Here is the description by johnbondy with the two You Tube videos on this page:
I followed chief 5 to lane st. & mullane st. from another fire 4 blocks over and this was the 7th arson in the same neighborhood within an hour. channel 4 news was there, and one firefighter who was working in the second dwelling was rushed to the hospital. Five teenagers were arrested and confessed to all seven arsons. And detroit is awesome, first engine on scene at 1:00, they had water on the fire at 2:30. a minute and a half!!! who else does that?!?
WDIV-TV writes this about yesterday’s arson spree:
Five teens have been arrested in connection with several fires that burned across southwest Detroit on Thursday.
Detroit police said fire crews responded to two fires on Rathbone Street, two on Lane Street and one near Lawndale Street all within hours of each other — starting at about 2 p.m.
A firefighter was hurt, carried off on a stretcher, while battling a fire on Lane Street. The fire started in an abandoned house and garage, catching a vacant duplex next to it on fire as well.
Also on STATter911 …
- UPDATED – Raw video now added: Detroit couple jump to escape fire before firefighters arrive. – December 21, 2011
- FDNY Engine 158 opens up master stream to rescue NYPD. Cops caught in group of 50 teens. – December 7, 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
- Detroit’s new commissioner sets policy on fires in vacants. Austin wants clear sign someone is inside before entering. – June 14, 2011
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pathetic fireground operations. who in there right mind goes in a involved structure with no scba. poor leadership and lack of safety. thats why you always here of us getting hurt on job because of idiots like that which makes us all look bad. i have no respect for detroit fire, they need to have some remedial training.
INTERIOR!
I seriously doubt you have ever been on the interior of a structure. Detroit goes to alot more fire than you do so how about you quit worrying about what they do and you work on not squiting water from the front yard.
Well that didn’t take too long.
To “interior” and all those like her; I’m fairly confidant that the D.F.D. will survive very well without your participation or approval (or mine for that matter).
All we know is what we see in about 10 minutes of video. That is not enough for me to pass judgement on this department.
What I do know is that there were two houses involved and they were contained by one engine company and one truck company for a relatively long period of time. So I will just say thank-you fellas and be on my way.
I agree with interior. These guys look like slobs. No SCBA, no forcible entry tools, piss poor ladder techniques. Fireman almost takes a face plant when the engines speeds of to the hydrant.
I guess the Detroit taxpayers will have to bear the brunt to pay for the workmans comp for the Captain broken ankle one day, plus the overtime to fill his spot while he rehabs his ankle.
A Battalion Chief with no gear humping hose…instead of commanding the fire. Must be the new NFPA roving command post standard!
How about the fireman that puts himself in danger on the porch roof of the initial house fire with no SCBA…(Hands Clapping)…GREAT JOB…suck in some more smoke!! I guess the taxpayers with have to pay that too…Cancer treatment and a disability retirement!
Elwood and Cromwell…you guys need to take a hard look at reality. I don’t care what department it is, how much fire you catch, how long you have on the job…that’s not how “business” is conducted. The macho John Wayne attitude and a blatant disregard for SOP’s or Sog’s, whatever you call them, is why we still kill 120 fireman a year in the US.
If those fireman performed like that in my department…they wouldn’t be around long!
Good thing I’m not on the Workers Comp commission there in Detroit! If I saw a video like that and saw a claim for injury…they wouldn’t get a dime if they failed to follow proper procedures…END OF STORY
It’s funny, there are two kinds of people that post about Detroit. Those who would drink their bathwater, regardless of if they ran into a fire naked with a can of gasoline, and those who want to crucify them the second an operation dose not look like it is a picture from IFSTA’s Essentials of Firefighting Manual. It’s easy, Detroit has more opportunity to put water on fire than all of us combined, and their tactics, while extremely effective could use a little safety refresher. Be Safe
Well said Joe Schmoe.
Yep, Detroit is a bunch of “slobs.” And you need SCBA in non-IDLH because your are sooo close to the HOT ZONE. Is that BC actually the IC? No gear, from a hero to a zero!
So Joe, the reason we kill A MAJORITY of 100 (I don’t believe it averages over 100 but I could be incorrect) a year is because of genetics, diet, and lack of excercise (coronary) and poor driving decisions not because of how the busy big cities conduct their “business.”
“If those fireman performed like that in my department…they wouldn’t be around long!”
You might think yo know or maybe a little self-righteous. But I am quite certain you would never make a pimple on a big city bottom.
What i dont understand is that departments like Detroit, and Flint, and Boston, FDNY, Philly, DC, Baltimore seemto be the ones PUTTING fires out..saving life AND PROPERTY…getting the JOB done..should they be more cautious..maybe, but unlike many of the people on this board that MIGHT go to a few fires a year, just cause they dont have Command Post vehicleswith the capabilities of NASA set up, wearing there Masks while running around in the front yard when they dont need to,doesnt make them bad fire depts..as a CITIZEN, id rather see THESE men do their JOB and save life and property..then YOU cry foul cause they didnt use a tool to force a door that u would have the SWAT team come and do.
I see the “Safety Sissies” have brainwashed a few more victims.
Is Detroit FD the ideal? Absolutely not. They have serious financial issues, poor equipment, etc. Not sure of their manpower situation but I doubt it’s as robust as any of us would like.
Should the guy have a tool with him when he approaches the door? Yeah, probably so. In this day and age, should you have SCBA on to even peek your head in the door? I would say yes. But don’t exaggerate and say that he was near death.
These guys did a great job with the resources they had. The chief humped hose because there was nobody else there to do it. There’s no reason to criticize him. Workman’s comp? For cryin’ out loud get serious.
As long as no one is hurt, I would rather see aggressive operations like this where the fire goes out than an ultra-safety-conscious situation with “yard-breathers” in reflective vests spraying water from the front yard as the entire block burns…
Joe,
With only two companies on location I see nothing wrong with the Chief assisting with a handline…that’s just me using a little common sense…which we have lost in the fire service. Maybe a better use of the Chief would to have been standing a block away in full turnout gear writing on ICS form 201? I say he did a good job by keeping in the orginial two houses. Are there things Detroit Fire could do better safety wise…sure… but I must be missing something because because I would love to have any of them in my department!
to all the people talking trash its ok one day you will be real firefighter and one day you will be a firefighter who has to do his job with limited resources and one day you will be a firefighter that fights more then one fire a year.
AMEN!!!! to RAKE on his posting. Yea sure Departments should always keep in mind of SAFETY when on the fireground and i would be a LIAR if i said i always did everything by the book or by my SOP or SOG’s and every fireman knows that you’ve also done things a little questionable. But Detroit is a Dept that hurting right now with Manpower issues and budget constraints. But i tell you what they DID ONE HELL OF A JOB KNOCKIN THAT FIRE OUT!! with the manpower they had so BRAVO!! and all you other Detroit haters out there who always wear their damn flecty vests on squirrel road kill calls and setup your ICS boards on car fires and probably trash fires can continue reading their Essentials books for the 20th time and criticize. Keep doing a good job Detroit Brothers and be safe out there.
A “Tip of the cap” to our good friends in Detroit. They do more in one day than some of you do in a career. Perhaps, they are are not the NFPA poster children,but they do what needs to be done. I do not see them forming a study group to study results of a study while aa PERSONS HOME burns down. Be safe–yes, Being a Detroit FF — PRICELESS !!!. If we think of a time years ago I bet you will find that fire goes out with 1″1/2 handlines–with 3” or 3″1/2 supply line. Remember it is not your chrome wheels,fancy paint jobs and your 4 or 5 ” supply line that makes a fire go out ,it is your rookie school training and a well rounded officer to show you STREET SMARTS.
Working for a suburban FD outside Detroit, I often get to see DFD in action. They get the job done and save more lives and property than anyone who is bashing them on these posts. If my family is trapped, I want DFD going to get them. Why? Because they make more rescues than any other FD in Michigan (if not the US). Each DFD company goes to this exact same fire 100s of times per year, these homes are not the light weight truss monsters with BMW’s parked in the garage. These are true stick built homes, often without much in terms of contents (things that burn with bad smoke). Yes, they do need some improvement in some areas (we all do). But while you’re ironing your command vest, they are grabbing children and putting out the fire.
great job again by my boys in the D. Let the haters talk. keep doing what you do and stay safe
What I like the best about this operation is the speed that they work at. They don’t fiddlefart around. Forced entry and had water flowing in under 2 mins.
What I don’t like is seeing the EXACT same thing that ended my fathers 18 yr career, forcing a door with a kick. Dad did that once and broke is ankle.
WOW!!!!! That is really green grass.
I can not understand you people. DFD is busy ! They do fires ! A few get hurt on the job. Last I checked that was the nature of the beast. Is there some things in the video that could use improvement sure. I challenge any of you to look at a video of one of your jobs and not find any issues. They had a job and they took care of business. You chumps are talking about the chief humping hose. Kudos to him ! How many chiefs do you find helping the troops out when it needs to be done ? Not many. Good for him ! Mabe some of you sideline chumps should watch and learn.
Some people look at a video and see a guy not wearing an SCBA or a guy stumbling while he pulls a line off the back of an Engine or a guy humping hose without gear on….seriously ? I saw one Engine and one truck (for most of the 1 st video) stop an advanced fire condition in two good sized residences by themselves. I wish to hell a lot more fire depts were as big a bunch of slobs as these guys.
D.F.D. does what they can with what they have and they do it well. They have experience, know what they are fighting, and have more credibility then 99% of everyone who comments. Are they going to get complacent sometimes by others standards, sure, but before you judge take a good long look in the mirror and wonder if it’s because you really know nothing about the job but what you’ve read in books and seen on videos and hate the fact you can’t do what they do. They simply fight more fire, I trust they know what the hell they are doing. It doesn’t take NORAD to put out a fire, it take 1 1/2 and a hole in the roof (if the truck gets up there in time).
Keep on doing your job Detroit firefighters.Don’t be influenced by a bunch of know it alls who don’t go into anything that is burning. They have no room to even offer an opinion,especially when they don’t know how you operate.
7 fires in one hour in that area (not including the other fires they go to). How can one possibly judge the actions from a few minutes of a one-perspective video? They got it done… period.
First off, want to thank big Dave once again for the excellent work he does bringing good stories to his blog.
Second, Detroit Fire Department has forgotten more about fightin fire than alot of us (including myself) will ever know.
They fight fires, they fight the city hall for adequete saleries, facilites, and equipment and they do it with grace. Yeah, look at em’, those are real firemen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m for 100% for safety and following the rules and standards and such, but seeing those guys complete with the reverse lay left me yearning for the good ol days (and I got started in 90′, Ha Ha, things sure have changed since even then). Anyway, everyone out there take care and be safe, and Dave keep up the good work.
Boy Levelheaded you were right…the bathwater drinkers have bellied up to the bar and they’re drinkin hard!!!
Aw, spence, you must be one of them “college-educated” firemen…
…you’re absolutely right, you can’t be safe without putting the fire out.
Great job Detroit. Amidst all the crap you get fed from city management, and the shameless condition of your equipment and facilities, you get the job done. Sure there were possibly some safety rules broken, but really, how bad off were conditions in the exposure house? I’m assuming the non SCBA’s truckman came out upon realizing the smoke in the upper floors and did a quick recon of conditions. No need to play armchair quarterback here or “drink DFD’s bathwater”. Apparently this was the SEVENTH fire in the area within the hour. With that in mind, before we point fingers, is it safe to say that the truckmans SCBA (and spare bottle) were depleted from the previous fires? Or perhaps they intended to go out of service to swap bottles in quarters and there were no other truck companies available in the city for that box. Thats a very probably scenario in Detroit that may not be known from the comfort of our youtube perspective. There was a job to do, with resources stretched thin, and they got it done. Kudos to the Chief for getting his hands a little dirty. While all the Armchair Quarterbacks are getting all their firefighting experience at Firehouse Expo and FDIC the grunts in Detroit, Flint, Gary, Camden, and East St. Louis are learning what it takes to get it done in the real world.
The last figure released this year by NIOSH, states the National Average of Firefighter Deaths is at 105 per year. I agree the Chief should have had gear on, forcible entry tools should have been used, and most important SCBA’s should have been utilized. But, my hats off to the 8-10 guys on an Engine And Ladder (Truck) Co. that put an a%# kickin on two workers stand alone. It seems some issues and safety concerns should be revisited at the Station after the call during a de-brief. I have been to Detroit and know many people from my state that have been and trained members of the DFD in live fire situations and have respect for all of them and the amount of red stuff they see. I will probably be chastized for my next statement, but it seems that there are more and more “textbook” firefighters getting injured and killed whether it be driving to and from scenes, training, or actually operating. Meat and potatoes firefighting with some tweaking is not always a bad thing.
. With that in mind, before we point fingers, is it safe to say that the truckmans SCBA (and spare bottle) were depleted from the previous fires? Or perhaps they intended to go out of service to swap bottles in quarters and there were no other truck companies available in the city for that box.
If the aerial was OOS, the truck would be too. If an engine’s pump was OOS, the engine would be too. Why is it more acceptable for the firefighters who ride the engine or truck to not have any air to breath?
If you don’t have the equipment to do the job, you can’t do it.
What amazes me is you guys demand Heart/Lung legislation, then spend 20 years doing everything possible to ensure that you’ll use it, all in the name of “gettin da job done like all you yard-breathers wish you could.” Right. If you die in a car crash without a seatbelt, many life insurance policies won’t pay out, because you contributed to your own death. Think about it.
For cryin out loud, oesn’t anybody want to ENJOY their retirement? You spend all those years paying into a pension that you apparently have no interest in actually using. Why not forget the pension and take the extra pay home each week? You could use it for an extra couple packs of smokes.
Oops…..
“If the aerial was OOS, the truck would be too.”
Unfortunately that’s not always the case with DFD, they have to call in every morning which aerial trucks are operational, and if not, and no reserves are available at the shop, guess what?? they still operate as a ground ladder only unit. And it happens every day, city wide. I counted 2 from the truck without SCBA, so assuming that the other 2 had theirs, that makes an interior search team and an exterior vent/ladder team. Just some food for though.
Awesome job. That is how it is done. Put it out or stand around and make a 20 min job a 4 hr job. If your scared to get in then go chase bad guys. Crybaby safety girls everywhere you go.