Sometimes we concentrate too much on the big cities or the more urban areas in the videos we show on this site. Today, I came across a pair of recently posted helmet-cam videos from some smaller communities in the South.
Above is a house fire shot by a member of the Flippin Fire Department on a mutual aid run. There is no indication when the fire occurred. It is labeled "Summit Fire". Flippin, Arkansas, population 1357 (2000 Census), is in Marion County in the Ozarks. Here's a description of Flippin FD from the department website.
The department is currently a volunteer department with a Full Time Paid Fire Chief. Department personnel currently consists of 16 personnel, which include men and women trained in Fire, EMS, Rescue, and Haz-Mat. The personnel of the department not only respond to emergency calls but also assist with community events and public services.
The video below is from a shed fire on Saturday handled by the Florala Fire Department. Florala, Alabama is in Covington County and, according to the 2000 Census, has a population of 1964. I didn't find a website, but Florala FD is on Facebook where I found this description:
The Florala Fire Department is a fully volunteer fire department in extreme south Alabama. We have 24 active volunteers and run out of one station. We have two engines (Engine 5: 2010 Crimson Rescue Pumper and Engine 2: 1988 FMC/Ford Pumper), one mini-pumper (Truck 4: 1991 E-One/Ford Mini Rescue Pumper), and one chief's car (2004 Chevrolet Impala). We have around 2500 people that we protect in our district, which is approximately 81 square miles. We average around 100-150 calls per year.
We are a little late on this one, but I think you will find the video worth the wait. This is 11 minutes of raw video from a United States Park Police helicopter taken during the early stages of a rowhouse fire that began at 921 Decatur Street, Northwest on the afternoon of July 1. The fire went to two alarms. Two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A Texas Rangers fan died after falling about 20 feet onto concrete reaching out for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton during a game.
Shannon Stone, a 39-year-old firefighter from Brownwood, died at a hospital Thursday night, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office said.
Stone was a lieutenant and had been with the Brownwood Fire Department nearly 18 years, said City Manager Bobby Rountree. Brownwood is about 150 miles southwest of Arlington.
Stone was at the game with his young son, who watched as his dad tumbled over the outfield railing after catching the ball.
Arlington Fire Department officials said Stone, who witnesses said was conscious after the fall, "went into full arrest" while being transported by ambulance. He was pronounced dead at a Fort Worth hospital less than an hour after he fell.
"We had a very tragic accident tonight and one of our fans lost their life reaching over the rail trying to get a ball," team president Nolan Ryan said somberly after the Rangers' 6-0 victory over Oakland. "As an organization, and as our team members and our staff, we're very heavy-hearted about this, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family."
Ronnie Hargis was sitting next to Stone in the first row of seats in left field. The men had been talking before the accident. Hargis reached out to try to grab Stone, who fell headfirst through a gap of several feet that is between the seats and the 14-foot-high outfield wall.
"He went straight down. I tried to grab him, but I couldn't," Hargis said. "I tried to slow him down a little bit."
The area where Stone landed was out of sight from the field.
It is the second fatal fall at a major league stadium this season. In May, a 27-year-old man died after he fell about 20 feet and struck his head on concrete during a Colorado Rockies game. Witnesses told police that the man had been trying to slide down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his balance during a game against Arizona.
There was an audible gasp in the stands at Rangers Ballpark when Stone tumbled over the rail, eerily similar to an accident there almost exactly a year earlier. Another firefighter fell about 30 feet from the second-deck of seats down the right-field line while trying to catch a foul ball on July 6, 2010.
Tyler Morris, a firefighter from the Lake Cities Fire Department near Dallas, sustained a fractured skull and sprained ankle last year when he dropped onto seats where other fans were sitting.
The latest accident happened in the second inning after Oakland's Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that ricocheted into left field. Hamilton, the reigning AL MVP elected by fans to start his fourth consecutive All-Star game next week, retrieved the ball and tossed it into the stands as players routinely do.
Safawna Dunn, who was sitting nearby, said Stone was calling for Hamilton to throw him the ball. Dunn said the victim was conscious when he was taken away on a stretcher.
Ryan described Hamilton as being "very distraught over this, as the entire team is."
The Rangers' clubhouse was closed to reporters after the game.
Rangers starter Derek Holland, who pitched a four-hit shutout, turned and glanced briefly at people looking down where Stone had land behind the outfield wall that supports a video board for replays and scores. Catcher Mike Napoli had motioned toward the outfield and Jackson looked that way as well before play resumed.
Between innings, Rangers manager Ron Washington spoke briefly with one of the umpires. Texas designated hitter Michael Young could be seen talking to A's catcher Kurt Suzuki and pointing toward where last year's fall happened.
"We knew about it, we didn't know exactly what happened," Washington said. "It's sad, it's very sad."
Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler was in the visitor's bullpen in left-center field, which can be accessed through the area where Stone fell.
Ziegler was in tears after the game when he found out about the death. The pitcher said when Stone was put on a stretcher, he told people tending to him that his son was "up there by himself" and asked them to check on the boy.
"He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was OK," Ziegler said. "But when you find out he's not, it's just tough."
Former President George W. Bush, who used to be the team's managing general partner and often attends games, was sitting in the front row with Ryan near the Texas dugout when the accident happened. Ryan left moments later while Bush remained in the seats.
Ryan said Bush was aware of what was happening.
"It's just devastating. I don't even know what to say. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It filtered into our dugout. … I made a little announcement to the team after the game. Certainly baseball is not very important in light of something like that."
After Morris was hurt last year, he called the incident a "100 percent, total accident that could have happened to anybody." He said he didn't blame the Rangers or the ballpark.
In 1994, a Plano woman posing for a picture after the Rangers' first game in the stadium sustained multiple injuries after she fell about 35 feet.
Ryan wasn't prepared to talk about what changes, if any, might be made at the stadium.
"Tonight, we're not prepared to speak about anything further than the accident and the tragedy," Ryan said. "That's where I'm going to leave it."
A man is reported to be in serious condition after being rescued from his Coney Island home yesterday morning by the crew from FDNY's Ladder 161. It is one of 20 fire companies on the chopping block. Union officials say the ladder crew arrived on the scene within six-minutes of the fire at 3194 Bayview Avenue. Eight of the fire companies on the closing list are in Brooklyn. None of the articles had an official response from the city.
The 23-year-old man was trapped in a back room of the Bayview Ave. building in Coney Island when firefighters from Ladder 161 arrived about 6:30 a.m., officials said.
Lt. Edward Gonzalez and Firefighter Sean Connolly crawled through the flames to get to the 6-foot-2, 260-pound man.
"We climbed on our hands and knees past the fire," Gonzalez said.
"We got the window out and we were able to get the victim out safely,” said firefighter Sean Connolly.
“He was very lucky, this person was very lucky, I don't know what's going to happen in the future, I just know today this person made it," said Lt. Edward Gonzalez of Ladder 161.
"This person would clearly not be alive if Mayor Bloomberg had his way," said President Steve Cassidy of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, "What happened early this morning should show the administration that these companies are vital in every neighborhood and should not be closed."
Cassidy also said that the backup company, Ladder 169 arrived 6 and a half minutes after 161 and that if the were the primary responders, today's blaze could of had a far more bad outcome
Thanks to a loyal STATter911.com reader for passing this video on to us. The video was uploaded on Wednesday to YouTube. It shows MTA Bus 5004 blocking the path for FDNY’s Engine 276 from Brooklyn. There is no indication as to why the driver of the New York City bus seemed to be in no hurry to move out of the way of a responding fire engine.
Checking out some of the stores and looking at Google Maps, it was easy to determine the incident occurred in the 900 & 1000 block of Kings Highway.
Anytime you lessen manpower, the chance for accidents and everything, it rises,” said Gary Fire Captain and Union President Raynard Robinson.
Firefighter Eric Acevedo is one of 30 firefighters citywide to get a layoff letter. He got his today.
“It is crushing,” he said, adding it was always his dream to fight fires and he thought it would be a secure job.
Gary officials say a budget crisis made the cuts unavoidable.
Fire Chief Jeff Ward says he fought for his firefighters but the decision came down from above. He says more than 50 firefighters were originally on the chopping block, but they got that number down to 30.
But firefighters say the loss of more than a tenth of the department citywide causes real safety concerns for firefighters and Gary residents.
Chief Ward says he is hopeful a federal safety grant might save those jobs for another two years, but they are waiting to hear if they will get that money.
Some firefighters wonder if other city positions, like that of Deputy Mayor, could have been cut to save firefighter jobs.
The Gary Fire Department in action from an Edward Malik video.
Three-alarms in Baldwin, New York: Seven firefighters suffered heat exhaustion after a fire broke out at Jerry’s Pizzeria in Baldwin and spread to apartments and other businesses. Click here for Part 2 of the video. More on the story.
Medic unit stolen this morning: A TV station was on the scene when police recovered a Columbus, Ohio paramedic ambulance and took a man into custody. Check it out.
“It was disgusting Lorain politics at its best”: The words of the fire chief of Lorain, Ohio after the City Council killed a deal to save the jobs of four firefighter. Chief Tom Brown says the budget cuts could mean days when only two of the city’s four stations will be open. Here’s the story.
Fire chief and deputy get to sue over “toxic comments” made to website: Firefighter Nation’s Bill Carey found this very interesting story from Halifax, Nova Scotia where two top fire officials have the court’s okay to go after their “anonymous” enemies. The lawyer for the chief and deputy chief says he now has information on who made the posts thanks to previous rulings that forced a newspaper and Internet providers to cough up the data. The comments centered on allegations of racism. Here’s the story.
Fire chief’s actions on medical call brings suspension: A man in Carlisle, Iowa tells KCCI-TV the person helping his diabetic wife was slurring his words and didn’t seem to know what he was doing. The man who responded to the 911 call is the chief of the Carlisle Fire Department. He’s now been suspended. Check out the story. Watch the video.
A ‘far cry’ from Ricci: That’s what a federal judge wrote in ruling against a white firefighter from Mount Vernon, New York who had filed a discrimination case. Read the details.
Another DeKalb County firefighter wins his job back: WSB-TV reports a second DeKalb County firefighter has won his job back after being fired for his role in the botched response to a fire that killed an elderly woman. Click here for the latest.
Former firefighter witnesses murder of police officer: Bill Langevin ran to the side of Sgt. Joe Bergeron Saturday after seeing the Maplewood, Minnesota police officer being shot in the head. Langevin spent four years as a St. Paul Police Department officer and twenty more as a firefighter for the city. He got on the officer’s radio, called for help and provided a description of the killers. Click here to read the story and here to watch it.
Houston fire captain critically wounded at birthday party: Senior HD Captain Ricky Johnson, assigned to Station 74, was shot in the lower abdomen while attending a birthday party off-duty. A neighbor, complaining about the noise, killed the man throwing the party for his wife and wounded another man. Click here for more.
Missing equipment? Check eBay: That seems to be the pattern these days. In Sheboygan, Wisconsin a lot of the $20,000 in PPE and other fire & EMS equipment that was missing was being sold on line. A now former firefighter has been charged. Here’s the story.
Punishment for firefighter who lost equipment seen as too harsh: In Toledo, Ohio an arbitrator ruled a firefighter gets 80 percent of his wages back after being docked 120 hours for leaving a radio on the running board of a rig. The firefighter also is no longer required to pay for the lost radio. Here’s more.
New head of internal investigations in Los Angeles: Following a 220 page report critical of how discipline was documented and handled in the Los Angeles Fire Department, a new boss of the Professional Standards Division has been announced. She is Assistant Chief Roxanne Bercik, a 26-year veteran who most recently ran the Homeland Security Division. Read more.
A fire early Sunday destroyed the Aslhland Fire Department in New York’s Greene County and damaged the Town Hall. The fire was discovered by a trucker and was reported at 5:55 AM.
Ashland Fire Chief Randy Sutton had no choice but to wait for help from surrounding companies. He tells News 10, “Trust me, when I showed up and couldn’t get in that firehouse, it was tough.”
By the time the flames were out, all four fire trucks and a brand new ambulance were destroyed. “When they pulled out the first truck, there was like smoke all over it,” says Goodrich. “It was black, and I think it was supposed to be white.”
Firefighters from five other departments were able to salvage documents from the town clerk’s office.Ashland Town Clerk Justine Koehler says, “My records room with things dating back to 1748, everything has been saved…everybody has come together, and really it’s been incredible what they’ve done.”
Click the image from WXXA-TV for more coverage.
The investigation still looms ahead. The chief does not suspect arson, but the intensity of the fire is making it more difficult to pinpoint the cause.
“It’s volunteers, so you know, when we have issues or problems and something needs help, they come. Now they’re down. They’re down pretty good,” says Goodrich.
The Windham and Prattsville fire companies will now respond to calls from Ashland’s district. An old ambulance that was out on a call Saturday night and was not damaged, will also be responding to calls.
Quick Takes
1 commentMedic unit stolen this morning: A TV station was on the scene when police recovered a Columbus, Ohio paramedic ambulance and took a man into custody. Check it out.
“It was disgusting Lorain politics at its best”: The words of the fire chief of Lorain, Ohio after the City Council killed a deal to save the jobs of four firefighter. Chief Tom Brown says the budget cuts could mean days when only two of the city’s four stations will be open. Here’s the story.
Fire chief and deputy get to sue over “toxic comments” made to website: Firefighter Nation’s Bill Carey found this very interesting story from Halifax, Nova Scotia where two top fire officials have the court’s okay to go after their “anonymous” enemies. The lawyer for the chief and deputy chief says he now has information on who made the posts thanks to previous rulings that forced a newspaper and Internet providers to cough up the data. The comments centered on allegations of racism. Here’s the story.
Fire chief’s actions on medical call brings suspension: A man in Carlisle, Iowa tells KCCI-TV the person helping his diabetic wife was slurring his words and didn’t seem to know what he was doing. The man who responded to the 911 call is the chief of the Carlisle Fire Department. He’s now been suspended. Check out the story. Watch the video.
A ‘far cry’ from Ricci: That’s what a federal judge wrote in ruling against a white firefighter from Mount Vernon, New York who had filed a discrimination case. Read the details.
Collapse in Orlando caught on video: Two firefighters were injured at an apartment fire yesterday. Firegeezer has the story and the video.
Another DeKalb County firefighter wins his job back: WSB-TV reports a second DeKalb County firefighter has won his job back after being fired for his role in the botched response to a fire that killed an elderly woman. Click here for the latest.
Former firefighter witnesses murder of police officer: Bill Langevin ran to the side of Sgt. Joe Bergeron Saturday after seeing the Maplewood, Minnesota police officer being shot in the head. Langevin spent four years as a St. Paul Police Department officer and twenty more as a firefighter for the city. He got on the officer’s radio, called for help and provided a description of the killers. Click here to read the story and here to watch it.
Houston fire captain critically wounded at birthday party: Senior HD Captain Ricky Johnson, assigned to Station 74, was shot in the lower abdomen while attending a birthday party off-duty. A neighbor, complaining about the noise, killed the man throwing the party for his wife and wounded another man. Click here for more.
Missing equipment? Check eBay: That seems to be the pattern these days. In Sheboygan, Wisconsin a lot of the $20,000 in PPE and other fire & EMS equipment that was missing was being sold on line. A now former firefighter has been charged. Here’s the story.
Punishment for firefighter who lost equipment seen as too harsh: In Toledo, Ohio an arbitrator ruled a firefighter gets 80 percent of his wages back after being docked 120 hours for leaving a radio on the running board of a rig. The firefighter also is no longer required to pay for the lost radio. Here’s more.
New head of internal investigations in Los Angeles: Following a 220 page report critical of how discipline was documented and handled in the Los Angeles Fire Department, a new boss of the Professional Standards Division has been announced. She is Assistant Chief Roxanne Bercik, a 26-year veteran who most recently ran the Homeland Security Division. Read more.