How Central Florida first responders are going the extra mile

ORLANDO, Fla. – Each week on News 6 at Nine, News 6 likes to share some good news about Orlando-area first responders.

This week, five local agencies in Central Florida shared heartwarming stories on social media.

Lake County Fire Rescue crews carried out an intense rescue this week when four kittens were stuck in a stormwater drain that potentially contained hazardous gases. Firefighters monitored the air and found the kittens using cameras before a specially-trained team went in and saved them. The kittens made it out and were taken to the Lake County Animal Shelter.

Get your tissues ready for this one. Fire Rescue crews in Orange County got a special visit from a couple of 55 years who showed up to the fire station to thank first responders who saved the wife's life earlier this year when she suffered a stroke. The couple brought a cake and posed with the crew for a few heartwarming pictures.

Pulling a plane sounds like quite the task, but deputies with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office made it look easy this weekend at Orlando International Airport. Pictures from the "Pull the Plane" charity event show deputies and other teams giving their all to raise money for a good cause, all while enjoying each other's company and having some good fun with members of the community.

You can take firefighters out of the department, but you can't take the department's bond out of the firefighter. That was the case for many Orlando Fire Department retirees who enjoyed breakfast at Station One with some old friends while talking about some of the department's new initiatives.

The Sanford Police Department's Little Free Library has a special new addition to it, thanks to a group of volunteers. The dedicated group of small helpers at Board and Brush Sanford got creative while working with police on the library's new book dropoff box. Of course, they left their lasting marks with their very own hand prints, which will be there for years to come.

For more on these feel-good stories and to see other stories that highlight the good news in Central Florida, watch News 6 at Nine Wednesdays starting at 9 a.m.