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Scores of off-duty DC firefighters wearing the workplace banned DCFD logo showed up at the Historic Sixth & I Synagogue in Northwest Washington for Mayor Vincent Gray's State of the District address. The firefighters are getting attention after they walked out in unison before the question and answer period following Chief Kenneth Ellerbe's speech on January 24 discussing the state of the DC Fire & EMS Department.

A verbal directive received in numerous firehouses on Saturday told firefighters to behave tonight or face punishment. Spokesman Lon Walls, who wrote that the January 24 walkout was a 'racist act' on his personal social media accounts, told The Washington Post's Mike Debonis yesterday that the order did not come from the chief:

Lon Walls, an FEMS spokesman, said “there was no directive” and explained a lieutenant who is also a union member “misconstrued” departmental discussions.

Andrea Noble at The Washington Times reports the Facebook post and Tweets by Lon Walls that brought up the issue of race in connection with the earlier protest were removed shortly after Noble questioned Walls about the comments Monday night. According to Noble, those in the chain of command above Walls, did not respond to questions about this issue:

Reached by phone Tuesday and asked whether he shared his spokesman’s view that the walkout was racist in nature, Chief Ellerbe said he could not talk because he was heading into a meeting. He would be available later but did not respond to subsequent calls.

A spokesman for Mayor Vincent C. Gray also did not respond to messages left Tuesday asking how the mayor regarded the protests and Mr. Walls‘ comments.

The video above and story below by ABC7/WJLA-TV reporter Sam Ford were filed prior to the Mayor Vincent Gray's speech this evening:

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray is set to deliver his yearly State of the District address–but he may have some unhappy guests at the speech.

As city staffers prepared for the mayor's State of the District address, questions lingered if D.C. firefighters would walk out on Gray as they did with Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe last month. In a tweet, Fire Dept. spokesman Lon Walls called it racism and disrespect.

Many are expected to show up for Gray's address.

On Tuesday, neither Ellerbe nor union president Ed Smith would comment on the tweet, but Smith said Fire Dept. brass have warned that any walkouts tonight will be punished.

"We've received numerous reports there have been various journal messages given in firehouses across the city," Smith said.

At issue is Ellerbe's proposal to shift D.C. firefighters from working one 24-hour day followed by three days off–as they have done for decades–to 12 hours on, 12 hours off.

"It's an EMS department with a few fires," said Kenny Lyons, D.C. ambulance union president.

Lyons said the vast majority of calls nowadays are ambulance calls and firefighters are running the vast majority of the ambulances and that a 24-hour shift endangers patient care."What's best for patient care should reign supreme here, not what's best for individuals or groups of individuals," Lyons said.

But the change to 12 hour shifts would force many firefighters to lose other jobs thy have or quit the department.

Emotions are high, but their union leader wants only professionalism Tuesday night in Washington.

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Lyons Fire Department

Video from a fire on Canal Street in Lyons, New York on Saturday.

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Last night's story on order over firefighters appearing at Mayor Vincent Gray's speech

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There is another aspect of the ongoing dispute between DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Kenneth Ellerbe and many of his firefighters. After firefighters wearing the banned for work DCFD logos walked out of Chief Ellerbe's speech on January 24, his spokesman, Lon Walls, wrote about it on Twitter and Facebook. What he wrote is the subject of an article today by Andrea Noble in The Washington Times:

Mr. Walls, in one of at least three separate comments on the subject posted on his personal Facebook and Twitter accounts, described the walkout as a “racist act.”

“Just witnessed a blatant display of racism and disrespect shown to an African American leader,” Mr. Walls wrote in a Twitter post on Jan. 24, shortly after Chief Ellerbe’s address concluded.

In a subsequent post, Mr. Walls referred Twitter followers to his Facebook page, where he linked to a news story about the walkout and wrote that “the response depicted in the news story was the most blatant, ignorant and racist public display of disrespect I have ever seen.”

The walkout consisted mostly but not exclusively of white firefighters.

Asked Monday to verify the authenticity of the accounts, Mr. Walls noted that the comments were made on his personal, rather than government-related, accounts.

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Read entire letter from IAFF Local 36 President Ed Smith

More from Washington City Paper's Alan Suderman in Loose Lips blog

A new issue appears to be on the table in the ongoing problems between DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Kenneth Ellerbe and some of his firefighters. It revolves around a verbal order transmitted Saturday through the chain of command to DC firehouses. It addresses the possibility of protests at Mayor Vincent Gray's State of the District speech to be delivered tomorrow night at the Historic Sixth & I Synagogue in Northwest.

The warning of potential punishment comes following the walkout by firefighters at Chief Ellerbe's January 24 speech on the state of the department.

Here's the description of the latest issue from a letter posted today by IAFF Local 36 president Ed Smith:

Washington City Paper's Alan Suderman, who writes the column Loose Lips, say he has pictures from a half dozen log books from city firehouses documenting the verbal order that came via Deputy Chief Larry Jackson. But the word from the department spokesman denies the involvement of Chief Ellerbe:

Ellerbe spokesman Lon Walls says the whole episode is "much ado about nothing." Walls says that while Ellerbe expects his troops to behave professionally at the mayor's speech, he did not send out "any kind of directive like that."

"There's not been any message," says Walls.

The Washington Post's Mike Debonis has more from spokesman Walls in his District of Debonis blog:

Lon Walls, an FEMS spokesman, said “there was no directive” and explained a lieutenant who is also a union member “misconstrued” departmental discussions.

Walls said the department “respects their right to freedom of speech,” but declined to say that firefighters who wished to protest could do so without fear of discipline. “It would not be appreciated,” he said. “It would be frowned upon.”

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Two clips from a fire yesterday in Southeast Washington at 428 Newcomb Street. The video above is from the website of Engine 15, Rescue 3 where you will find this description:

Units with the 3rd Battalion were alerted for the Apartment fire at 428 Newcomb Street S.E. Engine 25 arrived to find a 2up 2down with smoke showing side (A). Engine 25 found a room off on the first floor, Engine 15 third due, backed up 25Engine which made quick work of the room. Rescue 3 completed their search that proved negative. Command 3 held the box with 1+1.

The video below is shot and narrated by a neighbor.

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Watch this house take off: Pre-arrival video from a house fire in Taylor, Michigan.

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Come see Superman & Lex Luthor together: Or maybe it's more like Austin Powers & Dr. Evil. Dave Statter meets Rhett Fleitz. Somehow I ended up on the same bill with THE Fire Critic at the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation's 2012 Leadership Conference. It is May 23 & 24 in Newark, Ohio. Lt. Steve Robertson from the Columbus Division of Fire will also be at the conference and may end up having to referee. Click here to sign up.

No Lex Luthor/ Dr. Evil on this one: In Pennsylvania, the South Central Task Force Homeland Security Conference 2012 is March 6 to March 9. Please come see me. Click here.

Must see video of a fast moving fire: See the firefighter starting to run in the picture to the right? There is good reason. Firefighters in Australia had just pulled up on a box truck fire only to see the location of the fire suddenly move to the other side of a busy four lane road. Don't miss this video.

Audio from Philly fire with injured firefighters & rescued civilians: Our friends at PhillyFireNews.com have the audio from a rowhouse fire yesterday morning that left three firefighters and four civilians injured. Lt. Marvin Melvin is the worst off with burns to his arms and back that have him in critical but stable condition. Click here.

Husband of missing Utah woman sets home on fire killing himself & two sons: The explosion and fire at a home in Graham, Washington is making news across the country after what was supposed to be a supervised between Josh Powell and his children turns deadly. Read the details.

Lucky it was just the windshield: Glenn Usdin's FireTruckBlog.com has the video and details of a Clearwater, Florida fire engine being hit by a chunk of concrete tossed by a man on the side of the road as the rig was responding to a medical call. Here's the story.

Report from Toledo fire where body was discovered after demolition: Toledo Fire Department released an internal report providing details of how searches were done under heavy fire conditions during a January apartment fire. They had been under some criticism after one resident's body was discovered in the rubble after the building was demolished. Read the report.

DC firefighter hands contraband to President Obama: President Barack Obama is now the owner of a t-shirt with the banned from on-duty use DCFD logo. Click here to see the picture of the handover.

Firefighter/Air Traffic Controller: For all of you airport firefighters out there, do you think you could handle tower duties if needed? That's what happened to a firefighter at Tirupati Airport in India. Firegeezer has this unusual story.

Thanks for the support: Thanks to those who helped out with the FDNY Rescue 2 Mayday Fund offer from MN8-Foxfire. In the picture to the right, the check presentation is being made. Left to right are Zach Green, president MN8-Foxfire, Captain Liam Flaherty of FDNY Rescue 2; Captain Willie Wines Jr, Iron Firemen.com and Rhett Fleitz, THE Fire Critic. You can read the details of their visit to New York on Willie's blog.

Indiana videos: A pair of fires on Saturday afternoon from Ed Malik. One from Gary and the other from Lake Station. Here they are.

Socially inept: A very funny spoof of how the traditional media uses social media.

Skepticism over elected fire chief: Those commenting on the IAFF local in San Bernardino, California wanting an elected fire chief see problems. Click here for the story and the reaction.

NVFC has some awards to give out: The National Volunteer Fire Council is still accepting nominations for the NVFC Lifetime Achievement Award and the Fire Prevention Award. Click here for details.

Hero Rush: The obstacle race and experience created for firefighters and the general public. And you will be contributing to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation when you sign up. Click here to see when Hero Rush is coming to your town. 

Courage for Kyle: The Barnegat Fire Company in New Jersey is now selling Courage for Kyle Bracelets. Kyle, the 11-year-old son of Firefighter Gene McGetrick, has been battling cancer for seven years. We first became aware of Kyle in December when there was an impromptu fire truck parade in front of his house. Firefighters from around the world have sent messages and patches to Kyle after Glenn Usdin's FireTruckBlog.com ran the story of the parade. Click here to learn how to buy a bracelet. The money goes to the Courage for Kyle Foundation.

You too can be part of the winning team at Lucas Oil Stadium: You don't have to be a member of the Giants for that experience. Participate in the 2012 NFFF FDIC 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb and you will feel like a champ. Click here to register and see a video from the 2011 climb.

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Basement fire in Northbridge, MA: From Matt Gregoire at Providence Fire Videos, a two-alarm house fire on January 27.

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Two other runaway burning truck videos here & here

This happened last Monday in Nedlands in Perth, Australia.

From 9 News:

A blazing truck rolled into oncoming traffic on a busy Perth highway yesterday when the heat of the fire caused its brakes to fail.

The truck caught alight in a street off the Stirling Highway in the western suburb of Nedlands yesterday before the brakes stopped working and it rolled backwards into the oncoming highway traffic.

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Audio from PhillyFireNews.com

The link above has audio from a fire just before 6:00 this morning at 1618 N. 20th Street in North Philadelphia. You will hear the evacuation ordered at 5:28 in the audio, followed by the call for additional medic units for injured firefighters.

UPDATE from philly.com:

(Commissioner Lloyd) Ayers identified the seriously injured firefighter as Lt. Marvin Melvin, a member of the department since 1999. He is assigned to Engine 27, located at 19th and Master streets.

Melvin was in critical but stable condition Sunday night in the burn unit at Temple University Hospital. Ayers said he was alert and talking to his family, and "doing well."

Bill Gault, president of Local 22 of the firefighters' union, said Melvin was burned on both arms and his back.

From KYW-TV:

According to Philadelphia Fire Deputy Chief Michael Wahl, the call for the house fire came in at 5:58 a.m. at 1618 North 20th Street. Upon arrival initial reports were of heavy smoke and a couple trapped inside.

Upon entering the home, firefighters rescued two people while two others escaped on their own. Three women and one child were taken to Hahnemann hospital for treatment and were in stable condition.

Details on injuries from PhillyFireNews.com:

Three firefighters were injured while rescuing the trapped victims. One member with first and second degree burns to his arms. Two other firefighters were transported with minor injuries. Four civilians were also transported with smoke inhalation.

From the AP:

Fire officials say a blaze in a north Philadelphia row home injured seven people, including three firefighters, one critically.

Authorities say the fire in the three-story building was reported just before 6 a.m. Sunday. Arriving crews have reported heavy black smoke pouring from the third floor. Firefighters battled the flames for about an hour.

One firefighter has been taken to a hospital burn unit in critical but stable condition. Two other firefighters are reported to be in stable condition.

Firefighters helped two people from the building while two others escaped on their own. All four had minor injuries that were treated at a hospital.

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Two from Glenn Usdin's FireTruckBlog.com to tell you about. Above, in Clearwater, Florida a fire engine responding to a medical call ended up with a smashed windshield. The crew saw a man lob a chunk of concrete at the rig. Click here for that story.

Below, the Antique of the Week doesn't just have an old fire truck. It has an old film to go with it. Check it out.

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Saturday was a busy day for Ed Malik. Above is a house fire at 2788 Warren in Lake Station, Indiana that came in around noon. Here is some of what Ed wrote:

Just a note, the siding on the rear of the house was melted by an intense garage fire a few months back set by a disgruntled girlfriend and the melted siding on the side of the house was caused when the homeowner set a couch on fire about a year ago.

Around 3:00 PM, Ed shot the fire below at 15th and Connecticut in Gary, Indiana:

On arrival Battalion 4 advised of heavy smoke showing from a 2 story apartment building. Crews made an aggressive interior attack and brought the fire under control quickly.

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