723831707612000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0pyrv88A5nsmWM2F2Wr9As">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
&#8220;I’m going up to my granddaughter’s birthday in New York. Then we’re going to watch the debate. Tomorrow, I’m doing 9/11,&#8221; he said.
Biden and Harris both made an appearance at the Ground Zero memorial ceremonies — standing alongside former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential nominee, Senator JD Vance (R-OH) — but had apparently ducked out by the time Barbara made her comments. When she called him out directly, the cameras panned to where Biden and Harris had been standing — but only Trump and Vance were still standing where they had been.

New York City Marks 23rd Anniversary Of September 11, 2001 Attacks

‘Quite A Flippant Remark’: Fire Chief’s Widow Blasts Biden For Comments Ahead Of 9/11 Memorials

'Quite A Flippant Remark': Fire Chief's Widow Blasts Biden For Comments Ahead Of 9/11 Memorials

9/11

Al Qaeda

Firefighter

General

Joe Biden

New York City

New video shows the rescuers who saved Jeremy Renner after his near-fatal accident on New Year’s Day when his 14,000-pound snowplow fell on top of him as a result of a heroic effort to save his nephew.
<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/25/entertainment/jeremy-renner-incident-report-emergency-brake/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According</a> to a Nevada sheriff&#8217;s office incident report, the tragic incident began when Renner, 52, used his PistenBully snowcat to pull his nephew’s truck out of his driveway. Once the truck was on the street, the snowplow began “sliding sideways,” and then “began to roll down the hill,” prompting Renner to jump out without setting the emergency brake. But then Renner realized the snowplow was headed toward his nephew.
“He went up and then turned around, got out to tell me something, and then that&#8217;s when it was coming at me, like full force,” Alexander Fries, Renner’s nephew, told first responders in the newly-released video. “That’s when he tried to jump back in there, at around, right where his blood is at, that’s right where it all happened. He slipped because these tracks, there’s no way to stand on them.”
“He tried to jump on it?” a responder asked.
“He tried to jump on it and it took him under,” Fries said.
<iframe loading="lazy" id="molvideoplayer" title="MailOnline Embed Player" src="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/2920807.html" width="698" height="573" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Renner underwent chest surgery after he was airlifted to the hospital; he later said he had suffered “35 or so” broken bones.
“We kept discovering them as we were going along,” Renner stated later of his broken bones. “It went from critical order, like, priority of what I&#8217;m going to die from or not. And then six weeks later, I&#8217;m finding another break and another break and another break. It just missed every vertebra, didn&#8217;t hit any organs, didn&#8217;t hit my brain, didn&#8217;t swell, nothing like that. My eye did pop out, that&#8217;s weird. I got pretty lucky that none of my organs got messed up. It pierced my liver but that wasn&#8217;t dangerous.&#8221;
“He feared the PistenBully was going to hit [his nephew], so he decided to attempt to stop or divert the PistenBully,” the Nevada sheriff&#8217;s office incident report stated. Renner tried to enter the snowplow’s cab but in order to do so he had to climb onto its moving track. He was “immediately pulled under the left side track,” the report added.
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“Although the PistenBully had some mechanical issues, it is believed based on our mechanical inspection that the parking brake would keep the PistenBully from moving forward. When Renner attempted to stop or divert the PistenBully to avoid injury to Fries, he was pulled under the vehicle by the track and run over,” the report concluded.
A 911 call <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2023/01/18/jeremy-renner-911-call-snowplow-accident-contd-nr-melas-vpx.cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained by CNN</a> showed a neighbor frantically calling 911, saying Renner had been “completely crushed under a large snowcat,” adding that “the right side of his chest … collapsed – upper torso is crushed.”
During the 911 call, the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11674971/Hero-Jeremy-Renner-trying-save-nephew-hit-14-000lb-plow-report-says.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">female operator said</a>, “I need the address of the emergency please.&#8221;
“I told you,” the frustrated neighbor responded.
“I know, I just need to verify it, what is the phone number that you&#8217;re calling from,” the female operator insisted, adding, “What is the phone you&#8217;re calling from, just in case we get disconnected.”
“Listen to me, you might want to get lifeline out here immediately,” the neighbor said urgently, later saying, “He&#8217;s got a headwound as well. Can you give me an ETA?”
Renner was rescued and survived despite the serious injuries.

Renner

New Video Shows First Responders Who Rescued Jeremy Renner’s Life After Snowplow Accident

Celebrities

Hollywood Bowl

Jeremy Renner

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/first-responders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first responder</a> who assisted the community near the Norfolk Southern train <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ohio-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">derailment</a> in East Palestine, <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ohio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ohio</a>, said in an interview with The Daily Wire that colleagues and residents are experiencing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health</a> issues after officials conducted a controlled burn of hazardous materials at the crash site.
Local and state authorities evacuated all residents within one mile of the crash and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/evacuation-ordered-ohio-governor-warns-major-explosion-could-send-shrapnel-a-mile-from-derailed-train" target="_blank" rel="noopener">started</a> a controlled burn of spilled industrial chemicals to decrease the risk of an explosion. Vinyl chloride, a carcinogen that can contaminate water supplies, was released from five train cars in the form of massive plumes of dark smoke visible throughout eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, raising worries about air and water quality in the Ohio River Basin.
“A large number of firefighters, police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and state troopers have experienced many symptoms including a bad cough, headaches, sore throat, and diarrhea,” recounted the first responder, whose identity was confirmed by The Daily Wire but who wishes to remain unnamed. “The same symptoms were reported by residents who did not evacuate.”
The first responder added that he and other members of his department were “encouraged to have a full physical and blood work done by our family doctors just in case any exposure could lead to lifelong ailments.” He personally experienced a cough, sore throat, and diarrhea that subsided two days after he was near the site on February 6 and February 7.
Norfolk Southern, as well as state and federal environmental authorities, publicly said that water supply tests have not revealed concerning levels of hazardous material. When asked about widely circulated reports regarding wildlife and farm animals dying in the days after the controlled burn, the first responder commented that he has “heard stories about dead fish being found in the basin near the crash scene.”
The Ohio Department of Agriculture on Monday told The Daily Wire that the “food supply is safe and the risk to livestock remains low,” adding that the agency has not “received any official reports regarding the wellness of animals related to the incident.”
The first responder was present at the East Palestine Community Center, slightly more than one mile away from the crash site, when officials started the controlled burn.
“When it first exploded, a dark gray mushroom-like cloud appeared overhead and colored the sky the same color,” he described. “It was unlike anything I have ever seen.”
Beyond the controlled burn of vinyl chloride, Norfolk Southern <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/company-responsible-for-ohio-train-derailment-issues-list-of-cancer-causing-substances-released" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> officials at the Environmental Protection Agency that a number of other volatile industrial chemicals were released at the derailment site. One train car containing ethylene glycol monobutyl ether presently has an “unknown status,” according to Norfolk Southern, while the amount of ethylhexyl acrylate in another car is still “pending.” The former substance can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, while the latter has been identified as a carcinogen in laboratory experiments.
Lawmakers have expressed concern over the incident, called for investigations, and floated the need for new railroad safety regulations. The derailment in East Palestine appears to have been caused by a malfunctioning car axle that was on fire or shooting sparks, as indicated by footage of the train captured by security cameras as far as 20 miles away from the crash site.

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‘Unlike Anything I Have Ever Seen’: Ohio First Responder Says Residents Suffer From Health Issues After Train Derailment

Ohio First Responder Says Residents Suffer From Health Issues After Train Derailment

Cancer

Disasters

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Ohio

Ohio Train Disaster

Train

The latest &#8220;atmospheric river&#8221; storm system is continuing to wallop the state of California with catastrophic flooding and dangerous conditions.
Nearly 34 million California residents, nearly 90% of the state&#8217;s population, are under a <a href="https://www.weather.gov/images/crh/dhs/wwa_population.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flood watch</a>, according to maps from the National Weather Service. The deluge has delivered rainfall totals way above average, and multiple cities have set rainfall records in recent days. The storm system is also threatening infrastructure — closing some roads, collapsing others, knocking out power, and causing at least one mudslide already.
Nearly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/us/california-evacuation-storm-power-outage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100,000 residents</a> were under evacuation orders or warnings Tuesday morning. Some 49,000 were under evacuation orders; the orders were in effect for <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/weather/evacuations-santa-cruz-county/3124510/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Santa Cruz County</a> in the north and parts of <a href="https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/36e1b8aa-eea2-4302-98bc-fb31f0e41ce0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Santa Barbara County</a>, including the city of Montecito, in the south.
&#8220;Nearly all of California has seen much above average rainfall totals over the past several weeks, with totals 400-600% above average values,&#8221; the NWS <a href="https://origin.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd&amp;version=0&amp;fmt=reg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Weather Prediction Center</a> said early Tuesday morning.
Several cities across the state had historic rainfall totals. According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/10/weather/california-flooding-atmospheric-river-tuesday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>, the downtown area of Santa Barbara received 6.37 inches of rain on Monday, the highest total on record for the city. The nearby city of Moorpark was drenched with more than 4 inches of rain, the second-highest total in its history. San Luis Obispo McChesney Field Regional Airport got 4.1 inches of rain, beating the previous record rainfall by nearly half an inch. The <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/California-storm-rain-update-17706756.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Francisco Chronicle</a> reported that San Francisco received 12.37 inches in a 15-day period between December 26 and January 9, the third-largest rainfall total in a fortnight since 1862.
The storm has dramatically impacted travel across the state as well. Dozens of roads across the state were closed or damaged by the storm. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, State Route 9 in Santa Cruz County was closed in 4 separate locations as of Tuesday morning; state route 35 and 236 were also closed. Later in the morning, Interstate 80 in the Sierra Nevada was closed due to high winds and whiteout conditions.
A press release from the California Department of Transportation Tuesday morning showed that <a href="https://twitter.com/CaltransD5/status/1612879269629394945?s=20&amp;t=oZXn2P8DL9r11FqkGsU3Yw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9 different highways</a> were closed in the Central Coast region, including multiple sections of U.S. Route 101.
Rockslides and downed trees closed multiple roads in the state. Video from local power company PG&amp;E, shared by <a href="https://twitter.com/weatherchannel/status/1612818608777830403" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Weather Channel</a> showed a large tree sliding down a hillside and falling onto the road. The <a href="https://twitter.com/ChpFresno/status/1612557401219301378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fresno area office</a> of the California Highway Patrol shared video Monday afternoon of a rockslide that closed state route 168 on Monday. Another rock slide blocked Malibu Canyon Road in Southern California, according to a tweet from the <a href="https://twitter.com/LACoPublicWorks/status/1612792944955895808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles County Public Works Department</a>.
A <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/chatsworth-sinkhole-swallows-2-cars-firefighters-on-scene/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sinkhole</a> opened in Chatsworth, a suburb of Los Angeles, Monday night. Four people were initially trapped in the sinkhole in two vehicles; two individuals escaped their vehicle before first responders arrived. The road was flooded and water began to fill the hole, but firefighters were able to rescue a mother and daughter from the second vehicle.
The floods have caused at least one mudslide already. Fox 11 Los Angeles reporter Mario Ramirez shared <a href="https://twitter.com/MarioFOXLA/status/1612889092156686338?s=20&amp;t=Bdt4EklhG2Bu-mMo5M3HSw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photos</a> on Twitter of a mudslide in Studio City that covered roadways in the neighborhood.
The California Governor&#8217;s Office of Emergency Services said that as of Tuesday, the death toll across the state increased to 15, the Chronicle reported.
The NWS Prediction Center said that heavy rains would continue for much of the state through tonight. &#8220;[S]cattered to widespread instances of flash flooding will be possible, especially near steep terrain and burn scars,&#8221; the NWS said. &#8220;There will be a brief break in the rainfall in the West late tonight before the next atmospheric river arrives Wednesday&#8230; As the system slowly approaches the West Coast, precipitation will spread north into the Pacific Northwest Wednesday night and continue through the end of the work week.&#8221;

California road damaged by storm

Storms Pound California With Record Rainfall, Disastrous Flooding That Wrangles Roads, Forces Evacuations

California

Floods

Two workers at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania had to be rescued from a vat of chocolate Thursday in a scene that could have been ripped from the pages of &#8220;Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.&#8221;
Rescue crews responded to the Mars M&amp;M factory in Elizabethtown at around 2 p.m. local time Thursday afternoon. <a href="https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/two-people-trapped-in-chocolate-tank-at-m-m-mars-factory-in-elizabethtown-rescue-operation/article_44282b34-e826-11ec-b462-07a72388f390.html">Lancaster Online</a> reported that more than two dozen emergency personnel arrived at the factory on Brown Street, about 12 miles outside of Hershey. Rescue crews declined to comment at the time, the outlet reported.
&#8220;We are actively managing the situation and our primary focus is supporting emergency teams on site,&#8221; a spokesperson for Mars Wrigley told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/09/us/chocolate-tank-rescue-pennsylvania/index.html?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_term=link&amp;utm_source=twCNN&amp;utm_content=2022-06-09T21%3A32%3A08">CNN</a> Thursday.
The rescue began after two workers fell into a tank of chocolate at the confectionery at around 1:51 p.m., Lancaster County dispatchers said, via <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/06/2-people-stuck-in-tank-of-chocolate-at-central-pa-mm-factory.html">Penn Live</a>. The two workers were not hurt, and dispatchers said that the workers were not &#8220;floating around in chocolate.&#8221; The chocolate in the tank was only about waist-high, but neither of the employees could get out of the tank under their own power.
Fire crews on the scene ruled out pulling them out of the tank directly once they arrived on the scene, Lancaster County 911 communications supervisor Brad Wolfe told CNN while the rescue was ongoing. Instead, rescuers decided to cut a hole in the side of the chocolate tank to get them out. A dispatch supervisor told local ABC affiliate <a href="https://www.abc27.com/news/local/people-stuck-in-mars-factory-chocolate-tank-rescue-underway/">WHTM</a> that the first worker was pulled out of the tank at around 3:10 p.m. The second worker was rescued about 15 minutes later. Assistant Dispatch Supervisor Nick Schoenberger told CNN that both patients were taken to area hospitals. &#8220;One patient was transported by ground and one person was transported by helicopter,&#8221; he told the outlet.
Initial reports indicated that neither of the two workers were injured. As of the publication of this article, officials have given no updates on the condition of the two workers. Wolfe told CNN that it is still unclear how the two workers fell into the tank. WHTM reported further that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.
A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley confirmed to The Daily Wire that the workers had been successfully rescued. &#8220;We can confirm both people have been taken offsite for further evaluation,&#8221; the spokesperson said. &#8220;We’re extremely grateful for the quick work of the first responders.&#8221;
Amidst news that the two employees had been reported safe, social media users joked about the incident, noting that it was a real-life version of Roald Dahl&#8217;s world famous children&#8217;s book &#8220;Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,&#8221; in which greedy German boy Augustus Gloop falls into the factory&#8217;s chocolate river while trying to drink from it.

mars bars (mostly)

Mars M&M Factory Workers Rescued After Falling Into Chocolate Tank

chocolate

Food

Pennsylvania

Rescue

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday that the state&#8217;s first responders employed by local governments will receive $1,000 bonuses this year.
The news marks the second consecutive year of bonuses for first responders including police officers, sheriff’s deputies, paramedics, EMTs, and firefighters throughout the state.
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$1,000 Bonuses for First Responders in Florida <a href="https://t.co/WAgr1kFDfU">https://t.co/WAgr1kFDfU</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1509593161877753868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“Our first responders work tirelessly to protect and serve our communities,” DeSantis said in a <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2022/03/31/governor-ron-desantis-announces-first-responders-will-receive-1000-bonuses-for-second-year-in-a-row/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“While other states turned their backs on law enforcement and first responders, Florida has continued to support them. These bonuses are a well-deserved recognition to our law enforcement and first responders for all they do for Florida,&#8221; he added.
DeSantis also took to Twitter to express his appreciation for Florida&#8217;s first responders.
&#8220;We depend on our first responders to serve and protect, no matter the emergency. These $1,000 bonuses are a token of our appreciation for all they do for our state every day,&#8221; he tweeted.
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We depend on our first responders to serve and protect, no matter the emergency. These $1,000 bonuses are a token of our appreciation for all they do for our state every day. <a href="https://t.co/pJGoetIwAG">pic.twitter.com/pJGoetIwAG</a>
&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1509659302482509825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis also shared his excitement over the news in support of the state&#8217;s first responders.
“Florida’s first responders are the tip of the spear when protecting our communities,” Patronis said.
“Whether it’s policing our streets or responding to devastating hurricanes, tornadoes or tragedies like the Surfside condo collapse, I’ve seen firsthand the daily sacrifices they make to keep us safe. What our law enforcement and firefighters do is not just a job – it’s a calling – and thank God they answer that call. While other states turn a blind eye to the badge, we are proud to support these heroes. Thank you to Governor DeSantis for your nonstop support of Florida’s first responders,” he added.
DeSantis previously announced $1,000 bonuses for the state’s law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders as part of a $400 million funding proposal to increase first responder salaries in November, declaring, “We will always support our law enforcement.” The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-announces-1000-bonuses-for-police-first-responders-we-will-always-support-our-law-enforcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>:
<blockquote>“While other states have turned their backs on law enforcement, even calling to ‘defund the police,’ in Florida we continue to support the men and women in law enforcement,” DeSantis said in a <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2021/11/29/governor-ron-desantis-proposes-sweeping-pay-increases-for-state-law-enforcement-officers-1000-bonuses-for-first-responders-and-5000-to-support-state-and-local-level-recruitment-efforts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“I am proud to propose larger and longer-lasting measures to help our state recruit and retain the best law enforcement officers in the nation and to provide $1,000 bonuses for first responders and law enforcement officers for the second year in a row,” he added.
Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis also applauded the move, referring to the state’s first responders as “heroes.”
“Through natural disasters and a pandemic, these are the heroes that leave their families at a moment’s notice to run towards danger in the service of others. We don’t have safe communities and a vibrant economy where families can thrive without these heroes working every day to protect us,” Patronis noted.</blockquote>

Ron DeSantis

DeSantis Announces $1,000 Bonuses For First Responders For Second Consecutive Year

The Gary Sinise Foundation is starting a whole new initiative with The Home Depot co-founders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. The new initiative will offer care to veterans and first responders who suffer &#8220;from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse.&#8221;
As reported by <a href="https://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/blank-marcus-and-lt-dan-to-aid-veterans/">The Atlanta Jewish Times</a>, both of Sinise&#8217;s new partners are donating $20 million from their personal foundations in order to provide support to the <a href="https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/avalon-network/">Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network</a>. The program will add onto the work that has been completed by the Marcus Institute for Brain Health and the Boulder Crest Foundation’s Warrior PATHH (Progressive and Alternative Training for Healing Heroes) program.
In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYEqHKdmChY&amp;feature=youtu.be">video</a> announcing the network, Sinise discussed the &#8220;epidemic of invisible wounds&#8221; that veterans and first responders experience. He added that these &#8220;invisible wounds&#8221; have &#8220;visible manifestations like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse which affect not only the veterans and first responders themselves, but their families, as well&#8230;these invisible wounds too often can lead to suicide.&#8221;
The new initiative is part of the &#8220;relief and resiliency program.&#8221; Sinise explains that the program will leverage &#8220;the science of post-traumatic growth, a framework that explains the positive transformation that can occur following trauma.&#8221;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYEqHKdmChY&#038;feature=youtu.be
The program will create twenty sites across the country to &#8220;serve veterans, first responders and their families,&#8221; The Atlanta Jewish Times notes. The name of the foundation <a href="https://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/blank-marcus-and-lt-dan-to-aid-veterans/">reportedly</a> incorporates the name Avalon as a reference to the island where King Arthur was taken in order to recover after his final battle.
In the announcement video, Sinise adds, &#8220;This was always my intention, my mission from the beginning — to always do a little more to be there for our nation&#8217;s defenders in their time of need.&#8221;
The Veterans Administration says that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq resulted in a larger percentage of traumatic brain injuries than previous conflicts. The Atlanta Jewish Times reports that the U.S. Defense Department has estimated that 22% of all combat wounds from those specific conflicts are brain injuries, which is 10% more than the Vietnam War.
The new initiative will mark the first time that Blank and Marcus have partnered together since co-founding The Home Depot. “Arthur and I, together at Home Depot, we recognized how important the military was to us,” said Marcus.
Marcus served in the Air National Guard for four years during the period of the Korean War in the early 1950s. “I appreciate the military,” he said. “These young people have put their lives on the line and, frankly, when they leave the service, they’re not getting the support they need.”
This is not the first time Sinise’s foundation has partnered with the Marcus and Home Depot foundations. They previously joined forces to build smart homes for wounded vets.
One of the twenty centers included in the network will be the Marcus Institute for Brain Health in Colorado, which cares for veterans and retired athletes that have &#8220;mild to moderate traumatic brain injuries (including concussion) and changes in psychological health.&#8221; The SHARE Military Initiative in Atlanta will also be among the centers working with the program.
In February 2019, Gary Sinise joined Ben Shapiro for an episode of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/sunday-special">The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special</a> to &#8220;discuss his road to Hollywood success, how he&#8217;s stayed grounded through it all, and his passion for supporting our troops, veterans, and their families.&#8221;

Celebrities Visit Build – March 22, 2018

WATCH: Gary Sinise Launches New Initiative With Home Depot Founders

Gary Sinise

Mental Health

Military

Actor and musician Gary Sinise and his foundation have launched a new initiative in response to the ongoing coronavirus crisis: the &#8220;<a href="https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/emergency-covid-19-combat-service/">Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service</a>,&#8221; which is doing its part to meet the needs of first responders and healthcare professionals. Since launching just a few weeks ago, the campaign has provided over 4,700 pieces of personal protective equipment, assisted nearly 50 first responder departments and provided over $200,000 in total grants to those on the front lines of the effort to combat COVID-19.
&#8220;With the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) across the nation, the Gary Sinise Foundation has launched a dedicated campaign called, Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service, which addresses the needs and priorities of those it is entrusted by the American people to serve and honor, with the addition of healthcare professionals,&#8221; a press release published on the foundation&#8217;s website reads.
&#8220;During this public health crisis, Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service will be the gateway for providing grants to first responders in need of personal protective equipment when answering COVID-19 service calls,&#8221; the foundation states. &#8220;Financial assistance is also available to healthcare professionals, service members, veterans, first responders, and their families who have been impacted by the novel coronavirus.&#8221;
In a video posted on YouTube on April 1, Sinise announced the new COVID-19 campaign:
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&#8220;Since announcing the availability of First Responder grants on March 9, the Foundation has made strides in reaching departments in need of personal protective equipment and essential gear utilized in the fight against COVID-19,&#8221; the release reads. Thus far in its effort to fight the pandemic, the campaign has contributed 4,722 pieces of personal protective equipment, assisted 47 first responder departments across the nation, assisted 21 states, and provided $208,930 in grants.
The <a href="https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/mission/">mission</a> of the Gary Sinise Foundation, which the actor founded in 2011, is to serve the nation &#8220;by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need&#8221; by &#8220;creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.&#8221;
&#8220;Freedom and security are precious gifts that we, as Americans, should never take for granted,&#8221; said Sinise. &#8220;We must do all we can to extend our hand in times of need to those who willingly sacrifice each day to provide that freedom and security. While we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation&#8217;s defenders, we can always do a little more.&#8221;
Below are some of the <a href="https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/by-the-numbers/">contributions</a> the popular actor&#8217;s foundation has made to the nation&#8217;s defenders over the years:
<ul>
<li>61 specially adapted smart homes complete for severely wounded veterans</li>
<li>197,313+ meals served to the nation’s defenders</li>
<li>102,400+ people have attended the organization’s Invincible Spirit Festivals since 2012</li>
<li>233 emergency relief grants awarded to police, firefighters, and EMTs</li>
<li>445 essential pieces of equipment donated to first responders</li>
<li>1,135 first responder training grants</li>
<li>20 homes modified for defenders</li>
<li>16 adapted vehicles</li>
<li>17 mobility devices for veterans</li>
<li>5,250+ children of fallen military heroes and their surviving parent or guardian have joined the organization’s Snowball Express since 2018</li>
<li>488+ support concerts since 2003 in which Gary has performed, of which 273 were performed since the Gary Sinise Foundation began</li>
</ul>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dan-crenshaw-dismantles-wapo-writers-attempt-to-rewrite-history-on-trumps-coronavirus-response">Dan Crenshaw Dismantles WaPo Writer’s Attempt To ‘Rewrite History’ On Trump’s Coronavirus Response</a>

WATCH: Gary Sinise Launches ‘Emergency COVID-19 Combat Service’ To Help First Responders, Healthcare Professionals

COVID

Veterans

MMA champion Conor McGregor, a fierce supporter of President Trump, has joined with Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, which he founded, to donate over $1 million to New York’s Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Foundation, which supports first responders across the United States. The organization is named after Stephen Siller, who died saving people on 9/11.
McGregor told John Aidan Byrne of <a href="https://pagesix.com/2020/03/10/conor-mcgregor-donates-1m-to-families-of-first-responders/">The New York Post</a>, “I have always had deep respect for first responders who are not only selfless but also fearless in performing their duties. They are willing to risk it all for perfect strangers.”
McGregor is keeping a promise he made that he would donate $5 for every case that was sold of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. He added, “We are so proud to partner with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to honor these proper heroes. The foundation’s goal is to ensure stability and security for these families facing sudden tragic loss.”
TheMacLife <a href="https://themaclife.com/featured-posts/first-responders-around-world-true-life-heroes-conor-mcgregors-proper-no-twelve-makes-considerable-donation-first-responders-charities/">website</a> reported that a press release from  Proper No. Twelve stated:
<blockquote>During Proper No. Twelve’s launch in late 2018, founder McGregor and his partners pledged that the whiskey company would donate $5 for every case of Proper No. Twelve sold until donations reached $1 million annually to first responder organizations around the world.  Thanks to the tremendous love and support for the brand as well as the high-quality liquid, Proper No. Twelve has become a bartender and consumer favourite, setting sales records for the industry. Proper No. Twelve has sold approximately 200,000 9-liter cases in America and, based on the $5 per case donation the company will donate $1 million dollars in the United States.
The company is proud to announce it has selected the New York-headquartered Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to receive this $1 million donation for the United States. The donation will go towards paying off the mortgages for families of law enforcement officers and firefighters across the country, who were killed in the line of duty and left behind young children. Tunnel to Towers has a score of 100 for Accountability &amp; Transparency on Charity Navigator. Additional donations will be announced in March and April for first responder organizations in Ireland, Canada, the UK, Australia, Russia, Poland and South Africa.</blockquote>
McGregor, who has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ufc-champion-conor-mcgregor-trump-phenomenal-president-possibly-greatest-of-all-time">called Trump</a>, “Phenomenal President. Quite possibly the USA greatest of all time,”also released a video on Tuesday promoting the foundation in which he states:
<blockquote>I am Conor McGregor: multiple weight MMA champion. I’m a fighter, and have been through many battles in the octagon. Many consider my fights in the octagon heroic. But the real-life heroes are those men and women who fight to protect us every day. The real-life fighters. The real-life heroes. The firefighters. The police officers. These first responders are true heroes, because these brave men and women put themselves in the line of danger every single day protecting us all. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation ensures hat first responders from fire, EMS and police departments who are killed in the line of duty with young children have a home without a burden of a mortgage. They are my heroes. They need our help today. I’d like to ask you to join men in donating $11 a month to support their efforts. Your $11 a month honors and supports our first responders. Please call now at 1-844-BRAVEST or visit tunneltotowers.org.</blockquote>
Video below:
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UFC 229 Khabib v McGregor: Weigh-Ins

Fierce Trump Supporter MMA Champ Conor McGregor Donates Over $1 Million To First Responders

Conor McGregor

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