A moored Christmas Ship caught fire on the Willamette River just south of the Hawthorne Bridge Thursday night, providing a rescue opportunity for Portland’s newest fire boat.
The fire began just before 7 p.m. at the Riverplace Marina on the waterfront, where a busy boardwalk of onlookers and several spectators from yacht parties watched the smoke spread and the flames quickly get out of control.
Portland Fire Boat 17, aka the Eldon Trinity, arrived shortly after with firefighters who boarded the burning 32-foot trawler and put the blaze out in minutes.
The Eldon Trinity was dedicated Dec. 7 in honor of two young children–Trinity Smith, 7, and her 4-year-old brother Eldon Smith–who were thrown from the Sellwood Bridge into the Willamette River by their mother on May 23, 2009.
Eldon Smith did not survive that fall, and the time it took Portland Fire to make a river response prompted the Portland City Council to fund a high speed emergency boat.
Video above is from the December 7 dedication ceremony.
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New Portland, Oregon fire boat sees action with Christmas ship fire two hours after going in service. Eldon Trinity funded after 2009 tragedy showed response issue.
3 commentsAn answer: We now know who turned off the sprinkler system during the standoff & fire at Roseville, California’s Westfield Galleria.
2 commentsRead entire City of Roseville Westfield Galleria Arson After-Action Report
Read previous coverage
You may recall that Mike Ward (AKA FossilMedic) was among the first to wonder aloud about the sprinkler system during the dramatic October 21 standoff and fire inside the Westfield Galleria shopping center in Roseville, California. Word soon came that there was an order from police to shut down the system. Now, an after action report by the City of Roseville indicates that wasn’t exactly accurate.
Here are some of the details from Ward Koppel, KXTV-TV:
A report released early Friday morning by the City of Roseville says that a Westfield Galleria at Roseville employee shut off the mall’s fire sprinkler system. Thursday, a Judge denied the Placer County District Attorney’s request to issue a gag order to prevent the release of the report, clearing the way for the release.
The “City of Roseville Westfield Galleria Arson After-Action Report” summarizes the October 21 incident. It details the actions of all agencies involved, and includes a timeline of what happened at the mall. It concludes with a narrative of the lessons learned. Throughout the report and timeline, it is noted that concerns about about an armed man and an explosive device being inside the mall were factors in decisions being made.
According to the timeline in the report, at 10:36 a.m., a Westfield employee turned off a fire sprinkler valve. The employee says he did so at the direction of law enforcement. Neither police or fire were aware of the shutoff. The reports says, an investigation revealed that the employee was told by a UPS employee inside the mall that police wanted the sprinklers turned off. Neither the Westfield employee nor the UPS employee could recall or identify the individual who made that request. The timeline shows that at 11:41 a.m., the fire prevention officer was advised that the sprinklers were shut off. Ten minutes later, the system was turned back on, and police inside the mall report the sprinklers were going off again.
At 12:02 p.m. heavy fire was reported in the attic space above GameStop. Nine minutes later police detained suspect Alexander Piggee. The timeline between 12:13 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. has numerous mentions of concerns about the safety of sending firefighters into the building because of the continued concern about an explosive device being inside. At 1:50 p.m. all police officers in the mall are evacuated due to heavy smoke and fire conditions and firefighters focus on putting out the fire from the outside. The fire was declared contained at 6 p.m.
The “Summary and Lessons Learned” portion of the report concludes that the fire, the size of the mall, the potentially armed man, and concerns about explosives being inside made this the “most complex fire and police response” in Roseville history. It notes that communication on scene was good, but could be improved by immediately placing the police and fire command posts in the same location. Key personnel need to wear clothing that clearly identifies their role. The report also addresses the need for better use of protective equipment and improvements in support for an ongoing, fluid situation.
The Placer County District Attorney had requested a gag order to prevent the release of the report. The District Attorney said the release could make it more difficult for Alexander Piggee to get a fair trial. Piggee’s attorney, and the media opposed the gag order. A Judge Thursday denied the request to delay the release of the report.
Overturned fire engine in Huntersville, North Carolina. Cornelius-Lemley Fire & Rescue rig rolls on icy roads. Chief handles the news head-on.
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Cornelius-Lemley Fire & Rescue picture.
Check out FireTruckBlog.com for video from the crash scene
This is a picture of Cornelius-Lemley Fire & Rescue’s Engine 5, a 2005 Seagrave, and how it looked yesterday morning. The good news is there were no injuries to the four firefighters on board. FireTruckBlog.com by Glenn Usdin has video posted of what this rig looks like after if was brought back on its wheels. Click here to see it.
More on this and other news in the fire apparatus world from FireTruckBlog.com by Glenn Usdin.
One of the more interesting aspects of this story is that the picture above was distributed to the local news media by Cornelius-Lemley Fire & Rescue. There is also a pretty detailed account of what happened written by Chief James Barbee posted right at the top of the department’s home page.
I am sure some will argue that if this is the only picture of the upside down engine, from a public relations standpoint it was a bad idea to release it. Why broadcast this image of the department?
That is a point you can’t discount, but I would argue the opposite. To me, the image it is showing is of a fire department that communicates openly and transparently with it’s citizens. It is letting the public know they can rely on their fire department as a source of accurate and timely information, whether the news is good or bad. And the person who they will get that info from is the man in charge.
A good example of getting the bad news out quickly, trying to get it behind you and moving on. Here is what Chief Barbee wrote:
Cornelius Engine 5 was responding to a reported structure fire in a commercial occupancy in Huntersville, NC. Engine 5 was traveling emergency traffic, with regard to the rainy and potentially icy conditions, South on Poplar Tent Rd. While responding, Engine 5 traveled onto a stretch of road encased with heavy black ice that was not visible from inside the cab which resulted in a loss of traction from the rear wheels as the road began to turn. The Engineer driving the apparatus took strict evasive maneuvers; however, the truck continued to slide for approximately 100 yards before the front right of the truck slid off of the road and the rear of the truck continued on ice. The end result was Engine 5 rolling over and coming to rest on the roof. Four firefighters were riding in the apparatus and sustained no injuries, though each were checked, all have been released by a physician for normal duties.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded and investigated the incident. The police report notes that the roads were “wet and icy” and the estimated travel speed was 25mph which was the sustained speed at time of impact.
The Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue Department recently purchased a 1995 Seagrave Engine to serve as a reserve engine company. This truck will now be placed to front line service and the citizens of the Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue district will not see any lapse in service.
The Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue Department requires all of its drivers to be certified as a North Carolina Emergency Vehicle Drivers and they must undergo a rigorous in house testing procedure that includes driving the truck on a predetermined driving course.
More on DC’s new fire chief: WTOP Radio discovers tax problem; Kenneth Ellerbe meets the press; Fire Chief’s Wilmoth questions the appointment.
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Cick the image above for a Georgetown Patch video clip from today’s announcement.
Fire Chief Editorial Director Janet Wilmoth’s blog critical of Ellerbe’s appointment
WTOP Radio reports on tax issue for incoming chief
Earlier coverage of Chief Kenneth Ellerbe
You probably woke up to the news here this morning that Sarasota County (FL) Chief Kenneth Ellerbe has been picked to run the DC Fire & EMS Department by Mayor Elect Vincent Gray. Chief Ellerbe was officially announced this afternoon along with Gray’s decision to keep Cathy Lanier (her late father Walt was a top fire official in Prince George’s County) as police chief and to bring back the position of Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice (Paul Quander will fill that role).
Before we get to the press conference, there is an interesting development from the folks who bring us Fire Chief Magazine. Editorial Director Janet Wilmoth writes in Mutual Aid, a Fire Chief Blog questioning Kenneth Ellerbe’s appointment to replace Chief Dennis Rubin. Here’s an excerpt:
I understand that all’s fair in love and politics, but this decision is wrong for a department that has shown great progress and promise with Rubin at the helm. Once placed in bottom tier of EMS programs across the county by USA Today, the department clawed its way back to prominence, adeptly responding to the 2009 Metro Rail crash. Even FIRE CHIEF columnist Bruce Evans predicted that, “In the next three to five years, the District of Columbia will have one of the premier fire and EMS systems in the United States.”taking the chief’s job in Sarasota in 2009. Six months later, however, reports surfaced that Ellerbe was “on unpaid leave” from D.C. Fire. It turned out that there was a signed agreement “between the [District of Columbia] and Sarasota County“ that allowed Ellerbe to remain employed by D.C. Fire through his 50th birthday in April 2010, which would enhance his retirement benefits to as much as “an additional $600,000.”
Maybe not.
Let’s take a closer look at Ellerbe. D.C. Fire hired Ellerbe in 1982, and he last served there as fire administrator before
According to Sarasota County Fire Department personnel who served under Ellerbe’s predecessor, Chief Brian Gorski, the agency’s once thriving EMS-oriented service took a hit when Ellerbe arrived in town.
Mayor-elect Vincent Gray’s choice for new fire chief has been taking a tax deduction reserved for District residents, despite living and working full time in Florida.
Records obtained by WTOP show Kenneth Ellerbe – a former interim D.C. fire chief – is receiving a $67,500 Homestead Tax Credit for his home on Alabama Avenue in Southeast.
Ellerbe moved to Florida last year.
According to D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue records, Ellerbe has filed paperwork indicating that he lives in the District of Columbia and is entitled to the tax break, Natalie Wilson, a spokesperson for the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue tells WTOP.
Ellerbe says he will not take the tax break on his 2010 taxes. Ellerbe says he was not aware he was responsible for changing his status, and thought it was the responsibility of his accountant.
Gray says he was aware that Ellerbe was taking the deduction, and anticipates Ellerbe will correct the deduction.
Wilson says as a result of the WTOP inquiry, they will be requesting an explanation from Ellerbe.
If the Office of Tax and Revenue finds Ellerbe is not entitled to the tax deduction, he would be compelled to pay the District for back taxes.
Last year, Roll Call newspaper found several members of Congress were improperly taking the Homestead deduction on homes they own in the District.
In order to qualify for the Homestead deduction, the owner of the house must live in the District and occupy the house. The owner must also pay their income taxes in the District and register any cars they own with the District.
In the clip above from the Georgetown Patch, Kenneth Ellerbe answers questions from Segraves about the tax credit and the controversy a year ago over the chief going on leave without pay from DC when he took the Florida job. Here’s what Shaun Courtney wrote for the Patch:
The biggest challenge to the proposed appointees may come for Ellerbe, who faced tough questioning during a press conference Thursday for his 2009 attempt to maintain his position in the D.C. Fire and EMS while working in FL so he could collect a pension from the District. Ellerbe said he resigned from his position in the District and has not collected any pension benefits. Gray said Ellerbe “operated with integrity” during the review of the Personnel Exchange Agreement that allowed him to serve in FL and still be eligible for a D.C. pension.
DC firefighter on paid leave for two years now under arrest. Natalie Overton Williams charged with fraud.
7 commentsPrevious coverage of this story
From WTOP Radio’s Mark Segraves:
A local firefighter has been arrested and charged with a scam that involved CPR training.
WTOP was first to report that D.C. firefighter Natalie Overton Williams has been on paid administrative leave for more than two years while being investigated.
On Wednesday, Williams was arrested and charged with first degree felony fraud.
Williams will make her first court appearance on Thursday.
Bill Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, confirms Williams turned herself in to authorities on Wednesday.
Documents obtained by WTOP show Williams was being investigated for using D.C. Fire Department letterhead to invoice companies for CPR training.
The maximum penalty for felony fraud is 10 years in prison and/or a fine of $5,000 or three times the value of the property obtained, whichever is greater.
New chief for the Nation’s Capital: Sarasota County’s Kenneth Ellerbe. Retiree from DC with controversial employment arrangement during Rubin administration.
58 commentsPrevious STATter911.com coverage of Chief Kenneth Ellerbe
Release listing accomplishments of Chief Dennis Rubin’s administration
Previous STATter911.com coverage of Chief Dennis Rubin
Two TV station’s in Washington, DC (WJLA-TV & WRC-TV) are confirming that Kenneth Ellerbe, fire chief in Sarasota County, Florida, will be announced by Mayor-elect Vincent Gray later today as the next fire chief in Washington, DC.
Chief Kenneth Ellerbe in a Sarasota County photo.
Kenneth Ellerbe took the job in Sarasota County in July of 2009, but still owns a house in DC.
Last year at this time news surfaced of an unusual arrangementmade during the administration of Chief Dennis Rubin that allowed Ellerbe to take the Florida chief’s job while being on leave without pay as a deputy chief in the District of Columbia. The arrangement would have let Ellerbe receive enhanced retirement benefits by staying employed in DC until his 50th birthday last April. STATter911.com reported a year ago today there was a “Personnel Exchange Agreement”with Sarasota County approved in DC by Assistant Fire Chief Brian Lee and Director of Human Resources Brender Gregory.
After the details of the arrangement surfaced, it was rescinded and Ellerbe officially resigned from the DC Fire & EMS Department on January 15 of this year.
Home of former Washington Redskin Bobby Mitchell catches fire. Attic burns at Hall of Famer’s home in Northwest DC.
1 commentArticle by Bruce Johnson, WUSA9.com:
The Shepherd Park home of Redskins Hall of Fame player Bobby Mitchell caught fire Wednesday morning.
D.C. firefighters could be spotted inside the attic tossing out furniture and charred furniture and clothing.
Mitchell’s wife, Gwen told 9NEWS NOW she and a daughter were inside the home on Locust Street NW when a neighbor spotted smoke coming from the attic.
“We’re going to be fine” she said.
Firefighters had responded and escorted the occupants from the house.
Bobby Mitchell came to the Washington Redskins in the early 1960s after teaming with Jim Brown in the Cleveland Browns backfield. Mitchell was the first African American to play for the ‘Skins.
By the time his 11-year Hall of Fame career ended, he had 91 touchdowns and the second highest total yards in NFL history.
The cause of the house fire is undetermined. The loss is estimated at $260,000.
For the past 20 years, Bobby Mitchell has hosted a charity golf tournament that has raised over $6.5 million for leukemia research.
Ignoring the rules saved the day: A Grafton, Vermont volunteer lieutenant and his chief have an honest discussion about how breaking a department rule saved the life of an elderly woman. Richard Thompson isn’t supposed to go directly to the scene of a fire when the call is dispatched. But he’s glad he did.
Tragedy in Baltimore: A picture was sent our way late yesterday showing the fire conditions on Homewood Avenue in East Baltimore yesterday morning. That’s where three children and three adults were killed. If you missed it, we also have fireground audio and news coverage of the two-alarm fire. Click here.
Lots of news at FireTruckBlog.com: Video of a 1931 Ford Model A fire truck decked out for the holidays. Keep up with who is buying what. And much more. Check out THE site for apparatus news – FireTruckBlog.com by Glenn Usdin.Video from Jersey City, New Jersey fire: The two-alarm fire was eight days ago in a vacant house. Ed Gray got his usual up close video. You can find it here.
New Jersey steroid story fallout: The Star Ledger investigation we told you about Sunday of a dead doctor’s former practice that prescribed anabolic steroids and HGH to hundreds of cops and firefighters continues with articles yesterday and today. Here’s Part 3 with links to the other stories. While looking into all of this, the reporters discovered a firefighter/patient of the practice who retired on disability from a New Jersey department and is now working in North Carolina. Here’s that story.
Paid administrative staff for volunteers cut following defeat of ambulance transport fee: In Maryland, the Montgomery County Council has agreed to cut 20 administrative positions for the county’s volunteer fire departments in an effort to reduce mid-year spending. Some see it as retaliation for volunteers leading the charge against an EMS transport fee County Executive Isiah Leggett and his staff say would have brought in 14 million much needed dollars. At the same time the council refused to eliminate 11 ambulances. Here’s more.
Where’s the fire?: Bill Carey at BackstepFirefighter.com knows the answer but reporters don’t. A fire in Prince George’s County last night near Fed Ex Field has the news media describing the location with the names of four different communities or towns. Two are municipalities whose borders are far from the scene of the fire. One problem, which I always ranted about when I was in the news business, is news people and PIOs using the post office address. For example, Capitol Heights, Maryland has a post office that covers a very large swath of PG County. But it’s a tiny town. Many years ago I would get regular calls from the mayor and former fire chief of Morningside, Maryland Gerald Glaubitz. Mayor Glaubitz, who I knew well, would give me on the line to give me a great deal of grief because my TV station referred to a violent crime as being in his little town near Andrews AFB when it was actually outside the borders. Read more about this issue, the fire, and watch an interview with the new PGFD chief, Marc Bashoor, at BackstepFirefighter.com.
U.K. firefighter admits siren caused elderly man to die: You may recall the story of the firefighter who blew a siren starting a stampede that killed a farmer. Now that firefighter admits he is to blame in a plea deal. Read more.
Husband & wife firefighters file suit against Cape Cod fire district: In Cotuit there is a rather complicated story involving a fire captain and his firefighter wife. They have filed suit claiming discrimination. Politics apparently plays a big role in this case. Take a look.
Geezer must have been nice: He’s got Santa hawking his Firegeezer mugs. A nice gift for all those old firefighters in your life. Check it out.
Fire chiefs take on road crews: In Missouri two local fire chiefs go after the state roads department claiming they aren’t doing enough to keep the highways clear during storms. State officials say otherwise.
Click here for our early morning coverage of this fire along with the fireground audio
It has been a long while since we’ve run a picture of the day. This one comes to us courtesy of Baltimore Firefighters Union Local 734. It’s the only image we’ve seen of the fire conditions and frustration presented to Baltimore’s firefighters early this morning in the 2300 block of Homewood Avenue. Inside one of two homes burning were the bodies of three adults and three children. According to The Baltimore Sun, “Elnor and Richard Satterfield died in the blaze, along with their granddaughter Tiara Gholston, 26, and her three children, Amari, 9, Darryon, 3, and Daelyn, 1.”
The winter fire season appears to have come early in our region. It has been an extremely busy eight days for Baltimore firefighters, with numerous multiple alarm fires. But this, of course, is the most tragic of those fires.
Parts 1, 2 and 3 on this page. Click here for parts 4, 5 and 6.
More video from Ed Gray
Some up close and personal video from Ed Gray at the scene of a house fire a week ago at 256 Boyd Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey. Here are excerpts from an article in The Jersey Journal:
Fire Director Armando Roman said that the two-alarm fire started at 2:26 a.m. and that firefighters responded within four minutes. He also said that the firefighters fought for 1.5 hours to bring the fire under control and were only able to leave the scene at 5:38 a.m.
“It was very cold. Water starts freezing up, making it harder to fight the fire,” Roman said. “The guys did a great job under the inclement weather.”
Updated with fireground audio & video: Six people dead in early morning fire in East Baltimore. Two-alarms sounded in the 2300 block of Homewood Avenue.
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Fireground audio courtesy of AlertPage.net
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Busy eight days for Baltimore City Fire Department: Information on previous fires from FireTruckBlog.com & STATter911.com can be found here, here, here, here and here.
Just before 5:00 this morning Baltimore City firefighters were dispatched to the 2300 block of Homewood Avenue where they found fire, fueled by high winds in two, two-story homes and spreading to a third. From WBAL-TV:
Click this image for more details on this and other fires from AlertPage.net
Once the fire had been suppressed, firefighters re-entered the dwelling and found the victims. Their names and ages haven’t been released. Firefighters gained entry to perform a rapid attack on the fire, but the conditions began to deteriorate due to wind. The incident commander ordered an evacuation of all firefighters.
Once firefighters were able to put the 2-alarm fire out, they reentered the buildings and that’s when they found five people dead inside one of the homes. An additional fatality has now been reported.
Fire investigators and police arson detectives are on the scene to try and determine what caused the deadly fire.
Tuesday morning’s fire happened just a few blocks from one of the deadliest house fires in Baltimore City history. Six people, including three children, where killed in an early morning fire on Cecil Avenue in May of 2007.
Sellersburg, Indiana fire chief accused by cops of meltdown at fatal ambulance crash apologizes & is then voted out. The latest on Greg Dietz.
No commentsPrevious coverage of this story
The annual election of at the Sellersburg Volunteer Fire Department in Clark County, Indiana occurred just five days after the department’s chief was accused of becoming emotional and melting down at the scene of a fatal ambulance crash. The accident killed medic David Grundle last Wednesday and injured his partner.
Chief Greg Dietz came under fire in recent days for his actions at the scene. A law enforcement official called it a “meltdown”. WHAS-TV said there was profanity on the radio and a dispute over a medical helicopter and who was in charge of the scene.
The election tonight means that Grundle will be replaced by 30-year department veteran Boyce Adams on January 1.
Earlier on Monday, Chief Dietz aplogized for his actions last Wednesday. WHAS-TV reports that “Dietz wrote in an email, ‘I have to admit that I lashed out in a manner I am not proud of, as a result of a myriad of emotions at the horrific crash site. I hope that time will heal any strained relationships, as I know that time will help me heal from the loss of David.’ “
UPDATED: Clearwater, Florida Chief Jamie Geer fired after arrest on child sex charges. Police say 17-year-old girl was eight when attacks began.
3 commentsFrom Christopher Collette & Noah Pransky at WTSP-TV:
Clearwater’s fire chief has been fired after his arrest on capital sexual battery charges.
Jamie Geer, 56, was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Monday after a four-month investigation into allegations of sexual battery on a person less than 12 years of age. The crime is a capital felony and, if convicted, Geer could earn life in prison.
The FDLE began investigating Geer, who lives in Dunedin, in August after receiving an anonymous tip that he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
Investigators say they learned Geer had numerous sexual encounters with the female victim – now 17 years old – over the past nine years.
He currently faces one count of sexual battery on a person less than 12 years of age and was booked into the Pinellas County Jail. Bond was set at $500,000.
FDLE won’t identify the victim but continues to investigate Geer to see if he had inappropriate relationships with any other minors.
Geer is recently divorced and had two stepchildren.
Shortly after Geer’s arrest, the City of Clearwater terminated his position as the city’s fire chief. Geer has been with the Clearwater Fire Department since August 2004 and came to the department from Tennessee.
“This has nothing to do with the City of Clearwater,” said Jim Madden, Special Agent in Charge of FDLE’s Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center. “It just so happened (Clearwater) is where he worked.”
Deputy Chief Robert Weiss was announced as the interim fire chief.
Geer was hired as fire chief on Aug. 23, 2004. He joined Clearwater Fire & Rescue in the wake of criticism about the department’s handling of a June 2002 blaze at the Dolphin Cove Condominium that killed two people and injured seven others, including three firefighters.
Former Chief Rowland Herald resigned in 2004 after 25 years with the department. A report released months earlier criticized the department’s handling of the Dolphin Cove fire, faulting firefighters for using only one radio channel, which mangled communications, and also blamed a resident for not calling 911 earlier.
According to a message Geer posted on the department’s website, “Leadership skills and experience don’t mean anything if your team members won’t line up behind you and say, ‘OK, let’s go.’ For me, that’s priority number one. What I enjoy most is the sense of pride when people belong to a fire service organization where employees are happy to come to work and perform their best.”
Three-alarm house fire in Uxbridge, Massachusetts: A three-alarm fire in a duplex on Hazel Street Saturday night left four firefighters and two civilians injured. As you can see in the video above, shot by Matt Gregoire for ProvidenceFireVideos.com, firefighters had issues with power lines and natural gas.
Manassas, Virginia fire chief quits over frustration with combined system: Chief Mike Wood says for 25 months he was has worked to successfully combine the Manassas Fire and Rescue Department, the Greater Manassas Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Manassas Volunteer Fire Company. On Friday, Chief Wood sent in his letter of resignation, effective January, and makes it clear there is a “philosophical divide concerning fire and rescue services which continues to undermine improvements in configuration, accountability, revenue, and safety. Until this division is remedied or proactively managed, I fear that the combined fire and rescue system will continue to possess significant operational deficiencies and administrative inefficiencies that, in my professional view, pose detriment to our public and first responder safety.” InsideNOVA.com’s Aileen Streng has the story.
Guest columnist on the trooper versus photographer video: Dave Levy is a lawyer and former firefighter who spent many an overnight shift with his father Sheldon in DC and New York shooting news. In addition, he is a friend of mine. Despite all of these strikes against him, Dave is still able to function well enough to write an interesting column giving us his insight into the confrontation eight days ago between a Connecticut State trooper and a news photographer. Click here to read it. Maybe you have an opposing view? STATter911.com is interested in running that, too. Just contact me at STATter911@gmail.com.
Three-alarms in Baltimore: Capping off a busy week is a fire in a self-storage company on Ridgely Street yesterday morning. Stanley Jaworski has his pictures of Baltimore apparatus in action at the fire posted on FireTruckBlog.com. If you haven’t been paying attention, FireTruckBlog.com is a site by Glenn Usdin of Command Fire Apparatus. We’ve been working with Glenn to help kick off the new venture. Also, check out his look at adapting small, old firehouses to new, large rigs and a bunch of other apparatus news here.
One house fire and 129 dogs: All but four of those dogs lived following the fire early yesterday morning in Huntingtown, Maryland. We have a WUSA9.com video and some pictures and videos from the Huntingtown VFD. Check it out.
Firefighters and medics question role award-winning state park ranger played in saving shocked teen: It isn’t often you see this type of story. Last week a state park ranger in Aptos, California received a Medal of Valor Gold Award from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for rescuing a teenager who came in contact with a power line on a state beach. Now, firefighters and medics who were also on the scene are speaking up saying it didn’t go down the way the ranger said it did. You will want to read this one.
Cops claim chief had meltdown: In Clark County, Indiana a fire chief on the scene of a fatal ambulance accident is accused of using foul language on the radio. An investigation is underway into how the chief interacted with law enforcement and others following last week’s crash. Here’s more.
Steroid probe implicates cops and firefighters: The Star-Ledger in New Jersey has been following the trail of a dead doctor from Hudson County. His practice of liberally prescribing anabolic steroids and HGH was apparently too much for more than 200 firefighters and cops to pass up. Click here for Part 1 of this three part series.
What do Santa and bio-diesel have in common?: The answer is a fire in Adams County, Pennsylvania where once again Firegeezer has beaten me to pictures by Steve Roth. The fire was Saturday and you will have to read Bill’s column and see Steve’s pictures to learn why Santa was there.
Unlike Adams County, Santa can’t ride here: An interesting controversy from Pompano Beach, Florida where firefighters just said no to Santa during the annual holiday parade. Read why.
More weekend fire videos: Flashover that hurt three Kansas City, Missouri firefighters caught on video; Three alarms with exposure problems in Woonsocket, Rhode Island; House fire in South Bethany, Delaware damages two others.
Union citing safety in staffing issue: In High Point, North Carolina there is a battle going on over staffing. Click here to watch the story.
Two dead, others rescued, fire trucks delayed in snow covered Minneapolis: From KARE-TV – “Two people are dead and three others were hospitalized after fire crews struggled to respond to a Minneapolis house fire in blizzard-like conditions early Sunday. Just after 1:30 a.m., firefighters responded to 3616 Elliot Ave South on a report of a house fire. The first fire truck to respond was delayed after getting stuck in the snow on the same block, according to Fire Chief Alex Jackson. When crews arrived on scene, several people were found on the roof and porch on the second floor. Crews began an interior attack on the fire but were evacuated after conditions became too dangerous to continue. No firefighters were injured.” Click here to watch video from the fire.
People say the darnedest things: Art Linkletter may be gone but we now have Rhett Fleitz. Check out the soundtrack to the video he posted of a fire in Beloit, Wisconsin. Also on FireCritic.com, pictures, video and details from a fire in a vacant clubhouse in Boca Raton, Florida.
Commercial-residential fire in Oskaloosa, Iowa: Shot yesterday at a firm known as Precise Imaging and adjoining apartments.
Guest column: Lawyer/former firefighter tackles the trooper vs. news photographer video.
49 commentsPrevious coverage of the I-95 incident in Fairfield, Connecticut
I've had a busy few days trying to answer every critical comment about my posting of the video below. It's the confrontation between a Connecticut State Police trooper and a news photographer that occurred a week ago along I-95 in Fairfield, Connecticut . So far there are 87 comments from readers plus 53 responses from me. At some point soon, after my head stops swimming, I am going to digest my thoughts and write a follow-up column or two about the conversations I've had with the readers of STATter911.com.
My belief, based on what I know about such things, is that a trooper or any other first responder or agent of our government does not have the legal right to tell a citizen or the press what they can and can't shoot in a public place or decide for us what is newsworthy. Based on the comments, those who believe that are in the minority (or maybe I am just part of a silent majority and don't know it?).
One person who thinks I'm right is Dave Levy. I have known Dave since he was a young teenager. I was a friend of his father, the late Sheldon Levy. Sheldon was a long time photojournalist who started Action Movie News in New York before coming to Washington and eventually working with me at Channel 9 beginning in the mid-1980s. Sheldon was also a chief officer at the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department in Maryland.
Dave was a volunteer firefighter for 10-years in Prince George's County. He is now a corporate lawyer (and fire buff) in Chicago. He makes some interesting points in this column.
I know. I know. Save your venom. Yes, I'm very aware that for many of you the only other people you hold in as low esteem as journalists (or a former one like me) are lawyers. That's a given. Let's agree on that now. So, when you comment on what he has to say, just dispute or support David's facts, his logic or his reasoning. We know we are scum to some of you and we accept that.
If you would like for STATter911.com to consider publishing your views on this or other topics please contact me at statter911@gmail.com.
A Few Thoughts on Freedom of the Press, Emergency Services, and a Pissed Off Trooper
by Dave Levy
The debate about the Connecticut state trooper tantrum followed a familiar path: Cameraman sets up his equipment at an accident scene. Trooper goes berserk in front of the camera. The footage is posted to the Internet. Some people are upset with the trooper. Others are upset with the cameraman. Debate ensues.
From what I can tell from the comments, the debate followed a path that we've all seen play out once or twice before. Although the comments bore a sense of familiarity, however, there were three interesting points lurking under the surface. The first was a delicious irony, the second was a lesson for the present, and the third was a lesson for the future.
Let's start with the delicious irony. A few months back, this blog posted a video in which a police officer arrested an on-duty fire captain for refusing to reposition a rig. Another post contained a video which showed a police officer choking a paramedic while a heart patient sat in the back of the rig. In each case, a police officer was the aggressor, a member of the fire service was the victim, and the best piece of evidence was provided by a well-placed video camera. In each case, the camera was critical to the fire service's side of the story simply because the police officer's conduct was so over-the-top that any written account of the incident would lack believability. From what I remember, no one in the fire service voiced loud objection to the idea that someone might record a police officer mistreating a member of the fire service.
Before proceeding to the lesson for the present, let me ask a question: In the two examples above, would you feel better if we lived in a country where a police officer could assault a firefighter in public and then use his police power — the power of the government — to prevent a civilian from photographing the event? If you answered "yes," please stop reading, as there is no hope for you. If you answered "no," then you might be interested in what I think is the lesson for the present:
- As a firefighter, PM, or police officer, you become an agent of the government from the moment your shift starts until the moment your shift ends.
- Being an agent of the government provides a tremendous amount of power. People have to get out your way when you're en route to a call. You're allowed to step behind the yellow tape. You're allowed to break windows and knock down doors. And if someone interferes with your work, they can end up in handcuffs.
- Although the government can only work through its agents, and those agents are human beings, those human beings are not allowed to be emotional and be agents of the government at the same time. In other words, if you're going to be an agent of the government, you have to keep your emotions in check, at least when you're in public.
- This brings us to the unfortunate incident involving the state trooper. Simply put, however good the trooper's intentions were, an agent of the government (the trooper) does not have the Constitutional power to tell a private citizen (the cameraman) who is standing on a public street what he can and cannot photograph. That is the heart of the First Amendment. It is what separates the United States government from the Chinese, Russian, and Iranian governments. Our government already exercises too much control over our day-to-day affairs. Giving government agents the right to tell a private citizen who is standing on a public street what types of newsworthy events – whether a car accident or a police officer choking a medic or locking up a fire captain — can and cannot be photographed should make peoples' hair stand on end. If you don't believe me, then visit one of the Chinese state-run news outlets – such as http://www.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/index.htm — and take a good long look at what the news looks like when the government gets to decide what its people can and cannot see. I don't read the Chinese news very often, but when I do, I count my lucky stars that I was born an American.
All of this leads to what I think is the lesson for the future: What do you do if you're on a call and a photographer is doing something that is lawful but offensive? As I see it, you have three options:
- OPTION 1: You can obstruct the photographer's view by parking a rig or constructing a tarp between the camera and the part of the scene that is giving you trouble. The photographer can still get a picture that helps document the scene, the public gets to know what's going on, and you (the agent of the government) are happy. (As an aside, this strategy does not work well when someone is trying to conceal misconduct. If the police had tried this in the incidents that I used in my example, the cover up would have been worse than the underlying misconduct, and the s*** would have really hit the fan. The extent to which a free press can curb government abuse is amazing.)
- OPTION 2: You can move the yellow tape back and keep ALL civilians (not just the media) behind the tape. This can be difficult at times, but is usually do-able.
- OPTION 3: You can wait until you're off duty and then express your views in whatever way you see fit (consistent with other legal requirements). For example, you can: (i) start your own anti-media blog (I'm sure Statter will post a link); (ii) post an anti-media YouTube rant and hope it goes viral; (iii) complain to the TV station, picket in front of the TV station, etc. You can even make it your business to buff calls in your off-duty time and stand in front of any cameraman who is taking pictures that you might find offensive. This is a free country, and there is absolutely no crime in that, so long as you do it in your personal capacity and not in your capacity as a government agent.
I hesitate to make this statement in front of a crowd like this, but it seems appropriate to note that freedom is so incredibly precious precisely because it is so incredibly costly in every measurable way. That is what led Winston Churchill to quip that democracy is the worst political system on the planet, except for all the others. Whether you like it or not, our system of freedom relies on a number of key institutions, one of which is a free press.
UPDATED: House fire with 129 dogs inside. 125 of them are saved. The story from Huntingtown, Maryland.
3 commentsHuntingtown Volunteer Fire Department story by Chief Jonathan Riffe:
Sunday December 12, 2010 (after a long eventful night) at 0245 hours, Chief 6 (Riffe), Chief 6A (Montgomery), Chief 6B (Thrasher), Safety Officer 6 (McKenny), Lieutenant 6 (Buckler), Engine 61 (Montgomery Jr), Squad 6 (Miller), Brush 6 (Bowen, S) and Ambulance 69 (Colliflower) were alerted for the house fire at 1221 Neptune Lane. In addition units from the Dunkirk VFD, North Beach VFD and Prince Frederick VFD were alerted to the call.
Brief videos on this page from HVFD member Dennis Hook. Pictures can be found here.
Chief 6 arrived on location reporting a one-story wood-frame residence with heavy smoke showing. With no occupants present and cries from inside, a report of persons possibly trapped was initiated. Engine 61 arrived on location, stretching the 200′ attack line and began knocking down all visible fire in the ceiling and 1st floor. Squad 6 went to work performing an aggressive search for trapped persons through the thick smoke as well as opening up for the engine companies. It quickly became apparent that the cries were not people (they left the residence safely), but several dozen dogs trapped.
A Working Fire Dispatch was quickly requested bringing additional units from Calvert and Anne Arundel County. The number of trapped dogs quickly escalated from 30 to 50 and eventually to 129 dogs. Due to excellent teamwork by all firefighters on the scene, 125 dogs were safely removed from the residence (4 perished). At the same time, units remained working to extinguish the fire and stopping the fire from spreading to multiple exposures.
In addition, Animal Control, SMECO, Red Cross and the Fire Investigator were requested to the scene. Units from the Huntingtown VFD operated until 0445 hours.
Indiana fire chief investigated for actions at fatal ambulance crash. Cops say he had a ‘meltdown’.
20 commentsThis story is a bit different and I’m not sure what to make of it. It involves an investigation that is underway in Clark County, Indiana. It focuses on Chief Greg Dietz of the Sellersburg Fire Department and his behavior at the scene of a fatal crash involving a department ambulance last Wednesday. Here are excerpts from an article by WHAS-TV:
The investigation involves his alleged actions at the scene of an accident in which one of his own employees – a Clark County Emergency Medical Technician – was killed.
While we don’t know much about the nature of the possible charges, we’ve been told it all centers on a terrible crash that happened Wednesday afternoon.
According to sources, Chief Dietz arrived on the scene and became angry over whether his agency or the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was in charge, especially concerning where to land the medical helicopter.
Clark County Sheriff Danny Rodden confirmed to WHAS the incident is under investigation.
Sellersburg Police Chief Russ Whelan says Dietz worked for 15 years as a volunteer auxiliary police officer.
He asked Dietz to step aside today.
David J. Gundle, a 50-year-old emergency medical technician from Memphis, was killed Wednesday when an ambulance driven by Erica R. Stoffregen, 26, of Henryville, left the roadway and struck a tree head on. They were responding to a nonemergency call of a welfare check. Clark County EMS is operated by the Sellersburg Volunteer Fire Department.
Gundle was first transported by ground ambulance to Henryville High School and then flown by Stat Flight to Scott County Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said Dietz was upset because of where the helicopter had to land.
“I was told by numerous people that there was profanity used [by Dietz] on the fire radios,” Whelan said. “I understand that emotions were high at the time, but I believe we’re held to a higher standard.”
“He had a meltdown at the scene the other day,” Sheriff Danny Rodden said. “He just made some decisions and did some things he shouldn’t have.”
New Jersey doctor pushed anabolic steroids & human growth hormone to hundreds of firefighters & cops. Newspaper investigates Joseph Colao’s practice following doc’s death.
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On an August day in 2007, Sgt. Ken Kolich, a detective with the prosecutors office in Hudson County, New Jersey, knew something wasn’t right when he started getting calls from police officers asking if it was true Dr. Joseph Colao was dead. Kolich wasn’t assigned a murder case. Just a routine death investigation.
That was the first hint to Sgt. Kolich that Dr. Colao’s life and medical practice were anything but routine. But there were many more hints to come. Now there is a lengthy and detailed article by Amy Brittain & Mark Mueller in The Star Ledger describing how Dr. Colao turned his practice into a drug mill that provided anabolic steroids and HGH to cops, firefighters and others. It is the first of three parts.
Today’s article looks at how Colao pulled this off in connection with a Brooklyn pharmacy. It discusses the impact on the health of the cops and firefighters, five deaths that have a connection to Colao’s practice, a possible link to violent episodes on and off duty, and the difficulty officials have had in dealing with the problem. Tomorrow the paper indicates it will report on how a “ex-Harrison firefighter on disability works full-time for N.C. fire department”.
Any attempt to summarize this well researched article doesn’t do it justice. It’s worth reading. Here are a few excerpts including an interview with a retired firefighter who has a different view of Dr. Colao:
A seven-month Star-Ledger investigation drawing on prescription records, court documents and detailed interviews with the physician’s employees shows Colao ran a thriving illegal drug enterprise that supplied anabolic steroids and human growth hormone to hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters throughout New Jersey.
In just over a year, records show, at least 248 officers and firefighters from 53 agencies used Colao’s fraudulent practice to obtain muscle-building drugs, some of which have been linked to increased aggression, confusion and reckless behavior.
In most cases, if not all, they used their government health plans to pay for the substances. Evidence gathered by The Star-Ledger suggests the total cost to taxpayers reaches into the millions of dollars.
From the squad rooms and firehouses of Hudson County, word of Colao’s reputation radiated out, town by town, county by county.
It was around 2005 when the first law enforcement officers and firefighters came to Colao for steroids, employees and patients said. Each month brought new faces from new departments. By early 2007, the office had become “a hangout for cops and firefighters,”(Former Colao employee Gladys) Nieves said.
Former Jersey City firefighter Harold Motley had a higher opinion of Colao, calling him a “good guy” who seemed interested in helping him achieve his goal of losing weight.
Motley, who retired earlier this year at age 50, said Colao told him to eliminate pasta and cheese from his diet, then explained how certain medications could change his life.
“He said he was going to give me some stuff to make me feel 18 again,” Motley said. “I took it, of course. He’s a doctor. I’m not going to say no.”
The retired firefighter said Colao gave him prescriptions for AndroGel, a testosterone cream, and Norditropin, a brand of growth hormone. Motley said he had no idea Norditropin was a form of HGH, adding he also didn’t realize it was so expensive, at about $1,100 per month. Motley’s city insurance plan covered the cost.
Today, Motley said he believes Colao did nothing inappropriate, saying the physician enjoyed a stellar reputation among men in uniform because he could help them feel better, get stronger and improve their sex lives.
“In the world of police and firemen, he died a hero,” Motley said.
Bayonne Fire Department 2
Edison Fire Department 1
Harrison Township Fire Department 4
Hoboken Fire Department 2
Jersey City Fire Department 27
Newark Fire Department 2
North Hudson Fire Department 3
Paterson Fire Department 1
Fire Critic Rhett Fleitz has a tenant’s perspective on this fire
A fire yesterday around noon damaged two multi-family homes on Rebekah Street in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Firefighters arriving on scene from the North Main Street Fire Station found the flames erupting from the upper floors of 97 Rebekah St. and spreading over to the eaves and roof of a similar five-family building close by at 105 Rebekah. The responding company set to work knocking down the fires at both structures, according to Deputy Fire Chief John Danis, scene commander.
“They knocked down the fire on the outside of 105 Rebekah Street and then went inside 97 Rebekah St. to attack the fire on the second and third floor of that building,” Danis said. The second-floor back apartment, where the fire is believed to have started, was unoccupied, he said.
Fire companies from Cumberland and Bellingham helped local firefighters fight the flames spreading to the eaves and attic of 105 Rebekah St., while the rest of the city’s fire companies focused on the heavier fire burning in 97 Rebekah St., Danis said. Fire companies from North Smithfield, Blackstone and Burrillville also assisted the local fire crews in controlling the fires in the densely-built neighborhood.
The 105 Rebekah St. extension was quickly extinguished by the fire crews and the 97 Rebekah St. blaze was brought under control within an hour to an hour-and-a-half, Danis said.
Video above from ProvidenceFireVideos.com. Check out their library of high quality videos. It would make a nice holiday gift for a firefighter friend or loved one.
Matt Gregoire of ProvidenceFireVideos.com gave this description of the fire:
Engine 3 arrived and reported heavy fire from the rear of building extending to the exposure. An aggressive interior attack was initiated on both buildings. The exposure was quickly brought under control but fire had taken control of the attic and forced firefighters to evacuate the building and fight it from the outside.
The fire quickly reached 3 alarms bringing in Blackstone, Bellingham, No. Smithfield and Cumberland Hill to the scene.
Just squeeze me: An interesting look at new apparatus & old buildings on FireTruckBlog.com.
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Read more at FireTruckBlog.com by Glenn Usdin
Many years ago I gave a speech at a fire department banquet in Virginia. It was my first visit inside this fire hall. One of the things I noticed immediately was the ladder truck and how it fit into its bay. It was clear to me the only way this truck was leaving the building is if the tillerman ducked on his way out. I’m not exaggerating. I believe I even cracked a joke that night about a friend of mine who was rather short being assigned as permanent tillerman. (See Rhett it isn’t just you. I’m a regular Randy Newman, but without talent).
How fire departments adapt new, large rigs into old, smaller firehouses has caught the attention of the mainstream press. Specifically the Boston Globe. Check out FireTruckBlog.com which is featuring that article today.
News photographer captures flashover that injures three firefighters. Watch the video from Kansas City, Missouri.
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Click the image above for the video by a KCTV-TV photographer
BackStepFirefighter.com’s Bill Carey (Check out Bill’s updated his post) alerts us to the video above shot around 5:00 this morning by a television news photographer. Three Kansas City, Missouri firefighters were hurt when the flashover occurred as they attempted to make the stairs of a home in the 5600 block of Holmes Road. Chief Smokey Dyer told KMBC-TV the firefighters are doing very well but,”There’s no doubt we had a serious near-miss this morning and we could have ended up with multiple firefighters seriously injured or killed.”
When they arrived, flames were coming from the first and second story of the house, firefighters said.
Kansas City Fire Chief Smokey Dyer said crews went inside and started to go up the stairs, when conditions inside the house suddenly changed. He said it burned the fire hose and left the firefighters completely surrounded by flames. The firefighters sent out a mayday call for help, Dyer said.
Dyer said there may have been a flashover in the home, but that he couldn’t say that definitively until there had been a full investigation. A flashover happens when an area of a fire suddenly ignites.
“In the past 10 years, every significant firefighter injury that we have sustained in fire combat has been a result of a rapid change of conditions,” Dyer said.
He said one of the firefighters had his mask dislodged while leaving the house and inhaled smoke and heat. Two others suffered minor injuries inside the house and all three were taken to Research Medical Center for treatment. Dyer said he expected all three to be released from the hospital some time on Saturday.
Watch raw interview with Kansas City Fire Chief Smokey Dyer
More news from BackStepFirefighter.com
Raw video: Friday night house fire with exposures on Elizabeth Way in South Bethany, Delaware.
3 commentsClick here for Jeff Mould’s website to see parts 3 through 7
This video was shot by Jeff Mould just after 7:00 Friday night. It occurred on Elizabeth Way between Mays Way and Elizabeth Court in South Bethany, Delaware (Sussex County). The best I can tell the fire impacted the three homes in the picture below from Bing Maps. The home in the center is where the fire started.
Click the image above to tour the neighborhood via Bing Maps
No seatbelt. No fire truck ride for Santa. Cops get St. Nick at the Pompano Beach, Florida holiday parade.
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This is an interesting story. How many of you read Dr. Burt Clark’s October commentary at Firehouse.com about witnessing firefighters unbelted at a parade he was involved in? Here it is if you missed it. Well this story seems to have a connection.
In Pompano Beach, Florida, firefighters refused to give Santa Claus a ride in last night’s annual holiday parade because he wouldn’t wear a seatbelt. The motivation is being questioned by some because this has never been an issue in the past. Critics point out the union is at an impasse in contract negotiations with the city.
Instead, Santa was in the custody of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office who put him aboard its SWAT wagon, allowing him to stand up through the hatch at the roof of the vehicle. Parade officials had gone to Broward Sheriff Fire-Rescue to find wheels for Santa, but apparently they sided with the firefighters of Pompano Beach Fire Rescue on this one.
Here are excerpts from an article by the Sun-Sentinel’s Larry Barzewski:
The firefighters union, which is at impasse in its contract negotiations with the city, said standard operating procedures require all passengers to be seated and restrained by a seat belt when riding on a fire apparatus.
“It places all liability on the driver-engineer and the person that supervises the driver,” said Rich Sandell, president of the Pompano Beach Professional Firefighters union. He denied that the refusal had anything to do with the negotiations.
Pompano Fire Chief Harry Small, who has been on the force for 33 years, said “Santa’s pretty much always been on the fire department trucks” at the parade. Not until this year did Santa’s safety become such an issue that he couldn’t ride atop the truck.
Sandell had sought modifications to the rules to reduce liability, but Small said he didn’t see any reason for that.
“We had, in my opinion, a perfectly safe situation,” said Small, whose firefighters build the platform Santa usually uses when riding atop a fire truck. “We didn’t think that Santa Claus was at any time at any risk.”
A fascinating video: A delivery man spotted a small apartment fire yesterday in Racine, Wisconsin. Being a good citizen he went inside and started alerting neighbors by banging on doors. Good for him. But as we know, it isn’t just good enough to do that in the modern times we live in. The incident would not have officially occurred if there wasn’t video of the man’s actions. Thankfully that video exists. It is courtesy of the same delivery man. He provides narration, and a couple shots of himself in action. He who is soon joined by a police officer who beats the fire department to the scene. Long ago I predicted, that with all of the cameras and the need to shoot everything, we would soon have a rescue where both the rescuer and rescuee were taking video. We are not there yet. But I think we have officially taken a step closer to reaching my goal.
Strut alert: If you missed it, with the help of Firefighter Close Calls, we have posted raw dashcam video of a vehicle fire this summer in Austin, Texas. It shows a number of small explosions, including struts becoming flying missiles. Click here for the video.
I don’t like Dave Slater: Who can blame him? But that’s one of the many comments sent in about my position on the video of the trooper from Connecticut’s confrontation with a news photographer. I am clearly in a losing battle, but I am going down fighting as I almost single-handedly try to be the protector of our Constitution and way of life. And when I say losing, I’m losing big time. The vast majority of the people writing in think whether a citizen or the press can roll video at an emergency scene is not (or should not be) protected under our First Amendment, but instead is a decision we have handed over to the government in the form of first responders. That scares me for so many reasons. But I answer each one who writes in with a variety of arguments about why that’s not a good idea. I also point out that even though you may believe that’s how it works, the law of the land as determined by the people who formed our government, says otherwise. Maybe what amazes me more is that a news photographer, who is standing with the public and not up close to the working first responders at a fatal crash, is made out to the devil. All you see on his raw, unedited video is a burning car, with the body already gone. Many of the writers indicate the press should not roll video at any scene where someone has died. I know I am an insensitive, biased, former reporter jerk for thinking that our freedoms in this country overrides what offends people. There’s a lot more to what many think are really stupid arguments by me. Read it for youself.
But here’s why I really like this First Amendment thing: It allows us all to openly have our say on forums like these blogs. Glenn Usdin is doing just that with his new site, FireTruckBlog.com. He looks at a controversy going on right now in and around Lancaster, Pennsylvania that has cropped up big time because the city’s only two ladder trucks are down and out. It’s pitting career firefighters and against volunteers and has the mayor threatening to sue the union claiming the IAFF is messing up mutul aid agreements. Check out Glenn’s thoughts that include having a Plan B for apparatus replacement. Also, if you are new to FireTruckBlog.com here is a run down of some of the interesting stuff posted so far.
Hazmat unit strikes pedestrians: Firegeezer is on top of this tragic story from Columbia, South Carolina where on of two pedestrians struck has died.
Firefighter in two states and suspected arsonist in both: Both Pennsylvania and West Virginia authorities have neen investigating a volunteer firefighter for possibly setting fires. Charges have already been brought in Pennsylvania. Read the details.
Montgomery County, Maryland firefighter breaks leg while hitting hydrant: The Washington Post reports the lay-out man during an electrical fire in Silver Spring found his leg wrapped in the hose. Here’s a few details.
Both Prince George’s County & Montgomery County being defensive: We have raw video from a pair of recent well-involved Maryland house fires. One is from PGFD in Bowie courtesy of Tom Yeatman. The other is in Potomac from MCFRS.
More fire videos for you: Dayton, Kentucky found five frozen hydrants as firefighter tried to handle two homes burning. Click here. Helmet-cam video from West Plains, Missouri. Click here. Hackensack, New Jersey two-alarm house fire. Click here.
Republican filibuster blocks 9-11 health bill: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg calls it “a devastating indictment of Washington politics, a tragic example of partisan politics trumping patriotism.” Senate republicans blocked the 9-11 health bill in its first key senate vote by “sticking to a party pledge to block anything until the tax deal extending the Bush-era cuts for the wealthy passes”. Here are the details from the New York Daily news.
Tombstone volunteer jumps into action as his own home burns: An interesting story from Arizona about a disabled volunteer firefighter and a fire that destroyed his apartment & his pickup truck. But he went to work trying to keep the fire from spreading. Here it is.
Bomb house goes down: It was the largest amount of certain homemade explosives ever found in one spot. The house was burned to the ground yesterday. The raw video is above. Click here for the background on the story from Escondido, California.
IMPORTANT NOTE & UPDATE: I failed to compare the earlier version of this to the original and didn’t realize it was not the complete video. The one above is now complete and includes the strut explosions at about 2:30 and 2:50 in the video. They are highlighted. My apologies.
From the Austin Fire Department & FirefighterCloseCalls.com:
Engine 2 responded to a vehicle fire at W. 25th Street and Guadalupe. An APD officer was first on scene and recorded this dashcam video. The rear hatch on the vehicle is initially in the open position because the occupants unloaded contents from the vehicle. The heavy fire caused the struts to fail and the rear hatch to fall back to the closed position. The fire then caused the rear window to break and fall out of the vehicle. Shortly after AFD arrival, the two rear hatch struts violently explode and shoot from the vehicle. Both struts shot a distance of approximately 40 feet and with enough force to injure the firefighters. Fortunately, the firefighters from Engine 2 were not located in the path of the exploding struts.
LESSONS LEARNED: The lessons learned from the incident include-
We will often be arriving at a vehicle fire just as struts have had enough fire exposure to explode and shoot from the vehicle.
Position the apparatus at least 75 feet from the burning vehicle.
Wear full PPE as protection.
Extinguish as much fire as possible from as far away as possible then approach the vehicle cautiously. While there isn’t a completely safe angle, there are safer angles to approach from. The 45 degree angle is recommended because airbags and bumper struts have traditionally had a front/rear deployment path when they explode.
Set up exclusion zone of approximately 100 feet and remove all bystanders.
Cool struts with water if they are still intact after the fire is extinguished.
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