Click above to listen to the dispatch audio from Monday’s fire.
The chief of the Long Ridge Fire Company in Stamford, Connecticut did not answer a newspaper reporter’s call to find out why an assistant chief canceled automatic aide companies shortly after the initial dispatch to a house fire Monday night. Those companies were soon dispatched again after the first firefighters discovered a significant fire in a 7800 square foot home.
Photo by Kathleen O'Rourke, Stamford Advocate
Brendan Keatley, president of IAFF Local 786 wants Stamford’s mayor to hold a public hearing about the fire. He told the Stamford Advocate, “They turned us back for what reason? It’s a disgrace. An absolute disgrace.”
Here are excerpts from the Stamford Advocate article by Jeff Morganteen:
The city’s professional fire union is calling for a public hearing to investigate the Long Ridge Fire Co.’s response to a chimney fire that ended up spreading to the attic of a North Stamford mansion Monday night, destroying its roof and much of its second floor.
Dispatch records show an assistant chief from Long Ridge canceled two fire engines from the city while they were en route to the fire at 68 Deep Valley Trail, which was reported around 8:50 p.m. Monday and left three firefighters with minor injuries. The assistant chief was not at the scene when he canceled the response from the city engines, saying they had sufficient personnel, according to dispatch recordings of the incident.
When asked whether the chief, whose named could not be determined, was on the scene, he replied, according to the dispatch records, “Negative. We have enough guys. Cancel everybody but Long Ridge.”
Minutes later, when the first arriving unit reported seeing flames through the mansion’s roof, the dispatcher asked whether they wanted to request the city engines again. This time, the chief asked to send them back out.
Also on STATter911 …
- Firefighter/dispatcher falls asleep during 911 call. TV station has audio from Montgomery County, Maryland. – May 22, 2012
- Raw video & fireground audio: House fire in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. – March 1, 2011
- Someone should call 911 for Atlanta 911. Audit says it can take more than five minutes to transfer calls to dispatcher. – October 26, 2011
- Fireground audio: Detroit firefighters under attack at fatal fire with rescues try to get police to the scene. DPD says 13 minute response time is ‘acceptable’. – January 9, 2012
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UMMMMMMMM WHAT AN A$$
wow! i like around the 1:53 mark when dispatcher dispatches the ambo for he 2 intoxicated males and says “hard to believe”
no comment necessary.
We don’t want those “paid guys” coming and putting out “OUR” fire. Who cares if the resident’s house burns down as long as people see “OUR” trucks get there first. After all, fund drive letters go in the mail next week.
Keep all units coming until you have eyes on the incedent and you know whats going on…. Its better to have to many firetrucks on route rather than not having enough… Prime example.
Canceling units, responding to a fire.. I don’t care what type, or how many times you’ve responded to said type.. before you arrive at the scene. Pure and utter negligence. Paid or Volunteer, the one who made that call, should be terminated.
I have read the comments concerning a Chief Officer cancelling automatic mutual-aid response units. How disgusting and immature. The Chief Officer who made that decision, is not a True Fire Service Professional. the fact he’s a Volunteer has no relevance except he put his ignorant juvenile mentality to be first and foremost. Comments like “we don’t want those paid guys coming int to out our fires” Who cares if the Taxpayers house burns down, as long as our Apparatus is there.” Where has he been for the past 10-20 years. Turf conjecture and our fires is absolutely out of context for today’s Fire and EMS Service. He has brought shame and disgrace to all the good well Trained Career and Volunteer Fire and EMS Personnel. His comments speak volumes of his limited adult Fire Service Training. The Basic Body of Knowledge that is taught and learned everyday all over our Nation clearly isnot that of this individual’s vile stupid words and inactions. At the very least this individual should be dismissed entirely from the Local VFD and not ever again associate himself with the 21st Century Fire and EMS Service. One can only imagine how this individual has made it through the ranks of the Volunteer Fire and EMS Service. He is undoubtedly a liability to those members within the local VFD, but also he is an absolute shameful disgrace to ever proclaim that he’s a Chief Officer with Training and Professionalism in his credibility. The Taxpayers can only wonder how such individuals can protect them in a Life Threatening Life Crisis. What would this individual do and/or say if a Mutual Aid EMS Unit was responding into the community for any emergency. ie; An ALS Emergency(to that individual ALS stands for “Advanced Life Support”. Perhaps a Senior Citizen Taxpayer has fallen unconscious and/or a Baby/Child has stopped Breathing. The words like we don’t want those paid guys coming into our area.
The Good well Trained Career and Volunteer Fire and EMS Service Personnel will continue to do the very best job/efforts to be Public Servants.
Thank You
Hard to belive all the checkins on main fire, thats what dpw freqs are for after 1st checkin. I would never turn back mutual aid, what was he thinking. That said why didn’t mutual aid respond non emergency anyway.
Be Safe.
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity"….grow-up folks and think of what's best for the citizens we serve. Turf wars are childish and possibly deadly.