America's bridges are in rough shape. Of the nearly 620,000 bridges over roads, rivers and other waterways across the U.S., more than 43,500 of them, about 7%, are considered "structurally deficient." In Alaska, bridges face a unique and growing set of problems as the planet warms. Permafrost, the frozen ground beneath large parts of the state, is thawing with the changing climate, and that's shifting the soil and everything on it. Bridges are also increasingly crucial for rural residents who can no longer trust the stability of the rivers' ice in spring and fall. The infrastructure bill making its way through Congress currently includes US$40 billion in new federal funds for bridge construction, maintenance and repairs – the largest investment in bridges since construction of the interstate highway system started in the 1950s.  

At least one person was severely burned in a fire that started Monday afternoon at mobile homes in Manteca and prompted evacuations, authorities say. Multiple homes caught fire at the Islander Mobile Home Park. Embers from that fire then sparked a vegetation fire close to the mobile home neighborhood, fire officials said. As of around 3 p.m. the vegetation fire had burned about 10 acres. The person who was injured was hospitalized with third-degree burns. It is not yet known how the fire started.  

Something as simple as a sticker can now be a game-changer for first responders. The Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue came together Monday to unveil stickers they developed to identify specific special needs. "Sometimes when first responders respond to the scene, we're not always quite sure what we're responding to," said Tampa police interim chief Ruben Delgado. City of Tampa ADA coordinator Raquel Pancho likens it to the medical alert. "For people who have diabetes and are acting unresponsive or like they might be intoxicated, when the first responder sees these on the windows, they'll know that there's probably a diabetic emergency," she said. Recent police cases highlight the importance of the decals. Last September, police in Utah shot a 13-year-old boy on the autism spectrum after his mother called 911 asking for help because he was having a mental health episode.  

When Greg West received the alert for a motorcycle accident just after 2 a.m. last August, he dragged himself out of bed, then drove to the intersection of Stoddard Pond Road and Route 201 in Bowdoin. He was the only member of Bowdoin Fire and Rescue to respond. West, the deputy fire chief, found himself wearing "a lot of hats" at the scene. He was responsible for assessing the critically wounded driver, coordinating LifeFlight's landing and commanding the emergency response. Emergency personnel from Lisbon Emergency and Bowdoinham Fire Department arrived soon after, yet West was still juggling duties normally assigned to several people. West and the other members of Bowdoin Fire and Rescue have grown accustomed to responding to emergencies on their own or with little help.  

The yellow signs on the outside of some buildings means a little more than some might think. Fire Station one isn't just another fire station – it's also a safe place for kids who find themselves in tough situations. Assistant Chief Duane Hughes said having this designation is an honor. "Fire stations in Columbus and around the nation have always been considered safe places for kids. It's just great that we get that information out and those children know that whether they're maybe facing an abusive situation or they're lost, whatever it may be, they can come to fire stations and receive the help they need," Hughes said. Safe Place is a national organization that helps connect kids who are in danger with counselors. Sally Kate Winters in West Point saw the need and has trained 34 businesses and offices in Northeast Mississippi on how to better help a child.  

The Clarksville Fire Department is ramping up its attention to fitness through a recently implemented program that uses simulated work situations to help firefighters improve health. The project has been among the first from from Maj. Jeff Spainhour, who has been the department's training coordinator since December. Through support from the administration, Spainhour and firefighters Becky Oesterritter and Tim Cook have created a functional firefighting fitness program that uses real movements used in emergency situations. Spainhour, who is passionate about fitness and health, said the program "is very important for our firefighters to stay healthy and safe. We want them to have a long career here and when they retire, we want them to be healthy as well."