Leave the driving to us: Not outrageous, but a reminder that even the professional drivers aren’t attuned to the sirens, lights and air horns. Michael “Firepix” Schwartzberg and his son Jason were shooting video of Baltimore County’s new Engine 13, when Truck 13 took a call. Looks like the MTA bus was responding to something too.

Whose job is it anyway?: Lots of you have been very critical of what you saw in the truck fire video from Bainbridge, Georgia. Cops on hoses isn’t playing well with this audience. On top of it, this example of the public safety officer model highlights out a few problems. I am sure you have seen the video. Just click here and scroll down for the comments.

Sex change operation leads to battle in Texas over benefits due dead firefighter’s family: Unresolved issues can make for a mess when someone dies. Unfortunately that has quickly become the case following the tragic loss of Wharton Fire Department Captain Thomas Araguz who died earlier this month at an egg farm fire. The Houston Chronicle reports Araguz had seperated from his wife two months before the fire. The paper cites the reason for the split is Araguz had discovered Nikki Araguz was born a man. This has set up a fight over benefits.

One way to save overtime: In Heath, Ohio the fire department, like many others, is under the gun because of overtime spending. With a captain out due to neck and back injuries, Chief Mark Huggins plans to cut OT spending by taking some of the 24-hour shifts himself. Read more.

Insurance issues may shut down West Virginia fire companies: September 1st is when 129 volunteer departments could lose their broad form liability coverage. There is now talk of a mass shut down if state and insurance officials can’t get this settled. Read the latest.

Search warrants served following blast that injured Sacramento firefighters: Investigators raided two homes near the Oak Park house that exploded earlier in the month injuring four firefighters. Click here to read and watch the update.

EMT in center of controversy shot and killed: You may recall the December story where two FDNY EMTs on lunch break were accused of failing to provide care for a dying pregnant woman at a restaurant. Now one of the crew, Jason Green, has been shot and killed outside a New York night club. Here is more.

Firefighter charged in mid-day arson: Just six hours after an afternoon fire heavily damaged a Mechanic Falls, Maine restaurant an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter was arrested. Here’s the story.

The Morning Zoo meets Firehouse Expo: Make sure you stop by Booth 738 when you come to Baltimore Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It should be quite the interesting show. As ususal, I will be sharing the facility with Firegeezer Bill Schumm (when I am not handling duties for NFFF). Bill rented a double wide this year to give us room to spread out. The problem is he then asked a host of characters to join us (I guess my pain is your gain). Somehow John Mitchell and Rhett Fleitz will be trying to do their Firefighter Nutcast radio show (did I get that right?) while we are meeting and greeting. If you hang around you will soon discover there’s quite the dynamic between Rhett (the hardest working man in the blog business) and me (the laziest slob on the same beat). The good news is that most of my barbs go right over Rhett’s head, which keeps the violence to a minimum. Please come talk with us so we don’t have to talk to each other.

 California house fire: A fire yesterday on LaBarr Meadows Road in Grass Valley, California.