A successful conclusion to this dramatic rescue operation. But is it really all’s well that ends well? Watch the video (below) and read our updated critique.
Last year at about this time STATter 911 discovered a truly horrifying fireground video that likely violated each one of the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives, loads of NFPA standards and many OSHA rules. It also proved to be a bigger embarrassment to the fire service than some other old firehouse videos released in 2008 (you know, I better not go any further with that thought).
Some people believed we were rather harsh in our judgment of the brave firefighters from Company C and Company D depicted in this video. I admit my initial review was done in haste. My rush to post this was due to the pressure of competition and wanting to get it on the blog before that old Geezer person or Jason at Firefighter Spot beat me to it.
Shortly after the release of the video, a blue-ribbon panel was appointed to study this fire. The panel, headed by consultant J. Gordon Routley, has issued its report. Ten-thousand pages long (actually it was longer, but I had the appendix removed), it is extremely detailed, to the point of telling us whether the firefighters wore boxers or briefs.
Being your typical TV reporter, I am a very important person and don’t have time to read such dribble. I skimmed the executive summary, but quickly became distracted by a high speed chase on a California freeway. So I did what most of us TV types do when we don’t have a clue: I called in an expert for a sound bite.
The expert I contacted replied to my email with just these letters and punctuation: WTF!!!
Thinking it meant “Wrong thinking firefighters!!!”, I figured I had the perfect guy. Little did I know its true meaning and was quite shocked to learn firefighters actually speak that way. I quickly realized I would be unable to put that sound bite on TV (brilliant, aren’t I?). Still, this expert from Ohio told me my original synopsis of this fire was pretty much on the money.
So, watch the video and read the updated version of my analysis, along with other developments, reaction and related links. Keep in mind that I am doing this a bit blind without the fire modeling from NIST and the NIOSH report that I had hoped to have available at this time.
Click above to watch the video
The fireground
Fire spread quite rapidly from the first floor to the roof, in what appears to be a large, 3-story, balloon-frame, single-family-dwelling. Looking at how the fire chased the occupant through the house, we are suspicious an accelerant may have been used in igniting the blaze.
There are two hydrants on Side A, one near the A-B corner and one closer to the A-D corner. The flow from these hydrants appeared to be inadequate.
Due to the outcry from the public over the water supply issue, in the months following the fire, customer service units were added by this department. The units have the responsibility of checking each hydrant in the city.
But there have been problems with this program, along with a similar one in the District of Columbia. In a surprise press conference set up by Alan Etter, Billy Hayes and Kenny Crosswhite (the surprise is there was only one that day), DC Chief Dennis Rubin acknowledged the constant flowing of hydrants has had two negative impacts.
One is the potential for a severe water shortage for the upcoming Inauguration.
The second is a medical condition for the hydrant checkers that is very similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, but comes from having the upper extremities and head constantly moving in a circle while operating the hydrants all day long. Those assigned to these specialized units have found that their arms and hands suddenly start to flail, without warning, in a circular motion. It has destroyed the social lives of those who are afflicted with this ailment. Dancing is a particular problem and makes everyone look like Elaine on Seinfeld. Other social actions involving the use of the extremities have also been impacted. We sense a lawsuit coming.
Staffing is an obvious issue on the fireground. The first two engines responded driver-only. In an odd development, the video was played before the Board of County Commissioners in Frederick, Maryland. They have since legislated one firefighter as the maximum staffing for all suppression and EMS units.
Taking note of the staffing issue Sacramento Chief Ray Jones and PIO Jim Doucette advised the chiefs of the two companies they should level with the public about response issues, including making note of unavailable units on the department’s website.
OSHA has been contacted by the IAFF about a possible “2-in, 2-out” violation.
One firefighter had to be revived after suffering smoke inhalation. While the resuscitation techniques were not traditional, they seemed to be effective.
We are not surprised about the smoke inhalation considering both firefighters entered an IDLH atmosphere without benefit of SCBA. When interviewed about this, the firefighters each said they had been made aware of the groundbreaking work by the Great American Insurance Company. They believed the black stuff they were seeing was nothing more than pollution. Similar to going outside on a code orange day.
The video shows that neither firefighter used any PPE. This sparked a somewhat profane email from an outraged Chief Billy Goldfeder.
It turns out the reason for the missing gear is that it was all sold on ebay by a group of Montgomery County, Maryland firefighters upset over defensive tactics being used on fires involving light-weight construction.
While the home burning in this video is constructed w
ith dimensional lumber, the initial defensive operations used on the fireground prompted numerous postings on thewatchdesk.com (TWD) from Hookman claiming, “They are a bunch of wimps”.
In reference to TWD, half of those commenting blasted STATter 911 for being anti-volunteer while the other half said we were in the pocket of the career firefighters.
We also noticed a half-dozen 2:00 AM postings on TWD by Baltimore Fire Chief Jim Clack. Chief Clack noted, despite rumors to the contrary, this incident is unrelated to pending budget cuts in his city.
We can only be thankful that our dear, departed friend, Frank Brannigan, didn’t see the roof operations. If these guys had paid attention in class, or read “Building Construction For The Fire Service”, Third Edition, they would have known the damn roof was going to collapse.
Opposing hose lines are also an issue. Part of the problem is that rival volunteer companies appear to be more interested in fighting each other, than rescuing the lone occupant. Of course, STATter 911 has the exclusive on this. We have already contacted Mark Brady, who says it is under investigation and the companies involved will be restricted to the first-due response area. Chief 833, Tony Kelleher, tells STATter 911,”At least you can’t blame this one on Kentland”. Just those words from Chief Kelleher prompted a new thread on TWD that had 9,000 postings and 3-million views in just four days.
It should also be noted that STATter 911 has learned that both firefighters in the video had previously been fired for previous violent incidents. They sued their departments and were reinstated with back pay.
While we have noted many negative aspects related to this fire, we would be remiss in not pointing out the heroic actions of FF Popeye in saving his brother firefighter and the citizen, Miss Oyl. The deed rivals some very recent dramatic rescues reported by STATter 911, here, here and here.
The irony of FF Popeye saving FF Brutus has some similarities to this story we ran from Ohio.
Also, on the 911 end, the call takers did a great job in attempting to calm down Miss Oyl. Those at the 911 center cite their role model as Montgomery County, MD FF Matt Markett who is able to get through to even the most hysterical of callers. Listen for yourself.
Shocking firehouse video
There is also great outrage over what the video shows prior to the emergency response. Many people have written that smoking and rough-housing in quarters have no place in the modern fire service. Others tell us to get over it and remind us that’s how we did it “back in the day”.
What the video did not show is one firefighter using his body as a launching pad for bottle rockets. STATter 911 has learned FF Popeye was taught the fireworks technique by the department’s newest member, a Mr. Engle, who has set a national record for being a member of the most fire companies in a single year. In return, FF Popeye demonstrated how he is able to have a can of spinach suddenly shoot out of various orifices.
The firehouse portion of the videos were just too much for Gordon Routley and Marc Bashoor. They each provided pointed commentaries to STATter 911 saying enough is enough from these two fire companies.
Clearly the companies are combined under one roof as a cost cutting measure in this difficult economic environment. Still, the facilities are quite out of date. We have learned federal money has been allocated for a new building, but the volunteers claim it is being held up because FDNY won’t sign off on it.
More reaction from fire service leaders
So concerned about what he saw in the video, even though his people weren’t involved, Chief Adam Thiel of Alexandria, VA, has decided to stand down his entire department until May. Alexandria leaders think that might have the added effect of solving the budget crunch, but the city ended up spending almost as much money on a team of consultants to determine if it is ethical to be without fire protection for so long.
Chief Thiel and his PIO, Capt. Luis Santana, are just happy this fire does not involve the use of ethanol. In a related development, because STATter 911 has now mentioned the word ethanol, Alexandria’s communications director, Tony Castrilli, ordered the release of thousands more of Chief Thiel’s emails. Community activists in the city are dissecting each one.
The IAFC promptly issued a press release generally supporting the two fire departments in the video. The IAFF followed suit with a press release telling the IAFC to mind its own business.
Our old friend MWAA Fire Chief Gary Mesaris saw the video and had no comment. Chief Mesaris completed the call from STATter 911 quite amused with himself over some unrelated information he is unwilling to share with a reporter. This includes that the entire Iraq war was planned by the Department of Defense inside the Reagan National Airport fire station. Also, Jimmy Hoffa is buried under the old firehouse.
Looking for a positive spin, Pete Piringer pointed to the two-minute response time.
Matt Tobia, recently being the po
int man on a controversial fire, decided to sit this one out.
Dr. Burton Clark watched the video and noted no one was wearing seat belts during the response to the emergency. Dr Clark is trying to get FFs Popeye and Brutus to take the pledge.
Mike Wilbur also made note of some bad driving habits.
On Firehouse.com, Dr. Harry Carter says the video just supports his concerns about an overall lack of leadership in the fire service.
Steve Austin, with advice from Howard Cohen, sent us an email wondering why Popeye and Brutus weren’t wearing vests while they were fighting in the street .
Bill Webb at CFSI found the video important enough to make mention of it in his year end review.
Wayne Powell at Marriott International, obviously misguided, did what he always does and provided great advice and support to STATter 911 and countless others.
Already thinking of his next recruiting effort, Steve Chappell at Dale City VFD is picturing FF Popeye’s face on the side of a bus.
DC’s Steve Chasin has asked FF Brutus to join in on his facial hair lawsuit (who knew?).
Ozzie Mirkhah, Mike Love, Bill Delaney and Keith Brower each sent STATter 911 emails declaring this as another example of why residential sprinklers must be required.
The NAHB sent out a press release with a different view on this issue.
Dr. Frank Field says the reaction of Miss Oyl shows why we need to do a better job educating the public on what to do in case of fire.
Tom Olshanski directed us to US Fire Administrator Greg Cade’s previous statement on sprinklers. Chief Cade also thought it was pretty hypocritical of Statter to even run the video, since Cade knows for a fact that Statter did much worse when he was at Oxon Hill.
Related coverage from various news organizations, websites and blogs
In a bold headline, St. Mary’s Today called Popeye, Brutus and the like a bunch of “fire thugs”. Publisher Ken Rossignol demanded career staffing, wrote an insensitive political cartoon and printed all of it along with the usual stories about a governor’s love child and a Martian landing (or maybe they were both the same story).
Multiple postings on Firefighter Nation declared the firefighter in the sailor’s cap is kind of cute. Dave Iannone, Chris Hebert and Paul Andrews at Go Forward Media discovered server problems due to everyone trying to be FF Popeye’s “friend”. Popeye was immediately signed up to show off his biceps for a charity calendar, which even before it was printed, dissolved in scandal.
The News Journal in Delaware became aware of this video and has now launched a year-long probe into how much money Popeye and Brutus have in their bank accounts. Look for a series this time next year.
A new look at the video prompted FossilMedic Mike Ward to follow up on last year’s posting when he wondered why Ambulance 833 wasn’t on the scene. Mike’s latest post really has no point other than to just stir the pot, which he is damn good at.
On a somewhat related note, one of the regular commenters to STATter 911 asked the question for the umpteenth time, “Where was Ricky Riley?”.
It was Chief Riley who sadly noted last year, and STATter 911 agreed, the images would have been much better had Wes Gerald been around to take them (Make sure you check out WesPhoto10.com).
We understand there is better and closer video available from Company D’s official photographer, Vito Maggiolo and that it has already been posted on DCFD.com.
Different angles are on the way from stringers Tom Yeatman and Bob Pugh. Another stringer’s video is unavailable due to it being confiscated following his arrest for going behind the yellow tape.
Steve Redick’s video and still pictures of this fire were posted on YouTube and SmugMug even before Statter woke up. Same with Michael Schwartzberg’s stuff. But Schwartzberg’s account prompted Statter to post yet another long and boring look back at his childhood in Baltimore County.
Susan Nicol Kyle from Firehouse.com prowled the mess hall at the National Fire Academy looking for reaction to the video.
Jamie Thompson already has a piece on FireRescue1.com looking at how the Obama administration plans to react to this debacle. (Jamie has a real year-end review and not this junk. So does FirefighterSpot.com.)
As it turns out, FireGeezer Bill Schumm actually had the video before STATter 911. Bill didn’t use it because there wasn’t a strip club or porno movie house involved.
After seeing the state of the apparatus in the video, LightRock Jim Featherstone had a salesman from Singer at Company C and Company D before the day was out.
The shocking video has prompted the hardest working man in the bus
iness, Rhett Fleitz, to start another web site.
Steve Marshall in Pennsylvania had nothing to say about the fire. He was too busy looking at the clouds on the horizon trying to determine if there was something worth chasing.
The video has provided Bill Carey with tons of material for Fire(Fighter) Behavior.
Erich Roden on TheHouseWatch.com lamented the firehouses in the video appeared to be modern by Milwaukee’s standards.
Grant Mishoe, of SConFire.com, is already trying to get the old rigs into the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center.
Elsewhere in the Carolinas, Jeff Harkey desperately looked for a local connection to run this one on FireNews. net.
Mike Legeros, as usual, just wrote something thoughtful and took really nice pictures.
WithTheCommand.com already has a crew from TaskForce1, Inc. heading to that fire station for training.
Over at FirefightingNews.com they have posted 20 stories during the time I wrote just the last two paragraphs.
At FireSpecialOps.com they are looking at this stupid entry and are thinking is STATter 911 really the site that inspired our blog?
In conclusion
Finally, Ron Siarnicki, Dennis Compton and Hal Bruno at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation watched the video and said, despite the many failings, they are just glad everyone went home. We agree.
Thanks to all those mentioned in this poor man’s year-end review. Without you there would be no STATter 911 (alright, who just applauded). Despite my typical lame attempts at satire and humor, I have enormous respect for the work you do to keep firefighters and the public safe.
On that note, a happy and very safe new year from everyone at STATter 911 (”everyone” would be me, Hillary and Sam).
Added bonus: Excerpts from the official report
The rather large FF from Company C has a serious violation of facial hair standards that would make proper wearing of SCBA in an IDLH environment impossible. (Remedial physical training also recommended for likely BMI in excess of 30 percent)
Company D firefighter (while adhering to facial hair standards and recommended weight though outsized forearms to body indicates unusual PT regimen) has no recognizable department uniform and large anchor tattoos on forearms may violate some FD policy on having body artwork covered by said uniform. While response time appears good, neither company use any known standard type of layout technique or establishment of water supply.
No circle check or Level I or II command of any type appears to have been established. Considering volume and rapid spread of fire on side D, but oddly not smoke, visually confirmed trapped victim and likely further spread of fire due to presumed (and previously mentioned) balloon frame construction, it seems negligent to say the least that a rapid intervention dispatch, safety assignment or task force was not called for by first-arriving companies C and D.
Ladder selection, placement and angle for rescue are improper. Incident also clearly demonstrates inherent weakness in using wooden ladders and a transition for both departments to aluminum ladders is recommended.
Neither Company C and D firefighters have SCBA nor turnout gear for proper roof rescue, nor roof ladder or tools (latter for sounding roof), and weight of said FF probably contributed to later roof collapse) While Company D firefighter’s outstanding bravery in rescuing civilian and Company C FF from roof is duly noted, generally catastrophic roof collapses as seen in the video and lack of proper PPE and SCBA are a receipe for tragedy. Company D firefighter should also take care not to carry sealed canteen-related items on the fireground as they could explode and cause injury if exposed to heat. Also recommended for Company D firefighter is remedial EMS training as EMT skills demonstrated on civilian are inconsistent with any known protocols for smoke inhalation.
Despite the favorable outcome, this type of freelancing, horseplay on the fireground, and lack of professionalism, should not be seen as an example for the rest of the fire service.
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