They figured out who pulled the fire alarm boxes in front of three fire stations in Millcreek Township, PA (Erie County) very early Sunday morning. Seven people were arrested today. Four of them are members of the Lake Shore Fire Company, where one of the Gamewell boxes was activated. But not just any members. They are the chief, the assistant chief, the captain and a lieutenant. The other three charged are also volunteer firefighters.

Excerpts from GoErie.com:

Police identified the defendants as Brian R. Salvatore, 24, chief of the Lake Shore Fire Co; Robert Burt, 33, assistant chief at Lake Shore; Jason Winston, 23, a captain at Lake Shore; Sara O’Brien, 22, a lieutenant at Lake Shore; Richard Hartline, 28; Philip Jackson, 21; and a juvenile female.

All seven defendants are charged with the misdemeanors of criminal conspiracy, false alarms to public agencies and recklessly endangering another person. Police said Salvatore, Burt, Winston and O’Brien are also charged with corruption of minors.

On Saturday, returning from Firehouse Expo to Baltimore County to visit my parents, I took a detour from the JFX because of the overturned tractor trailer blocking the northbound lanes, south of TV Hill. I went a route I was very familiar with from my youth, using Eutaw Place to Druid Park Lake Drive to Mcculloh Street to Reisterstown Road and onto Park Heights Avenue.

It has been a few years since I have taken that drive and I still find it hard to get used to the bombed out look of so many blocks of homes on lower Park Heights near Engine 29. When I was a kid I used to go to my dentist’s office there (I believe between Keyworth and Shirley). My doctor’s office was near Pimlico, two blocks below the Uptown Theater, around Oakley Avenue. The blocks around there had a similar look.

Approaching Northern Parkway I found something different that caught my eye. The old Pimlico Middle School, two blocks from grandparents’ old home on Glen Avenue, had a sign on it reading “Baltimore City Public Safety Training Center”. That was new. I was planning to ask my Baltimore friends what it was all about when today’s Baltimore Sun answered my question. Here are excerpts:

Hundreds of police and firefighters have started training at a former school in Northwest Baltimore that will let cadets interact more with the community, city officials said yesterday.

“We’re here. We’re your partners,” Bealefeld said. “I think being in this kind of environment really does underscore that.”

Busy day at STATter 911: In case you missed any of it, some stories we covered yesterday that you can link to here.

The haunted house fire at Six Flags America.

Texas Hold ‘em has a fire department in trouble.

A union president barred from a town’s firehouses.

A couple of firefighters caught trying to work around the high price of fuel.

We are also looking for an explanation of a video of a burning restaurant reported to be in Arkansas. It does not appear that any firefighters fought the blaze. One reader wrote that it is likely the restaurant was in a no-mans land between fire districts. Click here.

And there are some new videos here.

Detroit EMS worker claims he was fired over what he knew about a party at the mayor’s mansion: An EMS worker who says he saw something at the hospital. An exotic dancer who was later murdered. Allegations of a party at the mayor’s mansion. All things you will learn about if you read WDIV-TV’s exclusive story on Doug Bayer who has filed a whistle blower suit over his firing.

Naming rights: As if it were a sports stadium or arena, a fire department in PA is ready to sell naming rights to the highest bidder. Click here for the story. Would they consider putting STATter 911 on the side of all of its fire trucks? I know if I don’t do it, Geezer will.

Photos on this page by Mark E. Brady, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department

Audio from Six Flags America fire from DC Fire Feeds

There are a lot of things that are supposed to get your heart racing and illicit screams at the “Frightorium Haunted House” at Six Flags America in Largo, MD. Fire, though, isn’t supposed to be one of them.

Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM firefighters arrived at the amusement park to find heavy fire conditions in the rear of the one-story wooden building. According to Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Chief Spokesman Mark Brady, the fire had broken through the roof and was moving toward the center of the structure when firefighters stopped its spread.

Six Flags of America’s staff had moved people out of the area and had to close the park because of the arriving fire equipment. The building was vacant. It is normally open in the month of October as a walk-through haunted house.

Brady believes the building to be a total loss, but was not able to provide a damage estimate. The cause of the fire has not been released.

IL house fire

This recently posted Todd Sherman video is from a house fire in Evergreen Park, IL is from May 23 around 3:00 AM. Two firefighters were hurt. The caption says firefighters were chasing fire in the walls when heavy fire vents through the roof.

NJ truck fire

Joe Lemire posted this video from Monday. Here is the description with the video:

Stations 26 and 56 were dispatched to 187 Davidson Avenue for a report of a fire in the building. Shortly after dispatch responding units were updated with “heavy smoke” and “multiple calls”. At this time the response was upgraded to a 2nd alarm. Units arrived and discovered a fully involved tractor trailer at the loading dock with exposure to the building. The fire was knocked down with a smoke condition in the building. The 2nd alarm response was recalled, extinguishement and ventilation of the building were completed.

Tough car fire in VA

This was just posted from Culpeper, VA of a car fire in January. Here is the description:

The fuel tank was ruptured with a spare tire mounted under it.. We were unable to get to the drop down to extinguish the fuel not even with foam. Total elapsed time for the vehicle to burn and finally get extinguished, 45 minutes.

Old video of the day

We haven’t had any vintage films for a while. This one is from across the pond in the 70s.

Service station burns

From Monday in tate Township, Ohio. A TV report on a service station fire where the owner was burned.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office wants more than $40,000 from the Seward VFC in Westmoreland County that the company earned from Texas Hold ‘em fund raisers.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Robert Stewart says the games constitute illegal gambling.

Here are excerpts from an article on IndianaGazette.com:

An attorney representing the Seward Volunteer Fire Company emphasized that no members of the small fire department in Westmoreland County have been charged with any crime in connection with Texas Hold-em poker tournaments held at the company’s fire hall last year.

Greensburg attorney Jeffrey Monzo said members of the Seward fire department have cooperated fully with an investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, which is seeking more than $40,000 given to the fire department following the popular poker tournaments in 2007.

Monzo said the poker tournaments were not fire department-sponsored fundraisers. Instead, he said, the money was given to the fire department as “rental donations” for the use of the fire hall by the tournament organizer.

Monzo also said the fire department members did not believe the tournaments were illegal, and they would not have allowed their fire hall to be used for the tournaments if they had.

A drama is unfolding in Lynn, MA. According to ItemLive.com Chief James Carritte has banned Lt. Matthew Reddy, president of IAFF Local 739, from all department property. The department is investigating allegations against Reddy outlined in the excerpt below:

A copy of the July 8 letter from Carritte to Reddy, which was obtained by The Item, states in part, “The Fire Department has filed serious charges against you. Included in these charges is a charge that you have threatened, harassed and attempted to intimidate an employee of this department. Given the grievous nature of these charges and the fact that they are similar to charges filed against you in 2007, you are hereby placed on administrative leave with pay.”

Reddy’s leave was effective July 9.

This is a Western Sizzlin’ restaurant in Arkansas. I haven’t found anything on the web about this other than the caption with the video posted on YouTube Monday. I would love to know more:

Saw this fire on the way back from Little Rock, was amazed that there was NO fire personnel around.

Update on July 31:

A comment posted by one of our readers:

Dave, It must be a rekindle from a fire the previous night. I emailed the guy who posted it on YouTube (stuknbama). He said:

Re: Western Sizzlin Fire I made that video Monday July 28 on my way back to Memphis from Little Rock, AR. I saw the fire burning on my way to take my wife to the airport and stopped at that exit on the return to see what was burning. I was amazed to find NOBODY there. As I was pulling away a fire truck was pulling in, no lights or anything, not seeming to be in a hurry. It looked as if they had already contained the fire and had come back to put the smoldering parts out. I didn’t stick around to see since I had been up since 3AM and was ready to get back home.

This had me double and triple checking the facts. Two stories today of gas thefts by firefighters in North Carolina. Both departments are named Shiloh, but are 220 miles apart.

The first case we reported this morning involved 22-year-old Lance Michael Rossell. Rossell has been told he is no longer wanted at the Columbia Shiloh Fire Department in Burgaw, North Carolina. Rossell is also facing criminal charges after the fire department set up a camera to catch the person stealing fuel from a fire truck.

The Pender County Sheriff’s office has the case and they want to talk to Rossell about some other things. Watch the story above from WECT-TV. Note that he is still wearing his fire department t-shirt during the TV interview.

Lance Michael Rossell

The second case involves the Shiloh Fire Department in Rockingham County, NC. There, 19-year-old Christopher Samuel Medlin is accused of taking about 70-gallons from the pumps over a six-week period. Click here for the story.

Advice from STATter 911: If your department is named Shiloh, check the pumps and the tanks.

Forty-eight-year-old George W. Wallace Kern (seen above), an employee of the Dough Roller, has now been charged with starting the 9-alarm fire on March 30 that destroyed the business and adjacent Boardwalk properties. Excerpts from Brian Shane’s article on delmarvanow.com:

A Worcester County grand jury indicted Kern on two counts of first-degree arson for the apartments above the businesses and two counts of second-degree arson for the fire at the businesses. He also was charged with reckless endangerment. The charges carry a total maximum penalty of 105 years in prison and fine of $165,000.

More than 100 firefighters from 22 fire companies battled the inferno at the Boardwalk and South Division Street. Investigators said the blaze began inside an 18-inch gap between the arcade and the restaurant building, which also housed the T-shirt shop Sunshine Beachwear.

Brian was also busy interviewing Ocean City Fire Chief Christopher Larmore about cut backs in response. Larmore explains that while they will be saving fuel, that is not the motive for the reduced assignments:

For instance, they won’t send multiple engines to smaller calls such as brush or garbage can fires, elevator rescues or buildings that have repeated false alarms. Sending fewer apparatus on every call can extend overall maintenance and lifespan of equipment, he added.

“We’ve not reduced the response in terms of what’s needed, we’ve just evaluated a bit closer so that we send only what’s needed. Are we sending the right equipment? We don’t want to send too much equipment, but we always want to send what’s necessary. We want to be responsible,” Larmore said.

Above is Part 1 of Steve Redick’s video from Brauer’s Hillside Tavern and Grille as it burned early Tuesday morning. It is located at 57 N. Hillside Avenue in Hillside, IL.

The four-alarm fire was reported around 2:30 AM. Steve says he arrived with the third-alarm units. No injuries were reported.

Click here for details and more video from WBBM-TV.

Steve’s Part 2 is below.

Watch 6:00 PM 9NEWS NOW report

All indications from DC Fire & EMS Department officials is the motive behind two ambulance crews recently straying far from home for many hours was to avoid taking emergency runs. Chief Dennis Rubin has given every indication he intends to fully investigate the incidents and discipline those involved. Chief Rubin said in a statement “this behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated”.

What that doesn’t address are the safeguards the city put in place in recent years specifically designed to prevent crews from disappearing. Spokesman Alan Etter admits there is still an investigation into why dispatchers didn’t catch the wayward ambulance crews hours earlier, using the automatic vehicle locator (AVL) technology that has been installed on ambulances and fire trucks for many years.

Etter told STATter 911 on Tuesday, “We have some of the best technology in the industry to make sure we know where our resources are at all times.”

More recently, in response to issues identified by a task force looking into the January, 2006 death of former New York Times reporter David Rosenbaum, Chief Rubin staffed two positions at the city’s 911 center, known as the Office of Unified Communications (OUC). One is a fire liaison officer (FLO) and the other is the EMS liaison officer (ELO).

The OUC is a separate agency not under Chief Rubin’s control. The liaison officers, according to spokesman Etter, are the department’s representatives at the dispatch center and monitor the allocation of its resources.

OUC Director Janice Quintana from OUC website

A spokesman for OUC Director Janice Quintana made it clear on Tuesday there would be no comment from the agency about the role of dispatchers in these incidents. No one at OUC would answer questions about whether using the AVL information on the screen in front of the dispatchers would have aided in the discovery, much earlier, of the out of position ambulances.

Similar questions were asked by STATter 911 in April when a fire engine went to the wrong location on an EMS call where a man died. In that case Chief Rubin blamed a mental error by the officer and driver of the fire engine. At the time OUC Director Quintana admitted if the dispatcher had used the AVL screen it “may have made a difference”, but said there is “a lot of apparatus in motion”.

As for the July incidents, Chief Rubin’s statement indicates the case of one of the missing ambulance crews has been “investigated fully”. According to the statement, “the members involved chose to drive their vehicle outside of their primary service area without authorization”.

That incident was on July 11. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the crew from Ambulance 10 spent more than seven-hours in Upper Northwest Washington, about seven-miles from its quarters at 6th St. and Florida Ave., NE. By being far away from its area, the dispatch computer, relying on GPS information from the ambulance, did not send Ambulance 10 on runs near its firehouse. That area generally has a much higher call volume than the Upper Northwest part of DC. Ambulance 10 works in one of the busiest firehouses in the country.

The firefighters from Ambulance 10, and two firefighters from Ambulance 33, remain on administrative leave with pay.

The incident involving Ambulance 33 was on July 24. That case is still being investigated by the department. Sources tell 9NEWS NOW the crew, assigned to a firehouse at 1st St. and Atlantic Ave., SE, was out of service for two-hours and forty-minutes. The unit was discovered on Fessenden St., NW on the opposite end of the city.

Picture of the day features another all-hazards department: TBO.com,which ran this picture from Eamon Kneeshaw, reports that Mimi didn’t make it. The 18-month-old pit bull received more than 1000 bee stings. Firefighters with the Largo (FL) Fire Department sprayed water in an effort to disperse the bees and rescue Mimi. Read the story.

You can’t hide from the AVL: Well maybe for a little while. Actually it was many hours before dispatchers realized two DC ambulance crews weren’t where they were supposed to be. Once discovered, the automatic vehicle locator showed that the crews were parked in Upper Northwest, far from home. Now the crews are being investigated for avoiding emergency calls. Click here to read our story.

Speaking of DC: It started off slow, but we are getting an interesting discussion going about my questions concerning Friday’s collision involving Engine 26. Click here to read the comments.

Strike averted as overweight firefighter back from getting the sack: Click here for the latest from Scotland.

Sometimes there is a reason for those pesky alarm bells: But the people living at Windsor Towers in Arlington, VA, tend to ignore the noise because there have been so many false alarms. Many did just that early Monday morning. In fact, some residents tell firefighters they heard the bells ringing for an hour.

According to Arlington County Chief Fire Marshal Benjamin Barksdale, someone finally called 911 to report the bells at 4:44 AM. Fairfax County’s Engine 410 and Truck 410 responded and found the panel indicating a possible fire on the 7th floor. Walking up from the 5th floor the firefighters smelled some Class A material burning and soon discovered a fire in Apartment 711. While the rest of the box was being dispatched and responding the crews from 410 knocked down the bedroom fire and found 84-year-old Lois Day dead in her bed. Watch the story.

On land, on sea, or both: From THonline – A rare aqua car caught fire on the Mississippi River near Dubuque Sunday afternoon, burning into a total loss estimated around $170,000, said Key West Community Fire Department Chief Brian Arnold.

No one was injured aboard the vessel, which likely ignited from a mechanical failure around 1 p.m. Sunday, he said. The aqua car floated from the river into the Massey Slough, and by the time the East Dubuque, Ill., and Dubuque fire departments reached the vessel by fire boats, it was completely burned out in the Molo Slough.

Flash flood warning

This time lapse allegedly shows an hour on a river in Toga Gawa, Japan on Saturday.

Early pier fire video

This claims to be the first video from the massive Somerset, England pier fire. FireGeezer has more.

House fire in CT

Short clip from a house fire in Mystic on Friday. Click here for more clips.

TX fire

From Austin on Sunday, a fire at an apartment complex. Read more. See more clips.

Yes, but did they follow 2-in, 2-out?

Early video of a fire very close to the firehouse. Actually it is from the Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg, PA.

DC Fire & EMS spokesman Alan Etter tells STATter 911 four firefighters are on administrative leave with pay while an investigation is underway into charges they were avoiding emergency ambulance calls.

According to Etter, the incidents were confirmed by fire liaison officers assigned to the city’s 911 center, known as the Office of Unified Communications (OUC). Sources tell STATter 911 electronic data showed both ambulances were parked in Upper Northwest Washington for many hours rather than at firehouses in Northeast and in Southeast. Both incidents occurred during day-time hours.

The first incident was on July 11 and involved Ambulance 10. Ambulance 10 currently runs out of a garage at Gallaudet University, near the Trinidad section of Northeast, while its firehouse is being remodeled. That firehouse is among the busiest in the United States.

According to sources familiar with the investigation, the crew from Ambulance 10 was found to be parked for more than seven-hours at locations in Upper Northwest Washington about seven-miles from its quarters.

While the ambulance was reported to be in-service ready to answer calls, the crew is being investigated for avoiding emergency runs. The theory behind the allegations against the crew is that the automatic vehicle locators attached to the ambulances would not show the ambulance near any emergency calls close to its quarters. Those calls were handled by other units. By contrast, the Upper Northwest part of the city traditionally has a much lower call volume.

According to the sources, the crew was finally discovered out of its area when another EMS crew spotted Ambulance 10 parked in an Upper Northwest neighborhood. That crew contacted OUC and an investigation was started.

The second incident was on July 24. Ambulance 33, assigned to the firehouse on Atlantic Avenue, Southeast, spent two-hours and forty-minutes out-of-service, unnoticed by dispatchers. According to sources, the crew had notified dispatchers the unit was out-of-service while dropping off a paramedic at the quarters of Engine 27 on Minnesota Avenue, NE.

Eventually someone at OUC realized the ambulance had been listed out-of-service for a long time. When finally contacted by OUC, Ambulance 33 was parked on Fessenden Street near Wisconsin Avenue, NW, about 10 miles from Engine 27 and about 12 miles from its firehouse in Southeast.

According to sources, in both cases, officials at OUC were able to use software called I-Tracker to display the travels of each unit during the hours in question. Sources say investigators are also trying to determine why dispatchers did not catch each problem earlier.

Spokesman Etter tells STATter 911 a full investigation is underway. Etter said, “If it is found that any of our people were involved in inappropriate activity there will be swift and appropriate actions taken.”

As we first reported over the weekend there is a new look for one of the more controversial firefighters in the nation, Jerry Engle. FireGeezer Bill Schumm heard me working this story while we were together at Firehouse Expo. Obviously a man with too much time on his hands, Bill used Photoshop to show us what Jerry looks like without the Mohawk and metal (bottom picture). Please send all complaints to the old guy at FireGeezer.com. I’m just the messenger on this one.

Dave needs your help: I have an update on Friday’s wreck involving Engine 26 from the DC Fire & EMS Department. What we know about the collision has inspired me to ask some general questions about driving emergency vehicles. Click here to read more.

Fire truck overturns, woman killed in KY: In Madisonville, KY a fire truck responding to a fatal motorcycle accident on Saturday ended up upside down in a ditch. The truck from the Manitou VFD had run onto the shoulder of the road and then came back onto the roadway colliding with an SUV. The woman driving the SUV was killed. One firefighter was flown out, but is in stable condition. The report says all parties were wearing seat belts. Read details.

Child’s play at fire hydrant gets serious: The Pittsburgh Fire Department had already closed the fire hydrant once on Sunday. When a security officer tried to close it a second time there was trouble. Five people were arrested and police used pepper spray. Click here for the story.

Some people claim that there’s a woman to blame: No, not in this case. The alleged culprit is a man on his way to work in Key West. Read how this lieutenant called in late for work.

Family wants to reopen suit over PASS device: In St. Louis the survivors of FF Rob Morrison settled with Survivair in 2006 in a wrongful death suit. What they didn’t know at the time was this wasn’t an isolated case and feels the company withheld this important information. Read more.

Volunteers feel slighted in CA wildfires: With firefighters from all over the world coming in to fight fire, volunteer firefighters are complaining they didn’t get the call. Read the story.

Council member’s home catches fire: A fire that damaged the home of Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman’s home early this morning is being called suspicious. Watch the story.

Taking care of their own: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at some fire service traditions as firefighters said goodbye to Maplewood’s Ryan Hummert who was gunned down last week. Read the article.

I’ve got a drunk in Kalamazoo. Actually not one, not two, but three who shouldn’t have been behind the wheel converge on the same scene: This is why FireGeezer is my hero. He finds some of the most bizarre stories. In this one an ambulance stops to help a suspected drunk driver who drove a car into ditch. The ambulance is then hit by another suspected drunk driver. The sheriff’s car that comes to investigate all of this is then hit by a third suspected drunk driver. If you had put this scene in a movie, no one would find it believable. Read the details.

Don’t forget Rich Findley’s family: A motorcycle ride/fundraiser is coming up. Click here for the details.

This crude drawing above is not by a second grader, but penned by the proprietor of STATter 911. The sad fact is that it is actually a second, improved version after Firehouse.com’s Susan Nicol Kyle made fun of my original version, drawn while on the floor of Firehouse Expo.

It is a diagram of Engine 26′s collision on Friday while responding to a box alarm at 7th Street and Longfellow Street, NW. It is based on the description given to me by DC Fire & EMS Department spokesman Alan Etter.

The most important information about the crash we need to relay is that the two injured parties, the officer of Engine 26 and the car’s driver, have both been treated and released. The reason I have gone to the extent of providing a visual aid is that I found the details of this accident interesting. So did some fire service veterans I discussed it with in Baltimore.

The driver of the car that was struck has been charged with failure to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle. In discussing this and writing about it, I am without the benefit of the statements of the drivers and the witnesses to the collision. But on the surface, without knowing any extenuating circumstances, some people thought this could have been a close call for police on placing charges.

The driver of the car was northbound on 5th Street, NW, a two-way street. E-26 was westbound on Longfellow Street, NW, on a portion that is one-way eastbound.

It is a short cut I have seen other fire equipment use many times as crews travel west on Longfellow Street from the main drag through this part of town, Missouri Avenue. Measuring the Google Map below, it appears to cut off about 300 feet from the trip and gets rid of two sharp turns. Essentially instead of having to travel the hypotenuse and one leg of this right triangle, you are taking a straight shot on the other leg (that may be all I remember from high school geometry and I am not sure even that is correct).

Alan Etter says the maneuver also appears to meet department guidelines that allow trips the wrong way on one-way streets that are a block or less.

The intersection is controlled by one stop sign for eastbound traffic on Longfellow Street approaching 5th Street.

According to Etter, Engine 26 hit the car when the fire engine came into the intersection.

I have some questions about this collision. It isn’t about the legal aspects of who should be charged and why. In fact, for the sake of argument, let’s assume that the driver of the car is absolutely in the wrong and there are good, solid grounds for the charges.

My questions are much more general and don’t just apply to this wreck. The questions aren’t about what is legal or correct under department policy. It is more about what is practical. I throw them out there, not having the answer to the questions, but looking for your input.

It is a given how distracted drivers are these days with cell phones, GPS and countless other electronic devices. When I watch the stupid things done by civilian drivers interacting with emergency vehicles I am amazed there aren’t more collisions. It is hard enough to get them to get out of your way when you are coming the right way down the street. So how do you expect them to find you when you pop out of a place where traffic normally wouldn’t appear?

Aren’t you putting a great deal of confidence in people who are driving their cars with their heads up their …. (think of a place where you recently saw fireworks being shot from)?

It is been many, many years since I drove emergency vehicles. I thought it was bad then. It is clearly much worse now. So enlighten me on your thought process as you handle situations like these.

From the Monroe County (FL) Fire Rescue website

As we all know life is a little laid back in the Florida Keys (cue the Jimmy Buffett music). Maybe in some lines of work around Key West arriving on time is an option. Firefighting probably isn’t one of the jobs that fits that description.

The way Adam Linhardt of KeysNews.com reports the story, Monroe County Fire Rescue Lt. Gabe Pacheco has a history of being tardy for shift change. Apparently July 14 was one of those days when Pacheco was running a bit behind.

According to a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office report, Pacheco didn’t call his station to say he would be late, he called 911. When he called 911 it really wasn’t to get word to his colleagues that he would be a late check-in.

Lt. Pacheco is also listed as vice-president of IAFF Local 3909. Here are are excepts from the story:

The caller said a person at the Key Haven boat ramp had a broken leg and needed medical assistance, according to a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office report. Responding firefighters from Station 8 on Stock Island, including Lt. Andy McBroom, found no one needing emergency medical help at the ramp, reports say.

“Right now, Pacheco is on paid administrative leave and we sent the Sheriff’s Office report to Human Resources,” (Fire Rescue Chief James) Callahan said. “We’re moving forward with a disciplinary hearing and we’ll see where it goes from there. This is very serious charge. Calling a false alarm, as far as I’m concerned, there is no excuse for that.”

“He made a very bad judgment call and he’s been very remorseful and admitted he screwed up,” Callahan said. “It’s a tough situation giving advice to a young man, because of the severity of the offense. We can’t have firefighters making false calls, endangering other firefighters’ lives and [those of] potential citizens who may have needed help at the time.”

In the many comments on multiple forums about the recent videos from Kentland VFD, a common theme was the physical appearance of FF Jerry Engle. Engle, formerly a member of Kentland, and currently with Bladensburg VFD, arrived for our interview with a shirt on. That in itself was surprising, considering that Jerry often would go most places, including to fires, without a shirt. It was also a lot more clothing than he was wearing when the camera was rolling during the Kentland videos.

What most people wrote about were Jerry’s spiky, orange colored Mohawk haircut and the numerous piercings on his face.

At Firehouse Expo I began hearing that Jerry very recently had a makeover. Sources, and Jerry himself, later confirmed orders came down through Bladensburg’s leadership that the hairstyle was out and there would be no piercings that could be visible to the public.

FF Jerry Engle complied earlier this week.

It has been an enjoyable week at Firehouse Expo. It is always interesting to meet these who read the stuff I push on to the Internet each day. I am always amazed by the readers we get from well outside the Washington, DC region.

The bravest man at Firehouse Expo was Jim Featherstone who had confidence (or good liability insurance) that I wouldn’t hurt myself climbing Singer’s tower ladder to snap the picture above.

The most pitiful moment for me was on saying goodbye on Friday to FireGeezer Bill Schumm and FossilMedic Mike Ward, my wife said to the two of them, “Thanks for being Dave’s friend”. But then again, when you write a blog like this one, not everyone wants to be seen in public with you (Ward kept reminding me of that on a regular basis … I think he was looking for money just to stand next to me).

The picture below is from Friday’s recording of Through the Smoke with Chief Billy Goldfeder. We will let you know when the podcast is available. I think it will give you a good idea why we do what we do. Looking at the picture of Moe, Larry and Curly should make you grateful that we were doing radio and not television.

FireGeezer, and Statter back at Expo: The FireGeezer crew is back on the Baltimore Convention Center floor today (click here for pictures). I hope to stop in for a few moments, sometime after noon. Hope to see you.

Baltimore chief stands by new Draeger contract: While an investigation is still ongoing following The Sun’s revelation of an unusual relationship between Draeger Safety Inc. and the Baltimore City Fire Department, a new contract has been approved with Draeger. Chief Jim Clack says everything is “aboveboard” with this contact and expects to replace all the department’s breathing apparatus next year, possibly with a new vendor. Read the latest.

Queens explosion injures 17 and other FDNY news: Shortly after gas service was restored to a building that had been without it, an explosion occurred blowing out walls and windows and injuring 17 residents. Two are in critical condition. Click here. FireGeezer is also on this story.

Also, the Daily News has the story of two firefighters and their bravery. Click here.

Special tax vote to double paid force to 4: In Clark County, WA the only way they can add two firefighters to join volunteers in covering the hours from 5:00 PM to 3:00 AM is a special election on raising the property tax rate. Click here to read.

More on the private FFs in CA: Another look at the growing trend in CA of how some communities are being protected from wildfire. Read the story.

At Firehouse Expo yesterday FossilMedic Mike Ward pretends he’s Perry White supervising his reporting team. FireGeezer Bill Schumm and I were able to blog from the Convention Center floor despite that obstacle. The picture above is by our friend Mike Legeros.

The Geezer and I had a good time as guests on Chief Billy Goldfeder’s Through the Smoke. We will send along the link as soon as it’s posted on the web.

A fun time had by all. Below a picture of my support team by another friend, Lt. Kevin Stuart, DC Fire & EMS Department.

During the 3:00 hour DC Fire & EMS Department’s Engine 26 had a collision with an automobile at 5th and Longfellow Streets, NW. One firefighter was transported with relatively minor injuries, along with a person in the automobile.

More details as we know it.

Meeting and greeting: Spent some time Wednesday afternoon at Firehouse Expo booth #743 with FireGeezer Bill Schumm and FossilMedic Mike Ward. It was fun talking to a lot of STATter 911 and FireGeezer readers. Of course, while I am talking, Bill is in the back of the booth, blogging away and scooping me on the CT fire truck heist. There is apparently a method to this old man’s madness.

We are together again at this afternoon at the booth. Also, you can see us at noon in room 310 for Chief Billy Goldfeder’s Through the Smoke. Come join the audience for a discussion of fire and EMS blogs.

There were probably be fewer posts over the next two days due to our schedule in Baltimore.

Rich Findley memorial ride: The Beltsville VFD is joining forces with FOP Lodge 89 to help raise money for the family of Rich Findley, volunteer firefighter and police officer, who was murdered earlier this month. Click here for more info.

Land swap and timetable announced for new Cherrydale Station in Arlington, VA: For years there has been much talk about about a new Station 3 for Arlington. If the press release from the Arlington County Board proves accurate, that new station will be in operation in late 2010. Read the timetable and see more details.

Chief profile: A look at the fire chief for Minneapolis, Alex Jackson. Click here.

Stafford changes: One of the first stories to draw a lot of comment on STATter 911 occurred about two weeks after we opened up shop. It had to do with problems between career and volunteer forces at a house fire in Stafford County, VA. Now, more than a year later, The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star looks at some changes in the department in response to that fire and the report that followed. Click here.

No workers’ comp insurance and other things prompt FD shut down: In West Virginia the Summit Park VFD of Harrison County has agreed to stop responding to calls while the state FM investigates its finances. Read more.

Arson charges dropped against assistant chief and FF: In California prosecutors now say there is insufficient evidence for arson charges against Assistant Chief Christopher Furtado and FF Teddy Lee of the Laton VFD. Read the latest.

Budget cuts could do in fire academy: That is what is being considered by state’s university regents in Nevada. Read more about the problems for the Fire Science Academy near Carlin.