Ladder 2: A little longer than a stretch limo. From the Revere Fire Department website.
Watch the story from WHDH-TV
Revere Fire Department website
It was a 9 mile trip that is making local headlines in Revere, Massachusetts. It happened in the middle of October when Revere’s Ladder 2 was used to take one of the department’s lieutenants to the chapel. It apparently took 90-minutes on a day when Engine 4 from the same station was out of service due to lack of staffing.
Here are excerpts from WHDH-TV’s story:
“The engine company was out that day for manpower shortage so I took a crew from the ladder truck at the same station and moved them over and used the ladder truck for that period of time,” said Chief Gene Doherty, of the Revere Fire Department.
Two volunteers drove the groom and the truck to Nahant. It took just about an hour and a half to get the job done.
“I look at it with a jaundiced eye. We do things for other situations whether its parades and he does a lot of volunteer work. It was my way of rewarding him for the great work that he does,” Doherty said.
Mayor Thomas Ambrosio does not seem to agree.
Chief Gene Doherty from Revere Fire Department website.
After learning about it from 7News he issued a statement saying, “The chief showed very poor judgment in this incident. I will be weighing disciplinary action.”
He said whatever the action, it will be minor.
The firefighter paid for the gas for the truck out of his own pocket.
When asked if he would allow this to happen again, the chief said it would depend on the individual and if the stars are aligned properly, but he would probably talk to the mayor first.
Also on STATter911 …
- Boston Board of Inquiry report into death of Ladder 26’s Lt. Kevin Kelley: Lack of PM, poor staffing at shop & improper parts. Read entire report. – March 8, 2010
- Philadelphia firefighter suspended, accused of setting fire to ladder truck. Reports indicate his lieutenant told him to stop playing with fire. – December 4, 2009
- Boston firefighter Pat Foley helps save a woman, but he was late for work. Or, was he early? – February 28, 2010
- Quick Takes – November 19, 2009
Ok so maybe not the brightest of ideas,somebody watching too much “Ladder 49″. However if the mayor is that outraged about it maybe he can work a little harder on that funding problem and get the manning the Dept needs to keep the damn ladder and engine both in service instead of either or. That’s a problem in a lot of places,that pesky little either or thing.
The man paid for the fuel, manned the Engine while the truck was placed out of service, had volunteers to drive the truck, I really don’t see a problem here unless that is the only aerial special service within a reasonable time frame
YOU CAN THANK THE MEDIA AGAIN….ANOTHER NON-STORY BEING BLOWN WAY OUT OF OUTLINE….KNOW THE CHIEF HAD TO GET MONEY FROM FIREFIGHTER FOR THIS RIDE. THE MAYOR HAS TO SCOLD THE FIRE CHIEF TO LOOK LIKE HE IS DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT….HEY MEDIA FIND SOMETHING NEWS WORTHY……A STORY OF “GOOD” INSTEAD OF INVESTIGATING/REPORTING PERILS OF OTHERS…..