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Quick Takes

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House fire in Spring, Texas: The Bravest Online posted this fire from Saturday. You will hear the air horns around 2:15 in the video. Here’s more from the description posted with the clip  - “Forced defensive when the living room flashed. Regained control of the fire and put a hole in the roof. Spring, Ponderosa, and Klein fire departments on scene. No injuries and no cause known.”

Firehouse burns: This photo by John C. Miller of The Daily Mail shows one of the four fire trucks damaged in Sunday's fire at Greene County, New York's Ashland Fire Department. The town hall was also damaged. Click the image for more pictures, video and details.

Firehouse burns: This photo by John C. Miller of The Daily Mail shows one of the four fire trucks damaged in Sunday's fire at Greene County, New York's Ashland Fire Department. The town hall was also damaged. Click the image for more pictures, video and details.

Voting ends tomorrow. Firegeezer is catching up, but this lame blog is in the middle of the pack: Clearly that picture of me on the masthead doesn’t help in this beauty contest. Not that this is anything real important, but just a fun exercise by Rhett Fleitz at FireCritic.com (notice how Dave downplays this now that he is getting his clock cleaned … what a jerk!).

Even though Rhett’s contest has ruffled a few feathers in the blogging community (this isn’t t-ball, everyone can’t be picked or win) there are some good fire and EMS blogs out there like FireDaily.com and a new one by Doug Walton covering Howard County, Maryland (don’t let this junk I write sour you on the rest of them).  If nothing else the voting process will familiarize you with some other voices in cyberspace. So, click here and let them know your favorite blog from the ten finalists. You can vote as many as four times a day. 

EMT ordered rehired takes on The Washington Post: An interesting statement released by the attorney for Selena Walker, the DC Fire & EMS Department EMT who was fired over the David Rosenbaum incident. We told you Friday the DC Court of Appeals affirmed previous rulings that Walker should get back pay and be returned to her job. The statement lashes out not only at the DC government, but makes a case against the editorial board of The Washington Post. Read the statement. Read the court ruling.

It is possible this is the last time we will be posting this image of Lt. Kelli Weeks of the Bourne Fire Department in Massachusetts. After a months long drama and lots of controversy Lt. Weeks has resigned from the department. Click the image for more.

It is possible this is the last time we will be posting this image of Lt. Kelli Weeks of the Bourne Fire Department in Massachusetts. After a months long drama and lots of controversy Lt. Weeks has resigned from the department. Click the image for more.

Staying on course: We have run a number of stories about first responders who become last responders due to the inability to find an address. Fire service veteran and STATter911.com reader Alan Studt says it doesn’t have to be that way. Read his article on the U.S. National Grid. 

He’s a fake: There is very clear surveillance video of an impostor fire inspector who has been hitting businesses in Maryland, DC and Virginia. Click here to view the video and watch the story.

Cop PIO goes out of his way to praise firefighters: It isn’t often I get an email from a police PIO telling me what great work firefighters have done. In fact, this may be a first for me. That’s exactly what United State Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser did last week. We took his hint about a recent ice operation in the District of Columbia and went even further, taking a look at how the DC Fire & EMS Department is handling the deep freeze.  Click here for our coverage.

Must see video – is it a cop or a firefighter?: Just like David Schlosser I am trying to give credit where credit is due. The video caption says it is a firefighter in Brazil who rappels down the side of a building catching a jumper in his arms and bringing him to safety.  A STATter911.com reader had some doubt. We have added another video that seems to answer the question.  Check it out.

HD helmet-cam shows more than good fire video – it illustrates staffing problems: The video of a December fire in an East St. Louis, Illinois night spot is pretty awesome. But if you look around you will see lots of fire and few firefighters. Check it out.

Fireground audio from Fairfax County second-alarm and other multiple alarms: Our friends at FireSceneAudio.com are at it again.  They have already posted audio from last night’s house fire on Cherry Drive in Fairfax County. Click here to listen.

They also have fires from Saturday in Chicago, Boston and Jersey City. Click here.

The aftermath of a train - car collision in Beltsville, Maryland. This car actually fell onto the tracks early Sunday morning. PGFD's PIO Blog has details and some more images from Beltsville VFD. Click above.
The aftermath of a train – car collision in Beltsville, Maryland. This car actually fell onto the tracks early Sunday morning. PGFD’s PIO Blog has details and some more images from Beltsville VFD. Click above.

Update on Modesto, CA firefighters: Jason Clevenger is back in the hospital scheduled for skin grafts after is was determined his burns are a little worse than originally thought. Jim Adams remains sedated with burns over half his body. Both fell through the roof of a burning home New Year’s Night. The Modesto Bee has the latest.

Save in Quebec City: Read the story from Canada on the rescue of a 3-year-old boy from a fire on Friday night.

Lots of  video of commercial fire in Millburn, NJ: Click here to watch Sunday’s multi-alarm fire in a row of stores.

This is exhibit number 1 on why you shouldn’t read this blog: In case you missed it, Dave had just a little too much fun on Friday with the story of a pipe dream  that turned into a pipe nightmare for a man from the UK. Firefighters went beyond the call of duty to solve the problem and not turn the man into John Bobbitt. Click here, if you must.

Bullet hits firefighter: Exploding ammunition at a house fire hit a target but did not hurt a Denver firefighter. Read more from Firefighter Close Calls.

Posted by on January 11, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Quick takes, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fire department and town hall burn in Ashland, New York. Firehouse destroyed and rigs heavily damaged.

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Click the image to see more pictures from Doug Stadler via WRGB-TV.

Click the image to see more pictures from Doug Stadler via WRGB-TV.

Interview with Chief Randy Sutton and better video of the damage

Click here for more video

Click here for pictures of the Ashland Fire Department’s apparatus

More details from The Daily Mail

A fire early Sunday destroyed the Aslhland Fire Department in New York’s Greene County and damaged the Town Hall. The fire was discovered by a trucker and was reported at 5:55 AM.

Click the image for coverage by WNYT-TV.

Click the image for coverage by WNYT-TV.

Excerpts from an article by WTEN-TV:

Ashland Fire Chief Randy Sutton had no choice but to wait for help from surrounding companies. He tells News 10, “Trust me, when I showed up and couldn’t get in that firehouse, it was tough.”

By the time the flames were out, all four fire trucks and a brand new ambulance were destroyed. “When they pulled out the first truck, there was like smoke all over it,” says Goodrich. “It was black, and I think it was supposed to be white.”

Firefighters from five other departments were able to salvage documents from the town clerk’s office.Ashland Town Clerk Justine Koehler says, “My records room with things dating back to 1748, everything has been saved…everybody has come together, and really it’s been incredible what they’ve done.”

NY Ashland burned ambulance

Click the image from WXXA-TV for more coverage.

The investigation still looms ahead. The chief does not suspect arson, but the intensity of the fire is making it more difficult to pinpoint the cause.

“It’s volunteers, so you know, when we have issues or problems and something needs help, they come. Now they’re down. They’re down pretty good,” says Goodrich.

The Windham and Prattsville fire companies will now respond to calls from Ashland’s district. An old ambulance that was out on a call Saturday night and was not damaged, will also be responding to calls.

Photo by John C. Miller of The Daily Mail.

Photo by John C. Miller of The Daily Mail.

Posted by on January 11, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

U.S. National Grid: An advocate makes the case for its use by first responders.

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US National GrigClick here for demonstration of map coordinate systems that conform to coordinate recommendations of the National Search and Rescue Committee

In September, after we ran a story about an ambulance that couldn’t find a street address, we heard from a STATter911.com reader who made the case this wouldn’t have been an issue if the first responders had been using the U.S. National Grid.

It was not a topic we were very familiar with, but it is something near and dear to Al Studt’s heart. Al has brought this concern up following a number of other incidents including last week’s plane crash in Wheeling, Illinois.

Al  describes himself as a U.S. National Grid advocate and instructor with 26 years in the fire service in New York and Florida.  He is the PIO with Florida Disaster Engineers, Inc. He is also a Communications & Structures Specialist with FL-TF4 Urban Search & Rescue Team, based in Orlando and a lieutenant with Cape Canaveral Fire Rescue.

We asked Al to write up his thoughts on the subject so we could share them with you. He has done just that:

A major benefit to US National Grid (USNG) is that literally everyone can be on the same page; local Fire Rescue responders, dispatchers, EMS, law enforcement, Forestry, Emergency Operations Centers, out-of-area strike teams, National Guard, USAR, Red Cross, CERT, ham radio operators, Salvation Army, etc. Citizens could be easily trained how to use it. USNG coordinates can be used to reference locations with or without a GPS. If users have a GPS, they can relate their present position to a map. If users are issued a coordinate, they can find it. What does not work is Street Addresses in times when Street or Address designators are gone, obscured by smoke, flooding or instead are completely unfamiliar to the responding crew. Street addresses are also not relative to any off-road or wilderness emergency.

The fire service needs to take steps to implement US National Grid.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE BY AL STUDT

Posted by on January 10, 2010 • Filed under: EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Technology & Communications, technology-communications-ems-topics, U.S. National Grid • Tagged: , , , , ,

NEW VIDEO ADDED: Raw video from mulit-alarm fire in Millburn, New Jersey. Storefront under renovation burns.

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Above is Part 1 of the video from bmxking1504: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.

A fire that began late this morning destroyed one store and damaged others in Millburn, New Jersey. A clothing store at 517 Millburn Avenue had closed and renovations were under way. One news report indicates the fire started in the basement. A fire official told The New York Times that there was fire in the basement but isn’t confirming that’s where it started.  Read more.

And a late addition with even more video below.

Posted by on January 10, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Fireground audio round-up: Listen to multi-alarm fires on Saturday in Jersey City, Boston and Chicago.

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Boston, Massachusetts: A four-alarm fire in two triple-deckers on Princeton Street. Read details about the fire.

 Jersey City, New Jersey: This is from a three-alarm fire on Leonard Street.

 Chicago, Illinois: A 2-11 on West 19th.

Posted by on January 10, 2010 • Filed under: Boston Fire Department, Chicago Fire Department, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Washington on ice: Drills, ice breaking & an attempted rescue. Police PIO makes sure firefighters get credit.

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Watch video of January 3 attempted rescue in Rock Creek

Members of the DC Fire & EMS Department spent Saturday on the Potomac River showing off their ice rescue skills. A week ago they were doing the same thing for real. That’s when a car was discovered in icy Rock Creek along the Rock Creek Parkway near P Street.

It turns out that 22-year-old Josh Kuhlman was dead. He had been in the water for quite some time before the car was discovered last Sunday morning. But the efforts of DC firefighters did not go unnoticed by the public information officer for the United States Park Police who was on the scene.  Here are excerpts from an email Sgt. David Schlosser sent to STATter911.com:

The story is the job by DCFD. The crews went into deep water flowing pretty fast. The car had ice formed around it. The car was upside down, unstable on rocks, with little exposed. Fire personnel tied themselves off, stabilized the car a bit, went into waist deep freezing water and made the recovery. They could not see into the car so they did it all by feel. The water was so cold that the only reason it was not completely frozen over was the water moving. Ice floes passed by as they worked. They worked for quite some time.

The old joke among the police is that God made police officers so firefighters could have heroes. That Sunday morning I found the firefighters to be the true heroes. They did a job that we don’t see often under awful conditions. Were they just doing their job? Certainly, but “just their job” on this call was incredible!!

My hat off my frozen head to these firefighters!

Now, for another duty of DC firefighters during the freeze. Fireboat John H. Glenn Jr. often doubles as an ice cutter when the Potomac freezes. In today’s Washington Post, Michael Ruane wrote a nice article on spending the day breaking the ice with the crew from the Glenn. There are also some beautiful pictures by Jahi Chikwendiu.

Above is video from a similar visit I made in 2003.

And in just in case you missed it when we brought it back up as part of our  most popular stories of 2009, below is the video of the collision last February that sidelined the Glenn for part of the winter.

Read more about the February, 2009 collision.

Posted by on January 10, 2010 • Filed under: Chief Dennis Rubin, Customer Service, DC Fire & EMS Department, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, News, PIO, Police, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Helmet-cam in HD: Lots of views of a December fire at an East St. Louis, Illinois night spot. Also lots of fire, but not many firefighters.

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Read more about the fire from KSDK-TV

This fire was reported just before 12:30 AM on December 23. It happened at City Nights in East St. Louis, Illinois. The business had been embroiled in controversy after a man was run over and killed behind the club in October. The liquor license had been suspended and the place was shut down by the time the fire occurred.

The video from the helmet-cam above and below is best viewed in HD. This is some really clear helmet-cam viewing.

Also quite interesting, considering the significant amount of fire, is the comment posted by the administrator of FireVideo.net when he posted this video on Friday afternoon:

We have a blighted dept and only had 6 firefighters, 2 engines and a ladder on this fire because of budget cuts. At one point they told us to evacuate, but we waited too long. It could have been bad. Lesson learned.

Posted by on January 10, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Funding & Staffing, Major Incidents, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Fake fire inspector hits Maryland, DC and Virginia. Uses cover to steal from businesses. Check our very clear video of the impostor in the act.

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Article by Surae Chinn, WUSA9.com:

The surveillance video is clear and in color. Police say it’s of a crook claiming to be a fire or building inspector who gets open access inside businesses.

Police are hoping to quickly close this case that has turned at least 6 businesses in the region into victims. 

This case is troubling to authorities because they say the imposter is so convincing.

He’s seen carrying a flashlight and a belt pouch as if he belongs there and it’s all caught on tape.

The alleged imposter is seen wearing a blue polo shirt and talking to store owner Sophad Or.

9NEWS NOW caught up with the store owner of One Plus Convenience off Norfolk Ave. in Bethesda. 

He says, ”Didn’t know he use trick like that and later on he wanted to see inside. I said okay. He said it’s dark I need a flashlight and I said okay. I got the flashlight and he tried to take wallet from coworker.”

The owner and his employee never suspected they were taken until hours later. 

Sophad’s wife Min says she’s upset by the crime. She says, ”We never thought it would happen to us but it did. ”

Sophad says the crook is so convincing at his fake job he gets full range of the place.

Sophad Or says,  “He act like he knew how to do the job… never suspect he’s a bad guy.”

‘The bad guy’ goes so far as to take the fire extinguisher to top off the heist and make him look even more legitimate. 

Sophad Or says,  ”He said okay I’ll take extinguisher this is bad and replace it with a new one.

The alleged thief has hit three places in Bethesda including Sophad’s store, a dry cleaner and the latest at a doctor’s office. He’s also hit three other businesses in Fairfax and DC.

Police want to catch this guy before the crimes escalate.

Corporal Dan Friz with Montgomery County Police says, “His intentions were to take property and leave but if he wanted to commit bodily harm he could it’s a concern not only for that but because we built our reputation with the fire department.”

Police are warning other businesses to make sure if someone claims to be an official to ask for their badge.

Most will wear a legitimate uniform with an emblem and their vehicle will also have identification.

Police say the suspect usually steals wallets and laptops.

They say if you have a concern you can always contact the authorities

Posted by on January 9, 2010 • Filed under: DC Fire & EMS Department, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department, Fire Prevention & Education, Fire Rescue Topics, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MD), News, Police, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

UPDATED – Must see video: Firefighter makes the grab in mid-air. Jumper’s suicide attempt thwarted.

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From Maceió, AL, Brazil comes this interesting video. Here’s the description, which describes the man doing the rappelling as a firefighter:

A drunk man threatened to jump from his apartment’s balcony and the firefighters were called. After hours, when he went into the apartment and everybody thought that the case ended, he suddenly jumped, but a firefighter was rappelling the building grabbed the suicide. Although the hard trip down, nobody was hurt.

UPDATE: Below is a news story that seems to erase any doubt the man doing the rappelling is a firefighter.

Posted by on January 9, 2010 • Filed under: must see video, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Bourne lieutenant quits. Kelli Weeks, at center of controversy, submits resignation.

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Lt. Kellie Weeks was Ms. October, 2008, for a firefighter charity calendar.

Lt. Kelli Weeks was Ms. October, 2008, for a firefighter charity calendar.

Bourne, Massachusetts Lt. Kelli Weeks, at the center of the storm, is moving on. Capecodonline.com reports Lt. Weeks turned in her resignation a day after a disciplinary hearing was postponed for a third time. She is on paid administrative leave until the paper work is completed. The focus has been on Weeks since allegations she appeared on a video of a town drug surveillance while on duty.

Matthew Burke, who has been on the Bourne beat for months, breaks the news about the closing of this chapter of many months of controversy involving the fire department. Here are excerpts from today’s story:

Multiple town sources familiar with the negotiations said Weeks had cleaned out her locker at the department and had submitted her signed letter of resignation. The document still must be signed by other parties before it is official, (Town Counsel Robert) Troy said, which will most likely happen before Tuesday’s rescheduled disciplinary hearing.

It remains unclear whether Weeks will be given any severance or whether she will be able to apply for fire service jobs elsewhere. Troy said Weeks would be eligible for extended health benefits and money for accrued benefits.

Troy said that all of the issues between the fire department’s union and the town, and also between Weeks and the town, “had been worked out.” He said that once the resignation letter is signed by all parties it will become a public record. Troy said that town officials felt her resignation was “in the best interest of all parties.”

Weeks, 33, who came to the department in 2001, was promoted to lieutenant in 2006. Her 2008 salary was $72,059, according to town records. She is originally from Attleboro.

CapeCodOnline.com photo of Lt. Kelli Weeks. For the first time we are getting details on the charges against Weeks who has been at the center of a lot of drama in the department. Click the image for the latest.

CapeCodOnline.com photo of Lt. Kelli Weeks.

Weeks has yet to comment on allegations levied against her by the police in November that she met with a suspected drug dealer while in uniform and on duty in May.Over the summer, Weeks’ fellow firefighters alleged a townwide cover-up, saying she was not sanctioned to be at the drug surveillance operation and also that public safety was at risk. Town officials originally denied the May incident had taken place, but reversed course after the Times obtained fire union logs that detailed years of alleged drug and/or alcohol abuse and also after no action was taken when the incidents were reported to the fire department and other town officials.

Weeks was placed on leave for several months but has been back with the department the past three months, fire officials have said. Since she has been back to work, her duties have changed, and new complaints about her behavior and work performance have been reported to town officials.

Weeks rushed away and declined to comment after her abbreviated disciplinary hearing Thursday afternoon.

Posted by on January 9, 2010 • Filed under: Bourne Fire Department, News • Tagged: , , , ,

Free Willy or I guess this is what you call a pipe organ. A must read about an ‘unusual call-out’ (but for mature audiences only).

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hampshire_fireDo you recall our story from last September about the man with ring around the collar? That was the one from Newport Beach, California where the Costa Mesa Fire Department’s Urban Search and Rescue team was called to a hospital in Newport Beach for what the firefighters are probably hoping was just a once in a lifetime call. They used a rescue tool to remove a dumbbell ring fastener from around a man’s tool.

We don’t want anyone to think that this is strictly an American problem or that other firefighters aren’t up to a challenge like this.

We take you to the United Kingdom, slightly east of a land where the pipes, the pipes are calling. In this case it was one pipe calling one man. So much so that the pipe and the man became one. United, the man and his metal mate found their way to Southampton General Hospital.

But unfortunately in this case all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put this 40 something man back together again (which in this case meant prying them apart). That’s when the hospital’s top docs reached out to the people everyone calls when they are in a tight spot.  An I can’t imagine many that are tighter than this one.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service bravely answered the call with seven of its best. But initially even they weren’t prepared for what they saw. We will let you read the rest of this tale of love gone very wrong from the people who are expert at discussing such delicate matters in a frank, but reassuring way. Of course I am referring to the British tabloid, The Sun, where the article is attributed, I kid you not, to a ”staff reporter”:

The crew used a metal grinder for the delicate 30-minute operation, after doctors at Southampton General Hospital tried to release him without success.

The medics failed because the restricted blood flow had caused the man to become aroused.

A crew from the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service used the four-and-a-half-inch grinder (lucky it didn’t become the organ grinder) to cut the pipe free on Tuesday morning.

Afterwards, the patient was given an anaesthetic and although his willy was left bruised and swollen it was otherwise unharmed.

The anxious man aged about 40 failed to explain how the pipe had become stuck.

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said today: “Initially the crew did not have the appropriate cutting equipment to free the man.

“It was a very delicate operation that required a very steady hand and the crew was worried about things getting too hot during the cutting.

“It’s certainly an unusual call-out and I’m sure the man won’t be getting into that situation again.”

Posted by on January 8, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Quick Takes

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South St. Louis house fire: Video above is from yesterday at 5227 Idaho Avenue.

Appeals court upholds ruling that DC erred when it fired EMT involved in Rosenbaum case: On November 20, 2008 we reported that the DC Fire & EMS Department was getting ready to bring Selena Walker, a civilian EMT, back on board the department. Walker has been fired when she drove an ambulance carrying former New York Times reporter David Rosenbaum to Howard Hospital instead of a closer facility because Howard was near Walker’s home where the EMT had an errand to run. The treatment Rosenbaum received sparked quite a controversy about the state of EMS in the Nation’s Capital. As preps were made to retrain Walker, the city instead decided to continue the fight against a ruling  by the Office of Employee Appeals, and affirmed by the DC Superior Court, that the department missed a 90-day deadline to begin disciplinary procedures. Now, the DC Court of Appeals has also ruled in Walker’s favor. Click here to read the opinion. We requested, but have not received, a comment from the DC Fire & EMS Department.

VA Prince William SingerRichard Singer arrested again: Another man has come forward accusing the president of Singer Associates, Dick Singer, of molesting him. The firm is one of the largest distributors of fire equipment in the Mid-Atlantic region.  The man, now 20, told police he was 11 when the attacks began. Previously, two 17-year-olds told police that Singer began assaulting them when they were 10.  Here are excerpts from an article by InsideNova.com’s Uriah Kiser:

Singer was jailed on the initial charges, and then released on bond. He was arrested again on the new charges Christmas eve, and was released from jail on $80,000 bond Dec. 29.

The accusers are children of family members related to Singer by marriage, Seeley said.

“These charges are completely devastating, and took all of us completely by surprise,” said Singer Equipment co-owner Sidra Seeley (Singer’s sister). “We are doing everything that we can to combat these false charges, and appreciate the support we have received from our generous customers that we have developed relationships with over the years.”

Fireground audio from mayday in Cincinnati: A firefighter was slightly hurt after taking a tumble down stairs at a house fire disloding his mask. Click here.

You can now vote every 6 hours: Rhett Fleitz is now allowing you to vote every six hours in an effort to determine your favorite fire and EMS blog. Click here to vote.

More hazards to add to the list for all-hazards fire departments: In Beaufort, South Carolina firefighters will now be doing the enforcement of nuisance codes like overgrown grass and shrubs, trash and other safety and health violations. Click here for the article from The Island Packet.

Posted by on January 8, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Chief Dennis Rubin, Command & Leadership, Customer Service, DC Fire & EMS Department, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Prevention & Education, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mayday in Cincinnati: Fireground audio from a house fire this morning. FF fell down steps dislodging facepiece. Injuries described as minor.

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FirefighterCloseCalls.com

FireSceneAudio.com

Article by Jennifer Baker at Cincinnati.com:

A Cincinnati firefighter and resident suffered minor injuries in an overnight house fire at 4409 Glenway Ave., according to the Cincinnati Fire Department.

Both were taken to University Hospital. Their names and conditions have not been released.

A total of 42 firefighters responded to Glenway Avenue about 3:30 a.m. after a resident drove to Fire Station 24 to report the blaze, said Capt. Michael A. Washington, agency spokesman.

When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke and flames shooting from the first floor of a three-story brick apartment building and a person trapped above the fire on the third floor, he said.

While some firefighters began battling the blaze, others tried to rescue the endangered resident.

A firefighter fell down a flight of stairs while searching the third floor for the resident.

The firefighter’s breathing piece became dislodged from his face, and he inhaled smoke, Washington said. A second firefighter transmitted a “may day” call signaling a firefighter in distress. The two managed to get to a window and climb to safety with the help of other firefighters.

Meanwhile, the resident was rescued out of the building and brought down to the ground on an aerial ladder.

The origin and cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Damage has been set at $65,000.

Glenway Avenue was shut down between Rosemont and Sunset for several hours. Motorists used Queen City Avenue as a detour.

Posted by on January 7, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Quick Takes

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All shook up in Columbus, Ohio where Engine 14 doubles as Graceland: Let’s start the day with a chuckle before we get to all the bad news and just watch the video above. And here is a bonus for you Elvis fans. Check out this story from yesterday looking back at the King’s meeting with the Prez.

They want your vote: At FireCritic.com they don’t believe in one man, one vote. You can have as many as three votes in one day from your computer. They are looking for the best fire/EMS blog for 2009 and Rhett has lost all credibility by including this rag as one of the 10 finalists. Click here to vote. By the way it looks like Medic 999 is leaving Schumm and Statter in the dust. And who says EMS is just the ugly stepchild of the fire service?

Our new video player: The video player near the top right of the blog was recently added. It holds all of the most recent WUSA9.com fire and EMS videos. You will find most of the local fire stories I do and those from other reporters at 9NEWS NOW in Washington, DC. It also will have  some of the fireground audio and 911 calls that I post. Emily Cyr and Jillian Coyle are always on the lookout for other interesting videos from our Gannett websites around the country and other sources. Check it out. There are some interesting ones in there.

Further down we still have the player from our YouTube site. It has some other fire and EMS content (and a few repeats).

Unusual one in DC: Firefighters handling a fire under the Pennsylvania Avenue bridge on Rock Creek Parkway found a body nearby. Click here.

Chief disputes reports about 16-year-old fighting fire: Last week we told you about the controversy in Sonoma County, California after a 16-year-old Boy Scout Explorer was hospitalized for exhaustion at a house fire. There have been charges the teen was involved in active firefighting operations. Now, Chief Peter Van Fleet of the Glen Ellen Fire Department is disputing that claim. Check it out.

Add crossing guard to your all-hazards fire department list: That is what may happen very soon in Logansport, Indiana. The mayor’s budget cutting plan gets rid of 14 crossing guards, but do not fear, Mayor Mike Fincher has a plan. On-duty firefighters will join police in handling those duties. Click here for the article from firefightingnews.com.

Fireground audio roundup and some pictures: Click here for firesceneaudio.com audio from a two-alarm house fire on Middleton Court in Fairfax County yesterday.

Don’t forget we have both the fire department and sheriff’s department audio from the dumpster explosion that killed Firefighter Steven Koeser in Wisconsin. Click here.

FireSceneAudio.com has the fireground audio from Hartford, Connecticut’s three-alarm apartment building fire last night here, here, here and here (Parts 1 to 4, in order). Firegeezer has the pictures, video and details.

Also, there is the emergency radio traffic from the Wheeling, Illinois cargo plane crash. Larry Shapiro has a bunch of pictures from the scene. Check them out here.

One that will not put you in a good mood: Police in Palm Bay, Florida say a toddler suffered serious burns after his drunk father wrestled with the boy in front of a fire pit. We have the dad’s 911 call looking for what hospital his son was taken to. The call taker had a little advice for the man. Take a listen.

Firehouse fire helps move up moving schedule: Click here for the details from Rensselaer, New York where a kitchen fire in the old fire station is lighting a fire under moving plans.

Check out wrecked tanker pictures: FirefighterCloseCalls.com tells us the a Smith County, Texas chief came away with minor injuries after turning the rig on its side while avoiding a deer during a response. When you look at the pictures you will see he was pretty lucky.

Baltimore’s mayor is out: Not sure yet what impact it will have on the fire department but Mayor Sheila Dixon leaves office February 4 as part of a plea agreement. Here’s more from the Baltimore Sun.

Also, the Baltimore Messenger is making noise about rotating closures impacting Engine 44 and Truck 25 in Roland Park where the fire chief and a fire commissioner are scheduled to meet with residents tonight. This is the same community that raised more than $40,000 to help renovate the local firehouse.

One firefighter in Modesto released from the hospital: Click here for the update on the two firefighters burned in a New Year’s Night fire after falling through the roof of the burning home.

Fire chief takes on arrest of firefighters for drugs and alcohol: In Pittsburgh Chief Darryl Jones is addressing  recent arrests of firefighters. Read the details.

Reputation management: A federal lawsuit is underway over an incident in Dunmore, Pennsylvania where a firefighter is claiming defamation after his suspension for not completing EMT was made public in 2005. Read more.

We have heard of dogs and cats alerting people to a fire, but how about a snake?: This sounds like a fable about someone nursing an ill snake back to health in China and the snake returning the favor. I am not sure I am buying it, but you be the judge.

Posted by on January 7, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Baltimore City Fire Department, Chief Dennis Rubin, Command & Leadership, Courts, DC Fire & EMS Department, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Funding & Staffing, Major Incidents, News, Quick takes, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dad arrested for burning toddler son in a fire pit. Listen to the 911 call where father is told to ‘sober up’

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Article by  J.D. Gallop at FloridaToday.com:

A 24-year-old father remains jailed under observation as his 2-year-old son continues on what officials said likely will be a long and painful recovery from burns caused by falling into a fire pit.

Michael David Bargeron

Michael David Bargeron

Michael David Bargeron of Palm Bay was arrested Friday after police said he wrestled with the child near a burning fire pit during a New Year’s Eve party at his Johnston Road home. He remains held on a $50,000 bond and will face a Feb. 23 hearing on the charges, officials reported.

Detectives said Bargeron appeared to be intoxicated and had called 9-1-1 in a bid to find out whether his child was at the hospital. The child’s mother, Bargeron’s wife, already had grabbed the burned child and rushed him to the hospital about 1:30 a.m. Friday, officials said.

“Do you have any record of a 3-year-old checking in,” Bargeron asked a Palm Bay 9-1-1 dispatcher at one point during the call. The dispatcher told Bargeron to “sober up” and clarify his request.

“He was described as extremely intoxicated at the time of the incident,” said Yvonne Martinez, spokeswoman for the Palm Bay Police Department.

“Basically, he didn’t know where his son was or where the incident occurred.”

Witnesses told police Bargeron was dismissive of warnings at the party as he played with the child near the rising flames.

Police said the child then fell into the pit, but Bargeron failed to pull him out. The child suffered burns on his hands, arms, stomach and buttocks, Martinez said.

The Department of Children and Families also is investigating the incident. Bargeron’s other child, a 15-month-old, was in the custody of the mother’s family members.

Posted by on January 6, 2010 • Filed under: 911, 911 Audio, News, Police • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Quick Takes

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One we missed: This three-alarm house fire is from Belleville, New Jersey  way back in 2009. December 28 to be exact. Paul Bassett sends it along. Paul writes this about the fire at 98 Division- “Fire was in a 2 1/2 story wood frame and appeared to start in the basement and race up the walls into the attic. Belleville was assisted on scene by Nutley, North Arlington, Bloomfield, Montclair and Kearny”. Paul’s still photos from the fire can be found here. 

Firefighter Steven Koeser.

Click here to listen to the emergency radio traffic from the dumpster explosion that killed Firefighter Steven Koeser.

Emergency radio traffic from fatal dumpster explosion in Wisconsin: We have radio traffic from both the fire department and the sheriff’s department as they dealt with the dumpster fire on December 29 that killed St. Anna Firefighter Steven Koeser. Click here for our coverage.

Arbitrator rules for veteran captain after a near collision between a train & fire truck: This is a really interesting story from Billings, Montana. In November of 2008 a fire truck from Station 2 was responding on an EMS run. It was stopped at the railroad tracks to let a train pass. Once the train went by, the rig went around the gates only to find a coal train bearing down on them on the other track. It was apparently a close call, but there was no collision. Captain Ron Martin didn’t report the incident, but the railroad did. After having an assistant chief look into the matter, Chief Paul Dextras put a letter of reprimand into the captain’s file. Captain Martin and IAFF Local 521 fought the disciplinary action and won. The arbitrator sided cited a lack of fairness in how the investigation was handled. Read the details in the Billings Gazette.

You know something is wrong with the contest if this blog got nominated: The FireCritic.com Fire/EMS Blog of the Year 2009 contest showed just how low they could go. STATter911.com has been picked as one of the ten finalists. I am much like Groucho Marx and not sure I want to be a part of something that would have me. My money is still on Firegeezer. But the voting is now underway and lasts until January 12. Click here to vote.

Fire department radio traffic from Illinois plane crash: Fire crews had a tough time immediately finding the crash of a small cargo jet in Wheeling, Illinois. As more information came in, they found the wreckage in the Des Plaines River. Both crew members were dead. Click here for our coverage.

Boston firefighters catch burglar in the act at firehouse: On Monday night Boston firefighters had just returned from a fire to the quarters of Engine 42/ Rescue 2 in Roxbury when they found a visitor inside the firehouse. The man was not an invited guest and had a bag with property belonging to the firefighters. He didn’t get far and at last word was in jail. Read more. Thanks to our New England Bureau Chief Jimmy Daly for the tip.

Looking closely at the roof: In Modesto, California, where Engineer Jim Adams remains in a medically induced coma due to burns over 40% of his body, investigators were back at the scene yesterday of the New Year’s Night house fire. They are trying to figure out why the roof of the home collapsed so quickly sending Adams and Firefighter Jim Clevenger into the fire below. Here is the latest.

Arrest in deadly Northampton, Massachusetts arson spree: Firegeezer is on top of this story. While you are there check out the story that Jimmy Daly alerted me about as it was happening yesterday but I just couldn’t get to. Lynn firefighters revived a fellow firefighter who collapsed at a house fire.

And another city wrestles with overtime: Indianapolis is the latest of many places trying to figure out how to curb fire department overtime spending. Click here for the story.

Fireground audio from Detroit triple fatal: Three adults died in a Detroit house fire early yesterday morning. Click here to listen to the fireground operations.

Posted by on January 6, 2010 • Filed under: Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Emergency radio traffic from fatal dumpster explosion in Wisconsin. Listen to the sheriff and fire department transmissions from St. Anna.

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Above are the St. Anna Fire Department radio transmissions from December 29, 2009.

Click here and scroll down for our previous coverage of this incident

From postcrescent.com:

The first report that firefighters had been caught in an explosion Dec. 29 while putting out a dumpster fire said at least three firefighters were down and another “looks like he was blown about 100 feet from it.”

That report and others recorded by the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department detail the events of the explosion that killed 33-year-old St. Anna firefighter Steven Koeser and injured eight others. The recordings were released Tuesday to The Post-Crescent.

WI St. Anna explosion 4The transmissions are routine at first as a sheriff’s deputy radios that he has noticed a fire in a dumpster that appears to be melting the container. He asks a dispatcher to page the fire department at 7:22 p.m.

When the St. Anna Fire Department’s Truck 17 and Engine 11 arrived on the scene, flames were visible from the dumpster.

At 7:41 p.m., one voice reported “a large explosion. I am checking on all the firemen that were hit.” The department calls for mutual aid and a tanker from New Holstein, and at 7:43 calls for ambulances.

“We need an ambulance down here. Send a couple of them while you’re at it,” one caller said.

As ambulances responded and a ThedaStar helicopter were dispatched to a landing zone at the fire station, more reports came through.

“Send whatever you have for ambulances,” one said.

“One (is) in and out of consciousness. One (was) blown — entire body injuries. One with facial and burn injuries.”

Above is the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department radio traffic.

Posted by on January 5, 2010 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, HazMat, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Emergency radio traffic from Wheeling, Illinois plane crash. Two dead after Royal Air Freight Learjet on final approach ends up in the Des Plaines River.

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Above is raw video from the ground. Click here for more ground video of recovery efforts. Here is raw video from a press briefing. Watch WGN-TV news coverage.

From the AP:

A small cargo jet from Waterford-based Royal Air Freight crashed into a forest preserve Tuesday afternoon shortly after being cleared to land at a suburban Chicago airport, with officials saying that it appears the two people aboard were killed.

A preliminary investigation indicated a pilot and co-pilot were aboard the jet that crashed into the Des Plaines River in unincorporated Glenview as it was making its final approach about 1:30 p.m. to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, said Glenview Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Fancher. He said emergency crews were on the scene, including divers.

The Federal Aviation Administration, at the scene of the crumpled wreckage, said it was unclear what caused the crash, noting the jet had just been cleared for visual approach to the airport.

The Learjet Model 35 left Oakland County International Airport in Waterford, Mich., about 1 p.m. Tuesday, said J. David Vanderveen, who oversees the county’s three airports. Oakland County International Airport is about 25 miles northwest of Detroit.

Vanderveen said the jet was empty of cargo, but was to pick up freight at the Wheeling airport, located about 15 miles northwest of Chicago.

“There was a pilot and a co-pilot,” Vanderveen said. “Both were commercially rated, which means they were professional pilots. My understanding is they were clear to land and landed short, and crashed into the DesPlaines River.”

The jet, according to the FAA, was registered to the Waterford-based Royal Air Freight. A woman who answered the phone at the company declined to comment on the crash.

Click here for Part 2 of the audio.

Posted by on January 5, 2010 • Filed under: Aviation Incidents, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Fireground audio from triple fatal fire in Detroit.

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Watch the story

FiresceneAudio.com has posted the fireground audio from a house fire at 3:30 this morning in Detroit where three people died. The home is located at Dexter Avenue and Columbus Street. 

Photo by John T. Greilick / The Detroit News
Photo by John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

Two men in their 60s who were brothers were found on the first floor. A woman was discovered dead on the second floor of the home.

Investigators say electricity had been cut and that power was being run into the home illegally.

Preliminarily investigators suspect a space heater caused the fire.

Both of the men who died required canes to assist in their walking.

 Click here to read more about the fire.

Posted by on January 5, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, News • Tagged: , , , , ,

Quick Takes

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3-alarms in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ: This house fire was late Sunday night at 27 Columbus Avenue. FirefightingNews.com has still pictures and details.

Lt. David Curlin, Pine Bluff Fire Department, is in serious condition after Sunday's wall collapse.

Lt. David Curlin, Pine Bluff Fire Department, is in serious condition after Sunday's wall collapse.

Prayers for Arkansas firefighter caught in wall collapse during commercial building fire: Firefighters and others gathered Monday night to offer prayers and support for Pine Bluff Fire Department’s Lt. David Curlin. TodaysTHV.com reports Lt. Curlin and others were on their way back out of the Clemments Office Center early Sunday morning when the wall of the second story collapsed, pinning Curlin under a heavy metal beam. The hose he manned is still trapped under the debris. Lt. Shauwn Howell told reporters, “Fellow firefighters had to come to his rescue using everything they could get their hands on, the jaws of life, shovels, scoops, hands, just doing everything they can to free him from the entrapment up under the debris.” Lt. Curlin is listed in serious condition with a broken leg and arm and several internal injuries. Watch the story here. Read more here and here.

Polls close at 3:00 PM: You read my choice yesterday (Firegeezer), now make your choice in FireCritic.com’s Fire/EMS Blog of the Year of 2009 contest. You can email your vote to firecritic@firecritic.com.

Mayor defends placing campaign manager in top fire department position: We first mentioned this issue from Rochester, New York back in late October. Yesterday, Chief John Caufield said he never really considered anyone other than Molly Clifford for the job of director of fire administration. The job used to be held by a sworn deputy chief. DemocratandChronicle.com’s Brian Sharp reports Clifford will have oversight of code enforcement, community outreach, administrative services such as budget, the supply depot and of planning and research. Fire investigations has been transferred to a deputy chief. The union is charging Clifford, with no fire service experience, is not qualified. Cifford had worked as assistant general manager at Rural/Metro ambulance service.  Monroe County Fire Wire has the video from the press conference and a few documents.

Emergency radio traffic from Las Vegas shootout: It isn’t our normal beat, but we have the police radio traffic from yesterday morning’s deadly shootout at the federal courthouse in Las Vegas. Click here.

Sexpert advice for firefighters: A sex doctor indicates firefighters have a leg up in the fantasy world. Read more. A warning: the comments on this post may be more than some can handle.

Photo by Christopher Evans at BostonHerald.com. Click the image to see video of the fire from Evans.

Photo by Christopher Evans at BostonHerald.com. Click the image to see video of the fire from Evans.

Fireground audio & video from Boston 3-alarm house fire: Three firefighters suffered minor injuries last night at a three-alarm fire at a three-family home in Roxbury. Click here for Part 1 of the fireground audio and here for Part 2 (courtesy FireSceneAudio.com). Details and video are here.

Update from Modesto, CA: The Modesto Bee has been doing a good job of keeping tabs on the status of two firefighters who fell through the roof of a burning home New Year’s Night. Jim Adams has second and third degree burns over 40-percent of his body. Adams is currently in a medically induced coma and is expected to be at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for as long as a month. Jason Clevenger, with burns over 10-percent of his body, could be released from Doctors Medical Center within a day or two. Read more.

Florida fire may be related to suicide attempt: Click here for details, video and pictures from a large apartment complex fire in Ocoee last night.

Fireground audio and video from Dallas fourth-alarm: Click here for the fire yesterday morning at a floor covering business.

Frozen hydrants: The problem delayed efforts during a restaurant fire in Indianapolis. Click here for the story and the video.

New Year’s Eve fire in Lower Towamensing Township, Pennsylvania: Jason Thomas has been coming back swinging after a few technical setbacks with Firefighter Spot. This fire from Carbon County is one of many videos he has been posting in recent days. Read more about the fire.

Posted by on January 5, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Boston Fire Department, Command & Leadership, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Emergency radio traffic from Las Vegas courthouse shooting.

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Above is the cell phone video that has been seen around the world taken by Nicholas Gramenos during the shootout this morning at the federal courthouse in Las Vegas. Officials say 66-year-old Johnny Lee Wicks opened fire with a shotgun at a security checkpoint touching off a running gun battle with deputy U.S. marshals. Sixty-five-year-old Stanley Cooper, a retired Las Vegas police officer working for a private security firm at the courthouse, was killed. Wicks was also killed and a deputy U.S. marshal was wounded.

FireSceneAudio.com has the police radio traffic below.

Part 2 and Part 3.

Posted by on January 4, 2010 • Filed under: must see video, News, Police, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Doctor confirms being a firefighter can be good for your sex life. Scroll down for some sexpert advice.

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Photo of Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright from foxnews.com.

Photo of Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright from foxnews.com.

I realize this is not the usual STATter911.com type of story. I apologize ahead of time to those who think I may have once again lowered the bar. If  you read my Quick Takes this morning you will realize what is really going on is that I am just trying to be more like my favorite blogger Firegeezer Bill Schumm (who never met a firefighter/sex story he didn’t like).  

But unlike Bill, it is the science I am interested in. This stuff is coming from a real doctor. She’s the woman to the left. Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright is the Fox Sexpert (as in Fox News). Her column today begins this way:

Seems like “playing doctor” never gets old. Neither does role-playing the firefighter who saves your life, the nurse who tends to a soldier’s wounds, and the police officer who rescues the “kidnapping” victim.

The good doctor goes on to write about how the “save me” theme is a turn-on. She even cites personal experience:

I once had a partner who was not only a pilot, but a former paramedic, firefighter and soon-to-be doctor. Talk about having your fantasies rolled into one! Needless to say, I was quite the envy of my friends on this one. People know the potential such job titles – real or feigned — hold for better sex.

Click her for the rest of her column (yes, there is more).

Remember, unlike that Firegeezer guy, I am only passing this on in the name of medical research. So, try and keep the comments somewhat clean.

Posted by on January 4, 2010 • Filed under: News • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Fireground audio and video from 4-alarm fire at Dallas, Texas business.

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Read more on this story

Click here for Google Maps Street View of the fire building

A fire destroyed a floor covering business in Dallas, Texas this morning. The fire was reported just before 5:00 AM at 2600 Irving Boulevard.

According to news reports firefighters found the building filled with smoke and attempted an interior attack. Concerns about a roof collapse soon changed this to a defensive operation. 

The fire was contained to one building with smoke damage to an adjacent structure. No injuries were reported.

Below is fireground audio from FireSceneAudio.com.

Posted by on January 4, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , ,

Hydrants frozen delaying attack on restaurant fire. Video report from Indianapolis.

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Short raw video clips here, here and here.

From the AP:

Firefighters had to struggle with frozen hydrants as they faced a blaze that destroyed a restaurant on the east side of Indianapolis.

Fire crews arrived at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant near Shadeland Avenue and Interstate 70 early Monday, finding heavy fire and smoke coming from the rear of the building.

Fire Capt. Rita Reith says crews soon ran out of water as they needed more than 15 minutes to find a working hydrant. The temperature was in the low teens when the fire was reported.

The restaurant had been closed for more than two hours when the fire was reported and its cause wasn’t immediately known. One firefighter was taken to a hospital after suffering chest pain.

Damage is estimated at $4 million. The restaurant employed 135 people

Posted by on January 4, 2010 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Quick Takes

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Busy Sunday morning in Minneapolis: This fire at 1169 14th Avenue, SE is one of three handled by Minnesapolis firefighters early Sunday. Click here for more information.

This is why you should vote for Firegeezer for the best blog: The scene is Sunday afternoon at the World Headquarters of STATter911.com and I have plenty of things to do before I get to work at the TV station after a week-long vacation. So, what is it am I doing? I am mindlessly watching an episode of Emergency! embedded on Firegeezer.com instead of doing my work. This is exactly the reason why Bill Schumm should win FireCritic.com’s Fire/EMS Blog of the Year of 2009 contest. Bill knows his audience and he panders to us big time. Bill realizes fire & EMS types of a certain age can’t resist taking one more look at Johnny and Roy in action. Just like he knows they can’t resist all of his writings about beer and hockey mixed in with a whole mess of fires. If his standards and practices committee (Mrs. Firegeezer) would let him get away with it, Bill would probably throw in some soft porn, too. While I have been accused of being the Jerry Springer of the blogs, Bill is our Phineas Taylor Barnum. Which sort of makes sense, since for five-and-a-half years Bill was assigned to a fire station just down the street (second due) from Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia. That Bailey is the same family as P.T.’s partner in “The Greatest Show on Earth”. While the name Firegeezer would make you believe the blog is the AARP of the fire/EMS sites, Bill has an instinct for all kinds of news. It’s a talent that many people in my business would envy.  Now that you know who I have voted for and why, make sure you send Rhett Fleitz your nomination at firecritic@firecritic.com. Vote early and vote often.

Our top story of 2009. If you missed the New Year's Day list of our top 20 stories and the name of our contest winner, click the image.

Our top story of 2009. If you missed the New Year's Day list of our top 20 stories and the name of our contest winner, click the image.

It wasn’t Jerry Engle and it had nothing to do with PGFD: In case you missed it, on New Year’s Day we published the most popular stories for 2009 and named the winner of our traditional first-annual, year-end contest (we shall see if it actually shows up again at the end of the year). Your guesses, for the most part, were far off the mark (that’s it Dave, insult the people who actually read this stuff), but they were fun to read. If you click here you can see the top 20 and who won the contest.

On a related topic, the top video for the year on the STATter911.com YouTube channel was the DC Fire & EMS Department sprinkler demonstration mishap. It was followed by the controversial Cincinnati beer commercial video.

Two fired over noose: If you were too busy on New Year’s Eve to check in, you may not yet know the end of the year was also the last day for two Loudoun County, Virginia firefighters. Both were fired for their involvement in an incident where a noose was left in the vehicle of a black firefighter in early December. Read the details.

Remembering Steven Koeser: The funeral for the Wisconsin firefighter killed last week after an industrial dumpster exploded was held on Saturday. We have video and details.

Ladder rescue in Murray, Kentucky: Click the image to take you to WPSD-TV's Facebook entry of a series of pictures taken by neighbor Lisa O'Neal after a woman became trapped on the second floor of a home on Poplar Street on Sunday.

Ladder rescue in Murray, Kentucky: Click the image to take you to WPSD-TV's Facebook entry of a series of pictures taken by neighbor Lisa O'Neal after a woman became trapped on the second floor of a home on Poplar Street on Sunday.

Explorer programs under scrutiny after teens hurt in two incidents in two days: I am just stating fact and not an opinion when pointing out that I, like many others, was in the fire service at a time when 16 and 17-year-olds did just about everything except drive the apparatus (and even that happened once or twice). It was not a rare occasion that I was the only one on the rig who wasn’t in high school. I can think of quite a few of those junior members who are now, or have been, in the upper ranks of some large career fire departments. But times have changed.

We have been getting a lot of comments about the story where one 16-year-old Boy Scout Explorer was hospitalized with exhaustion after apparently taking part in interior firefighting operations in Sonoma County, California. Officials there say it is not supposed to happen that way. Read more.

The second incident was the exploding dumpster in Wisconsin that killed the St. Anna’s Steven Koeser. Captain Adam Schuh, who was on the scene and has been handling press inquiries, says one of those hurt in the explosion is his 17-year old stepson. That teen is of legal age to be a firefighter. Also hurt was a 15-year-old boy who is an Explorer. Captain Schuh indicates the boy was at what was believed to be a safe distance from the fire. Read the details. 

Politicians home destroyed: A Pennsylvania state senator escaped in the middle of the night as fire tore through his Montgomery County home. Click here.

The latest from Modesto: Two firefighters were burned, one over 40-percent of his body, after falling through the roof at a house fire on New Year’s Day. Our two earlier postings with video and details are here and here.

Snakes alive …. and some dead: In St. George, Utah they rang out the old year with the traditional trailer fire involving 19 pet pythons. Not all of them saw 2010. Read more.

Fireground audio: Our friends at FireSceneAudio.com have been keeping us busy with timely postings of some interesting incidents. One is a Sunday house fire where a Chicago firefighter was burned. Click here.

We have another entry with fireground audio from a Prince George’s County house fire, a triple-fatal Detroit residential hotel fire, a New Orleans three-alarm fire that damaged three home and a Chicago fire where two people were rescued out of a burning basement. All of that is here. 

Video’s: Since our last Quick Takes way back in 2009 we have posted a few interesting videos. Here’s a run down of things you might have messed if you didn’t take us along for your New Year’s celebration: Major commercial fire damages row of stores in Enterprise, Alabama; Two-alarm frame shop fire in Fairfax County, Virginia; A garage fire in Detroit.

Who made this video?: The folks at SprinklerAcademy.com posted this old flashover video of some time ago and our now trying to figure out who produced the video. Here’s the contact information if you have the answer.

Posted by on January 4, 2010 • Filed under: Quick takes, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,