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Prince George’s County Emergency Operations chief let go. Fire Chief Eugene Jones makes changes at the top with the firing of Lt. Col. Victor Stagnaro.

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Lt. Col. Victor Stagnaro from PGFD website.
Lt. Col. Victor Stagnaro from PGFD website.

Click here for previous coverage of Lt. Colonel Victor Stagnaro

STATter911.com has learned Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Lt. Col. Victor Stagnaro was presented papers late today saying that his services were no longer needed. Numerous sources within the department indicate Major Tyrone Forby, Chief Eugene Jones’ executive officer, presented Stagnaro with a letter saying Stagnaro’s last day is February 12.

Chief Jones, through a department spokesman, is presenting a different picture of what happened this afternoon. Mark Brady issued the following statement from the chief:

Colonel Stagnaro has indicated this afternoon his intent to retire from the fire and EMS department in the next two weeks. He will be on leave until the official date of his retirement.

Acting Lt. Col. Derrick Lea will move from Administrative Services and transferred to Emergency Operations.

No replacement to fill Colonel Lea’s former position has been determined.

Stagnaro has headed the Emergency Operations Command for about a year.  There has been no information yet on what specifically brought about today’s actions, but  STATter911.com has long been aware of tension between Stagnaro and Jones over staffing and other issues.

Despite the problems, in November, Chief Jones presented Stagnaro with a Distinguished Service Award. In a press release, the honor was described as prestigious and rarely awarded. The release included this letter of commendation by Chief Jones:

The Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department has faced many challenges in 2009. From fiscal challenges to large scale emergencies, the Emergency Operations Command has responded to all of them due in large part to your growth as a leader. As the award suggests, you have distinguished yourself as a leader. You have implemented a new patient care reporting system, a billing system, commanded one of the largest rescues in the history of the Department and operated with a reduced complement and budget.

Your actions and efforts as the Emergency Operations Commander have been remarkable. I have seen your growth as a leader and that growth has enabled your command to maintain and, in some areas of the County, enhance the quality of service that the Fire/EMS Department delivers to the public. This Distinguished Service Award is presented in recognition of the meritorious actions you have taken to keep the Emergency Operations Command operating at peak efficiency despite the resource challenges you and your command have faced.

I appreciate all the hard work and dedication you have exhibited. You are growing into the leader I always believed you had the capacity for. Thank you for your distinguished service.

STATter911.com has attempted to contact Lt. Colonel Stagnaro. Stagnaro has been with PGFD for 24-years.

Posted by on January 25, 2010 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Breaking News, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Funding & Staffing, News, PGFD, PGFD (MD), PIO • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The fire SUV: Chief’s buggy in Los Angeles becomes flood victim.

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CA LA Chief's buggy

A Los Angeles Times photo of an LAFD battalion chief’s vehicle that became caught up in the rains and mudslides of this afternoon.

More on the weather from the AP:

Another storm has roared into Southern California, bringing lightning, street flooding and gusty winds that flipped over a car, blew out windows and closed piers. 

No major damage or injuries have been reported, but the National Weather Service says intermittent rain may continue through Tuesday. 

The worst damage came when a thunderstorm with rotating, surging winds moved quickly through southern Los Angeles County and northern Orange County. 

In Seal Beach, the wind knocked a sport utility vehicle on its side, smashed windows in a home and knocked over small trees.

Posted by on January 19, 2010 • Filed under: Breaking News, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Los Angeles Fire Department, Major Incidents • Tagged: , , , ,

UPDATED: Watch video as Fairfax County USAR team makes rescue from crumbled UN building in Haiti. Security guard was below three collapsed floors and assisted in his own extrication. Fairfax to send a second team.

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Click here for slideshow of Fairfax County’s USAR team making rescue in Haiti

VA Fairfax USAR rescue

STATter911.com has learned the United States Agency for International Development has activated a second urban search and rescue team from Fairfax County, Virginia. Virginia Task Force 1 is now gathering a 42-member team at the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department’s training academy. The first team of 72-members from Fairfax has been on the ground in Port au Prince and has made at least one rescue. This is apparently the first time two teams have been employed from Fairfax County for an international response.

A man walked out of the collapsed United Nations building in Port au Prince, Haiti today thanks to the firefighters from Northern Virginia. Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department’s Lt. Mike Davis told CNN word came in overnight of someone trapped alive in the building. A four-person recon team confirmed the victim and called for a 15-person rescue squad.

A camera then confirmed the victim’s location and Lt. Davis said the crew began de-layering almost three floors of concrete in an effort to free the man. The man’s escape was hampered by a chair that blocked his way out. Firefighters were able to pass him a Sawzall to cut up the chair. Rescuers say the man walked out of the wreckage on his own.

The rescued man is a United Nation’s security guard from Estonia.

Virginia Task Force 1 arrived in Haiti at 4:00 PM on Wednesday. They have set up a base of operations at the American Embassy compound.

Posted by on January 14, 2010 • Filed under: Breaking News, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department, Haiti Earthquake, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gasoline tanker fire in Montgomery County, Maryland. Raw video of the crash & burn on Montrose Rd. at I-270. Fireground audio.

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Click here for Part 2 of the video.

Click here for slideshow of tanker truck fire

Click here for this morning’s Quick Takes, with other fire & EMS news

A tanker truck carrying between 7500 and 9000 gallons of gasoline overturned and caught fire as the rig exited I-270 at Montrose Road. Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Services Assistant Chief Scott Graham tells STATter911.com the tractor trailer turned onto the driver’s side around 4:40 AM, but the driver was able to escape unharmed as the truck caught fire.

According to Graham firefighters kept burning gasoline rolling down the road in check with handlines as they let much of the fuel burn off. A foam crash truck from Dulles Airport arrived about 30-minutes into the incident and about a half-hour later was used to extinguish the fire. A second foam unit from Frederick County, Maryland was also on the scene.

Graham says the burning fuel did not appear to impact the integrity of the Montrose Road overpass above I-270 as the fuel run off generally burned away from the structure.

More details later.

More audio: Part 2; Part 3.

Posted by on January 14, 2010 • Filed under: Breaking News, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, HazMat, Major Incidents, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MD), must see video, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

UPDATED: 1 firefighter dead, 1 critical, 3 others injured in a dumpster explosion at a foundry. Victims from St. Anna FD in Calumet County, Wisconsin.

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Bremer Manufacturing website

St. Anna Fire Department website

WLUK-TV

WBAY-TV

FirefighterCloseCalls.com

 Article by  Ben Jones at postcrescent.com:

A 33-year-old St. Anna firefighter died and four other firefighters were injured, one seriously, in an explosion Tuesday night at a foundry just west of the unincorporated community in southern Calumet County.

Image from the St. Anna Fire Department website.

Image from the St. Anna Fire Department website.

Calumet County Sheriff Gerald Pagel, who declined to immediately identify any of the victims, said there was no initial indication of what caused the blast in a dumpster at Bremer Manufacturing, W2002 County Q. The company is located about one mile west of St. Anna. The scene is not far from Fond du Lac and Sheboygan counties.

The blast occurred in one of several dumpsters located about 50 feet from the highway.

Pagel said the state fire marshal and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were being called in to assist with the investigation.

Pagel said one of his officers on patrol saw a fire on the Bremer grounds about 7:20 p.m. and called for the St. Anna Fire Department to respond.

No employees were at the foundry at the time of the fire. Bremer officials could not be reached for comment.

The 33-year-old victim was pronounced dead at the scene, said Calumet Sheriff’s Lt. Brett Bowe.

Megan Wilcox, a spokeswoman for Appleton-based ThedaCare, said one firefighter was in critical condition at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah after being flown there by ThedaStar helicopter.

She had no information about the victim’s identity or extent of injuries.

The other three firefighters had non-life-threatening injuries and were being treated at Calumet Medical Center in Chilton, Pagel said. Their identities were not released.

Alice Thome, who lives about a quarter mile from the foundry, said she heard an explosion some time before 8 p.m. “It sort of shook everything,” she said.

David Boll, who lives about a half mile from the site, said he heard the blast at about 7:50 p.m.

“It rocked the house,” he said.

Boll immediately drove to the scene to see what happened.

“There was a large plume of white smoke in the sky,” he said.

Boll said he left after he saw firefighters were already on the scene. He said officials blocked off about a one-mile stretch of County Q.

Bill Braun, who lives about 500 feet from the blast, said he was home with his wife, Linda Suda, at the time. He thought something had exploded inside his house.

“It just shook everything,” he said. “Things fell off the wall. It just rocked the house. It was just a bad explosion.”

Braun said he went to the blast scene and said the front of the Bremer building did not appear to be damaged.

“You wouldn’t think the building would still be standing. This was a real bad explosion,” he said.

Suda said she thought a car had hit their house. “We have cracks in the wall that we didn’t have before,” she said. “It was massive.”

Suda said this event will be difficult for the area.

“It’s a really close-knit community,” she said. “Everybody knows everybody, and everyone is related.”

After the explosion, the New Holstein and Kiel fire departments relieved St. Anna firefighters at the scene. Also responding were New Holstein first responders and the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department.

Posted by on December 30, 2009 • Filed under: Breaking News, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

EVENING UPDATE: New details, videos & fireground audio. A dozen fires overnight in Northampton, Massachusetts. Arson spree leaves two people dead.

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Fireground audio from the overnight fires from firefighterdispatch. Part 2 and Part 3.

Latest story and video from GazetteNet.com

Watch excerpts from Sunday afternoon press conference

WHDH-TV coverage

Slideshow

Read about series of car fires in early December

Sunday evening update:

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was among the officials to attend a press conference Sunday afternoon about the series of fires that occurred between 2:00 AM and 3:15 AM in the college town of Northampton. A $5,000 reward has been offered in the investigation that includes one fire where two men were killed.

Officials now report a dozen incidents within a half-mile radius of downtown to include five house fires, four vehicle fires, two attempted house fires and an attempted vehicle fire. But according to the news coverage the officials at the press conference would not state the obvious conclusion that an arsonist is on the loose. The would only refer to the fires as suspicious.

Here is an excerpt from GazetteNet.com:

All of the fires took place in a half-mile radius of downtown. The people who died were occupants of a Fair Street home that was destroyed in the blaze, according to Northampton Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Norris, who spoke at the Carlon Drive fire station this morning.

The street list identifies the occupants of that home as Paul Yeske Sr., 81, Paul Yeske Jr., 39, and Elaine Yeske, 73. Authorities said today that two male residents of the home died, while one survived; officials had not yet officially released the names of the fire victims.

Norris said firefighters were initially called to a fire at a Union Street home. While battling that blaze, he said the department received multiple calls of other structure and vehicle fires in the area.

The second fire was reported on Highland Avenue, the third on Fair Street and the fourth on Northern Avenue, which involved a garage.

In all, firefighters responded to structure fires on Fair Street, Union Street, Highland Avenue and Northern Avenue, Williams Street and Pomeroy Terrace. Vehicle fires also took place on Fair Street, Williams Street, Pomeroy Terrace and Crescent Street. Multiple car fires were reported on North Street.

At 26 Union St. fire, two residents were able to get out to safety after the house began to burn.

A Northampton police officer taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for treatment after suffering an injury while investigating the fire of two porches on Highland Avenue

More from WBZ-TV:

Residents on Fair Street said an arsonist has been setting fires for at least a year in the area known as Ward 3, which is between the city’s downtown area and its small airport.

Neighborhood groups have met with police and fire officials several times to discuss the problem, which in the past were nuisance fires such as leaves being set ablaze or car fires, the Courant reported.

Northampton, where Smith College is located, is known for its vibrant downtown and is part of an academic community that is home to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College and Hampshire College.


Earlier coverage:

A tragic and busy night in Northampton, Massachusetts. There were at least eleven separate fires within a half-mile radius according to WGGB-TV.

Northampton Fire Chief Brian Duggan told reporters that there were four significant building fires, four vehicle fires next to buildings and three smaller fires. Fourteen surrounding towns provided mutual aid.

Image of Fair Street fire from WWLP-TV.

Image of Fair Street fire from WWLP-TV.

The first fire was reported shortly before 2:00 this morning.

Northampton Fire Chief Brian Duggan tells ABC 40 and Fox 6 that just before 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning the first call came in for a fire and they just keep coming. In a little more than an hour eleven calls, for eleven separate fires all for the most part within a half-mile radius.

Fourteen surrounding towns responded to assist Northampton Fire, and the City Emergency Operation Center has been activated.

While it has been difficult this morning finding specifics about the fires on the web, WSHM-TV reports the fatalities occurred in a home on Fair Street.

Here is more from the station’s website:

Northampton fire officials met with neighbors in November after a string of fires that caused property damage. In late 2007, the city also logged several vehicle fires that were believed to be the work of an arsonist.

Posted by on December 27, 2009 • Filed under: Breaking News, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News • Tagged: , , , ,

More pain in Baltimore: Number of rotating closures reduced, but one engine and two trucks to close permanently.

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Baltimore City Fire Department photo of Chief James Clack.

Baltimore City Fire Department photo of Chief James Clack.

Fire company locations in Baltimore

Baltimore City Fire Department Chief Jim Clack confirms for STATter911.com this morning they are making three of the five daily rotating closure slots permanent. Engine 14, Truck 15 and Truck 16 are scheduled to shut down on January 1. There will still be two daily rotating closures of fire companies.

The details are outlined in the message below from Chief Clack posted this morning on the forum of the IAFF Local 734 website  by its president Bob Sledgeski:

Because I have committed to keeping the entire command staff and both the Union Presidents informed as soon as important decisions are made, I have copied all of you this morning on this very important message from me regarding unit closures for the rest of FY 2010.

 1. For the rest of December 2009, we will continue the current practice of up to five rotating closures of fire companies per day.

 2. We are going to permanently close Engine 14, Truck 15 and Truck 16 effective January 1, 2010. The personnel assigned to these companies will be reassigned to other companies per the current MOU provisions with the unions. Appropriate notifications will be made as soon as possible (today).

 3. There will be some reduction in the number of Emergency Vehicle Operator, Pump Operator, Lieutenant and Captain promotional positions available going forward. We will work with the unions during the next week to come up with the appropriate number for each rated position within the guidelines of the labor agreement. One of the goals in this process will be to avoid reductions in rank if at all possible.

 4. We will move Engine 31 down into the quarters of Truck 15 on January 1, 2010 and they will remain running from there until their station is finished.

 5. The quarters of Engine 14 will be used for apparatus storage only. No in service fire or medic units will be stationed there. The building will need to be marked appropriately so that residents know the station is out of service.

 6. We will still have to accomplish up to two more rotating closures of fire suppression units for vehicle maintenance and overtime control during day works and to reduce the need for overtime during night works. This will maintain our current practice of up to five companies out of service each shift (three “permanent” and two “rotating” closures for the remainder of this fiscal year.

 7. We will also continue to relocate companies when a single house is vacant for any reason. Apparatus will not sit outside during the winter months. This restriction will limit the “pool” of available companies for closure and many fire companies will not be participating in the rotating closure plan for this reason.

 8. Once Engine 31 goes back into their station around July 1, 2010, the station of Truck 15 will permanently close. The quarters of Truck 15 will also need to be marked appropriately to notify the public at that time.

 9. This leaves us with very little room for error in deploying our suppression forces on a daily basis. The Shift Commanders and Battalion Chiefs will need to be more engaged than they ever have been in the minute by minute management of resources on the street.

 10. Chief Officers must continue to carefully assess risk to firefighters vs. expected benefits to be gained by interior operations when deploying companies for interior operations at the scene of structure fires. Since there will be less fire companies available on the fire ground within four minutes at fires, it will become necessary to pull companies out of structures quicker than in the past.

 11. I also expect that all Incident Commanders will insure that there are always companies available in the staging area near the fire ground for immediate deployment. This will require even quicker declarations of working fires and quicker use of multiple alarms as conditions dictate. The Shift Commander will respond to all working fires and may take command at their discretion.

 12. For my part as Fire Chief, I will be working very hard over the next several months to argue that we have done as much as we can do to get the city through the current economic depression and that the fire department very much needs to be spared further cuts to the fire suppression force in FY 2011.

James S. Clack

Fire Chief

Baltimore City Fire Department

Posted by on December 7, 2009 • Filed under: Baltimore City Fire Department, Breaking News, Command & Leadership, Customer Service, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Funding & Staffing, News • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

UPDATED- New videos, photos & fireground audio from 5-alarm fire in Rochester, New York. Second fire of the day at a Family Dollar. Lookout broadcast for suspect.

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Above is raw video from the fire at Ridge-Clinton Plaza taken by DemocratandChronicle.com.

Monroe County Fire Wire has fireground audio from both fires and a series of pictures (Video from MCFW below)

Photo gallery

UPDATED AT 7:20 PM: Two fires in Rochester, New York today at Family Dollar stores. The first was out quickly. That was not the case at the second fire. It occurred about two miles away and was reported 50-minutes after the first blaze. There is a lookout for a suspect. Firegeezer Bill Schumm has been writing for months about fires at Family Dollar stores and the chain’s similarly named competitors.

In an interview at the bottom of this entry, Rochester Fire Department Chief John Caufield called the second fire one of the fastest moving fires in his career. The chief says the first arriving units had smoke in the building that quickly showed itself as a rapidly advancing fire throughout the building.

Here is the latest from DemocratandChronicle.com:

A four-alarm blaze in a Rochester Family Dollar store that started around noon today spread through the Ridge-Clinton Plaza.

NY Rochester Family Dollar 1

Rochester Fire Chief John Caufield said the blaze was under control at 5:20 p.m. today, although firefighters will be on the scene throughout the night.

Dozens of fire trucks are at the scene, and the front and rear of the building are fully engulfed, with flames shooting through the roof. Portions of the plaza have collapsed. Heavy black smoke is blanketing the area. The smoke was visible from miles away.

Traffic on Route 104 near the fire site — restricted much of the afternoon — was open again in both directions by 6:30 p.m..

Caufield would not label the fire arson, but he said, “We’re definitely going to look at that. We certainly want to explore that angle.”

He said that a team of investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are expected to arrive in Rochester tomorrow morning to assist in the investigation. Caufield said that they would provide assistance because of the magnitude of the fire and because of the fire reported at a different Family Dollar store about the same time today.

The fire investigators were called on because of “the multimillion-dollar loss here and “We have some questions about the cause of this fire and we need some of their expertise to help us do some of the analysis.” Caufield said.

Dozens of fire trucks are at the scene, and the front and rear of the building were fully engulfed, with flames shooting through the roof. Portions of the plaza have collapsed. Heavy black smoke blanketed the area. The smoke was visible from miles away.

A crowd of nearly 200 onlookers has gathered to watch, many taking photos.

NY Rochester Family Dollar 4

Rochester Fire Lt. Willie Jackson said the fire started around noon at 1731 N. Clinton Ave. More than 60 firefighters from 15 city companies and at least two suburban departments are at the scene, he said.

Jackson said there have been no firefighter or civilian injuries and all customers of plaza businesses were able to escape safely.

A cache of paint, paint thinner and other possibly explosive chemicals was safely removed from the Auto Finishers Supply Co. store in the plaza, Jackson said.

Joe Ignizio, 35, of Greece, co-owns the Fireball Wireless store just two doors down from the Family Dollar. He said he was working in his office in the back of the shop when he heard people rush outside. He was surprised by how quickly the fire moved.

“The flames are in there now,” he said earlier of the store his family has run since 1994. “I didn’t think it would get this far.”

NY Rochester Family Dollar map“A whole lot of people (in the plaza) are going to be out of work,” he said.

The North Clinton Avenue fire is the second fire at a city Family Dollar store this morning. A fire at the store located at 836 N. Goodman Street was reported at 11:39 a.m.

Jackson said that fire was “small and contained.”

He said authorities have notified all local Family Dollar stores that “there may be a problem.”

Around 12:15 p.m., 911 dispatchers broadcast a “special attention” call throughout the county for police agencies to be on the lookout for an apparent arsonist striking Family Dollar stores.

Jackson said the city’s arson investigation team was at the scene, but he would not speculate on the cause of the fire.

The video above includes an interview with Rochester Fire Department Chief John Caufield.

Posted by on November 23, 2009 • Filed under: Breaking News, fire, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Police, Videos • Tagged: , , , , ,

Paraplegic driver guilty in first-degree murder of FF Michelle Smith. Definition of firefighter important in case of slain Delaware City Fire Company member.

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DE Delaware City Michelle Smith

More from FirefighterCloseCalls.com

Previous STATter911.com coverage here, here, here and here

From Sean O’Sullivan at DelawareOnline.com:

Paraplegic Joseph Taye was found guilty today of first-degree murder for running into Michelle Smith of the Delaware City Fire Company on Dec. 20 2008 as Smith tended to an injured man lying on the side of U.S. 13.

By the end of a 10-day bench trial in October, there was no doubt that 29-year-old Taye had been driving the car — using a stick to work the pedals — that struck and killed Smith, 29, and defense attorney Joe Hurley had largely conceded that point.DE New Castle Taye

The question that did remain for Superior Court Judge Jerome O. Herlihy to decide was Smith’s status at the time of the accident. If she was a firefighter, then Taye was guilty of first-degree murder, which carries an automatic sentence of life in prison. If she was best defined as an ambulance driver or emergency medical responder – or even a firefighter who was not “in the line of duty” when she was struck – then Taye was guilty of the lesser offense of manslaughter, which carries a minimum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum of 25 years.

In a brief proceeding this morning, Herlihy ruled that even though Smith was not riding on the fire truck that responded to the scene, and was not dressed as a firefighter that night, she qualified as a firefighter under the law because she had completed her training and had been designated a firefighter by the Delaware City Fire Company. In addition, Herlihy said the duties, and commonly accepted definition, of a firefighter go far beyond just fighting fires and include such things as responding to motor vehicle accidents.

The evidence in the case concluded five weeks ago and all sides had been waiting for the judge to render a verdict.

Several days ago it was announced that Herlihy would be announcing his verdict this morning, so the courtroom was packed to overflowing. Dozens of emergency services personnel from around the county, attending in dress uniform, had to wait in the hall because they could not fit into the courtroom.

DE Delaware City crash sceneWhen Herlihy read his verdict on the lead charge, a small cheer came from Smith’s family. Taye, who is in a wheelchair and was in court dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, had been staring at the floor during the proceeding, briefly looked up an over at the Smith family, then returned to staring at the floor.

Herlihy then announced he also found Taye guilty of manslaughter, first-degree assault, reckless endangering, leaving the scene of an accident and driving with a suspended license.

Hurley said his client would be appealing the ruling.

As Taye exited, a family member shouted, “Love you Joe,” and “Ain’t nothing but another fight.”

Outside the courtroom, prosecutors Sean Lugg and John Down said they were pleased with the result.

Dave Carpenter Jr., a spokesman for the Delaware City Fire Company, praised the ruling as a landmark. “It sets a precedent for defining a fire fighter,” he said, and can now be used to help protect others.

Posted by on November 20, 2009 • Filed under: Breaking News, Courts, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

UPDATE- Maryland firefighter hit by vehicle at fire scene. Ends up on hood of car with serious injuries as she stretched supply line across a street.

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MD Montgomery seal 2A Montgomery County, Maryland firefighter is in a local hospital after being hit by a car at the scene of a working fire Monday night. The injured firefighter was the driver of the first arriving engine to the alarm at 10320 Westlake Drive in Bethesda around 7:30 PM. The 47-year-old firefighter is a veteran of the department assigned to Station 26.

According to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Assistant Chief Scott Graham, the firefighter, wearing a reflective vest, was dragging a supply line across the street to a hydrant, when a car lurched forward. The firefighter ended up on the hood of that vehicle.

The firefighter has serious, but non-life-threatening trauma. She is being treated for orthopedic injuries.

MD Montgomery Westlake

According to Graham, the firefighter had actually made contact with the driver before being struck. The firefighter told the man to wait until she moved a coupling. Graham said her intention was to allow the driver to move his car before the line was charged.

 Sources indicate the driver of the car is elderly and may have confused the brake with the accelerator. Police have filed charged against the man.

The fire generated a lot of smoke on the fourth floor of the apartment building. A task force and rapid intervention dispatch was sent to the fire in addition to the initial box alarm.

Posted by on November 16, 2009 • Filed under: Breaking News, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MD), News, Police • Tagged: , , , ,

UPDATED: Three dead in helicopter crash in California north of Reno, Nevada. Victims are crew members on medical flight. Picture from scene in Lassen County.

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Photo by Marilyn Newton, RGJ.

Photo by Marilyn Newton, RGJ.


From RGJ.com:

Three crew members died when a medical helicopter crashed northwest of Reno in California’s Lassen County around 2 a.m. today.

The Mountain Lifeflight helicopter 3 had dropped off a patient in Reno and was returning to Susanville at the time of the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration reported.

Google map of crash site.

Google map of crash site.

The crash was on the west side of U.S. 395 between Hallelujah Junction and the north loop of the Red Rock Road intersection with U.S. 395.

The helicopter is an Aerospatiale AS350 and it was destroyed by the crash impact and the fire, the FAA reported. The pilot was not communicating with air traffic controllers at the time of the accident, the FAA said. FAA and NTSB investigators were headed to the scene.

Mountain Lifeflight issued a brief statement confirming three crew members were lost and said more information would be released when it was made available.

It was a Mountain Lifeflight 3 helicopter that crashed in March 2002 after dropping off a patient in Reno, killing the pilot.

The helicopter with three on board had just passed over Honey Lake with pilot Raymond Watson at the controls.

Nurse Gary Zahniser recalled in a 2002 interview that he sat chatting with flight paramedic Chuck Jerpeon and then the next thing he remember, Zahniser was underwater, struggling to get his seat belt off so he could swim to the surface.

“It happened so fast,” Zahniser, said then. . “It’s like you’re in a dream, and it’s surreal.”

“We were flying over Honey Lake and both just kind of chitchatting, and then the next thing I knew I was underwater,” Zahniser said.

Two people survived the crash into Honey Lake.

Posted by on November 14, 2009 • Filed under: Aviation Incidents, Breaking News, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Fires, Major Incidents, News • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

CO leak at Maryland church. At least three people transported from St. Bernard Parish in Prince George’s County. More treated.

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Click the image for the Google Map Street View of the area.

Click the image for the Google Map Street View of the area.

Prince George’s County firefighters and medics have been on the scene of a carbon monoxide emergency at a church since about 6:30 this evening. The location is Saint Bernard Catholic Church in the Riverdale Park area.

In a press release, PGFD Chief Spokesman Mark Brady said that the original call was for a person feeling faint and dizzy. When the first EMS unit arrived other reported similar symptoms.

Here’s more from Brady’s press release sent just before 8:00 PM:

Additional Firefighters and the Departments Hazardous Materials Team, Mass-Casualty Support Unit and Mobile Ambulance Bus were called to the scene to assist. One person reported that work on the church’s boiler had been performed earlier in the day. A gas meter detecting the level of CO in the atmosphere showed levels at 1300. A normal CO level should be around 0 – 30 parts per million (ppm). The building was evacuated and the utilities were shut off. CO levels have started to decrease.

At this point 3 patients have been transported to area hospitals, an adult female and two children, both around 10 years of age. As many as 10 additional patients are receiving oxygen, being monitored by paramedics on the scene and are being prepared for transport on-board the Departments Mobile Ambulance Bus.

Posted by on November 7, 2009 • Filed under: Breaking News, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, HazMat, Mass Casualty Incident, News, PGFD, PGFD (MD), PIO, Special Operations • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Orlando office building shootings: 1 confirmed dead. 5 others wounded. Gunman apprehended.

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UPDATE- A press conference at 2:20 PM with Orlando officials confirms the gunman has been apprehended. One person is confirmed dead. Five others wounded and one person transported with medical issues.

Earlier article from FloridaToday.com:

A gunman opened fire Friday in the offices of an engineering firm where he was let go more than two years ago.

At least six people were hurt and police are not confirming earlier reports that two were killed. Police were searching for a gunman in a sport utility vehicle.

From FloridaToday.com

From FloridaToday.com

People streamed out of the 16-story Legion Place office building around lunchtime and some told local television stations they had barricaded themselves inside their offices.

Orlando Fire Department District Chief Michael Droege said an unknown number of people were still in the building and could be injured. He said the SWAT team was trying to pull people out.

“The building is not secure now,” he said. “It’s still unfolding.”

Orlando police spokeswoman Barbara Jones identified the gunman as Jason Rodriguez, 40, and said he might be in a 2002 silver Nissan SUV with license plate D119UX. She said he used to work at the building but did not say where or when he left.

“I would consider him armed and dangerous,” Jones said. She said at least five people were taken to a hospital and another had chest pains but did not go to the hospital. Orlando Regional Medical Center said four people were being treated in the emergency department.

From FloridaToday.com

From FloridaToday.com

She confirmed witnesses told police the shooting started at Reynolds Smith & Hill, a transportation engineering consulting firm in the building.

Company spokesman Mike Bernof told CNN all the people shot were in the firm’s office. He could not say if any died.

Rodriguez, an engineer, was released in June 2007 for performance issues, Bernof said. He could not say why. The firm performs transportation engineering work with the Florida Department of Transportation.

Gerry Gilgo, who works on the floor where the shooting occurred, told The Associated Press she was meeting a co-worker at the elevators for lunch.

“She yelled, ‘There are gunshots! There are gunshots! Get back in your office,’” Gilgo said.

Will Halpern, an attorney works on the building’s 17th floor, was among the last group to be evacuated. He said the lobby was filled with about 20 officers in SWAT gear, carrying assault weapons, ready to search.

Interstate 4 was closed in both directions through downtown and nearby schools were locked down.

Rows of ambulances lined up outside the building as police snipers took up positions around the building and officers on foot and horseback searched the area.

Orlando police are asking that anyone with family who works at Reynolds, Smith & Hills to go to College Park Baptist Church, located at 1914 Edgewater Drive, so they can speak with them.

Posted by on November 6, 2009 • Filed under: Breaking News, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Police, Videos • Tagged: , , , , ,