America The Beautiful Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to renewing the beauty, strength, and promise of America, announced a grant to public safety technology provider Intterra to expand its Aware platform nationwide as AwareUS, delivering trusted, real-time emergency information, at no cost, to communities across all U.S. states and territories.

‍The grant, awarded through the Foundation’s SAFE (Safeguarding Communities, Forests & Ecosystems) program, will fund an authoritative national public safety information platform directly connected to state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal public safety agencies, ensuring that when disaster strikes, Americans hear directly from the agencies protecting them, not from rumor or speculation.

‍“America The Beautiful Foundation is focused on solutions that strengthen communities and help protect lives, landscapes, and public trust,” said Dr. Emily Weeks, Executive Director of America The Beautiful Foundation. “Every American deserves access to clear, timely, and authoritative public safety information. The public should not have to piece together life-safety information from rumors, social media, scanner traffic, or secondhand sources. The authoritative voice belongs with public safety agencies, and this platform is being built to ensure consistent and accurate information is provided to the public.”

The grant reflects the Foundation’s commitment to safeguarding the people and places that make America beautiful. Through its SAFE program, the Foundation is advancing wildfire prevention, AI-enabled early detection, predictive analytics, and emergency response systems, working hand-in-hand with frontline fire agencies and land managers across the country to protect American lives, communities, and natural landscapes.

Intterra

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: The Searsmont Fire Department has a new fire engine after one of their engines burned in the fire and explosion at the Robbins Lumber mill last month.

The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office said three fire departments lost vehicles during the fire and explosion at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont. The Searsmont, Belmont and Appleton fire departments sustained damage to their fire apparatus during the incident.

On Friday, June 12, the North Thompsonville Fire Department (NTFD) in Connecticut announced it had donated one of its fire engines (E42) to the Searsmont Fire Department.

“As firefighters, we understand the critical role every piece of equipment plays in protecting our communities and supporting our members on the fireground. When we learned of their loss, we knew we had an opportunity to help. It is our honor to place this engine into service where it can continue protecting lives and property while assisting Searsmont in rebuilding their fleet. The fire service is built on brotherhood, sisterhood, and mutual aid,” the NTFD wrote on Facebook.

WMTW-TV ABC 8 Poland Spring

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PHOTOS: A military aircraft crashed near Rimrock Lake on Saturday, sparking a wildfire that prompted a response from local and federal firefighting agencies. The pilot safely escaped from the aircraft before the crash and was transported to a hospital, according to Naches Fire. The aircraft involved was an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, according to U.S. Marine Corps Station Miramar.

In a statement, the Marine Corps said, “The cause of the mishap is currently under investigation. To preserve the integrity of the investigation, no additional details are available at this time. Mishap investigations can take several months to complete, depending on various factors.” The crash ignited a wildfire in the area that firefighters are actively working to suppress.

KOMO-TV ABC 4 Seattle

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A detached outbuilding was destroyed in a fire Saturday evening in South Hill, according to Central Pierce Fire & Rescue. Firefighters were called to a structure fire in the 14100 block of Meridian Avenue East. A large column of smoke could be seen as crews were responding, prompting additional resources to be sent to the scene.

When firefighters arrived, they found the detached outbuilding fully engulfed in flames. Crews fought the fire from outside the building, using hose lines and aerial water streams to contain and extinguish the flames.

The outbuilding was destroyed, but no injuries were reported. Central Pierce Fire & Rescue said 13 resources responded, including six fire suppression units, three EMS units and four command or support units. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Pierce County Fire Marshal’s Office.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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Containment on the Snake River Fire burning near Clarkston continues to grow as of Sunday night. According to the Northeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team #1, containment on the fire reached 70% contained as of Sunday night. It also remains at 686 acres burned.

Firefighters from Whitman County, Asotin County, Clarkston, Lewiston, Wheatland and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources all responded to the fire burning in Whitman County. The fire, located about four miles west of Clarkston, was reported around 6 p.m. Friday night. By the time the first crew arrived on scene, strong winds had pushed the fire up a hillside.

Due to the steep, rocky terrain, firefighters could not reach and contain the head of the fire, according to Asotin County Fire District 1. Air support was authorized Saturday, and firefighters performed suppression efforts as conditions allow. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and there have been no reported injuries, according to the department.

KING-TV NBC 5 Seattle

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