Vacant car dealership burns, firefighter hurt: The firefighter hurt his knee helping homeless squatters get out of this vacant building in Vallejo, California yesterday morning. The fire went to three-alarms. Read the details.
Was paramedic criminally negligent?: That’s the question the Special Victim’s Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Branch has been charged with determining following the death of two-year-old Stephanie Stephens. The mayor, fire chief, police chief and attorney general of the District of Columbia contend there is enough information about the actions of the paramedic in charge when the decision was made on the initial 911 call not to transport the little girl that detectives specializing in the deaths of children need to take a closer look. Here’s the story.
DC’s former fire chief now says fire & EMS should be separated: Former DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Adrian Thompson now believes EMS in the District of Columbia should be a third service. Thompson tells Matt Cella of The Washington Times, “It’s not working. It’s a cultural issue. They’re not going to change the culture of this department.” Here are more excerpts-
The former chief, who is black, said white firefighters with generational ties to the department largely have been less accepting of the job’s evolving responsibilities, particularly an increased emphasis in recent decades on providing pre-hospital care.
“They want to be firefighters and firefighters only,” he said, adding that black firefighters have entered the department in significant numbers in only the past 20 or 30 years and largely have been more open to other responsibilities if it meant securing a job.
Deputy Chief Kenneth Crosswhite, a spokesman for Chief Dennis L. Rubin, who is white, called Mr. Thompson’s conclusions “totally ludicrous.” He estimated that the department has about 45 percent non-minority employees and 55 percent minority employees.
“For someone to make an assertion like that is totally, totally out of touch with today’s reality,” he said. “Leadership starts at the top. If he had that notion during his tenure, he should have solved the problem.”
Chief Thompson was in charge of the department in January, 2006 when former New York Times reporter David Rosenbaum was murdered. Thompson initially told reporters that his review of the case found no problems in the care provided to the dying man. An inspector general’s report discovered many issues in how first responders and Howard University Hospital dealt with Rosenbaum.
Life sentence for man who killed Delaware’s Michelle Smith: Joseph Taye was give his sentence yesterday for running down Firefighter Smith as she tended to the victim of a motorcycle crash near the Wilmington airport. Taye, a paraplegic, apologized in court for the harm he has done. Click here for the story.
Black firefighters talk about race relations in Chicago: As the Supreme Court deals with a case that hinges on hiring practices, some firefighters give their views on the state of race relations in the Chicago Fire Department. Click here and here.
Late assault report between firefighters in North Carolina: In Elon a fire captain is accused of assaulting a firefighter who was welding at the firehouse after some initial horseplay over keys. Here are the details.
I am very open-minded and try to consider all sides and options before coming to a conclusion. When I posted a must see video from Erie, Pennsylvania late last night, I failed to live up to my own standards. For that I apologize to you, my loyal readers.
I brought up what I thought were two of the most obvious options for the vehicle not pulling out of the way of the responding rig. But now that I have become aware of a story on what caused a crash in the Florida Keys I realized there are is another option that could have kept the driver from moving to the curb: Safety.
Maybe, just maybe, they were being extra cautious while they were doing some personal grooming (emphasis on personal). In Cudjoe Key a woman and her ex-husband weren’t so cautious and police say they caused a collision injuring others.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say a two-vehicle crash Tuesday at Mile Marker 21 on Cudjoe Key was caused by a 37-year-old woman driver who was shaving her bikini area while her ex-husband took the wheel from the passenger seat.
“She said she was meeting her boyfriend in Key West and wanted to be ready for the visit,” Trooper Gary Dunick said. “If I wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have believed it. About 10 years ago I stopped a guy in the exact same spot … who had three or four syringes sticking out of his arm. It was just surreal and I thought, ‘Nothing will ever beat this.’ Well, this takes it.”
If that weren’t enough, Megan Mariah Barnes was not supposed to be driving and her 1995 Ford Thunderbird was not supposed to be on the road.
The day before the wreck, Barnes was convicted in an Upper Keys court of DUI with a prior and driving with a suspended license, said Monroe County Assistant State Attorney Colleen Dunne.
Barnes and Charles Judy were southbound in her Thunderbird at 11 a.m. when they slammed into the back of a 2006 Chevrolet pickup driven by David Schoff of Palm Bay. His passengers were a man and two women; the latter were treated for minor injuries at Lower Keys Medical Center, FHP spokesman Alex Annunziato said.
Barnes allegedly drove another half-mile, then switched seats with Judy, who allegedly claimed to be driving, Annunziato said.
“She jumps in the back seat and he moves over,” Dunick said. “It was like the old comedy bit, ‘Who’s on first?’ “
Burns on Judy’s chest from the passenger-side airbag deploying belied their story, Dunick said. The airbag in the steering wheel did not deploy, he said.
“My phone has been ringing off the hook all day, and I know there’s a funny side to this, but it’s also deadly serious. This is a scary road and a lot of bad wrecks are caused by dumb stuff like this,” Dunick said. “It is unbelievable. I’m really starting to believe this stuff only happens in the Keys.”
“I have never sexually harassed any woman or man in my life. I do not proposition women. I don’t have to. Women usually proposition me. God has blessed me like that.”
I wonder what advice TheFirePIO.com’s Jeff Bressler would have for this one. An interesting reaction from Chicago Fire Commissioner John Brooks over allegations that he sexually harassed a former fire department auditor. Brooks is taking some time off “to stay out of the way” as the previously stalled investigation gets moving again. Read more in the Chicago Sun-Times article by Fran Spielman and Fank Main.
Hampton, NH fire in HD: A video I failed to post over the weekend was Rick Nohl’s HD version of the five-alarm fire that took out most of a block along the ocean front during the coastal storm early Friday. Click here for the earlier coverage and here for more of Rick’s work.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Just added: Always check out our player in the right hand column for the latest videos. wusa9.com’s Emily Cyr, late this morning, posted an overnight fire in a vacant building in Bellingham, Washington. You will also find search and rescue videos from Chile (here, here and here). And Emily has put together images of fire & rescue crews searching for quake victims. Click here.
A mini-milestone for STATter911.com: Unless all of you just decide to shut-up for the day and give me the cold shoulder I am expecting that we will be posting comment number 15,000 on this blog in the next hour or two. Obviously we have received more comments than that, but some (I am guessing 1,000 or so) weren’t posted due to not meeting even the low standards that I have. As I have mentioned before, the comments section is the part of the blog that brings me the most criticism (even from some of my closest friends). I do enjoy the interaction and the well-thought out writings that aren’t personal attacks. I have learned a lot from your comments, including those critical of the jerk who writes this junk each day.
So, keep them coming. Keep them clean (this blog is still affiliated with the TV station where I am employed). Do your best to play nice. And if you really want to get on the good side of me, toss in some humor when it is appropriate (but I will probably like it even if it isn’t appropriate).
Must see police dashcam video: A Brooklyn Heights, Ohio police lieutenant is on the mend with multiple fractures after he tried to help a motorist who spun out on an icy highway. A second driver did the same thing with his car as the two men in the vehicle’s path tried desperately to get out of the way. This is a video that is relevant to anyone who works road side. Check it out.
A firing offense: I am still fascinated by the story from Colleton, South Carolina where Firefighter/Paramedic Jason Brown was fired over a video he created and posted on his Facebook. Brown says it was done on his own time, with his own computer. It is one of those text-to-movie clips involving a firefighter character. I am sure, like me, you have received, or possibly made, similar videos. We brought this one up Friday in our last Quick Takes and the comments are coming in. If you missed it, click here. By the way, the top video of Firefighter Mike going off on 911 abuse is not the Jason Brown production. It is the other one, in the hospital emergency department.
The battle in Cherry Hill, New Jersey: The fire chief calls the place a “boys club or fraternity” and deactivated Cherry Hill Company No. 1. The volunteers are continuing to battle in an effort to start responding to calls again. Philly.com has the latest on the story we first told you about on November 1.
Gated community’s gates bring lawsuit: An ambulance unable to easily get through an unmanned gate at a community in Beaufort County, South Carolina last April was apparently delayed for up to three minutes. The victim died of a heart attack. His widow has filed suit against fire and EMS crews, along with developers, property management and the property owners association. Click here for the story.
Radio traffic from Maryland plane crash: The pilot was killed as a small plane crashed and burned near homes in Anne Arundel County. Click here.
Close-up raw video from 1987 Boston plane crash & nine-alarm fire: Now retired overnight freelance videographer Bill Harrigan shot this pretty spectacular piece of tape from the crash in Dorchester. Check it out.
A more up-to-date Boston story: Also from Dorchester, Pat Foley was on his way to work at Engine 21 on Saturday. He ended up meeting some of his crew at a fire near the firehouse where they teamed up for the rescue of an elderly woman. Read more.
Pension at center of contract dispute: In Palm Bay, Florida both sides are going in front of a special magistrate in an effort to agree on a contract. Firefighters say they have given enough concessions with wage freezes and are not willing to budge on the pension relief the city wants. Palm Bay officials believe the pension cuts are the “new normal”. Read the article.
Three dead in New Jersey house fire: A young girl and her parents died in this fire in Toms River on Saturday. Read more.
Gary house fire: A Edward Malik video is posted here with the usual many comments the Gary videos seem to generate. Malik’s latest effort (not from Gary), taken early this morning, is below.
Vacant commercial structure in Hobart, Indiana: This fire was at 2nd & East. No injuries were reported.
Very early video in Tempe, Arizona: A neighbor grabbed his camera as he escaped a neighboring apartment from this February 16th fire at the Worthington Place complex on Hardy Drive in Tempe. He began rolling before the arrival of firefighters. A man and a woman who escaped through a second floor window were injured. The man, Alan Schuler, was seriously burned. He is a member of an improv comedy troupe. The fire occurred just after midnight.
Two firefighters struck by EMS captain in Fairfax County: An EMS supervisor pulling up to the scene of a cyclist struck in Herndon, Virginia last night hit two firefighters already treating the patient. The SUV, driven by EMS 401, was described as “slow moving” at the time of the collision. One of the firefighters was flown to a trauma unit, but both have since been treated and released. We have pictures & video from the scene, along with the radio traffic. Click here.
What happens in Las Vegas leaves Las Vegas: This includes a memo from City of Las Vegas Chief Greg Gammon. Firefighter Nation alerted us to this story from the Review-Journal. The paper’s Lawrence Mower reports, “The Las Vegas Fire Department chief is urging his firefighters to avoid spending time at the gym during work hours and not to ‘abuse sick leave’ as his department battles poor public perception during its stand to avoid pay cuts and layoffs.” There is much more. Read the memo. Read the article.
Lots of opinions on the border war: It seems like I spent most of yesterday moderating comments about the story of the dispute between Anne Arundel County and Calvert County’s Dunkirk VFD. More than 50 comments so far. If you missed the update, Dunkirk’s wagon driver, David Stream, has been charged by Anne Arundel County police in the February 14 collision with Tower 40 that has brought many issues to the surface. Stream is also a career firefighter in Prince George’s County. Here is our coverage and all the comments.
Driver of ambulance responding to his own burning home charged: Ron Young alerted us to this follow-up to a really tragic story. Joseph Sims Jr. has now been charged with careless driving in the crash that occurred while he was responding in a Middle Township, New Jersey ambulance to a fire at his own home. That fire trapped and killed Sims’ elderly father. Officials say Sims responded on his own with lights and sirens and not in an official capacity. That played a role in the decision to charge. Read the latest. Click here for our earlier coverage of the crash and the fire.
Three UK fire officials in custody over deaths of four firefighters: The November, 2007 fire at a vegetable packing plant in Warwickshire has resulted in the arrest of three men described as fire service staff and members of the union. The three turned themselves at a police station to be ”questioned on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and offences under health and safety laws.” More from the BBC.
53 days later, burned Modesto firefighter walks out of the hospital: Fire Engineer James Adams is now home and his colleagues who were by his side through his ordeal made sure Adams’ departure from the burn unit was celebrated. Adams had been there since New Years Day when he and Firefighter Jason Clevenger fell through the roof of a burning home. Read the story. Watch the raw video. Click here and here for our previous coverage of this story.
Chief cuffed: The other story that has people talking is the February 15th incident where a battalion chief was handcuffed by a member of the California Highway Patrol at a crash scene. If you didn’t see the latest version of our story we added interviews with the CHP spokesperson and the Montecito fire chief. Click here for our coverage.
The must read story from Detroit: It immediately was overshadowed by the events from Austin after I posted this one from Detroit News reporter Charlie LeDuff. Still, it really is worth taking the time to read. LeDuff visited fire stations, apparently against Detroit Fire Department rules, in his effort to determine how money allocated for firehouse repairs was used. He found it was used, but apparently not for fixing the fire stations. The response from fire department officials is quite interesting. Here is the story.
Collision between two fire trucks that appears to be a hit and run: Dave is kicking himself for not finding the time to follow this one after receiving a tip a few days ago. If you haven’t done so already, check out the coverage by the Annapolis Capital of the crash Sunday between a fire engine from Dunkirk in Calvert County and Anne Arundel County’s Tower 40. Police report that charges are pending against the driver of Dunkirk’s engine (whose driving duties are currently suspended). The police report indicates that Tower 40 had the green light as it was responding though an intersection and was sideswiped by the Dunkirk rig. This pushed the tower into two other vehicles. Witnesses say the Dunkirk engine kept going to the call, but Chief Toby Sealy says his firefighters are indicating they didn’t leave the scene. Here’s the story.
$6.2 million discrimination & harrassment award to LAFD firefighter overturned: The 2nd District Court of Appeals says Brenda Lee, a black lesbian firefighter, failed to exhaust administrative remedies. Read the latest.
Dispute between volunteer companies over newspaper ad: In November we told you about the ousting of Fire Company No. 1 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Now, they have taken out an ad urging citizens to vote against the $25 million budget. It has estranged them from two other volunteer houses in the Cherry Hill District. Here’s the latest.
One fire officials answer to slow EMS response times – lie about your symptoms: We just came across an article from earlier this month where a deputy fire chief in Erin, Ontario tells people to exaggerate their symptoms when calling for an ambulance so a fire truck can also be sent. This is his answer to sometimes hour long waits for an ambulance to arrive on the scene. It is a technique that we all know has been widely used by citizens who want a faster EMS response in some of our largest cities. Here is the original story. Here is the response from paramedics who believe this is not the answer to the problem.
Indiana firefighter arrested on arson charges: Lee Yoder is a volunteer firefighter in DeKalb County, Indiana who has been charged with setting three structures on fire. Here’s the story.
Three-alarm church fire in East Baltimore: Fire destroyed the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church on North Milton Avenue yesterday morning. Here is our coverage.
Two-alarm NJ house fire: Some early video of a fire yesterday at 332 Demarest Road in Oradell, New Jersey.
Early video of Santa Rosa fire: A neighbor captured this one, posted it to YouTube but didn’t say where the fire occurred. We were able to trace to a fire in vacant units in a Santa Rosa, California complex late Monday night. Here are details and photos of the aftermath.
Follow the arrow to the player at right for new videos >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Zone911.com has the pictures from a tanker that ran off the road in Levis, Quebec. This is the same fire department that had wrecks with two quints a few weeks apart in October and November and October of last year. Click the image for more from Zone911.com
Breaking news – 3 children pulled from DC fire: A fire just before 6:30 this morning has sent three children to the hospital. DC Fire & EMS Department PIO Pete Piringer reports all three were rescued from 1920 Naylor Road, SE. At least two of the children are reported in critical condition. The fire was on the second floor in an apartment kitchen and according to Piringer is under control. The children were found in a bedroom. Check in with WUSA9.com through the morning for more. The address is a 3-story apartment building. Click here for the Google Maps Street View.
Acting chief says fire protection is wholly inadequate and tragedy is inevitable: Harsh words from Brian Murphy who took over running the Lawrence Fire Department in Massachusetts a month ago. Murphy says the city is lucky no one died in the late Monday morning fire in a three decker just six doors from the firehouse that was closed in August. Thirty-years-ago when Murphy joined the department there were 44 to 48 firefighters working each shift. Now there are about 20. Read more from Chief Murphy’s comments. Click here for video of the fire.
PGFD on the rescue beat: It has been a busy two days in Prince George’s County. We have video of a couple of unusual rescues. One involves a man who decided he just wanted to stand in the middle of a frigid waterway. It required police to suit up to help the firefighters. Prior to that it was down a 100-foot ravine to rescue a teen who had taken a tumble. You will find those stories here. Also, more information on the ravine rescue can be found in this story from WUSA9.com’s Lindsey Mastis.
By the way, many new videos will show up in the player to the right even before I get to write about them. Emily Cyr and Jillian Coyle at WUSA9.com often post fresh fire & EMS videos from the Washington, DC area and around the country. Please check them out. The player is always filled with 30 of our most recent stories.
With friends like this: In an article at AJC.com about DeKalb County’s departed chief, the point is made by some that David Foster had clashed with his bosses over staffing and was looking to leave before the scandal surrounding the January 24 fatal fire. One politician who indicates he is a Foster supporter might want to choose his words more carefully when describing the chief’s legacy-
“We learned about this after the media. We didn’t know he was going to leave,” said Commissioner Larry Johnson, the presiding officer. “Since he came in, Chief Foster built several fire stations and increased response times.”
Memphis firefighter fired: The focus of a number of news reports in the last two weeks, Memphis Fire Department’s Lawrence Batiste has been fired. A convicted felon when he took the job (after being fired from adjacent Shelby County), Batiste ran into more problems. Here’s more.
Firefighters charged in more than 20-year-old assault against colleague inside firehouse: This story is from Australia where seven firefighters are facing charges in a case from 1989 that allegedly occurred inside a Sydney fire station. A male firefighter claims he was “sexually assaulted, bullied and harassed” and superiors did nothing about it. Read more.
24-on and 48-off was a non-starter in Lancaster, Pennsylvania: We told you yesterday how the mayor pinned the layoffs of four firefighters on the union not providing concessions. Now, the union responds. Click here.
Cops say firefighters got a better deal: An interesting dynamic in Tulsa where firefighters saved 147 jobs and agreed to concessions while the police took a different route. Now police union officials say the firefighters received a better deal from the city. Click here for the story and here for an editorial on the issue from Tulsa World.
L.A. dog out of pound: Spikey has successfully complete his quarantine and is back with his owner. He’s the dog rescued from the Los Angles River by LAFD’s Joe St. George. Spikey’s teeth left the firefighter with a broken thumb and a lost fingernail (plus some great video to show the grandchildren someday). Here’s the update.
Another cop makes a poor choice in dealing with a man intent on setting himself on fire: Firegeezer recently had the story of the Portland, Oregon officer who thought she was using a fire extinguisher on a man who set himself on fire. Instead, it was a large canister of pepper spray. Now Bill takes us to Perth, Australia where a police officer was trying to subdue a man who was splashing gasoline around the house and himself. The man had gone into the kitchen for matches. He really didn’t have to bother, because a police officer used a Taser. Here’s the story.
House fire in Norwich, Connecticut: This fire on Prospect Street was reported around 7:00 PM on Saturday. No injuries, but 23 people have been displaced. The home housed a substance-abuse recovery program for women. Read the details.
Check out latest USAR videos from Haiti and other stories in our player, over here >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Firefighter rap sheets making the news in two cities: We summarize the coverage from two cities as TV reporters look closely at how the fire departments in Memphis and Pittsburgh are handling firefighters who get arrested. Alcohol and drugs are behind many of the arrests, both directly and indirectly.
Related to all of this is one case in Memphis where there was an unintentional swap between two fire departments that is quite interesting and somewhat ironic. Click here for the details and the TV coverage.
It’s not just the firefighters Part 1 – Read statements from firefighters about chief who showed up to fatal fire after a few drinks: Tarpon Springs, Florida Chief Stephen Moreno has been suspended after allegations he arrived at a fire after a few drinks, gave orders without checking in with the IC, and had no radio or gear. On top of that, his wife was walking around the fire scene. Read the paperwork, watch and read the story.
It’s not just the firefighters Part 2 – Kentucky chief under investigation resigns: Firegeezer has the story on Chief Paul Barth who has resigned from the McMahan Fire District in Jefferson County. Barth has been suspended since November 24 over money issues that now involve the U.S. Secret Service.
A Steve Skipton photo of Sunday morning's 5-alarm vacant warehouse fire in Gloucester City, New Jersey. Click the image for more pictures from Steve and Ted Aurig at PhillyFireNews.com.
Overtime issue in DC: Another in the regular oversight hearings on overtime expenditures by the DC Fire & EMS Department. There were no fireworks between Chairman Phil Mendelson and Chief Dennis Rubin this time. One reason is that the chief didn’t make the hearing (which did not make the councilmember happy). Read Michael Neibauer’s article in The Examiner last week. Watch the hearing.
Town divided over possible return of firefighters involved in costly gay bashing lawsuit: The possibility of three firefighters returning to the Secaucus Volunteer Fire Department after the town lost an almost $5 million lawsuit by a gay couple who lived next door to Engine Co. 2/ Rescue Co. 1 has brought mixed reaction. The trio resigned after the couple won the suit and are now looking to be reinstated. Read the details.
They blew the #@!* out of the package: That was the case on November 6 in Longview, Washington. A bomb squad disrupted a suspicious package outside City Hall only to find it was full of feces. Now, officials say a retired firefighter left it and tried to blame it on another firefighter. Here are the details.
Firefighters save only ashes and a woman thinks they are heroes: In Albury, Australia a burning restaurant was pretty much a total loss. But it wasn’t quite at that point when the decision was made to send two firefighters in to make a recovery while the fire burned above. All the firefighters returned with were ashes and to a restaurant worker that was just perfect. Click here for the answer to this riddle.
Everyone wants to be a fire dispatcher: In Lockport, New York, both the police department and the Niagara County sheriff are eager to take over dispatching duties for the fire department. It is part of an effort to free up a firefighter each shift. Click here for the story.
Station 54 where are you?: Actually it should be where is the crew? A shake-up at the Houston fire station at the center of the scandal that helped push Phil Boriskie out of the chief’s office and back into a fire station. Read more.
Firefighter recovering from dog bites following river rescue: LAFD mounted a significant effort from the air and ground to save a dog floating down the Los Angeles River. It took a firefighter dropping from a chopper to save the dog. In the process, Joe St. Georges received some significant punctures on his arm and hand. Read our coverage here and click here for interviews with the firefighter.
Take the bus, but don’t leave the driving to him: There was a major rescue effort in the Nova Scotia River Saturday night after an Acadian Lines bus fell off a bridge in whiteout conditions. The most experienced person involved in this type of rescue operation was likely the bus driver. Driver Ken Mitchell was at the wheel of another Acadian Lines bus that skidded off a bridge into the Baddeck River last February. Read and watch the story.
We told you the other day that there was more to the story of the recent arrest of Memphis Fire Department Firefighter Lawrence Batiste on burglary, assault and drug charges. Batiste had been hired by Memphis despite being fired as a Shelby County firefighter because of a felony conviction he failed to disclose (Watch Parts 1 & 2 above from WLMT-TV).
WLMT-TV has been looking closely at the Batiste case, but reporter Jeni DiPrizio has widened her investigation. In a follow-up report (Part 3 & 4) she shows how more than 80 firefighters have been arrested in the last five years and that many have stayed on the department despite some serious charges.
DiPrizio showed a list of those arrested, the charges and any administrative actions taken. STATter911.com received a copy of the same information that we are told was released under a Freedom of Information Act request. I have attached the document in the form it was provided with the exception of the names of the employees. Since I am not doing the original reporting on this issue, I did not feel comfortable as being the source for those names (some names are in the report by the TV station).
One great irony in all of this comes in Part 5 and Part 6 of the series by reporter DiPrizio. It is the story of Michael Todd Highfill. Highfill is suing the Memphis Fire Department for discrimination, saying he was fired for failing to pass a test in a timely manner (he was one point off). Highfill claims others have been given many more chances when having the same problem and more serious problems (like arrests).
Highfill was hired by the Shelby County Fire Department, the very same department that fired current Memphis Firefighter Lawrence Batiste because of his felony conviction. Seems the departments made an unintentional swap of firefighters.
Memphis Fire Department Director Alvin Benson has been quiet throughout the TV station’s week-long coverage. He apparently is planning to sit down for an interview next week.
By contrast, Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones has been quite vocal about the number of arrests involving his firefighters. As we previously mentioned WTAE-TV “ran a criminal background check on all 630 Pittsburgh firefighters and found that, in addition to recent criminal cases that have made news, there are many others that have not.”
Here ’s what reporter Jim Parsons found in Pittsburgh:
Court records reveal that a total of 53 Pittsburgh firefighters have faced criminal charges. Half of those cases — 26 in all — were drug or alcohol related. Some of those cases go back years. But Team 4 found 14 criminal cases against firefighters that are less than three years old, and 11 of those 14 cases are drug or alcohol related.
That pattern seems to hold very true in Memphis where drugs and alcohol seem to be behind many of the arrests.
Where Lawrence Batiste has been the face of the story in Memphis, Captain Frank Becker Jr. has played a somewhat similar role in Pittsburgh. Becker was arrested on DUI and cocaine charges in December and had another alcohol arrest last summer.
Becker’s brother, who is also a Pittsburgh firefighter, was involved in a serious alcohol related crash a-year-ago.
A stove fire in Pennsylvania: That’s how this one was dispatched late last night in the Borough of Wilson in Northampton, County. NewsWorking.org shot the video and provides this description- At 2011 hrs. Wilson fire 24 responds two engines and a truck to a report of a stove fire in a dwelling. Fire officer 2454 arrives and transmits a working fire in a three-story duplex. Engine 2412 arrives and stretches a handline. Ladder 24 positions in a parking lot on side Bravo of the dwelling. The fire rapidly extended vertically to the roof and within minutes, engulfed the entire roof and gutted the dwelling attached on side Delta. Easton City and West Easton assisted at the scene. It took over one hour to bring the fire under control.
Check out our latest videos in the player to the right. New videos of USAR teams in Haiti added this morning.
Did they also stamp the hands of the firefighters?: Dave becomes outraged over the evacuation procedure for Detroit’s Cobo Center after a fire broke out yesterday during the annual auto show. Instead of making sure everyone left immediately, there were apparently some other priorities. Click here.
Retired Scranton firefighter charged with arson: Investigators say that insurance fraud is the motive behind a 2008 arson at an East Scranton apartment building that sent two people to the hospital. Thomas Gervasi, who retired from the Scranton Fire Department in 2001, was arrested yesterday. Read more.
Judge wants FDNY to impose hiring quota: In an effort to make up for an “intentional” pattern of discrimination by FDNY, The New York Post reports a federal judge in Brooklyn has a imposed a temporary hiring quota-
Under the order handed down yesterday, Judge Nicholas Garaufis said he wants the city to hire two black and one Hispanic candidate for every five applicants who pass the test until there are 293 minorities added to the ranks of the FDNY.
An AP photo of Virginia Task Force 1 members at the site of a collapsed hospital yesterday in Port-au-Prince. Check out the player to the right for new USAR videos from Haiti.
Former L.A. County assistant chief takes stand in puppy killing case: Remember Glynn Johnson? He’s the former assistant chief who retired from Los Angeles County Fire Department after a November, 2008 incident where his neighbor’s dog had to be put to sleep. Johnson is now on trial and has taken the stand in his own defense. Read details.
Let’s make a deal: Tulsa’s mayor is offering more last minute deals to avoid laying off 147 firefighters. Of course it involves pay cuts. Read the story.
Firefighter gets money for hearing loss: Broward County, Florida has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle the claim of a recently retired firefighter who says his hearing loss came from 27-years of loud sirens. Click here.
Not a real good plan: A reader tipped me to this story from Santa Fe, Texas but Firegeezer beat me to it. Two former EMS workers are accused of calling in a false alarm as a diversion so they could steal drugs from their former station. Police say the pair went to so far as to make sure police would also respond on the call. But things didn’t quite work out as envisioned. Read more.
Forearm immersion, cooling vests – a rehab study: An interesting video from Pittsburgh. While it was posted yesterday, I believe this was from last summer.
The Detroit Fire Department has suspended a 10-year veteran firefighter, who’s expected to be charged Friday with creating a false fire department report after leaving the scene of a hit-and-run accident.
Jonathan Britt, 30, of Detroit was put on leave without pay last week when the department learned a warrant had been signed Jan. 6, Fire Commissioner James Mack said today.
“Those are some serious charges to be leveled against someone with the fire department,” Mack said today. “We take those charges very seriously. When the indictment came out and we were notified, we placed him on that status.”
Britt could not be reached for comment today.
According to a warrant, Britt is accused of hitting an unoccupied car parked at Conant and East McNichols on May 2, 2009, then creating a false Detroit Fire Department report claiming he was in an accident elsewhere, to submit to his insurance company.
Britt is also accused of filing a false report with the Detroit Police Department, claiming he was in an accident at Linwood and Hazelwood that required firefighters from Engine 21 to respond, according to the warrant.
That engine company was deactivated – no firefighters were working that firehouse – the day of the accident, according to the fire department.
The warrant charges Britt with uttering and publishing, punishable by up to 14 years in jail; insurance fraud, punishable by 4 years in jail and up to $50,000 in fines; identity theft, punishable by up to 5 years in jail and $25,000 in fines; and false pretenses more than $1,000 but less that $20,000, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
House fire in Millersville, Pennsylvania: This is from last Friday. No more info.
NEW – Virginia Task Force 1 makes rescue in Haiti: Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department’s USAR team arrived in Haiti at 4:00 PM yesterday and set up camp at the American Embassy. Lt. Mike Davis tells CNN that a UN worker has been rescued from a collapsed area by the team. Details later.
More drastic cuts coming in Baltimore?: Baltimore City Fire Department Chief Jim Clack told firefighters it is possible that a loss of state money could mean the closing of 9 to 14 companies and a loss of 200 to 250 jobs come July 1. Click here to read and watch the story.
Layoffs and staffing in Cleveland: A judge has issued a temporary restraining order keeping the Cleveland Fire Department from implementing a staffing plan to account for Monday’s layoffs. Here’s the update.
Goldfeder has a lot to say on a few recent stories: The story we ran yesterday from Monroe Township, New Jersey where the volunteer deputy chief has been suspended for six months after sending around a petition to save the jobs of the department’s two career firefighters caught the attention of The Secret List. Combined with the other recent story about the replacement of Buffalo’s fire commissioner, Billy Goldfeder is talking about how tough times make some people stand up and be counted. Read his commentary.
Then there is the issue of training in Arizona. With state funding cut for certification and accreditation that had been done by the State Fire Marshal’s office, Goldfeder is wondering if some priorities are wrong in Arizona and on the federal level. You can read that one here.
Federal judge says FDNY discriminated: “A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that New York City intentionally discriminated against black applicants to the Fire Department by continuing to use an exam that it had been told put them at a disadvantage.” That’s the opening line in an article by Al Baker in The New York Times. Read more.
Discrimination & retaliation claim in Philly: “A white Philadelphia firefighter who settled a racial-discrimination case against the city last year filed another federal lawsuit yesterday, saying the fire commissioner and his top aides had retaliated against him for going to court.” That’s how an article by Robert Moran begins in the Inquirer. Read more.
Firefighters respond second time for fire in the same house, but it definitely wasn’t a rekindle: Firefighters in East Hanover Township, Pennsylvania recognized the house that was burning in front of them Wednesday morning. They had fought a fire in the same house five-years-ago. Click here for the story.
Fire in Stoughton, Massachusetts: Firegeezer has video and details from a fire that burned a large 1890s era home and the efforts by neighbors to save an elderly woman who lived there.
A big time out: A broken sprinkler line forced the evacuation of FedEx Forum during the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers game Monday night.
They want your vote: At FireCritic.com they don’t believe in one man, one vote. You can have as many as three votes in one day from your computer. They are looking for the best fire/EMS blog for 2009 and Rhett has lost all credibility by including this rag as one of the 10 finalists. Click here to vote. By the way it looks like Medic 999 is leaving Schumm and Statter in the dust. And who says EMS is just the ugly stepchild of the fire service?
Our new video player: The video player near the top right of the blog was recently added. It holds all of the most recent WUSA9.com fire and EMS videos. You will find most of the local fire stories I do and those from other reporters at 9NEWS NOW in Washington, DC. It also will have some of the fireground audio and 911 calls that I post. Emily Cyr and Jillian Coyle are always on the lookout for other interesting videos from our Gannett websites around the country and other sources. Check it out. There are some interesting ones in there.
Further down we still have the player from our YouTube site. It has some other fire and EMS content (and a few repeats).
Unusual one in DC: Firefighters handling a fire under the Pennsylvania Avenue bridge on Rock Creek Parkway found a body nearby. Click here.
Chief disputes reports about 16-year-old fighting fire: Last week we told you about the controversy in Sonoma County, California after a 16-year-old Boy Scout Explorer was hospitalized for exhaustion at a house fire. There have been charges the teen was involved in active firefighting operations. Now, Chief Peter Van Fleet of the Glen Ellen Fire Department is disputing that claim. Check it out.
Add crossing guard to your all-hazards fire department list: That is what may happen very soon in Logansport, Indiana. The mayor’s budget cutting plan gets rid of 14 crossing guards, but do not fear, Mayor Mike Fincher has a plan. On-duty firefighters will join police in handling those duties. Click here for the article from firefightingnews.com.
Fireground audio roundup and some pictures: Click here for firesceneaudio.com audio from a two-alarm house fire on Middleton Court in Fairfax County yesterday.
Don’t forget we have both the fire department and sheriff’s department audio from the dumpster explosion that killed Firefighter Steven Koeser in Wisconsin. Click here.
One that will not put you in a good mood: Police in Palm Bay, Florida say a toddler suffered serious burns after his drunk father wrestled with the boy in front of a fire pit. We have the dad’s 911 call looking for what hospital his son was taken to. The call taker had a little advice for the man. Take a listen.
Firehouse fire helps move up moving schedule: Click here for the details from Rensselaer, New York where a kitchen fire in the old fire station is lighting a fire under moving plans.
Check out wrecked tanker pictures: FirefighterCloseCalls.com tells us the a Smith County, Texas chief came away with minor injuries after turning the rig on its side while avoiding a deer during a response. When you look at the pictures you will see he was pretty lucky.
Baltimore’s mayor is out: Not sure yet what impact it will have on the fire department but Mayor Sheila Dixon leaves office February 4 as part of a plea agreement. Here’s more from the Baltimore Sun.
Also, the Baltimore Messenger is making noise about rotating closures impacting Engine 44 and Truck 25 in Roland Park where the fire chief and a fire commissioner are scheduled to meet with residents tonight. This is the same community that raised more than $40,000 to help renovate the local firehouse.
One firefighter in Modesto released from the hospital: Click here for the update on the two firefighters burned in a New Year’s Night fire after falling through the roof of the burning home.
Fire chief takes on arrest of firefighters for drugs and alcohol: In Pittsburgh Chief Darryl Jones is addressing recent arrests of firefighters. Read the details.
Reputation management: A federal lawsuit is underway over an incident in Dunmore, Pennsylvania where a firefighter is claiming defamation after his suspension for not completing EMT was made public in 2005. Read more.
We have heard of dogs and cats alerting people to a fire, but how about a snake?: This sounds like a fable about someone nursing an ill snake back to health in China and the snake returning the favor. I am not sure I am buying it, but you be the judge.
We have a winner! The very first entry into our top stories contest for 2009 correctly guessed the top story of the year. Even though the rest of that person’s top five weren’t on target, it gave me hope for you people and this contest. Once again, Statter was wrong.
Many of you were blinded by our extensive coverage of PGFD and one man in particular, who at last look was still in the Prince George’s County Detention Center. You will have to scroll way done to number 14 to find his picture on this page. Other entries, including one from a person who should know better, focused way too much on our coverage of the District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department. Only one DC story made the list (but it was a big one at number two). In fact, only eight of the top 20 were local stories from the Washington, DC area. Remember that for next year’s contest. We are global in scope here at STATter911.com (yeah, right!).
To get a winner we had to go deep down to someone who guessed two of the top five. While he had the two top stories in reverse order, author and fire service veteran from Baltimore County Chris Hawley was the only entrant to get more than one out of five. The good news is the two Baltimore boys should have lots to talk about when this one buys lunch.
Our rankings are based on the number of pageviews between January 1 and December 31, 2009 according to Google Analytics. If a story had multiple postings we only counted the top one for our list.
The interesting thing is that the bottom two stories and the 21st story were just nine clicks apart. Their rankings kept changing up until the closing hours of 2009. In the end, a somewhat odd, but newer story from Montgomery County, Maryland moved up, knocking off one of my personal favorites from earlier in the year. Number 21 is the story of Alexandria Fire Department (VA) veteran Doug Townshend who, while off duty, rescued his brother Mike from a burning home. Click here for that story.
Click the Popeye cartoon to see what used to pass for a year-end review at STATter911.com.
By the way, I did this type of year end review, rather than the more humorous (at least I thought so) version of the two previous years, because I thought it would be easier to manage. I am writing this at 4:00 AM on New Years Day, so now I am not so sure. If you miss the old one, here it is (I am sure most of it is still true today anyway).
Obviously isn’t just us taking a look back at 2009 and ahead to 2010. Other fire service sites beat us to the punch. Paul Peluso at Firehouse.com says 2009 was the year of the video (look below for proof). FireRescue1.com has a host of characters writing lots of words under its year in review banner. Billy Goldfeder has a message for the new year at FirefighterCloseCalls.com. Paul Combs has a great thought in his December cartoon at FireEngineering.com. I am sure Bill Schumm will have something to help bring in the new year Firegeezer style and so will many others who share the FireEMSBlogs.com site with this rag. .
And Rhett Fleitz at The Fire Critic, who is a great inspiration and supporter to all of us who blog, has a contest that is better than mine. Rhett is looking for the Fire/EMS Blog of the Year 2009 (now you know why I said those nice things about him). Rhett’s is better because he is promoting it as the contest with the prize where you don’t have to sit across the lunch table from Dave Statter.
Thank you to all who entered our contest. Thank you to all who read and comment each day. Thank you to all who link to STATter911.com and carry our stories. Most important, a happy and safe 2010 to all of you and especially those out there protecting us each and every day.
So, drum roll please! We present our 20 most popular stories from 2009:
This was the story that dominated 2009 on STATter911.com. Not only did the posting on May 30 (our fourth posting on the topic) bring in 43 percent more pageviews than our number two story for the year, three other stories on the confrontation would have taken places two, three, and four. When you add up the clicks for the almost 20 stories we posted on this topic they account for about five-percent of the overall traffic on the blog for 2009.
There have been more than 700 comments (actually a lot more than that, but many we couldn’t publish). A couple of comments still arrive each week.
I think the reason for the high numbers, besides being a hot topic, is that we apparently reached way beyond our normal fire and EMS service audience on this story. It helps that the YouTube video above, which has more than two million views, has our link in its description.
As much grief as I get for carrying too many negative stories on the blog, the only reason the world knew about this one is because I was trying to do a good deed and post some positive news. On Wednesday, October 7 there were two sprinkler demonstrations scheduled in the National Capital region. One at Gallaudet University and the other at the University of Maryland (at MFRI). My goal was to get to both of them, but the Maryland one was the priority because of the release of a study about Prince George’s County’s mandatory residential sprinkler law. I never made it to DC and no one said anything to me about a problem during that demonstration.
As I was about to leave work the following evening I was feeling guilty the DC sprinkler video didn’t get any play in my story the day before (there had been a photographer on the scene from LNS, the local news service run by my station and two others in Washington). I pulled the video up with the intention of editing something for the blog and possibly WUSA9.com. Of course, as I watched the video, I immediately realized there was a little bit more to this demonstration.
This entry had 128 comments. More comments came in after Chief Dennis Rubin, when talking about what he saw, used the term “comedy act”.
Firefighter Will Gregory exits the home with his PPE on fire. Photo by Brian Haney, The Daily Record.
This was a late entry for the year. It came about because FirefighterCloseCalls.com first put out the story of the close call based on the newspaper article by Brian Haney at The Daily Record in Dunn, NC. Figuring that there might be more than one photo, I called Mr. Haney and he told me he had shot 210 images from that fire. Brian sent a bunch to STATter911.com and gave us permission to use the photos.
Until a day or two ago, this was in the number three spot for the year. In my heart I wish it was number one. I was blogging away on the Friday afternoon that Ladder 26 wrecked trying to keep up with the developments from Boston. Later in the evening when we learned that Lt. Kevin Kelley was the firefighter killed, it didn’t take long to find his appearances from Firehouse USA on the web. How can you not smile when you watch these?
While I get a lot of stories and videos from your tips, this is one I found all by myself. Going through fire related YouTube videos on a Sunday evening I happened upon this clip. I usually don’t run controlled burning type training exercises, but this one looked different. After picking my jaw off the floor upon seeing the unusual PPV via the leaf blower, I decided this was one worthy of a wider audience.
You have to admit this one was different. The 160-foot Spirit of Washington squeezed the 72-foot John H. Glenn Jr., putting a big gash in the Glenn’s hull and sidelining the boat for many months. The collision also crushed a small FBI boat at an adjacent dock.
This is a rather simple story of a rescue in that it was popular despite there being no video of the event. Firefighters saving the day when it looks like that might be impossible.
Here’s how WZZM-TV’s Lambrini Lukidis described the story:
Kelysse LaBelle is full of energy today. But when fireman Scott Campau rescued her from the bottom of Fisherman’s Landing in Muskegon last week, Kelysse was purple, her eyes were gray and lifeless.
“The stroller was actually sitting up-right on its wheels on the bottom of the lake and she was unconscious,” said Campau.
“She wasn’t breathing, no heart rate,” said Battalion Chief Ken Chudy who lead the team on the call. “She was lifeless when we pulled her out of the water,” said Fireman Kevin McMillan also assisted by firemen Chad Horn and Scott Hemmeslbach.
Eight Prince George’s County firefighters were hurt when an explosion occurred while they were investigating a natural has leak at a shopping center in Forestville.
Truly one of the great stories of the year. John and Joel Rechlitz received national attention for their off-duty rescue of a young boy from a burning car. Their efforts didn’t stop after the rescue. The firefighters remained close to D.J. Harper and his family. Click here.
In December, 2008 Continental Flight 1404 ran off a runway and burst into flames at Denver International Airport. This was the audio as the airport tower controllers directed firefighters to the scene.
The fireground audio provided by Erie County Fire wire was very difficult to listen to as these two men responded to a call for help inside the burning building on Genesee Street.
Layoffs and budget cuts were THE story of 2009. We saw a lot of stories like this one, but for some reason the Flint fire got more attention than the others.
What more can I say about this frequent subject of STATter911.com stories. In the interview Jerry Engle told us all about an arson ring involving firefighters. Later in the year Engle and another former volunteer from Riverdale were both charged with the fire Jerry told us about. If you haven’t read enough about him, click here for our Jerry archive.
A touching tribute to firefighters who were lost 50-years earlier. The incident is believed to be the first time the term BLEVE was used to describe the rupture and rocketing of a flammable liquid container during a fire.
It took teamwork and a lot of guts as a dispatcher and engine company worked to save a woman trapped in an apartment fire started thanks to a neighbor’s meth lab. Video shows Chad Meyer from Engine 26 basically walking through fire to bring out Nikki Cain.
This entry from Montgomery County had to be one of the more unusual stories of the year. A firefighter’s date spent the night at the firehouse and got lost on the way to the bathroom.
What this means is that, even though Kyle Wilson died in a house fire in April, 2007 and the report was released nine-months later, firefighters are still interested in learning from this tragic situation. Enough people searched, found and apparently read that entry in 2009 to make it part of our top 20.
Raw video from deadly basement fire in DC: DC Fire & EMS Department photographer Vito Maggiolo was on the scene Monday night at 9th and Kennedy, NW as firefighters attacked a fire in the basement of a boarded up home and found a victim. Attempts to revive the woman were not successful.
Must see video of extrication by neighbors: One of our regular readers points us to this story from Ft. Lauderdale where a man was purposely run over by the driver of a car. Neighbors jumped in and not only held the driver for police, they joined an arriving cop in lifting the car off of the victim. Click here to see the story.
A timely call in Richmond: Also from VAFireNews.com, the story of a house fire as snow was falling late Friday night in Richmond. According to Lt. Shawn Jones, the department’s PIO, crews were ordered out of the home about 60 seconds before there was a partial collapse of the roof. Click here for details.
DA to look at FDNY EMTs’ actions: Prosecutors in Brooklyn are looking into whether the actions, or possible inaction, by FDNY EMS workers is criminal. Read the latest on the break time controversy.
Who ya gonna call? Sal, of course: Credentials aside for a moment, Cara Buckley of The New York Times believes the name alone may have been reason enough for Chief Sal Cassano to be appointed FDNY’s new commissioner. Check out her reasoning.
A big issue for the new commissioner: Watch the story of a lawsuit from a man burned trying to do the job of firefighters by attempting to rescue his neighbors in Queens from a burning home. The suit says the fire department was delayed because of an error involving the Unified Call Taker system.
Former battalion chief loses sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit: A jury ruled in favor of the Kanas City (MO) Fire Department in a lawsuit by Kathleen Kline, a former battalion chief. Read details.
Two-alarm house fire in Malden, Massachusetts: This fire occurred on Thursday sending a number of occupants to the hospital. Two firefighters were injured when they slipped on the ice. Read more.
UPDATE – Two FDNY EMS workers now suspended without pay over break incident: Mayor Michael Bloomberg blasts the EMTs who were on break in a coffee shop as a woman was dying. Witnesses say the pair didn’t help. A union rep says the two did the best they could and that both were dispatchers who have been away from patient care for some time. Click here for the latest.
Some like it. Some don’t: Riverdale VFD Chief Charles Ryan reports he is investigating the circumstance surrounding the video apparently posted by some of his firefighters during the snowstorm. Read the latest.
Icy roads in North Carolina result in two firefighters hit: On I-40 in the Asheville area two firefighters with the Enka-Candler VFD were struck by a vehicle while offering assistance at the scene of another collision. Click here for more.
Case over wrecked Massachusetts ladder truck still making its way through court: It was more than a year ago that we told you about 22-year-old Firefighter Elias Martinez who had taken the rig belonging to the Provincetown Fire Department for a spin and wrecked it. Police said Martinez’s blood alcohol level at the hospital where he and a female passenger were treated was four times the legal limit. The lawyer for Martinez is arguing for a dismissal of the case based on privacy issues with Martinez’s medical records. Read the article.
Could this fire have been predicted?: The home business of a psychic advisor burned on Monday in Lake Station, Indiana. The photographer reports the interior stairs and the floor had burned away halting the interior attack.
The chief and four of his firefighters are accused of stealing a radar detector from a crime scene. They face charges that include burglary, tampering with evidence, and attempting to tamper with evidence.
Now, the same city manager who made it clear in September it was his decision not to fire Chief Grogan and not the mayor’s says the chief’s future “is not very promising”.
Baltimore 2nd alarm (and rally info): This fire on Ostend Street Friday morning left one firefighter with minor burns. Firefighters point out the closest engine company, Engine 55 in Pigtown, was closed for the day. The rotating closures and the budget cuts are behind today’s rally as firefighters march from the Baltimore City Fire Museum (old Engine 6 on Gay Street) to City Hall at 5:00 PM. IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger is scheduled to join IAFF locals 734 and 964 (officers) WJZ-TV has the story.
VIDEO ADDED – DC & Sarasota officials signed ageement to allow new Florida chief to remain District employee: STATter911.com now knows what happened to allow Sarasota County Chief Kenneth Ellerbe to stay on the rolls of the DC Fire & EMS Department in able to enhance his retirement pay. We even know a DC assistant fire chief and the city’s head of human resources approved Kenneth Ellerbe’s leave without pay status. What we don’t know is why this was allowed to happen, especially since Chief Dennis Rubin originally declined to sign the deal. We are also trying to determine the benefit for the city to engage in a formal personnel exchange arrangement to fill a fire chief’s slot in Florida. The DC Fire & EMS Department and the DC Department of Human Resources aren’t exactly filling in the blanks on a lot of unanswered questions. One question from a STATter911.com reader is one we hadn’t thought of: Will the DC Fire & EMS Department now offer this arrangement to every firefighter who may be almost a year short in reaching retirement age? Click here for the latest, including Wednesday’s 6:00 PM report for TV.
Also in Sarasota County, Florida, a 911 problem causing a 20 hour delay: Listen to the audio and read the details on why help wasn’t sent to a man later found dead in North Port, Florida. Click here.
Construction workers make rescue at Beltway vehicle fire: Raw video from the air, pictures from the ground and the story from Scott Broom on yesterday’s save after an SUV crashed and burned on the Capital Beltway near College Park, Maryland. Construction workers pulled a woman from the burning vehicle.
Rape charges dropped against Bourne, Massachusetts deputy chief: Paul Weeks is eager to go back to work and his bosses want him on the job as soon as possible. The rape charge against the deputy chief has been one of many dramas involving Bourne’s fire department in recent months. While the papers say they don’t identify rape victims, the victim in this case declined to prosecute citing “marital privilege”. Read more.
NEW – Developer on home confinement after off-duty firefighter shot: We were a little late in telling you about the arrest in the off-duty shooting of a Milton, Massachusetts firefighter in an apparent road rage incident. Read about the charges against a well known developer.
Anthropometry, a word Dave has never heard before: Ann who? Dave showing his ignorance on reading an interesting press release from the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service. MCFRS will be working with NIOSH in using anthropometry to to “improve the fit and performance of equipment that interfaces with the body”. Anthropometry “is the science of measuring the human body”. Read the release.
Fire chief and city sued by landlord: Readers in Utica, New York alerted us to this story about a fire in September that killed four people, but Firegeezer already had this interesting case well covered. Click here.
Firefighters replace money stolen in Salvation Army robberies: IAFF Local 660 in Charlotte, North Carolina has donated $6000 to make up for some men going around to Salvation Army kettles trying to steal Christmas. Read the story.
Baltimore County house fire: I was in the Chestnut Ridge area Sunday, but a little too early in the day to take in this fire on Nancy Lee Court (it would have also been bad form to leave my parent’s 60th anniversary party). Michael “FirePix1075″ Schwartzberg was there and took this video. You can click here to see Michael’s still images and read his account.
Pranks put three jobs in jeopardy: STATter911.com learned yesterday that three career firefighters in Loudoun County, Virginia are suspended as internal and criminal investigations continue into two unrelated incidents that apparently were meant as pranks. In the first, on December 4, officials confirm there are allegations that two white firefighters put a noose in the car of a black firefighter. In the second, some horseplay on the phone resulted in what someone thought was a bomb threat and caused the partial evacuation of a fire house. Read and watch the story.
Guess who drew the short straw? The rookie, of course. Nathan Williams, one of the newest firefighters in San Luis Obispo, California was sent in to shut the water after a hydrant problem. Click the image by The Tribune's Jack Hindmarsh for more details and pictures.
Woman who is former FDNY lawyer is in the running to be next commissioner: A lot of talk in New York about Mylan L. Denerstein. Denerstein used to be the FDNY’s deputy fire commissioner of legal affairs and is now on the short list to be the next commissioner. Read all about it here and here.
Are background checks and psychological evaluations worth it?: That question is being asked in Maine which has had some recent bad headlines because of firefighters accused of arson. The discussion is over the cost in dollars for the return and the cost in losing firefighter candidates who might not want to go through the process. Read more.
Fire chief and township manager will not be punished for keeping sex offender on department: An interesting story from Plainfield Township, Michigan. City officials decided not to take any action against the chief and manager after an on-call lieutenant was arrested. The two men knew that Jeffrey Hawkins was a registered sex offender. It came to light when Hawkins was charged a month ago with soliciting sex with minors online. Read more.
Video of EMS actions inside liquor store prompts investigation: In Atlanta, an investigation is underway after a TV station showed surveillance video from inside a liguor store to fire department officials. The question is whether the first responders properly evaluated a man who was shot, before declaring him dead. Here is the latest story. Here is the original story and video. More from AJC.com.
Fatal 5-alarm fire on the 36th floor: One person is dead and 11 others injured, including two firefighters, in an overnight fire in a 44-story Chicago building. Two people were rescued from the roof. This building was the scene of a fire eight years ago that killed one resident, injured eight firefighters and opened the debate on retrofitting sprinklers in high-rise buildings (Read one firefighter’s story from the January 2002 fire). About one-third of the city’s firefighting force was on the scene of the fire. The picture above is from Chris Sweda of the Chicago Tribune. Click here for more pictures and more pictures here. Click here to read the story. Watch video from WBBM-TV. More video from WGN-TV.
It’s 11:00 PM, do you know where your firefighters are?: In Raceland, Kentucky we can tell you where they aren’t and that’s the firehouse. Firefighters are quite upset over the town’s order that no one can be in the fire station after 11:00 PM. The town’s leaders instituted the curfew after concerns about firefighters “loafing” and young people congregating at the firehouse. You will want to read this story.
Fatal fire near closed truck company puts the focus on rotating closures: Baltimore City Fire Chief Jim Clack makes it clear that it took twice as long to get a truck company to a fatal fire Wednesday morning because of rotating closures. The chief wants the policy to end but needs the money to do so. As we reported yesterday, a discussion of doing just that had occurred among city leaders hours before that fire broke out. Now there is a new urgency to deal with this matter. The Baltimore Sun has a detailed story on the efforts to change the policy.
DC medical director named in $17 million lawsuit: The family of a Northeast Washington man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the District of Columbia and the DC Fire & EMS Department’s medical director, Dr. James Augustine. This was the case where relatives say Edward Givens died six hours after being told by a medic all he needs is some Pepto Bismol. Dr. Augustine announced he was leaving the department 10-days ago due to health issues. Read more in Matt Cella’s article in The Washington Times.
He wanted the picture for his son: That’s what a Winnipeg firefighter wrote to the newspaper that ran the picture of the firefighter posing in front of a burning house. The firefighter, and another firefighter who took the picture with a cell phone, are under investigation. Read parts of the letter.
Firefighters want cross back on fire department’s hose tower that’s been part of Christmas celebration for nearly 70-years: Another Massachusetts fire department is trying to fight regulations on holiday decorations. This time a cross on a hose tower is the issue. It was ordered removed in 2005 and the firefighters want it back. Read the story from Holliston.
NJ firehouse shut: The Delaview VFC has been ordered closed by Pennsauken Fire Chief Benjamin Patti over procedures that haven’t been complied with involving accounting for public funds. Read the story here and here.
House fire in Upton, Massachusetts: Minor injuries to the couple living in the house. The fire broke out yesterday morning. Read details.
NEW – A glimmer of hope in Baltimore hours before a fatal fire occurs with the closest truck company shut down: Overnight in Baltimore a fire in the 3100 block of Presstman Street left one person dead and one injured. Firefighters found them both on the second floor. The PIO for the department confirms the closest ladder truck, Truck 18, was shut down due to rotating closures. The next closest, Truck 16, is scheduled to be shut for good next month. Read more.
This comes a few hours after city leaders confirmed they are now looking for overtime money to help the fire department reduce the number of rotating closures. The new effort to address overtime follows Chief Jim Clack’s proposal to permanently close three fire companies. Late yesterday Mayor Sheila Dixon reduced the number of permanent closings to one (Truck 16). The chief’s plan appears to have stimulated some discussion. Click here for that part of the story.
Think Safety – the monthly planner: Billy Goldfeder tells us about this one -
This is our fundraiser for the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section for the holidays and an excellent, and quite honestly, a “dirt cheap” risk management tool that will put a specific FIREFIGHTER SAFETY AND SURVIVAL MESSAGE in front of all of your members-everyday. You can also have up to five lines for your FD info, name, message from you etc imprinted on the front …and will be delivered before Christmas.
Coaching soccer on-duty costs two firefighters their jobs: In North Port, Florida, where a ladder truck crew took the rig three miles from the station so the lieutenant could coach a youth soccer match, two firefighters are out of work. Lt. Robert Combs, who was coaching the team and didn’t respond with the crew on a medical call, has resigned. One of the other two firefighters on the truck was fired. Read the details.
A refreshing lesson in public information during a crisis: Yesterday, in Woodbridge, Virginia, a student opened fire with a rifle on the campus of the Northern Virginia Community College. The school went on lock-down for more than three hours. No one was hit by the bullets and the gunman was captured very quickly (though there was a long, thorough check for possible accomplices). This left hundreds of students stranded, parents and friends worried, and of course the press, including me, racing to the scene. Well before we even got to Woodbridge, the long time public information officer for Prince William County Police, Sgt. Kim Chinn, had confirmed some basic information and set up an area for reporters, live trucks and cameras. There was no fighting with police to get to that location. The officers at the road blocks were already briefed to let us through. Once there, we were given regular updates with new, relevant information. Much of it important for anyone who had a loved one trapped on campus. We didn’t have to wait for the police chief or an elected official to come tell us what the PIO knew. There wasn’t a big joint press conference where most of the time was spent thanking each other for doing their jobs. It wasn’t about the brass, it was about the information. We weren’t berated because we asked questions or told there would be no more information for hours. The police answered with the information that was available at the moment, with no speculation. The police even encouraged and brought campus representatives out to talk to us. When I remarked to Deputy Chief Barry Bernard how refreshing and unusual the treatment of the press was during this emergency, he made it clear this wasn’t by accident. Chief Bernard pointed out, in a crisis like this, the press is their conduit to reach the community with vital and important information. From my experience, this is not the prevailing philosophy on handling public information in this part of the world. But to me it is one that makes a whole lot of sense.
A warning to firefighters: In Shoreline, Washington firefighters are being warned about a man who assaulted a firefighter and threatened to kill first responders. Police also found a cache of weapons. The man who called 911 for a medical emergency was arrested and released. Read the details.
Houston harassment report: Interesting details from a report looking at allegations of harassment and discrimination in the Houston Fire Department following some high profile incidents. Click here to read and watch the story.
Two from Pennsylvania: Photographer Steve Roth has two photo galleries of recent incidents. One is a dump truck into an SUV and a house in Adams County east of Gettysburg. Click here for the pictures. The other is a commercial building fire in Hanover. Click here.
It was a monster: That’s how a firefighter in Port Tampa, Florida described the 12-foot Burmese python he helped capture. See the video. Read the story.
Boston firefighter to sue police: After being acquitted of criminal charges in a dispute with a girlfriend, Firefighter Wayne Abron is now focusing on police officers he says used excessive force in his arrest. Abron is expecting to file a lawsuit against two Boston cops. He says the incident has left him paranoid about police, including at work. A police union attorney points out that Abron can make those accusations but it doesn’t make it so. Read more.
A reminder about comments: They aren’t going to be printed when they include expletives. I am not personally offended. Just the policy of the TV station. Also, react, state your opinion, but don’t act as the reporter. If you want to go beyond what is already on the record about an incident or topic and provide a whole bunch of new facts, please do so on your own blog. The other option is to send me your tip or information, and if there is time and a way to verify it, I will (I am always interested in tips). While it is not policy, personally I prefer spirited conversations about the facts and not personal attacks. We also do not edit comments. If it is a long, beautiful and thoughtful commentary, but it includes one four-letter word, it will be killed. We encourage comments and are getting close to posting comment number 13,000. Hope this helps explain why your comment may not have made the cut.
And finally … some silly stuff: Dave got away from the blog Sunday night and for a brief moment found himself set up by two of the funniest people in the world at the Kennedy Center Honors. There is even a fire department connection to my story. the video. Check it out.
Two-alarm commercial fire in Cambridge, Massachusetts: This fire was Saturday at 241 Monsignor O’Brien Highway. Fire in a Meineke Car Care Center. The same building was the scene of an arson in 2006 when it was the Boston Tropical Fish and Reptile pet store. The store’s manager and two others went to prison in a fire that killed dozens of animals. This time a cat was saved. Read more.
NOTE: It was a very busy weekend in the fire news business and we are getting a late start. Below is just a recap of our stories since Friday. More to come.
A Bill McNeel picture from the fire last night in University Park that injured eight firefighters.
Eight firefighters hurt in Prince George’s County, MD: : The evac tones were sounded at two different points in the battle to bring a University Park house fire under control. All firefighter injuries are reported to be minor. We have raw video from Tom Yeatman and lots of pictures.
Video by Vito Maggiolo from two more local fires: Vito was out with his camera early Saturday morning to capture a three-alarm fire at a former movie house in Takoma Park, Maryland. The building was most recently a clothing and shoe store. Click here for that video.
The tragedy in Russia and lessons from the past: If you haven’t seen it yet, click here for the video from inside the Perm, Russia club where fireworks apparently started a blaze that killed 112 people, with many more burned. Echoes of the Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island. We have the video of the NIST re-creation from the 2003 blaze and the NIST report.
Firefighters in hot water over picture taking: One firefighter posing for another in front of a Winnipeg house fire was caught on camera by a news photographer. Now the firefighters are in trouble. Click here.
Philly firefighter accused of setting ladder truck on fire: The firefighter is accused of not listening to his lieutenant about setting papers on fire and then starting a blaze inside Ladder 2. Read the details.
More to the story on Chief Dennis Rubin’s lawsuit deposition: You may have seen our unusual story last week where DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Dennis Rubin describes in detail what he claims was an expletive filled tirade by the former lawyer for the department. That attorney, Theresa Cusick is suing after Rubin got rid of her. Cusick claims there was no tirade but instead she was moved after trying to alert the chief to a cover-up of cheating. Cusick herself has been on the other side of a complaint about a wrongful termination and news reports at the time indicate she didn’t like it one bit. Here’s that story.
Theresa Cusick is the former general counsel for the DC Fire & EMS Department who yesterday went public with the details of her lawsuit against the city. Cusick, who was the department’s lawyer for nine years, was let go within three months of the arrival of Chief Dennis Rubin in April, 2007. Cusick believes her dismissal was retaliation for telling Rubin one of his assistant chiefs interfered with a cheating investigation.
In a video deposition by Rubin, provided by Cusick’s attorney at the Government Accountability Project (GAP), the chief claims he got rid of Cusick after she went on an expletive filled tirade about his command staff. Cusick denies such an incident occurred.
Chief Dennis Rubin deposition from the Government Accountability Project.
A STATter911.com reader reminds us that Theresa Cusick was once on the other side of a complaint by a former fire department employee and according to news reports didn’t like it one bit. It was a very controversial episode in the history of the fire department.
It began with the death of Tyra Hunter in 1995, a transgender woman who died in a traffic accident. A lawsuit over Hunter’s care included an agreement that the department will institute diversity training. Kenda Kirby was brought in to handle those duties. Kirby herself ended up in a legal dispute with the department claiming she was fired because she is a lesbian.
In a March 5, 2004 article in the Washington Blade, reporter Lou Chibbaro Jr. recounted a confrontation between Kirby, her lawyer and Theresa Cusick. Portions of that article are below. The entire article can be found here.
Contacted today, GAP spokesman Dylan Blaylock, does not believe the 2004 incident is relevant to Cusick’s suit and claims against Chief Rubin and members of his command staff. Blaylock makes his case in an email to STATter911.com that you can read here.
A lawyer representing the D.C. fire department yelled at Kenda Kirby, who was hired by the department to increase diversity awareness, during a Feb. 9 fact-finding meeting by the city’s Office of Human Rights into Kirby’s complaint that she was subjected to anti-gay harassment on the job, according to Mindy Daniels, Kirby’s attorney.
Daniels said Theresa Cusick, the D.C. Fire & Emergency Medical Services Department’s general counsel, leapt to her feet, leaned across a conference table toward Kirby, and screamed when she learned that Kirby had named her as a defendant in a discrimination complaint that Kirby filed against the department last September.
Kirby’s complaint charges the department with violating the D.C. Human Rights Act by failing to adequately respond when firefighters posted a series of derogatory messages about Kirby on an Internet site for firefights. The complaint charges department officials with retaliating against Kirby by curtailing her job duties when she reported the discrimination to her supervisors.
“Look at you! Look at you!” Cusick screamed at Kirby, according to Daniels’s account. “How dare you accuse me of anything!” Daniels quoted Cusick as saying.
Kenda Kirby from the Washington Blade.
Daniels said a stunned Kirby sat in silence as Daniels and OHR compliance officer Julio Matta tried to calm Cusick. Cusick continued to shout at Kirby for nearly five minutes, Daniels said, before agreeing to Daniels and Matta’s suggestion to end the meeting and to reschedule it for at another time.
“She was outright abusive and uncivil,” Daniels said. “It was the most unprofessional thing I’ve experienced in over 20 years of practice.”
Cusick, when contacted Wednesday by phone, declined comment.
“I cannot discuss this at all,” she said. “I cannot talk to the press.”
Katherine Friedman, a spokesperson for the department, said the department considers proceedings such as the Feb. 9 OHR meeting to be confidential and never comments on them.
The department hired Kirby, a former volunteer firefighter in Oklahoma, to help run the department’s diversity training program, which covers gay and transgender issues. The department decided not to renew her one-year appointment, which ended last month.
Kirby charges in her complaint that Cusick failed to adequately investigate a series of anonymous, online postings by firefighters on an unofficial firefighters’ Web site that poked fun of Kirby’s appearance. The postings also questioned Kirby’s competency as a consultant for the department’s diversity training program. Someone placed a printed copy of the postings in Kirby’s office mailbox, her complaint says.
One of the postings denounced Kirby for wearing a uniform normally worn by male battalion fire chiefs, calling her “some no-nothing running around dressed like a fireman.” Kirby has said department officials selected the uniform and required her to wear it.
Another posting said, “I thought the dress uniform for women was a skirt!!!”
A third posting criticized Fire Chief Adrian Thompson for hiring as diversity trainers new battalion fire chiefs who “cannot figure out if they are male or female.”
In addition, the complaint says Kirby was informed by a deputy fire chief that department officials had deliberated in private over whether she should be required to use the male or female bathrooms at the time she was hired. The officials eventually decided, “I was not allowed to use the men’s room,” Kirby said in an affidavit accompanying her complaint.
Kirby charges in her complaint that the department’s failure to take adequate steps to identify and reprimand the department employees who wrote the online messages undermined her ability to effectively carry out her job, defamed her character, and caused her to suffer emotional harm.
The complaint says at least one of the postings shows it was sent out on a Fire & EMS Department computer server, indicating that the sender wrote it while at work.
Daniels said Kirby has since amended her complaint against the department to charge Cusick with a count of retaliation for Cusick’s behavior at the Feb. 9 OHR meeting.
“The basis of the complaint is the department acted improperly toward Kenda because of her personal appearance,” Daniels said. “Now you have Cusick shouting ‘Look at you, look at you’ at Kenda. That gets to personal appearance,” Daniels said.
Gary, Indiana house fire with no hydrant: This was early this morning in the 5100 block of Washington. Water supply was reported to be an issue.
Video deposition of Chief Dennis Rubin in lawsuit over the dismissal of the DC Fire & EMS Department lawyer: A whistle blower protection group releases excerpts from the October deposition of Chief Rubin. The city is being sued by the department’s former general counsel, Theresa Cusick, who claims Rubin got rid of her after she told him about a cover-up involving an assistant chief. The chief says she needed to be gone after an expletive filled tirade about his command staff. Click here for our coverage. We have also added the complaint from Theresa Cusick’s lawsuit.
And now you know the rest of the story: Firefighter Close Calls has more on the Tennessee close call video where a man was almost run over a tanker. Apparently there was someone assisting the driver in backing up and the man who was hit has trouble hearing. Here’s the latest.
Chief who was reprimanded for racial slurs has to take back reprimand of union president: You may recall the story last March of South Milwaukee Chief Jay Behling who ended up with 90-days off the job. The chief ended up later issuing his own reprimand against a lieutenant who is the union president who pushed the investigation of the racial slurs and wanted Behling fired. That discipline has been reversed. Read the details.
10 more firefighters who were not part of lawsuit to be promoted in New Haven: Ending some uncertainty, these additional promotions came from the 2003 lists. Read more.
Former firefighter and art thief pleads guilty to assault during police impersonation: You may recall the story of former Waterford, Connecticut volunteer firefighter Charles McDougal. It was learned McDougal was also an art thief on probation when he was arrested for pulling a woman over with his blue light in January and hitting here. He has now entered a guilty plea on the assault charge. Here are the details.
House siren battle: A new firehouse. A new and larger house siren. Not a good mix in one New York neighborhood. Firegeezer has it covered.
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