This fire took place in sight of the studios of Two Brothers Films in Emerald Park, Saskatchewan on Wednesday. Apparently one of the two brothers grabbed a camera and started rolling as the clubhouse burned in high winds at the Aspen Links Country Club. At :40 in the clip above much of the clubhouse collapses. There is additional video below from another photographer.
RCMP Cpl. Pete Garvey said emergency services were called at 2 p.m. when fire was spotted in the northeast corner of the building. According to those familiar with the approximately 1,400-square-metre clubhouse, that corner is where the kitchen was located.
Firefighters from White City, Pilot Butte and Balgonie fought the flames, which were fanned by winds gusting 30 to 50-kilometres an hour.
Three firefighters were treated for minor injuries caused by heat, but no one else was physically injured, according to RCMP.
A week after Glenn Usdin's FireTruckBlog.com told the story of the man who couldn't seem to give away his fire truck to the Detroit Fire Department, there's an update.
The department's mechanic and Detroit's fire commissioner inspected Joe Rippolone's 1983, tower ladder. Commissioner Donald Austin has said it is a donation worth accepting.
Click here to see more from the fire commissioner.
I had written privately to some fire service friends that something wasn't making sense after punishment was handed out following the hoax robbery and shooting prank at Macon-Bibb County Fire Department Station 108 on September 18. How did the captain on that shift, who was seen in the video, get away with just a two day suspension when others were demoted and fired?
The indication from city officials was that Captain Stephanie Burke didn't have prior knowledge of the prank. Okay, but the chief said he didn't know about the video until the press started asking questions on September 19. Isn't the fact that the chief didn't hear from the captain or through the chain of command about this incident enough in itself to take some pretty severe action against the captain?
Well apparently there are bigger issues about Captain Burke's role than just my question. In fact, she is now Lieutenant Burke. And instead of a 2 shift suspension, Burke now has 20 shifts off. That's the equivalent of two months' pay. A spokesman for the mayor says the more severe discipline came from additional information provided to Fire Chief Marvin Riggins.
Macon.com reporter Amy Leigh Womack has been talking with the only firefighter to be fired because of the prank, Chris Hughes. Hughes showed Womack what he says are text messages between him and Burke.
The messages are associated with the same phone number Burke answered Thursday afternoon.
Hughes said the plan for the prank began Sept. 16, two days before the incident. He and Burke were working together and she asked him to obtain a “fake” gun.
The following day, Hughes sent a text message to Burke: “I got the fake gun.”
She replied, “Ok, calling Levi back.”
Hughes explained Thursday that a man named Levi, whose last name he didn’t provide, helped plan a similar prank in the past.
The gunman seen in this month’s prank was Hughes’ friend, not a firefighter, Hughes said.
Early this morning we brought you the close-up view of the burning and exploding ambulance yesterday at 38th Street & Rhode Island Avenue in Mt. Rainier, Maryland. It was provided to us by Bladensburg VFD Chief Randy Kuenzli. While the video above is from a much further distance, across Rhode Island Avenue from the fire, it still provides a unique perspective of the fire and explosion. It gives us the view of the average citizen with a camera.
The commentary is the selling point of this clip. And the man taking the video says he is trying to do just that, "I'm going to call the news. I am going to make money". I don't know if he will be successful, but from my point of view this one is priceless.
This is video Bladensburg VFD Chief Randy Kuenzli shot yesterday at 38th Street and Rhode Island Avenue in Mt. Rainier, Maryland which is within spitting distance of PGFD Station 855, Bunker Hill. Station 855 was assigned elsewhere and the call was handled by Station 809, Bladensburg VFD. It's engine responded with seven on board and got there after the explosion that blew the roof off the ambulance. I am assuming that is an oxygen tank letting loose.
The explosion occurs at 1:10 in the video. I added a slow-motion version at the end of the video. There are a number of other smaller blasts in the video. Some that you would expect with any vehicle fire.
Many of you saw and commented on the video above from a house fire last Friday in Mogadore, Ohio. In it you see two rescues being made by a pair of firefighters from the Mogadore Fire Department. The two firefighters were operating by themselves for most of the first ten minutes.
There was not a lot of information with the video. Yesterday evening I received this email from Mogadore Fire Chief Don Adams about the two firefighters, Ben Stasik (first firefighter in the building) and Nick Sansom (driver/pump operator/second firefighter):
Dave, I am Chief Don Adams of the Mogadore Fire Department. Your evaluation of the fire of September 23 is dead on. We are a small department that staffs two part time F/Fs 24/7. Many of my guys are full time elsewhere. These guys pulled out to a reported bedroom fire. When the police reported a worker, they called for two engines from the neighbors. Upon learning there were two still inside they requested two med units also. Unfortunately, I chose that day to take half a day off and was well out of the area. The chief of one of the neighboring departments took command upon his arrival which was about the time the second victim was removed. Once he was sure all victims were out he pulled everyone back, established a PAR and then pounded it from the outside for a while.
Victim #1 was about 15 feet inside the front door in near zero visibility. He heard her scream while stretching the line and decided to go for it. She suffered second and third degree burns on both legs, both arms and back. She will remain in the burn unit for two to three weeks. Victim #2 was in the basement. Eventually the father was able to describe the best way to the basement stairs. F/F after darkening down the fire went past it with no line again and found the basement and assisted that victim to safety.
I look at your site daily and was surprised to see us here. I fully understand the frequent complaints regarding unsafe work practices. However for this call, I could not be prouder of my boys.
Thanks for your efforts for running this great site. Take care. Don Adams.
In a later email Chief Adams added:
I forgot to tell you that he heard her scream and after going in she did not respond to his calls. When some of the ceiling came in on both of them, she screamed again and then he was able to locate her. Best to you.
It's been a long time since we've run video from Michael "FirePix1075" Schwartzberg, one of our regular contributors. This is Michael's video from the three-alarm fire on Monday afternoon at a tire business in the 4100 block of West Belevedere Avenue in Baltimore. One person was burned. Here's Michael's description:
Just before 4:00 pm on September 26, the phones at the Baltimore City Fire Communications Bureau (FCB) began lighting up with callers reporting a building on fire in the 4100 block of W Belvedere Avenue in Northwest Baltimore. Engine 46, stationed just a few blocks away, arrived at Fire Box 46-12 reporting a two story auto repair building with heavy smoke & fire showing. At 4:02 pm, a "Working Fire" was transmitted bringing additional resources to the scene. Due to the conditions of the building and the amount of fire present, orders were given to establish a safety zone and begin exterior operations only. At 4:10 pm, a Second Alarm was transmitted. Crews used elevated master streams from ladder trucks as well as deck guns from engines and portable monitor pipes to flow thousands of gallons of water onto the fire. At 5:05 pm, a Third Alarm was requested, making it a total of 13 Engines, 6 Trucks, Rescue 1, 4 Battalion Chiefs (3 Fire & 1 EMS), 1 Deputy Chief & Aide (Shift Commander), 1 AirFLEX, 2 Safety Officers, 1 EMS Officer, 2 Medic Units, Fire Investigators & the Mobile Command Unit, with a total personnel compliment of 97 members on the scene.
This video is well worth taking the time to watch in its entirety. The video describes this as a house fireon September 23 with a report of two people trapped in Mogadore, Ohio. The video is from the dash of the police department vehicle that arrives first. I have found no other information online about this fire, but I will do my best describe what I think I see in this interesting video.
The first engine, from the Mogadore Fire Department, arrives on the scene at 2:30 into the video. It appears to have just two firefighters on board. The officer is approached by a man in a blue shirt who appears to be telling him something about the victims.
The firefighter stretches a line. As he is putting his hood and mask on the man in the blue shirt points inside the front door. The firefighter goes in the front door by himself at the 3:30 mark. Thirty seconds later the firefighter returns carrying a victim, who is left on the front line.
The man in the blue shirt tells the firefighter something else. The firefighter knocks some of the fire down from the outside and heads back in. Again he appears to be by himself. Eventually he is joined by at least one other firefighter that I can see. At 9:53 they have walked out and a firefighter is again talking to the man in the blue shirt who walks up on the porch and points again as the firefighters go back in.
At 12:15 a Springfield Township engine arrives. At 12:41 a firefighter walks out of the house escorting a second person. That person is walking on his own. The firefighter guides him to sit down on the lawn.
If you have more information on this fire please send it my way and feel free to correct anything that I have wrong based on my initial look at the video.
The leadership of the 12 volunteer fire departments serving Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania (Westmoreland County) are saying the town's supervisors won't listen to them. After the supervisors unanimously passed a resolution yesterday to limit the salvage operations the departments can do, the firefighters are saying the supervisors have "no respect for us".
According to Richard Gazarik at the Tribune Review, this is the supervisors' reaction to concerns about workers compensation insurance. In an August 6 article Gazarik reported that township manager Kurt Ferguson warned that its insurance carrier will soon label them high risk because of $190,000 in claims for volunteer firefighters over the last five years.
Firefighters and fire trucks showed up at yesterday meeting listening as the supervisors discussed the salvage work they do, including boarding up windows and doors, placing tarps on holes in roofs and pumping water from basements. Today's article, with the headline "Firefighters rip Hempfield officials", points out that, "Volunteer firefighters work on roofs, near downed electrical wires and other hazardous situations in the aftermath of an emergency." Here's more:
Under the new policy, an incident commander will decide what salvage operations are needed. The supervisors also want building owners to sign releases absolving the township from liability if volunteers perform salvage tasks that are covered by homeowner's insurance.
"I am told this (policy) is needed to protect us," (Hempfield Fire Chiefs Association President Greg) Saunders told the board. "We believe our protection comes from experience and training, not restraints placed by (board members) or someone who has not been in our shoes."
The firemen say they don't like having the supervisors dictate policy without their input. He said in 2007, the firemen made recommendations to the safety manual "and they totally ignored us.
It is an interesting time in the neighboring counties of Montgomery and Prince George's in Maryland. Each county has bills readied that would significantly alter the relationship between the fire commission and the fire chief. Both proposals would shift power away from volunteers and to the career chief. This morning, The Washington Post's Victor Zapana has an article looking at the issues in each county.
On Tuesday, (Montgomery County) Council members Marc Elrich (D-At Large) and George L. Leventhal (D-At Large) will propose legislation that would take away the veto power of the commission, which has volunteer, union and civilian members.
The bill is the latest salvo in the struggle over how volunteers fit in local communities that were once once largely rural but now are mostly suburban and even becoming urban.
Montgomery County is not alone in grappling with the issue. Next door, Prince George’s County is considering changes, too.
On Tuesday, County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) will present the Prince George’s County Council with two bills to remake the county’s fire commission and strip it of supervisory and budgeting powers.
In both counties, the volunteers oppose the bills.
Above is Don Murtha's video from a fire early this morning at 269 Walden Avenue. in Buffalo, New York. Below is the video from the fire at the same building Sunday morning.
Overnight, Buffalo's bravest were forced to make a repeat appearance at a Walden Avenue deli. Crews were called to the abandoned business just after 1 a.m. Monday.
They were pretty familiar with the address, firefighters were called to the same building late Saturday night (actually Sunday morning) to put out flames.
Lots of fire as man is rescued via ground ladder: FireCritic.com (that rag is still in business?) found this video from Marysville, California. It is best to watch it in the 720p mode because the image of the rescue is very small. The ladder is raised to the upper left window to get to a man hanging. The fire was in a sports bar at 1:30 Saturday morning. Read more.
Former fire chief's son arrested for shootings & bombing at Toledo fire stations: Quite a strange turn of events in Toledo, Ohio Saturday night. Kevin Wolever, who is the son of former Toledo Chief Mike Wolever was arrested after police say he fired a shot at Station 6. The bullet injured a firefighter. It was the second shooting at Station 6 since Wednesday and the fifth attack on a Toledo firehouse in that time period. Police say they had been following Wolever after identifying him as a suspect early on. Click here for the details.
Still time to sign up for Statter's visit to St. Charles, Missouri: Actually there is a lot more to see than me at the Gateway Midwest Firefighter & Leadership Training event October 21 to 23. Hot classes, classroom sessions, social gatherings and other good stuff. If you are part of this inaugural event by Go Forward Training you will get 10% off all future events. There is also a discount if you use STATTER in the promo code when signing up. Click here to be a part of this event.
Texas wildfires keeps manufacturer busy: FireTruckBlog.com has the story of a Texas firm that makes rig to fight wildfires. And they are repairing a bunch that didn't get out of the way in time. Here's the story.
Beer in the DC firehouse update plus the dilemma with the chief's brother: We told you on Friday about the visit by DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Kenneth Ellerbe's visit to the quarters of Engine 9 where he found beer in the fridge (click here). Now the man who dropped off the beer at the firehouse is talking. WTOP's Mark Segraves broke that story and has the follow-up.
Chief Ellerbe, is also making the news over his brother Kelton's eligibility to be a battalion chief. Does Kelton Ellerbe's career have to stall because his brother is the chief or can and should he be promoted? An interesting story by my friend Karen Gray Houston (though I am not sure I would call this one an "ethical firestorm", as the TV station's graphic did, since no one seems to be publicly complaining).
The chief had a busy week with the press, starting with the all out assault by the local news media to get the department's Twitter feed up and running again. The press was successful in that effort and @dcfireems is again keeping us informed.
Detroit ops chief out, but does it have anything to do with the disabled pump?: Detroit Fire Commissioner Donald Austin has returned operations chief Derrick Grochowski back to his role as a battalion chief. This comes after the fatal fire where the first engine that showed up was a mini-pumper with the pump not in operation due to orders from above. From Detroit Free Press:
Austin said Saturday that Grochowski's removal was not directly related to the Cooper Street fire, but he acknowledged that the decision to not fix the truck to pump water from that rig "existed within his sphere of control."
He said the rig is back in operation, "as it should have been all along.
The role of supervisors being reexamined in the Macon-Bibb County rookie prank: Macon.com reports there is a more complete version of the gunman prank video, along with text messages, that may paint a different picture about the role of a supervisor or supervisors. Read more.
The BCC Rescue Squad of 1950: Quite a unique film that Billy Goldfeder sent our way. It was made in 1950 from a State Department grant and looks at the early days of Maryland's Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. Click here.
Firefighter goes into cardiac arrest after rescue: Read the story from Abu Dhabi of a firefighter who rescued a family from a burning boat and then guided the boat away from the dock before his heart stopped. He is now apparently doing okay.
Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation's scholarship application announcement: Mike Hildebrand tells us it's that time of year for a great opportunity and a way to remember Deputy Chief James Yvorra. Here are the details -
The Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation is accepting applications for the 2011 scholarship awards competition. The application deadline is October 11, 2011.
Since 1989 YLD has awarded more than $110,500 in scholarships to emergency responders throughout the United States. Any active duty career or volunteer member of the Fire, Rescue, Hazardous Materials, and Emergency Medical Services may apply. In 2010, YLD issued three awards of $2,500.
To request or complete an application on line visit our web site at www.yld.org.
An arrest was made last night after the latest in a series of five attacks at Toledo, Ohio firehouses since Wednesday. Arrested is the son of Chief Mike Wolever. Chief Wolever retired on July 1 of this year.
Kevin Wolever is a civilian fire inspector for Toledo who went on administrative leave earlier in the week. Wolever was arrested after a bullet was fired into Station 6 last night. The bullet ricocheted and struck a firefighter in the chin.
Shot were fired outside Station 6 and Station 9 on Wednesday. An incendiary device was discovered burning at Station 18 on Thursday. On Friday, damage from a bullet was noticed on the door of a fire truck at Station 18.
As you will hear in the press conference, Kevin Wolever was identified early on as a suspect and had been under surveillance by police.
Kevin P. Wolever 32, the son of former Toledo Fire Chief Mike Wolever, has been arrested and booked in connection with the recent series of incidents against fire stations in Toledo.
Wolever a Toledo fire inspector, is charged with felonious assault and improperly handling a firearm and one count of shooting into a habitation. Saturday night Wolever fired a shot at the exterior fire station 6 on Star Avenue in east Toledo. The bullet hit a fireman in the chin, he was not severely injured.
Wolever was arrested soon after the incident Saturday night near fire station 6. At the time of his arrest he was wearing a ballistic vest and had a nine-millimeter gun in his possession, with two full clips and one shell missing. Police recovered a nine-millimeter shell and casing at the scene.
According to Fire Chief Santiago, Kevin Wolever went on paid administrative leave earlier this week for an undisclosed reason. He says that Wolever was having "issues" but did not go into any further detail.
Wolever is charged with felonious assault and improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation. Wolever is set to be arraigned Monday at 9:00am in Toledo Municipal Court.
From the AP:
The son of a former Toledo fire chief has been arrested in connection with a string of attacks at city fire stations.
The Blade (http://bit.ly/r8bdcb ) newspaper reports that Kevin P. Wolever was taken into custody Saturday night. In a Sunday morning news conference, authorities had announced that he is expected to be charged with felonious assault and shooting into a habitat.
Wolever, a city fire inspector, is the son of former Toledo Fire Chief Mike Wolever, who retired July 1. A phone number listed for the former chief had been disconnected as of Sunday afternoon.
Toledo firehouses had been attacked five times this week, including gunshots outside of 2 stations and a burning package found outside of a third. Officials did not give a motive for the attacks.
Glenn Usdin's FireTruckBlog.com has a couple of weekend stories. The first is a about a pair of fire trucks from Anne Arundel County, Maryland that were damaged during one of the recent storms. It looks like one has pulled through but the prognosis for the other is still doubtful. Click here.
The second story, below, is about an almost 90-year-old rig. Click here.
This is a quite interesting 1950 film called Wisconsin 1000 Rescue Squad. It chronicles the early history of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad in Montgomery County, Maryland, which dates back to 1937. Here's what the BCC's website says about the film:
In 1950 the U.S. Department of State produced a film about the Squad entitled "Wisconsin 1000 Rescue Squad," named after the Squad’s 24-hour emergency telephone number. The State Department eventually printed the film in ten different languages and circulated it around the world.
I posted the video above on Friday morning. It's from a fire Thursday in Murphy, Texas. The camera was aboard Parker Fire Department's Truck 1. But very shortly after I posted it, the video vanished from YouTube. I hate when that happens. Parker Fire reposted it later in the day and so have I. There is also a shorter video from a different angle that was shot by a neighbor. You can find that video here.
An entire D.C. fire station in Northwest was taken out of service Thursday after the fire chief walked into the station house and discovered a case of beer in the refrigerator.
Chief Kenneth Ellerbe tells WTOP and ABC7 he immediately ordered Engine 9 out of service and had 15 firefighters and EMTs undergo alcohol testing at the department's clinic.
"I was a bit dismayed, shocked, surprised," Ellerbe says about his discovery. "Our older members should have known better."
Ellerbe says all of the personnel tested negative for alcohol and have been allowed to return to duty, but the incident remains under investigation and the station's command staff is facing disciplinary action.
"There will be some consequences for this." Ellerbe says. "We want to send a strong message we take public safety very seriously."
Things were back to normal at Engine 9 Friday morning. The station, located in the 1600 block of U Street NW, was out of service for less than two hours, according to Ellerbe.
"Coverage was not compromised," the chief says.
Ellerbe says it appears the beer was a gift from some grateful residents, but command staff should have known better than to accept it.
"We can't have this kind of behavior," he says, adding that some staff members are facing possible suspensions. "The command staff will be appropriately reprimanded."
A lieutenant in the D.C. fire department is recovering from leg surgery after being injured by a fire truck.
The lieutenant was helping to guide a truck back into a fire station when his leg became pinned between the tire of the truck and an immovable object. Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe says the incident appears to be a case of "operator error" and a lack of "paying attention."
The lieutenant's injuries are serious, but Ellerbe says the firefighter is expected to return to duty.
A fire yesterday at an apartment complex in Speedway, Indiana. The fire was reported around 7:00 PM in the 2000 block of High Eagle Trail at the Eagle Lake Landing Apartments.
When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting from the building's roof and crews worked for more than an hour to get the stubborn fire under control.
One firefighter and one resident suffered minor injuries. One dog was killed in the fire.
Speedway Fire Chief Mark Watson credited the building's fire walls from stopping the flames from spreading farther.
"With the help of good neighbors helping them to get evacuated and then a quick response by all the fire agencies, we were able to get a pretty good stop on it," he said.
Click the image to watch raw video and listen to fireground audio.
This is from a house fire yesterday in Murphy, Texas. Well worth taking the time to watch the video and listening to the radio traffic. The video is from the Parker FD's Truck 1. Below is a different view shot by a citizen. The neighbor's video says this was on High Point and the house had been struck by lightning.
Three separate violent incidents are being investigated at different area fire stations: Station 18 on Lewis, Station 6 on Starr, and Station 9 on South.
The latest incident happened Thursday outside Fire Station 18 on Lewis Avenue. WTOL 11 has been told a makeshift exploding device was placed in front of one of the bay doors, involving a bag of charcoal and a propane tank.
Firefighters found the device and called the police bomb squad to remove it from harm's way.
On Wednesday between 2:30 and 3 p.m. shots were fired at Station 9, 300 South Avenue.
Dan Desmond, vice president of Toledo Firefighters Local 92, said five shots were fired at the building, where he was on duty.
That incident was followed by a series of shots fired at the outside of Station 6 at 642 Starr Avenue in East Toledo at 4:30 p.m. that left a bullet hole in the glass garage door but missed the five firefighters inside.
Mr. Desmond said the three incidents have puzzled him, and he declined to speculate if they have anything to do with the contentious State Issue 2 or with the city’s recent announcement that the administration is cracking down on alleged abuse of sick time in the fire department.
Above is the raw video from the camera of WITI-TV photojournalist Clint Fillinger just prior to his arrest Sunday nigh accused of resisting a Milwaukee police officer and obstructing the officer in his duties at the scene of a house fire. On the video, the police sergeant can be heard saying that Fillinger was being moved back for "his safety". At the same time the safety of the members of the public, who like Fillinger, were standing outside the secure area, behind the police yellow tape, is apparently not so important.
The officer was so concerned about the safety of this one man with the camera that he knocked the 68-year-old cameraman to the ground as Fillinger was being shepherded to the end of the block. Fillinger told a reporter for his station that he touched the officer while putting up his hands in a defensive move as the officer came at him while the photographer was walking backwards. I will let you be the judge if the officer's reaction was appropriate. I say this knowing there will be plenty out there who will focus on the fact Fillinger touched the sergeant and that's all anyone needs to know.
The other police officer on the video, also identified as a sergeant, told Fillinger we need you to move back "for their privacy".
Now, let's bring in Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn who was asked by a reporter from WITI-TV to comment on this confrontation. The chief pointed out, since this was the same as a citizen complaint he was limited in what he could say to those facts that everyone has seen on TV. From apparently watching that video the chief made the point, "If the cameraman had simply complied with the instructions to back off from a working fire none of this hullabaloo would be taking place".
But Chief Flynn, couldn't it also be said at this point from just watching the video, if the police officer hadn't targeted an individual for removal from a non-secure area because the person was carrying a camera none of this hullabaloo would be taking place?
The chief did what many will think is an admirable thing by defending his people, taking the side of the sergeant over the cameraman based on the video that's in the public. But isn't Chief Flynn also sworn to defend the Constitution of the United States?
In the defense of the Constitution shouldn't the chief be bringing up some other points and questions that seem reasonable to bring up from just looking at and listening to this video? Things like was that a lawful order of the police officer based on the recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals? Why was it so important to aggressively remove this one person from the scene and not anyone else? Just what privacy expectation is there on a public street in Milwaukee? What safety concern was there that only the photographer needed to be sent to the end of the block?
Yes, it's great to support your people chief and to reserve judgment until the investigation is complete. But wouldn't it be nice if you or some other police chief got up there during one of these situations and said something like this?
"I want to make it clear that the job of the police department is to defend the Constitution of the United States. This includes the First Amendment. In reviewing this incident I want to make sure that the rights of this individual carrying a camera were not violated and at the same time try to determine if this order from my officer is consistent with our rules, regulations and procedures and the laws of this state and country. When this investigation is complete I hope to know these answers. In the meantime I can assure you that my officers are aware that it is their duty not to interfere with anyone who is lawfully shooting pictures."
So, tell me Chief Flynn, would it make you or your department look bad if you answered the questions about this incident in that manner? Is that not a more even handed way to reply to something as important as this? Is it considered a sign of weakness for the police to make a clear statement about supporting the First Amendment? Would you be considered any less of a police chief in front of the public or your officers if you answered this way?
For those interested in how fire departments and other public agencies communicate with the press and the public there was a fascinating exchange (above) at yesterday's regularly scheduled press briefing by District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray. The press was in somewhat open rebellion about a couple of policies of the DC government that seem to contradict Mayor Gray's pledge of an open and transparent administration.
It started with a question by WJLA-TV reporter Suzanne Kennedy about two recent moves by city officials. One was the encryption of all radio communications for the Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police) and the other, the halting of a very active and popular Twitter feed by the DC Fire & EMS Department that alerted the press and the public to fires, accidents, shootings and other emergencies that fire and ems crews responded to.
The Twitter account had almost 10,000 followers and had provided more than 11,000 Tweets. It had become a primary alerting source for the news media and private citizens. The last Tweet was on August 30. Shortly after the Tweets stopped the police department began encrypting its radio traffic with the justification that smart phone apps allow criminals to listen in on the department's communications much in the way radio scanners have done for decades.
So, the news media and the public lost two important sources that helped them provide oversight of city officials and operations.
Let's make it clear that the best we can tell these both are legal and lawful policies of the District of Columbia government. It is within the rights of city officials to take these actions. There is no law that requires them to maintain a Twitter account or keep their radio communications open. But is this a smart route to go if you want to have transparent and open government in the 21st Century?
Then there is the reaction, not just from the press, but by the public, via Twitter, over the loss of Tweets from @dcfireems and the comments made by the DC Fire & EMS Department's Director of Communications Lon Walls (click here and scroll down). Many blasted Walls for believing that "social media is for parties". In the Washington Times and DCist.com articles you will see Walls is not a fan of Twitter.
Also, take the time to read the column below posted yesterday by Gerald Baron on his blog Crisis Comm for the site Emergency Management. Gerald is a respected leader in the world of crisis communications who wrote the book I often quote, Now is Too Late. The column also mentions something we have covered numerous times on STATter911.com. That is the interference by public safety officials of picture taking by the public and press. We previously posted two such incidents involving DC Police officers that occurred this year (I have added the video below of those stories).
Here's my brief message on this to the administration of Mayor Gray and anyone else who has the responsibility of communicating with the public for routine every day events and in times of crisis. That little thing in everyone's hands that always seems to be a part of their body is how most people get their news these days. It's also how they share news with others, whether it's taking pictures with the camera that is a part of it or using the applications on it like Twitter and Facebook. Those people who are constantly holding and operating these devices are the people you serve and the people who pay your salaries. They want and expect to know what's going on almost instantly via that device. The city has the opportunity to be a valued, trusted and instant source of information that their citizens can rely on every day and in times of major emergencies. And a source that reaches directly to the public without first having to go through the news media. Don't deride it, don't confiscate it, don't ignore it. Instead, embrace it and the reality of how people now communicate.
But enough from me. Here are some words on this subject from a real expert::
This story sort of makes me wonder if DC Mayor Vincent Gray has his communication staff learning cuneiform writing. First this blog post arrived concerning the Mayor's press conference in which he announced that the DC Police would be using encrypted radio, and that the Fire and EMS Service would be in future "filtering" their Twitter feeds. HuffPost reported on the clamp down of communication in this article.
It's really quite bizarre. Every after action report of any consequence of major events highlights the need for interoperable communication and by encrypting all radio messages they certainly have sent interoperability concerns into the closet. Maybe there is sufficient safety justification, I hope so, because if this trend continues the history of major event management shows that lives will be lost because of interoperability issues.
But my primary concern is shutting down Twitter. @dcfireems has been a very popular means of communicating in DC about emergency events. With nearly 10,000 followers it is very clear that it has become the primary means used by DC media to keep the public informed, but equally important is the fact that the public itself is kept informed through those tweets.
In talking with a source close to these matters in DC, it appears that the encrypted radio decision and putting the brakes on Twitter are related and both coming from DC Police. As DC Police moved toward keeping their communication under wraps, it was troubling them that Fire EMS service was tweeting openly about things–some of which involved police. So they felt they couldn't keep the wraps on their communication and allow a sister agency to keep talking. This move by DC Police is in addition to their apparent policy of confiscating the phones of citizen journalists documenting arrests for the apparent purpose of capturing evidence. This is deeply troubling.
Needless to say, those following the Twitter account are not happy–both reporters and the public. The Twitter conversation gives an indication of their thoughts on this.
However, the announcement about this compounded the problem by being less than transparent and honest. The last tweet from Fire/EMS as I understand it was August 31. Initially it was explained that this was because the tweeter, Pete Piringer, had gone on vacation. Then in the press conference it was explained that it was shut down because it had imperiled the operation of another (apparently federal) agency. The real explanation, provided by my source, was only hinted at–that police want to keep the wraps on things.
What absolutely amazes and appalls me coming from communicators in our nation's capital are comments like these:
"After the press conference, Lon Walls, the department's communication director and a former journalist himself, said that accuracy was vital. "I'd rather be slow and right than fast and wrong," he said.
"Social media is for parties. We ain't givin' parties," he added, arguing that safety and sensitive issues had to be considered before tweeting out information on emergencies."
Social media is for parties? I'd rather be slow? Break out the clay tablets, boys and girls. No doubt there are operational concerns with tweeting, no doubt policies and controls need to apply, no doubt mistakes can easily be made with serious consequences. But because cars cause accidents doesn't mean we go back to horses and buggies. I certainly hope DC gets their inter-agency disagreements under control and some leadership is shown about today's realities of public communication.
Above is a June 19 story about a camera confiscated by DC Police after a citizen took pictures of an arrest on a public street.
Above is a story about a July 3 incident where DC Police confronted a man taking pictures of a traffic stop.
One Macon-Bibb firefighter faces termination in connection with a prank video staged at a fire station.
That's according to a news release from the mayor's office on behalf of Fire Chief Marvin Riggins.
Four other firefighters will be suspended and a sergeant will be demoted for taking part in the video, which Riggins calls "notoriously disgraceful."
The release says:
Firefighter Christopher Hughes will be suspended with pay for five (5) days pending termination with a discharge review. He's accused of violating City Guideline 807 employee conduct and discipline, 807 C2, C12 and C13; Macon-Bibb County Fire Department General Order 21, which prohibits the use of personal items on the premises which may create a hazard to other firefighters and/or guest; and volations of Macon-Bibb County Fire Department General Order 26 which prohibits hazing, initiations, and/or other types of physical confrontations.
The release does not describe Hughes' involvement in the case.
Sgt. Joshua Brewer will be demoted and suspended for 10 shifts. He's accused of violating City Guideline 807 C2 and also Macon-Bibb County Fire Department General Order 26.
These three firefighters will be suspended for 10 shifts for the same two alleged violations: Christopher Houston, Mark Swain and Jesse White
Lt. Timothy Pruitt will be issued a "counseling statement" concerning management and behavior of his assigned personnel.
Capt. Stephanie Burke will receive a two-shift suspension concerning "management and behavior of her assigned personnel" and station morale.
Battalion Chief James Wallace will be issued a written reprimand.
The department says a 10-shift suspension is equal to 30 days without pay and a two-day suspension is one week without pay.
Below is the text of the news release via WMGT-TV:
After much deliberation of all of the facts and issues surrounding the incident that happened at Macon-Bibb County Fire Station #108 on September 18, 2011, we have concluded that disciplinary action is warranted.
The pending disciplinary actions will be handed down as follows:
Firefighter Christopher Hughes will be suspended with pay for five (5) days pending termination with a discharge review, for violation of City Guideline 807 employee conduct and discipline, 807 C2, C12 and C13. He is also in violation of Macon-Bibb County Fire Department General Order #21 which prohibits the use of personal items on the premises which may create a hazard to other firefighters and/or guest. Violations of Macon-Bibb County Fire Department General Order #26 which prohibits hazing, initiations, and/or other types of physical confrontations.
Sgt. Joshua Brewer will be demoted and he will be issued a ten (10) day (Shift Equivalent) suspension for a violation of City Guideline 807 C2 and also Macon-Bibb County Fire Department General Order #26.
Firefighters Christopher Houston, Mark Swain and Jesse White will be issued a ten (10) day (Shift Equivalent) suspension for violation of City Guideline 807 C2 and also Macon-Bibb County Fire Department General Order #26.
Lt. Timothy Pruitt will be issued a counseling statement as it relates to the management and behavior of his assigned personnel.
Captain Stephanie Burke will receive a two (2) day (Shift Equivalent) suspension as it relates to the management and behavior of her assigned personnel and station espree decor. (Note: I believe they mean "esprit de corps". Not sure if this error is the work of the city or the TV station)
Battalion Chief James Wallace will be issued a written reprimand.
The commission of this notoriously disgraceful act towards their fellow employees, this organization and this community I find appalling. And again I wish to reiterate that this is in no means an overall perspective of our firefighters and this organization. We remain committed to our mission, our vision and our purpose as a first class organization."
For clarification, a Ten Day suspension is equal to Thirty (30) days without pay and a Two Day suspension is One week without pay.
Within the City of Macon, there is an appeals process that each employee has a right to avail themselves of, if they so choose.
Glenn Usdin has two interesting stories at FireTruckBlog.com (this is why you should check the site every day). The one above is about the efforts of a man who was once married to an heir of Henry Ford to donate an old fire truck, that he says is in good shape, to the City of Detroit. Glenn beat me to this Charlie LeDuff story. And it is in typical LeDuff style. Make sure you see the part where the doors come down on LeDuff at the apparatus maintenance shop. Click here.
Below is the story from Marion, Massachusetts where the fire chief had a collision on the way to a fire. Not just any fire, but one at his fire station. Click here.
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