Quick Takes

South St. Louis 2nd-alarm and mayday: This is from the night of March 8 at 2141 Russell Boulevard. Firefighters brought an elderly man and woman to safety from separate apartments. The Post-Dispatch reports the fire started in the basement and, “One firefighter needed the help of his partner when he became disoriented inside the building and his breathing unit began to run low on air”.

Suspensions lifted for 7 of 12 members of Rockville VFD: In case you haven’t checked in since our last Quick Takes, 12 members of the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department were suspended last week. Three 17-year-olds firefighters were arrested for an overnight visit to the logistics and supply building for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service. Nine others, including more teenaged volunteers, are under investigation for a gathering at a closed party room at an apartment building across the street from Station 3. STATter911.com talked with Rockville VFD Chief Russell Dawson last night who explains why seven of his volunteers have been allowed to return to duty. Check out our interview.

NEW – Union says charges “trumped up”: There has been a mess brewing in Canandaigua, New York since the decision to cut back on the number of career firefighters. The latest problem is the suspension of two career firefighters over not taking command at a fire from a volunteer chief. Read the details on this issue and a few others.

Search to continue for West Virginia firefighter who went overboard: Click here to read the latest on the Kanawha County firefighter missing and presumed dead after a boat used in flood waters capsized. Watch the story here.

Hanging the mayor: Oh those funny firefighters. When the order came down to make sure Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton’s photo was on the wall inside city buildings, firefighters at Station 16 duly complied. But now an investigation is underway into who posted the picture next to photos of Osama bin Laden and Adolph Hitler. Read the details.

DC now requires supervisor involvement when a patient refuses transport: That’s the word from Chief Dennis Rubin at a hearing on Friday where he took responsibility for the errors surrounding the department’s interaction with a two-year-old child who died a day later at the hospital. The hearing brought out a woman telling a somewhat similar case involving her asthmatic son. Check it out.

Radio traffic from crash involving DC’s Rescue Squad 1: Three civilians were injured in the Friday morning collision. Click here.

Update on father & son chiefs who battled with other chief as son’s house burned: If you recall the strange story from Franklin Township, Pennsylvania where the dad, son and another firefighter were arrested, you will want to check the update.

Alabama fire engine hits utility pole: The driver was the only one on board when the rig was returning to the station in Meridianville. It  ran off the road and hit a concrete utility pole. The firefighter was not seriously injured, but the fire engine is totaled. Read and watch the story here.

Weekend fire videos: Seven structures damaged or destroyed in storm fueled fire in Ocean Grove, New Jersey; Brian Duddy has audio, video and pictures from an apartment building in Spring Valley, New York; A four-alarm fire in Yonkers, New York.

Lumber yard fire: Firegeezer on top of this 4-alarm fire in Walnut Creek, California.

Errant fire hose was just one of the problems: When I first heard about a police officer being injured in Harper Woods, Michigan after firefighters lost control of a hose during training, I mentioned to a friend that my gut was telling me there was more to this story. Well, clearly there is. Check out the latest on the suspension of a fire captain.

Also on STATter911 …

• Update: Records show Macon-Bibb County Chief Marvin Riggins gave Capt. Stephanie Burke light punishment despite investigator reporting she was involved in gun prank from the start. – October 20, 2011
• Quick Takes: May 16, 2011. – May 16, 2011
• Quick Takes: May 31, 2011. – May 31, 2011
• Regime change at Burtonsville VFD. Leadership resigns & takes demotions in battle with Montgomery County, Maryland. – March 21, 2011