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Previous coverage of Chief Ellerbe
Listen to entire interview of Chief Kenneth Ellerbe by WTOP Radio’s Mark Segraves
Chuck Ryan, a firefighter with D.C. Fire and EMS, was burned on over 40 percent of his body after a two-alarm fire last April.
“I would have had a better chance for the injuries and the pain and suffering that we’re going through if we would have had the better station wear,” Ryan said.
Chief Ellerbe said that even if Ryan and the other firefighters had been wearing the protective shirts, their injures would still be severe.
“If the outer shell fails, then it’s highly unlikely the shirt they were wearing underneath is going to protect them further,” he said.
Ellerbe said firefighters have a long-sleeved version of the shirts, so there was no reason for any of them to be outfitted inadequately.
“If they’re worried about being protected, they should wear their long-sleeve shirts 365 days a year,” Ellerbe said.
Ellerbe remains steadfast in his defense of not permitting firefighters to wear the shirts with the old logo, but he does acknowledge they can help minimize injuries.
“It probably would have provided a modicum of protection, but not as much as the outerwear,” he said.
The shirts aren’t the only controversies facing Chief Ellerbe. He is also under fire for a recent reveal that he faced an accusation of sexual harassment in his last position in Sarasota, Fla.
“I don’t know how to undress a person with my eyes,” Ellerbe said. “I think you need to use your hands to do that, first of all. I’m not the type who undresses anybody.”
Ellerbe said that much of the criticism he faces comes from the union and firefighters who are resisting the scheduling changes he has implemented.
By Paul D. Shinkman and Mark Segraves at WTOP.com:
D.C.’s fire chief continues to parry criticism against him, citing what he says are inaccuracies in recent media reports that the city failed to vet harassment claims against him and that protective gear sitting in storage could have saved firefighters from injury.
In an interview with WTOP Monday morning, Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, who was tapped for the position by Mayor Vincent Gray in December 2010, claims scathing reports by Washington Times against him are “unfair,” “not accurate” and “sensationalist.”
The Times recently reported Ellerbe was not properly vetted before taking the job as chief of D.C. Fire & EMS, and that the city overlooked sexual harassment claims at his former position in Sarasota, Fla. where he also served as fire chief.
“Those articles coming out of (The Times) have been fraught with unproven allegations and inaccuracies,” he says. “I think they have not been fair and accurate in their reporting, but sensationalism sells stories.”
Ellerbe says he does not recall “undressing someone with his eyes,” per the Times report that he “leered at female employees and intimidated other employees,” adding he wouldn’t know how to undress someone using only his eyes.
He also denounced ever referring to himself as a “vindictive ‘expletive deleted.’”
“I would never refer to myself that way,” he says, “nor would I call anyone else that.”
The chief has also caught flak from an Examiner.com report that he kept $70,000 worth of fire-resistant shirts in storage because they did not align with the firefighters’ uniform. These could have been used to protect firefighters, the report claims.
Ellerbe said Monday these specific shirts don’t have any protective qualities, and are solely designed not to melt onto the firefighter’s skin if the protective outer jacket and pants fail.
He confirmed the shirts, which do not conform to the uniform, are sitting in the warehouse for the department while it looks for a way to repurpose or sell them.
“This is the deal when we take these leadership positions: We have to understand there’s going to be some resistance sometimes, especially if change is involved,” he says. “If you can’t take the heat, these aren’t the positions for you.”
Do you want to sell a rig? Click HERE to find out how with SellFireTrucks.com.
Also on STATter911 …
- DC still in the news: Burned firefighter speaks out about shirts sitting in storage. – March 9, 2012
- DC Chief Kenneth Ellerbe on why safer cotton shirts for firefighters are sitting in warehouse: ‘Sometimes there’s trickery in terms of one administration to another’. – March 9, 2012
- The latest from your Nation’s Capital: Mayor backs fire chief after article on sexual harassment claims. $70,000 in shirts that are safer for firefighters but have the wrong logo sit in warehouse. – March 8, 2012
- Chief Kenneth Ellerbe responds: Live interview this morning discussing sexual harassment claims when chief was in Florida. – March 8, 2012
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Did anyone notice at the DC St.Patricks day parade there wasn’t ladder trucks with the American flag? And all company patches stripped off the apparatus.
In his new plan to help improve moral, the Chief has decided to not only remove DCFD from EVERYTHING in the department, but also remove the company patches and logos from the apparatus.
“The beatings will continue until moral improves!”
So with him admitting that the shirts were in storage doesn’t the mean he lied under oath? I think it does! And to say that the shirts wouldnt have help the firemen burned??? Let’s see the current collar shirts that we wear will melt to your skin when your turn out gear fails. Ok so the fire administrator withheld shirts that would not melt to our skin because A.) the polo shirts were outlawed and B.) they did not have the proper patch on them is mearly and ego thing. Cause remember its his way or the highway. Just remember guys let’s not give the a$$hole any ammunition against us. DCFD 4 LIFE!!!!!!!!
Just a side question about media. So, I am reading from a far but have family ties to the area. I have noticed that the Examiner, Washington Times, and the local TV…even the news radio…have regular stories about DCFD or whatever it’s called now. Why does it seem the Washington Post is not interested in these stories?
Media bias. The Post likes the current administration running the city, so they will report/opine in ways which will be biased towards them.
Dave two points. I agree you should report on the lack of flag at the parade, to us on the inside a deliberate move on Ellerbe’s part.
Second, the financial cost of patching over the “Rubin” patch for those polo shirts would be not be all that expensive, and I’m sure guys working in 130 degree ambulances would love to wear them. The real story here though is the negligence of Ellerbe, who even if the cost of repatching the polos is FREE, will not go through with it, because he does not believe in polo shirts. It has nothing to do with the patch, and everything to do with his opinion on what is professional. We were allowed to wear polo shirts up until the union went public with the ambulance AC issue, Ellerbe’s immediate response was to make polos illegal. It did not matter what patch was on the front. I myself purchased a polo after his arrival with his patch on it, and the back of the shirt blank, and we are not allowed to wear it.
Someone else will have to do that reporting. I have been out of the reporting business for almost two years.
Statter
Exactly right they don’t provide protection, what they do provide is not having to be scraped off your body when melted like the current shirts, thus adding to the pain and suffering
Exactly. Even though they don’t provide additional thermal protection, cotton clothing provides protection against having the material (like in polyester) melt to your skin. Thus, the cotton clothing provides protection against receiving even more damage to your skin from a burn injury.
And recovery
Was it me or did Paul Shinkman and Marc Seagraves seem to be empathizing and siding with LRB especially towards the end of the interview? It seemed like they were sympathetic to his plight that the Washington Times was unfairly, unjustly, and inaccurately portraying and attacking him with their coverage? They mention that Lanier has the same gripes about the Times, as LRB is claiming now. Anyone else catch that in the audio?
Also how come his answers today differed from what he stated under oath to Council Member Phil Mendelson the other day?
Stuart,
The Washington Post does not report any of this because they are the personal cheerleader for all things District.
As for everything else going on with the DCFD, it’s that dastardly trickery yet again!
You can bet, that there will be PLENTY of apparatus present for the 150th Emancipation Anniversary parade though… If the shirts were designed solely “not to melt onto firefighters skin” as he says, does that not make them a safer alternative?
He must have split personality or he is a pathological liar.
We in Clark County are on the receiving end of a anti-fire media campaign and let me tell you, it sucks!
Hey Chief Loser.. Your right the NFPA compliant shirts are designed not to melt to your skin. Short sleeves are “APPROVED” by NFPA because there is nothing at all to melt to your skin. Learn your profession. You are a discrace to the Fire Service. What leader would ever be so blatently vindictive? I also have no respect for your Senior Staff that sits quietly as you put your members in harms way. No training, no uniforms and on and on.
Doing no more harm as opposed to doing more harm, makes something protective you dimwit. Does this guy really have a degree? To think that we, the public, would buy such an nonsensical answer only shows stupidity.
Wow as an outsider with some knowledge of DCFD sad to see such a good, respected department being run down the tubes. Keep your heads up, stick together, he will not be there forever! Strike Da Box! K
SO maybe now you will understand: the petty tyrant does not like polo shirts, no matter what logo is displayed. If he had his way; we would all be wearing long sleeve shirts w/ties, every day.
The FR shirts are not part of the protective layer. As others have said; the idea is that they do not melt like the polyester clothes. Watching him trying to rationalize the shirts to Mendo was embarassing. Is stupid part of his heritage also?
The ball is now in the councils court. He clearly deceived them ( at least four times last week alone).His senior staff has shown that they won’t lie for him ( anybody else notice the services chief turning K.C.’s microphone off?). Will they pursue perjury charges? Did he sign his “Ethics Pledge?”
This is better than cartoons.
One more thing: if you want to see more of the petty tyrant’s management style, watch “The Caine Mutiny”
kenny learned alot from Bogie.
No, you can’t steal that from me. I just won’t stand for it. I used a scene from the Caine Mutiny more than 25 years ago to illustrate a fire story. I had it first. Now let’s see if there are any old timers here who can tell me which scene I used and what the story was about. It is one of my favorite movies.
Statter
I’ve been reading about this ongoing saga in DC for some time now. The truth will poke it’s head out eventually and I think Chief Ellerbe will be left regretting alot of things.
I think the main thing to look at now is that Ellerbe’s ability to lead has been severely compromised if not severed.
Regardless of the DC administration’s take on sides, it is apparent that Ellerbe cannot effectively lead this department. NOTHING will be resolved until new leadership is put in place. His time has passed, right or wrong.
Here is his quote from the interview. “If they’re worried about being protected, they should wear their long-sleeve shirts 365 days a year,” Ellerbe said.
But the Order Book says that we have to wear the Long Sleeve shirt from October 31 to April 1. And the short sleeve shirt from April 1 to October 31.
So which one is it LRB??????
Another example of conflicting orders – not knowing what he is saying – insulting our intelligence and asking us to suffer more if we dont like it. What kind of man tells us to violate the order book if we want to protect ourselves? To wear long sleeves in DC weather in summer – nuts!!!
I guess there will be a new order this week – wait for it!!
Oh and I’m 100% positive the parade committee did not forget to send the request for the arch and DCFD apparatus for the parade
Dave are you speaking of the bowl of strawberries scene? That’s the scene I always picture LRB in.
No. It was the dressing down of guys on the bridge who had their shirttails out. While Humphrey Bogart was doing that the Caine sailed over its own tow line. Now that I have provided the scene can anyone tell me the fire service story I used it in 25 or so years ago.
Statter
After following this story and the comments made by Chief Ellerbe, one thing is obvious. He does not care about his “troops” and should go find a rocking chair somewhere with the rest of the ill-informed dinosaurs trying to make poitical gains but not make the job safer or improve the safety and moral of the department. Politice before common sense never benefits anyone, especially the bearer of this rotten fruit. Chief, resign now before your ignorance catches up and bites your ass.
Oy vee..
My 2 cents from California.
As I’ve written Ellerbe and the current Mayor are prime examples of “Tammny Hall” Politics.
Now, with the issue of the “TARP” monies that DC received and they can’t account for it, how much money again would the City save with its staffing reductions?
Less expenses for the FD, means the City saves that money and it goes some place else.
If you’ll recall in Detroit, over the past year or two, money was authorized for Station 20′s roof/floor to repaired. Thing is, Station 20 was closed years before the request was made and where did that money go?
What a dope! You’re right the brothers still would have gotten burned, but that’s all. They wouldn’t have an extra lay of molten plastic skin, but I guess having the right logo on is more important. It is a shame whats happening in DC, the sad part is this is not an isolated case. This is happening across the country! The American fire service as a whole is being dismantled from the inside, but loser chiefs that forgot what it was like to ride the side of a fire truck.
thank you! US fire service is in trouble…
What about all the cadets at the academy wearing hooded sweats with an “unapproved” logo on the back? It doesn’t comply with the order book that lrb loves to quote… I guess being city residents makes that ok
This guy spent most of his time bieng a “desk technician” so his concept of remembering where he came from is moot. He is politically connected and that is how he made his way through the department. It has absolutely nothing to do with accomplishment. Whoever he is connected to probably contributed to the mayor’s campaign with the assurance this jackass would get the top spot. We all know the mayor is being investigated by the feds for certain campaign practices.
When it comes to the NFPA compliant shirts we wear now that are “LEGAL”, there is a reason the standard exists. I got mine AFTER the fire that burned these firefighters! They were purchased in response to this because he knew there would be an investigation and he was trying to cover HIS ass AFTER the fact. Just ask any member when they got their NFPA compliant station wear. We were ordered to pick it up and wear it. Any firefighter will tell you the order stated that if we had them we could no longer wear the older style. That would indicate to me he knew what we were wearing posed dangers. He also made no comments to the media when this story broke. If he actually believes what he’s telling the news he would have said something then AND to the council a year ago.
As far as lying to the council this whole time…the union AND the council should review the video of all hearings involving these shirts that were not issued and act firmly on any mistruths. After all…he was sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He too, is a public servant and expected to be held to the perverbial “higher standard”.
To the senior staff…if you stand behind this man you will be just as guilty! You will have to wake up every morning and look yourself in the mirror. I hope you can live with your decisions.
LRB…Your a turd! The city built a big facility at Blue Plains to deal with you. Don’t waste anymore taxpayer money. Use it!
Ellerbee, let’s get the TRUTH and FACTS straight. The interview with Mark Segraves you spoke as though you have been victimized and you are being harrassed. You know better than to make such ignorant unfounded statements.
(1) You spoke your opinion about the SAFETY of the Shirts being
locked and packed away. Your statements are at best stupid
with little or no merit bearing the facts of serious Burns
Firefighters have sustained with definitive measures of
Prevention, that should have/couldhave been implemented.
(2) Your Vindictive Black Panther Racist, and now added
recognition as a Sexist Pig from work place sexual
harrassment. You are vengeful and a hateful individual.
(3) You have and you have expressed yourself as an individual
with a vendetta against Chief Dennis Rubin. All because of
an emblem that says DC Fire and EMS. You have constantly
hid behind your immature juvenile racist mentality with
words of Racial predjudice about an emblem.
(4) When Mark Segraves asked you if he could visit the
warehouse and view the shirts in question. “you immediately
snapped back, NO YOU CANNOT VISIT THE WAREHOUSE. Obviously
you are concerned he as any other reasonably minded person
you are hiding the shirts because the Truth would come out
into focus you are a Liar, and have been Lying all along.
“You Lied to Mr. Mendelson of the Council” You told him
the shirts donot exist”. Ellerbee how can you stand
yourself?
(5) Ellerbee your Resume;
A. Black Panther Racist,Sexist Pig
you have your merry band of know nothing/do nothing
Tattletales.
B. Sexual Harrassment allegations/Charges from a female
Employee in Sarasota. These are very serious issues.
C. Ellerbee you are a BOLD FACED LIAR. You donot even have
any shred of Human Decency to stand up for the
Professional Men and Women of DC Fire and EMS.
D. Their SAFETY is and must be a Top Priority to ensure
they have every SAFETY Measure to perform their job.
E. Your Priorities are removing letters DCFD from Bay
Doors at Engine 7.
F. Unwarranted and with no true merit schedule change.
Ellerbee, you have absolutely done nothing to enhance the
DC Fire and EMS. Donot wear the Class A Uniform with
DC Fire and EMS Insignia. You arenot worthy of any
Professional Association within DC Fire and EMS.
Ellerbee you are a disgusting miserable excuse for a Human
Being.
“Are you Familiar with IAFC-IAFF-NFFF. Obviously you
arenot”. These professional Organizations stand for and
Represent Fire SAFETY for Firefighters in the performance
of their job.”
Ellerbee are you familiar with LEADERSHIP-MANAGEMENT
TIME MANAGEMENT-TEAM BUILDING?
No you arenot. You are an individual in a position
hiding behind the coat tails of the Mayor.
Ellerbee what you have done and arenot doing with our
Nation’s Capitol Fire and EMS Dept is an absolute
shameful disgrace.
What do have to about your Resume Ellerbee.
“FOR ONCE SPEAK THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH”
Your continued Lying is unacceptable, not an
option.
” Remember Ellerbee what goes around comes around”
WHEN? Lord, Are they going to get ride of such a dumb and just blind leader??? WHEN???????????????? God please HELP the Brothers of the DCFD Quickley.
While not a big part of this giant issue, why not “visit the wharehouse?”
What is LRB hiding, why not respond “Sure, I’ll get the supply Chief to show you around, when do you want to visit, today?”
No reason to restrict access….unless LRB has something else to hide??
Ted
Ok…I’ll ask you this Lie R B, if those uniforms provide NO more protection, why did you rush to switch(after the fact)to NFA compliant uniforms? If…and I say…if those uniforms provide no more protection then wouldn’t it be a waste of tax dollars to switch?
You know and so do we that what YOU forced us to wear was a safety hazard. You may not have started the fire or caused the burns, but YOU did contribute to the sevarity!
Grow a set. On your next “moral boosting” visit to 15 Engine, tell Chuckie Ryan you did your best.
Funny, I have never seen any DC Firemen wear special shirts when they are volunteering in PG County. If they are so concerned for their safety, why do they refuse to wear the provided reflective safety vests at traffic accidents. Usually they are running around in shorts and a t-shirts trying to get cool pictures for their little websites. Just one more thing to listen to them wine about while I’m at work. They just love to cause problems at their jobs in DC and their volly stations in PG.
Spoken like your typical run of the mill below average L1619 volunteer hater. You suck too.
Dave,
Since no one took a stab at your query I’ll give it a shot. It was DCFD (again, still) and a couple of Firemen got in trouble when the fire chief or one of the chiefs caught them in the street with their shirt tails out. They were racking hose after a fire.
The chief was T.R. Coleman. And he was focused on their shirt tails being out much like Captain Queeg. But, by far, the best T.R. Coleman story is when he ordered firefighters to shovel snow at their firehouses after a big storm.
Not the snow off the sidewalks and the ramps, but the snow off the grass because he thought it looked unsightly. So the only place to put the snow was into the plowed street.
Mayor Marion Barry called me that Sunday evening at the station and asked me if I was going to run the story (we had the video of the firefighters shoveling the grass). I said to him if you were my boss and I had that story and didn’t use it, wouldn’t you fire me?
Barry didn’t argue but said to meet him at Engine 19 on Pennsylvania Avenue SE where he joined firefighters shoveling the snow back out of the street.
Statter
The previous comment did obviously come from an IAFF Local 1619
individual who has for whatever excuse critizes and speaks vile words and thoughts. How about growing up to being an adult. For someone who thinks you are and IAFF are superior in your Fire Service abilities you arenot. Your words are nothing more than self serving self centered mentality. If you were and I should point out you should be a Professional thinking and speaking Firefighter who realizes what occurred in the District with those brave Firefighters sustaining some burn injuries that will scar them for Life, could very easily occur in PG County. There are some important factors you need to familarize yourself with;
(1) The Fire and EMS Service Delivery System in PG County is
and has always been a COMBINATION SYSTEM. There are some
Good Well Trained Career Firefighters, and there are also
some Good Well Trained Volunteer Firefighters.
“You just might want to in your mind, that a Volunteer you
so quickly critize just might pull you out of a burning
structure”
“The same applies to Volunteers, a Career Firefighter just
may you out of a burning structure”
(2) Those Volunteers you speak about are also Professional
Career Firefighters who serve the citizens of the District
of Columbia. In the performance of their job they went
inside a burning structure and a Flashover integrity of
structure weakened and they were seriously, some critically
burned.
(3) Volunteer Firefighters in PG County receive same Training
from PGFD Training Academy and MFRI.
(4) Anonymous the IAFC and NFFF as well as IAFF all work
together to put forth SAFETY Measures that will assist
and prevent what occurred to DC Firefighters.
(5) YOU need to Grow up, Mature and conduct yourself as an
adult in highest Professional Standards. Stop your words
insult and agitation. Your childish shenanigans arenot
wanted nor appreciated.
(6) Climb out of your sandbox, recess is over.
Dave,
I wasn’t on the job for the shirt tail incident but I was when the guys from E-19 shoveled the snow off the grass and out into Pennsylvania Ave. Pretty funny. Fire Chief was going home and didn’t like the fact that there were piles of snow on the grass even though the ramp and sidewalks were clear. He took the company officers to task and when they asked him where he wanted the snow put he said, “Throw it out in the street, the cars running over it will clear it out.” The good Firemen complied much to the chagrin of all the commuters. Mayor B. then happened to be going home and asked what in @#$? was going on and when the brave Firemen told him he ordered them to stop and put the snow back, and to his credit he got out and helped. We got a lot of the same stupid stuff going on now, I feel like I’m in a time machine going backwards…
EXAMPLE
Take of that coat and put the other one on that says D.C.F.D. on it before we send you home.
All discipline will go through me LRB. No wait! The Battalion chiefs can still do that but if I don’t like the decision I will demote them.
You know how many lawyers are licking their chops to take on this administration.
The circus is in town LRB might be leaving.