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UK Fire Service believes uniforms may be key to hiring more women and minorities: Trying to change its white male image, the fire service in England has unveiled uniforms tailor made for women and the religious and cultural needs of minorities. This includes head scarves for Muslim women. The picture above from the BBC. Read their story.
Sudden u-turn for DC fire engine and ambulance donated to Dominican Republic beach resort: The Washington Examiner now reports there is some truth to STATter911.com’s discovery that the donation to the town of Sosua may have been a done deal. Reporter Michael Neibauer writes, “A city hall official who asked not to be named told The Examiner on Monday that the vehicles, on their way to the Dominican Republic town of Sosua, had been ordered turned around”. The equipment been estimated as wroth $340,000 which many in DC think is a lot of value left in truly surplus equipment. Still a lot of unanswered questions that no one seems to be ready to answer about the three way deal with the group Peaceoholics. Read the Examiner article. Read our previous coverage. You can also keep tabs on this one from columnist Mike DeBonis in the Washington City Paper and his Loose Lips Daily.
PGFD’s and Probie Days author Jerry Engle out as theft from firehouse is investigated: From Kentland to Riverdale to Bladensburg to Riverdale Heights, Jerry Engle has a knack for being involved in controversy wherever he goes as a volunteer firefighter in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Engle has been operationally suspended after being accused in a criminal complaint of stealing equipment from the Riverdale firehouse while Riverdale Heights was at the station on a transfer. Riverdale Heights tells STATter911.com that Jerry isn’t coming back. Will this latest incident be the end of Jerry Engle’s days with PGFD? Click here for the details on Sunday’s theft complaint and a Jerry Engle retrospective.
Never mind … Boston is not the most expensive fire department: You may have seen the stories yesterday that ranked Boston as number one in the country in per capita costs for a fire department. Wrong. The Boston Globe story was based on faulty numbers provided by the City of Columbus, Ohio which had studied the issue. Boston is really number two and trying harder. Read the update.
Latest on the collision of Houston rigs that injured 11: The brother of the bicyclist buried under the wreckage of Houston’s Ladder 16 talks about his sister who is in critical condition. Click here.
Two of the nine firefighters suffered broken bones when Ladder 16 was hit by Engine 7 at an intersection. Most have been released from the hospital. The woman whose car was crushed had only minor injuries. Here is an excerpt from the latest article in the Houston Chronicle-
“Whoever has the green light has the right of way,” (District Chief Tommy) Dowdy said. “We don’t know who had the green.” Also at issue is the possible role an Opticom — a device mounted at intersections to regulate traffic signals as emergency vehicles approach — played in the crash.
Click here for our earlier coverage.
Firefighter fired and paramedic resigns over YouTube video: This is the latest development in the story from Milwaukee we recently told you about. The two are accused of shooting a video with derogatory language while on duty. Read the update, including the reaction of the fire chief.
Bruce Willis loses ski lodge in fire: A fire Monday morning destroyed the main lodge at a small ski operation co-owned by Bruce Willis near Fairfield, Idaho. No one was injured. Willis was at his home in Hailey at the time. Read the story. Watch slideshow.
Howard County, Maryland to add two fire stations and eight 911 positions: Firegeezer recently predicted the downsizing of fire engines as a nod to the poor economy. How about fire stations? Bill Goddard, the new fire chief in Howard County, says the county will build its first new stations since 1994, but that they will be the bare bones version. In an announcement with Goddard’s boss and the police chief, the county is also expanding 911 positions. Read more.
Townhomes burn in South Minneapolis: Heavy fire conditions as a pair of homes burned on Monday. Click here (or here) for video and the story.
Texas fire chief found shot to death: Gun cleaning equipment and a new gun were found near Cleveland, Texas Chief Steve Wheeler’s body. Police are waiting for an autopsy to determine if the death was an accident, suicide or homicide. Read the story.
The postman always rings twice, but knocks real hard when there is a fire: In this case it was a postwoman (alright, female mail carrier) delivering the mail in West Bloomfield, Michigan who helped alert a woman her home was on fire and brought the woman to safety. Read the story.
Queen for a Day, the E-One version: When I was a little boy home sick from school I remember sitting with my grandmother watching the game show Queen for a Day. An applause meter would help decide which woman told the most heart wrenching story about her down and out life.
Host Jack Bailey would then crown her queen and she would win a bunch of prizes. I am sure Firegeezer recalls it too, with the only difference being Bill was watching it sitting in the firehouse. My point in bringing it up is that the TV show reminds me of E-One’s “Tell Us Your Story” contest where a new Tradition ES pumper is given away to some lucky fire department. The choice of a winner is to be based on need, heroism and tragedy. The contest is down to 7 finalists. Click here to find out who they are.
Excerpts from a BBC article
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