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What you liked in 2009. The most popular stories of last year from STATter911.com. Plus, our contest winner.

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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.

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:  

1. May 30 – Confrontation caught on video between Oklahoma State Highway Patrol Trooper Daniel Martin and Creek Nation Paramedic Maurice White Jr.

 

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.

If you would like to see some of the other stories on this one, click here and keep scrolling.

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.

2. October 9 – District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department Sprinkler Demonstration mishap.

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”.

Click here to see our follow-up stories on the sprinkler demonstration.

3. December 17 – Flashover in Erwin, North Carolina.

Firefighter Will Gregory exits the home with his PPE on fire. Photo by Brian Haney, The Daily Record.

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.

4. January 9 – The crash of Boston Fire Department Ladder 26 killing Lt. Kevin M. Kelley.

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?

5. November 15 – Was that a leaf blower? Yes it was.

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.

6. February 3 - Cruise ship takes out DC fireboat.

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.  

7. September 11 - A rewarding save in Muskegon, Michigan.

MI Muskegon rescue

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.

8. May 7 – Natural gas explosion injured 8 firefighters in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

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. 

9.  July 20 – Firefighter brothers from Milwaukee save child from burning car.

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.

10. February 28 – Tower audio from plane crash at Denver airport.

CO-Denver-Continental-1404-724820

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.

11. September 6 – Ladder collapses at Pennsylvania fire.

Photographer Wayne E. Ray captured the before and after pictures of New Eagle VFD’s Ladder 14 during a building fire in Monongahela, Pennsylvania.

12. August 24 – Lt. Charles “Chip” McCarthy & FF Jonathan Croom, Buffalo Fire Department.

NY-Buffalo-LODDs-724509

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.

13. April 29 – Flint firefighters say cutbacks delayed getting water on fatal fire.

MI-Flint-ftal-fire-777263

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.

14. May 6 – Former Prince George’s County volunteer firefighter Jerry Engle talks about possible arson ring involving firefighters.

MD-PG-Engle1

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.

15. April 8 – Firefighter Daniel McGown burned in Prince George’s County house fire.

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PGFD’s Daniel McGown was rescued by fellow firefighters from this burning Largo home and is now back on the job.

16. January 16 – Prince William County dissolves Gainesville VFD.

VA-Prince-william--Gainesville-747467

After concerns over a long period of time the county moved in to make rather dramatic changes at a long time volunteer company. 

17. August 18 – The 50th anniversary of the BLEVE that killed five firefighters in Kansas City.

KMBC-720105

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.

18. March 11 – Risk a lot to save a lot: A story from Tulsa.

OK-Tulsa-rescue-733246

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.  

19. December 1 – Firehouse sleepover becomes a waste management problem in Burtonsville, Maryland.

Burtonsville

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.

20. January 26, 2008 – Report into the April, 2007 death of Prince William County, Virginia’s Kyle Wilson.

VA-Prince-William-Wilson-764461Yes, you read the dates correctly.

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.

I think that’s a good sign.

Posted by dave statter on January 1, 2010 • Filed under: 911 Audio, Administration & Leadership, Apparatus Wrecks, Aviation Incidents, Boston Fire Department, Buffalo Fire Department, Career - Volunteer Issues, Chief Dennis Rubin, Command & Leadership, Courts, Customer Service, DC Fire & EMS Department, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, FBI, Fire Prevention & Education, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Arson, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Firehouse Pranks, Fires, Funding & Staffing, IAFF, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service (MD), National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, News, PGFD, PGFD (MD), PIO, Police, Reports, Rescues, Social Media, Special Operations, Training & Development, Two-Hatters, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, Videos, fire, must see video, raid, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Two firefighters fired over Virginia noose incident. Loudoun County Fire-Rescue dismissed the firefighters today.

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Above is our December 14 story on the noose being left in a firefighter’s vehicle. You can read the original story here.

Sources tell STATter911.com two Loudoun County firefighters were fired today almost four weeks after a noose was found inside the car of a black firefighter. The two firefighters had been on suspension with pay since the December 4 incident at Station 5 in Hamilton.

Sources familiar with the incident indicate the career firefighters, both white, thought it was a harmless prank when they put the noose inside the vehicle of a firefighter who worked on the same shift. That vehicle was parked in the lot of the fire station.

According to the sources, who are not authorized to speak officially for the department on this matter, the firefighter who was the victim, while angry, did not immediately complain about the noose. When the lieutenant who supervised the crew became aware of what happened he reported it to his superiors.

We have contacted officials with the Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue & Emergency Management for comment, but they have not yet responded. When STATter911.com first reported the incident on December 14, Chief Joseph Pozzo confirmed it had occurred and was being investigated. Chief Pozzo wrote in an email, “When the Department learned of the allegation we took immediate action”.

One of the firefighters terminated had just finished his probationary period in November.

On December 6, two days after first dealing with the noose incident, Chief Pozzo was faced with another serious incident involving a career firefighter. In that case, a phone call to Station 6 in Ashburn was perceived as a bomb threat. The call was traced to Station 2 in Purcellville. The firefighter being investigated for the threat is still on suspension with pay and has not been told what punishment he will face, if any.

Posted by dave statter on December 31, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firehouse Pranks, Loudoun, Loudoun County, News • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

UPDATE: Is it fun or reckless? Or both? Firefighters in Riverdale, Maryland enjoy the snow.

44 comments

Original post and comments

Since we posted the original 10-minute or so long video of members of Maryland’s Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department having fun in the snow, we have received  many comments and emails. Above is a greatly abbreviated version of the video.

A small number of those writing think this is just firefighters who provided an important service during the storm getting a chance to have some fun and blow off steam. The large majority of those writing think this is not safe, that it is not appropriate behavior and sends the wrong message to the public.

While many of the firefighters are wearing what appears to be department PPE, we have been given no indication that the pickup truck is a fire department vehicle. We are wondering about the board being used.

STATter911.com has asked for the viewpoint of Riverdale VFD’s chief  and officials with the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department, along with the chief of police in Riverdale Park.  We will let you know if there are any comments.

UPDATE:  Riverdale VFD Chief Charles Ryan replied to our email saying he is fully investigating the incident. Chief Ryan indicated he would not have further comment until that was completed, but he did confirm our suspicions that the vehicle involved did not belong to the fire department.

Both PGFD Chief Spokesman Mark Brady and Riverdale Park Police Chief Theresa Chambers say they will not be providing comments while Chief Ryan’s investigation is underway.

A STATter911.com reader sent along the video below of somewhat similar activity on Long Island posted in January of 2007.

Posted by dave statter on December 21, 2009 • Filed under: Firefighter Safety & Health, Firehouse Pranks, PGFD, PGFD (MD), Social Media, Videos • Tagged: , , , , ,

Quick Takes

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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.

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.

Posted by dave statter on December 15, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Baltimore County Fire Department, Courts, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Firehouse Pranks, Fires, IAFF, Loudoun, Loudoun County, Major Incidents, News, Police, Quick takes, Videos, fire • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Noose left in Virginia firefighter’s car. Two FFs suspended in Loudoun County. Third FF under investigation for unrelated bomb threat incident.

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Two white career firefighters in Loudoun County, Virginia are suspended with pay after a noose was found in the car of a black firefighter. Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management Chief Joseph Pozzo, while not providing details, confirms an investigation is ongoing. In an email to STATter911.com Chief Pozzo wrote, “When the Department learned of the allegation we took immediate action.  . Employees under investigation are not currently assigned to any public duties.”

Sources familiar with the investigation, but not authorized to speak for the department, confirm the incident occurred the first week of December at the Station 5 in Hamilton. According to the sources, the two firefighters, one of them a rookie, put the noose in the car of their fellow firefighter. The black firefighter discovered it and brought it into the station. The sources tell us that the firefighter who was the victim was not happy, but did not pursue a complaint involving the incident. We are told the lieutenant of the station became aware of the noose and reported it to his superiors.

The two firefighters, now under suspension, face the possibility of losing their jobs.  They are currently on administrative leave with pay.

A third career firefighter in Loudoun County is suspended in an unrelated incident that occurred a few days later. A call came into Station 6 in Ashburn on December 6 that was perceived as a bomb threat. According to sources the phone call was traced to Station 2 in Purcellville. A career firefighter from Purcellville who had apparently been involved in some prank phone calls back and forth between the two fire stations is under investigation.

Chief Pozzo replied responded to STATter911.com’s questions about this incident via email:

LCFR did receive an allegation that what you have described occurred.  As with the other incident when the Department learned of the allegation we took immediate action.  This matter is also currently under investigation. The employee under investigation is not currently assigned to any public duties.  As the matter is under investigation I cannot comment any further.

Posted by dave statter on December 14, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firehouse Pranks, Loudoun, Loudoun County, News, Police • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Dave gets set up and sucked in by two octogenarians. Firehouse jokesters and pranksters take a lesson from these two masters: Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner.

3 comments

I usually try not to waste your time with most of what I do during my day job (I just waste it with the other mindless pulp I send your way). I am making an exception in this case.

I am still laughing over how two of the funniest people on this earth, one 87 and the other 83, plotted to set up a reporter on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Sunday night. The editor of STATter911.com just happened to be the one who took the bait.

Keep in mind that Carl Reiner showed up about a half hour before the arrival of Mel Brooks and planted the seed.

Other than a great lesson in comedy and patience for you firehouse pranksters, the only other fire department connection in the video is my interview with a serial arsonist and a brush off by the fire investigator (the story of my life).

Mel Brooks

 

Posted by dave statter on December 8, 2009 • Filed under: Firehouse Pranks, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Philadelphia firefighter suspended, accused of setting fire to ladder truck. Reports indicate his lieutenant told him to stop playing with fire.

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The scene of the crime from Google Maps Street View.

The scene of the crime from Google Maps Street View.

A firefighter in Philadelphia has been suspended after being accused of setting fire to the rig where he is assigned. The fire was quickly extinguished by other firefighters. Philadelphia Fire Department Commissioner Lloyd Ayres says fire investigators are looking into Paul Prendergas’ actions on Tuesday morning.

Excerpts from an article by Kitty Capparella at Philly.com:

“I can guarantee the proper discipline will be handed out. This is a very serious infraction,” Ayres added. “We don’t take this lightly.

The commissioner said Prendergas was “engaged in horseplay,” allegedly lighting paper and watching it flame out inside the firehouse on Arch Street near 4th where he worked on Ladder 2.

His supervisor, Lt. Alfonso Mesete, ordered Prendergas, who is in his 20s, to stop playing with fire.

But Prendergas allegedly lit another paper and threw it into the fire truck’s engine compartment, which is normally locked, setting ablaze the motor which operates the truck and powers the firefighting equipment.

Mesete filed a report about the incident, which prompted the Visual Communications Unit to photograph the damage and a Fire Marshal to interview witnesses.

“I’m waiting for all the reports, including the cost of repairs to the truck before taking action,” said Ayres. Mechanics replaced a few parts to make the $800,000 fire truck operable.

Prendergas, who is known by officials as a “problem child,” has faced discipline in the past year, prompting his transfer from Engine 71 at Cottman Avenue and Loretto Street in the Northeast, to Ladder 2, said sources.

Called a “legacy” member of the department, Prendergas comes from a family of firefighters, said one source. “He should know better. What if Ladder 2 was called into service and couldn’t be dispatched because they were fighting a fire on their own truck?”

Posted by dave statter on December 4, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Arson, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firehouse Pranks, Fires, News, fire • Tagged: , , , , ,

Quick Takes

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As Firegeezer has been warning us:  Click here for videos, fireground audio, pictures and more from our extensive coverage of two fires at Family Dollar stores in Rochester, New York yesterday. Our friends at Monroe County Fire Wire have a series of HD videos, like the one above from Scott Ellman. As you may be aware, the Geeze has been keeping tabs of the number of fires in Family Dollars and other similarly named stores. So we can’t say he didn’t warn us.

Firefighters cleared of wrongdoing in death of elderly woman at fire, but there were a series of issues: This is an update on a story from New Zealand where there were allegations an elderly woman was left in a burning home and could have been removed sooner. The first crew to reach the woman was running out of air. They assumed she was dead and left her. A second crew found here alive, though she later died. While the firefighters were cleared of wrongdoing, the report does indicate the woman was declared dead when she actually wasn’t, there may have been confusion over a policy of leaving bodies in place for investigators and there needs to be improved search and rescue training. The report also confirmed that two senior officers had been drinking at a barbeque prior to the fire breaking out, but each believed it did not impair their ability to deal with the fire. Overall the report found the firefighters on the call “responded appropriately”. Click here for more. Watch the story here.

Click the image to watch a report on the seven-alarm fire at a large apartment complex under construction in Dallas, Texas. The first firefighters found fire in electrical equipment. Seven firefighters were hurt, including some in a floor collapse. The fire burned for more than 12 hours.

Click the image to watch a report on the seven-alarm fire at a large apartment complex under construction in Dallas, Texas. The first firefighters found fire in electrical equipment. Seven firefighters were hurt, including some in a floor collapse. The fire burned for more than 12 hours.

Firefighter talks about floor collapse that sent him and others to the hospital: Cincinnati’s Fred Averill talks about the fire Monday that sent him and others tumbling through a hole in the floor. Read and watch the story.

Who’d a thunk it?: A study of the data in Boston has found that some firehouses are busy and some aren’t. Now that’s a headline for you. Anyway, the question on the table is what to with that information. There is a suggestion of moving firefighters around. Read the story.

Firefighter’s son charged in dad’s murder: You may be familiar with the story of the Waco, Texas firefighter whose body was found in his burning home. Ramonell James’ son, burned in the fire, has now been charged with shooting his dad and setting the place on fire. Here’s the story.

Pranks for the memories: Too much time on their hands and a lot of dedication to scaring the rookie. Check it out.

Posted by dave statter on November 24, 2009 • Filed under: Boston Fire Department, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Firehouse Pranks, Fires, News, Reports, Videos, fire • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dumpster diving firefighter waits for rookie. Anything for a prank.

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Time for a little comic relief courtesy of an apparently dedicated prankster.

Posted by dave statter on November 23, 2009 • Filed under: Firehouse Pranks, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

A look back to another river crash. Air Florida Flight 90 in DC had a significant impact on regional cooperation and crew resource management.

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Flight medic Gene Windsor on the skid with Pilot Donald Usher guiding the US Park Police helicopter, as the crew plucks 5 survivors from the icy Potomac River. Watch my 1992 story on the 10th anniversary of the crash of Air Florida Flight 90.

DC Fire Department radio traffic from Air Florida Flight 90 and Metrorail crashes- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Arlington County Fire Department & NOVA radio traffic- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Another account of the day from Arlington Fire Journal

While the circumstances are very different, a lot of people in Washington were reminded yesterday of the crash of Air Florida Flight 90 into the icy Potomac River. Tuesday was the 27th anniversary of that tragedy. Seventy-eight people, including four who were in their vehicles on the inbound 14th Street Bridge, died in that accident in the middle of a snow storm at 4:01 PM on January 13, 1982.

While the crash into the Hudson was a ditching of a commercial jet by a skilled crew after an apparent catastrophic engine failure (possibly due to a bird strike), the Potomac crash was blamed on the actions of the crew. Among the most significant findings by the NTSB were that the Flight 90 pilot and co-pilot failed to have the anti-icing system turned on prior to take off. This resulted in a sensor icing over and in turn providing high false thrust indicator readings. The jet took off with inadequate power to stay airborne. It crashed just north of National Airport.

This incident helped push the idea of crew resource management in cockpits. The concept and how it relates to the fire service was alluded to today in Chief Billy Goldfeder’s posting on The Secret List.

Five people were plucked from the icy Potomac by the US Park Police Eagle helicopter crew of Donald Usher and Gene Windsor. The video above, from a story I did for Channel 9 in 1992, was shot by photographer Bruce Bookholtz. My friend Bruce is retiring at the end of this week. Bruce also had been at National Airport before the crash doing a story on the snow storm with reporter John Goldsmith. It turned out they had shot video of Flight 90 at the gate.

One story that wasn’t publicly known until I reported it on the 20th anniversary, is that the actions of another US Park Police pilot possibly saved the day. In 1982, US Park Police did not supply a snow plow for the hanger in Anacostia Park. Pilot Ron Galey took the call about the crash. As Usher and Windsor got the chopper ready. Galey jumped into his own snow plow equipped pickup truck and cleared a path for the helicopter’s take off. Without that effort, the helicopter may have arrived too late for the rescues.

Just short of 20-years later, Galey also took the call from National Aiport’s tower for the notification that a jet had slammed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

There were a number of heroes that day. This includes Arland Williams, believed to be the sixth passenger who survived the initial impact. The other survivors say Williams repeatedly passed the life ring from the helicopter to his fellow survivors. Williams drowned by the time the helicopter came back for him. The inbound 14th Street span is now named for Arland Williams.

Watch 9NEWS NOW’s Nancy Yamada’s story with Roger Olian 

The other story from that day that has always touched me is of Roger Olian. Olian was then a sheet metal worker on the way home from his job at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Olian saw the survivors flailing in the frigid waters before any rescuers arrived. Feeling he had to do something, Olian jumped in and swam toward the middle of the river. While he didn’t save anyone, the survivors all cited Olian’s act as giving them hope they soon would be rescued.

Olian’s actions were somewhat overshadowed by Lenny Skutnik who also jumped into the river. Skutnik grabbed survivor Priscilla Tirado who had been brought close to the shore by the helicopter, but couldn’t make it in on her own. Skutnik was recognized later that month during President Ronald Reagan’s State of the Union address. It began the tradition of honoring heroes during the event. Anyone willing to bet that US Airways Pilot Chesley Sullenberger will be honored at President Barack Obama’s first State of the Union address?

The Air Florida accident had a significant impact on regional cooperation among the fire departments in the Washington, DC area. There was much criticism about the lack of coordination between Virginia and DC emergency crews.

Among the loudest critics was Channel 9 Editorial Director Rich Adams. Rich, also a columnist for Firehouse Magazine, did many on-air editorials prodding local fire service leaders to do better regional planning. The incident has long been cited as an early catalyst for radio interoperability, two decades before the phrase became a mantra following September 11.

Within a half-hour of the crash into the Potomac, the area’s subway system, Metrorail, suffered its first fatal accident. It happened just north of the 14th street bridge in a tunnel south of the Federal Triangle station. Three people were killed and 25 were injured.

Below is part 1 of Seconds from Disaster, a National Geographic documentary on the crash of Flight 90 and the errors made in the cockpit. Click here for the other parts.

The emergency landing of United Flight 232 in Iowa on July 19, 1989 is often cited as one of the best examples of how crew resource management should be done. Pilot Al Haynes and his crew (including an off-duty pilot on board who offered a hand) were hailed as heroes in doing what might have seemed impossible in landing a severely crippled jet, saving the lives of 185 of the 285 people on board. Will Flight 1549 Pilot Sullenberger and his crew now be the ones used for the textbook example of excellent crew resource management?

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Posted by dave statter on January 16, 2009 • Filed under: 911, 911 Audio, Administration & Leadership, Arlington County Fire Department, Aviation Incidents, Command & Leadership, DC Fire & EMS Department, FDNY, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Firehouse Pranks, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Reports, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,