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Controversy all around, DC’s Mayor says he has confidence in Fire Chief Ellerbe. Deputy Mayor wants to know why 10 ambulances were out of service when cop needed help.

DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

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It seems the DC Fire & EMS Department has been in the news almost constantly for the last three weeks and little of it has been good news. It has gotten to the point that today reporter WTTG-TV/ Fox5 reporter Paul Wagner confronted Mayor Vincent Gray about he leadership of Chief Kenneth Ellerbe:

Wagner: Do you still have confidence in Kenneth Ellerbe?

Mayor Gray: Yes.

Wagner: You do?

Mayor Gray: Yes

Wagner: Unequivocally?

Mayor Gray: I have confidence in our fire chief, is that your answer?

Wagner: Yes.

As for Chief Ellerbe, he has not been making any statements about the latest incident to put the spotlight on the department, the delayed transport for a seriously injured DC police officer. The chief is letting his boss Deputy Mayor Paul Quander talk with the press about this incident. Just two weeks ago Chief Ellerbe was more vocal, putting out three statements within 24 hours that addressed what the chief saw as inaccurate reporting on different stories about the department.

But Chief Ellerbe did talk with DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier about her officer being struck Tuesday night. Lanier, whose late dad was a chief officer with Maryland’s PGFD, talked with reporters today saying, “The last thing I want to think about it, you know is, a police officer who is injured that seriously to have to wait to get transported.”

In addition to the latest stories from Channels 4, 5 and 7 this evening that we’ve posted, here are links to other recent coverage: Why So Many Broken Ambulances, Alan Suderman, Washington City Paper; Debate over D.C. fire staffing renewed after officer’s long wait for ambulance, Peter Hermann, The Washington Post; D.C. Ambulance Unavailable to Respond to Injured D.C. Police Officer, Eric Purcell, DCist.com; D.C. investigating cop’s wait for ambulance, Alan Blinder, Washington Examiner; D.C. officials to investigate why ambulance was unavailable for injured cop, Andrea Noble, The Washington Times.

Mark Segraves, WRC-TV/NBC4:

The investigation into the delayed ambulance response for an injured D.C. police officer is focusing on 10 ambulance units that were out of service at the time of the call. The man in charge of the investigation told News4 he’s trying to find out why the units were unavailable and why they were all out of service so close to the end of their shifts.

The initial calls for a pedestrian down came about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night — just 30 minutes before the shift change.

“I want to make sure that in fact no one took themselves out of service without the proper authorization and especially when it came time to ending their shift early,” Deputy Mayor Paul Quander said. “That’s unacceptable.”

Thirty-nine ambulance units were on duty at the time of the accident, Quander said, and some of the 10 that were out of service had legitimate reasons for not being able to respond to the call.

“One of the things I need to find out from this internal review is what happened to 10 of the units that were not available at that critical time,” Quander said. “Some of them may have been on runs to hospitals. Some of them may have been being cleaned. There are others I need to focus on to see whether or not they took themselves out of service without authorization.”

The officer was eventually transported by a Prince George’s County ambulance with life-threatening injuries. He suffered multiple fractures to his left leg and has had two surgeries so far.

His recovery will be long, D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said.

Paul Wagner, WTTG-TV/Fox 5:

But it’s what happened after the collision that is now the subject of an ongoing investigation involving D.C. Fire and EMS.

The Sixth District officer, who has now been identified as Sean Hickman, broke his pelvis and one of his legs and was on the ground waiting for help for as long as eight minutes before paramedics on an engine arrived to render first aid.

The officer then waited at least 15 minutes more for an ambulance that had to come from Prince George’s County because there were no ambulances available in the District.

The long wait for an ambulance is now the subject of an investigation by the deputy mayor for public safety who says some of the ambulance crews on duty that night may have left the streets before the end of their shift.

“We had 10 medical units that were not available for service and I need to know why,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Paul Quander. “Some of them were on runs, some were in for cleanup after you do a run, but I’m also looking to see if some went out of service inappropriately without authorization. They may have left their shift before it was over, but these are some of the things we have to sort out.”

Officer Hickman was riding a scooter when he was hit in the intersection of 46th and A Streets in Southeast D.C.

The long wait for medical help has infuriated the police union, which is now pointing fingers at the fire chief.

“Here in the nation’s capital that we would not have an ambulance available is inexcusable and who’s to blame? The Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe is to blame,” said Fraternal Order of Police Chairman Kristopher Baumann. “This is his department and this is not the first time we have seen mismanagement with story after story of how he has been unable to make this a working department.”

Chief Ellerbe declined a request for an interview and said all questions would be answered by the deputy mayor.

“We had paramedics that arrived within eight minutes, which is well within the standard that we want,” said Deputy Mayor Quander. “What I also said is that the review will take a look at everything to see if we can improve, whether there was any impact to the officer’s care.”

On Thursday afternoon, FOX 5 asked D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray if he is concerned with the current state of emergency medical care in the city.

“With respect to the current situation, I’ve asked Paul Quander to take a look at it and he will have information and anything that will be broader than that, so let’s wait and see what he comes up with,” said Gray.

When asked if he still had confidence in the fire chief, the mayor replied “yes.”

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Posted by dave statter on March 7, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, Command & Leadership, EMS Dispatch, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, IAFF, Major Incidents, News, Police, Social Media, Reputation Management, News Media, Videos • Tagged: 46th, 911, 911 center, A, absence, Alan Blinder, ALS, ambulance, ambulances, andrea noble, appearance, Basic Life Support, BLS, Cadet program, Channel 4, Chief Ellerbe, Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, city workers, Command Fire Apparatus, cop down, cop hit, cop struck, cops, Dave Statter, DC, DC Fire, DC Fire & EMS Department, DC Fire chief, DC Fire Department, DC Police, DC POlice union, DCFD, deputy mayor, discipline, District of Columbia, District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department, Ed Smith, EMS, EMT, FEMS, fire, fire truck, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighters sick, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, FOP, FOP chairman, Fraternal Order of Police, Glenn Usdin, harassment, high school cadets, IAFF, IAFF Local 36, IG, Inaugural, inauguration, inspector general, instructors, International Association of Firefighters, investigation, Ken Ellerbe, Kenneth Ellerbe, Kristopher Baumann, Local 36, Lt. Robert Alvarado, Mark Brady, Mark Segraves, mayor, Mayor Gray, Mayor Vince Gray, Mayor VIncent Gray, mayor's luncheon, medic units, Medstar, Metropolitan Police Department, motorcycle officer, MPD, Nation's Capital, NBC4, NBC4.com, new year's eve, no ambulance available, Office of Unified Communications, officer down, officer struck, OUC, paramedic, Paul Quander, permission, photo op, Police, policy, President, President Barack Obama, President Obama, probe, Robert Alvarado, sellfiretrucks.com, sequestration, sex, sexual harassment, Southeast, stabbing, stabbing victim, staffing, staffing shortage, STATter911.com, structure fire, The Washington Times, Tommy Wells, training academy, Training Academy scandal, transport unit, transport units, uniform policy, union members, unions, Vince Gray, washington, Washington Examiner, White House, WJLA, WRC, WRC-TV

DC Update: Police union says no to Mayor Gray’s event because of fire chief’s White House flap. Councilmember wants IG to probe cadet harassment charge.

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The head of the police union in DC says his members will join IAFF Local 36 members in not attending Mayor Vincent Gray’s luncheon to honor city workers who helped safeguard the Inauguration. The FOP is taken this action because of DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Kenneth Ellerbe. Kristopher Baumann told Washington Examiner City Hall reporter Alan Blinder, ”We’re not going to participate until this administration starts behaving like it’s run by adults and starts treating fellow workers with respect.”

Baumann is referring to Chief Ellerbe’s decision last week to review the cirumstances behind three firefighters appearing in uniform at a White House event with President Obama. Chief Ellerbe issued a statement Friday saying that the initial report by WRC-TV/NBC4 reporter Mark Segraves was not accurate and that discipline was not being considered, though the firefighters were ordered to file reports about the incident. One of those firefighters had publicly battled with Chief Ellerbe last year over multiple changes to the department’s uniform policy.

IAFF Local 36 president Ed Smith also talked to reporter Blinder:

But Edward Smith, the president of the firefighters’ union, said taking part in the celebratory luncheon amid an ongoing review would have sent “a mixed message.”

“It definitely seemed inappropriate,” said Smith, who added that it “remains to be seen” whether the review will lead to discipline.

The White House flap is one of the news stories that prompted Chief Ellerbe to issue three statements within 24 hours last week (and here) claiming reporter accounts in each were inaccurate. One of the other stories was about sexual harassment claims made by cadets at the Training Academy against two instructors. The differences between the story reported by WJLA-TV/ABC 7 and information in Chief Ellerbe’s statement has Council member Tommy Wells asking for an inspector general’s investigation of the matter.

WJLA-TV/ABC 7:

In a letter dated Feb. 26, 2013, Wells asks the inspector general to investigate the allegations. He states that there is wide difference between what fire officials say and what’s being reported by the media.

The story, which was an exclusive ABC7 I-Team Investigation, discovered looming sex scandal in the D.C. Fire Department involving female trainees. Multiple sources told ABC7 that two female cadets recently accused two training academy instructors of sexual harassment.

“We took immediate action to remove those members from the presence of our cadets and continued class,” says D.C. Fire & EMS Chief Kenneth Ellerbe. “The ladies have asked that we keep this matter confidential and we’ve done our best to do that until this matter is completely resolved.”

2013-02-26, Inspector General RE FEMS Harassmment Allegation by DavidKihara

Posted by dave statter on February 26, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, Command & Leadership, DC Fire & EMS Department, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, IAFF, News, Social Media, Reputation Management, News Media • Tagged: 911, 911 center, absence, ALS, ambulances, andrea noble, appearance, BLS, Cadet program, Channel 4, Chief Ellerbe, Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, city workers, Command Fire Apparatus, cops, Dave Statter, DC, DC Fire, DC Fire & EMS Department, DC Fire Department, DCFD, deputy mayor, discipline, District of Columbia, District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department, Ed Smith, EMS, EMT, FEMS, fire, fire truck, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighters sick, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, FOP, FOP chairman, Fraternal Order of Police, Glenn Usdin, harassment, high school cadets, IAFF, IAFF Local 36, IG, Inaugural, inauguration, inspector general, instructors, International Association of Firefighters, investigation, Ken Ellerbe, Kenneth Ellerbe, Kristopher Baumann, Lt. Robert Alvarado, Mark Segraves, mayor, Mayor Vince Gray, Mayor VIncent Gray, mayor's luncheon, medic units, Nation's Capital, NBC4, NBC4.com, new year's eve, Office of Unified Communications, OUC, paramedic, Paul Quander, permission, photo op, Police, policy, President, President Barack Obama, President Obama, probe, Robert Alvarado, sellfiretrucks.com, sequestration, sex, sexual harassment, stabbing, stabbing victim, staffing, staffing shortage, STATter911.com, structure fire, The Washington Times, Tommy Wells, training academy, Training Academy scandal, transport units, uniform policy, union members, unions, Vince Gray, washington, White House, WRC, WRC-TV

Can’t anyone get it right around here? For third time in just 24 hours Chief Kenneth Ellerbe says DC reporters got a story wrong.

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WRC-TV/NBC 4 reporter Mark Segraves is as least the third reporter this week who has had the accuracy of his reporting questioned in statements released by DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Kenneth Ellerbe. Segraves had reported late Friday afternoon that three firefighters, including a lieutenant who had done battle before with the chief, face possible disciplinary action for appearing in uniform at an event with President Barack Obama. A few hours later this statement from Chief Ellerbe was posted on the TV station’s website:

Contrary to reports in local media, the DC Fire and EMS Department is not considering any disciplinary action against uniformed personnel for appearing alongside President Obama. At the request of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, DC FEMS is simply reviewing its internal protocols for such appearances to ensure that both the Department and its employees are fully informed.

We fully support the efforts of President to highlight the essential and life saving work that our first-responders do every single day, and welcome his invitation for our members to participate. We’re exceedingly proud of the men and women that wear the DC FEMS uniform, and thank the President for his support.

If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because just 24 hours earlier Chief Ellerbe called into question the actions of reporters on two other stories. On Thursday evening, communications director Lon Walls sent out a pair of statements from Chief Ellerbe saying news reports on sexual harassment allegations at the Training Academy and on the death of a man on New Years at the time of an ambulance shortage were both inaccurate.

Also interesting, is a public Twitter conversation Chief Ellerbe had Friday evening with another reporter who covers the department, Andrea Noble of The Washington Times. Here it is:

This conversation ended with this Tweet from Chief Ellerbe to reporter Noble:

maybe you should schedule some time in our office to establish a foundation for accurate information as some others have done?

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Posted by dave statter on February 23, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, DC Fire & EMS Department, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Social Media, Reputation Management, News Media • Tagged: 911, 911 center, absence, ALS, ambulances, andrea noble, appearance, BLS, Cadet program, Channel 4, Chief Ellerbe, Chief Kenneth Ellerbe, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, DC, DC Fire, DC Fire & EMS Department, DC Fire Department, DCFD, deputy mayor, discipline, District of Columbia, District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department, Ed Smith, EMS, EMT, FEMS, fire, fire truck, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighters sick, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, harassment, high school cadets, IAFF, IAFF Local 36, instructors, International Association of Firefighters, investigation, Ken Ellerbe, Kenneth Ellerbe, Lt. Robert Alvarado, Mark Segraves, mayor, Mayor Vince Gray, medic units, Nation's Capital, NBC4, NBC4.com, new year's eve, Office of Unified Communications, OUC, paramedic, Paul Quander, permission, photo op, policy, President, President Barack Obama, President Obama, probe, Robert Alvarado, sellfiretrucks.com, sequestration, sex, sexualha rassment, stabbing, stabbing victim, staffing, staffing shortage, STATter911.com, structure fire, The Washington Times, Tommy Wells, training academy, Training Academy scandal, transport units, uniform policy, washington, White House, WRC, WRC-TV

Three DC firefighters face discipline over appearing with President Obama without authorization. One of those in trouble publicly opposed Chief Kenneth Ellerbe’s uniform policy.

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Previous coverage of dispute between Chief Kenneth Ellerbe & Lt. Robert Alvarado

Mark Segraves, WRC-TV/ NBC 4:

Three local firefighters are facing possible disciplinary action after appearing with President Obama during a press event.

Earlier this week the president was flanked by first responders as he spoke about the impact of sequestration. Kenneth Ellerbe, chief of D.C.’s Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department, told News4 the three members of DCFEMS who participated in the event may have violated department regulations.

“I didn’t know about it, the deputy mayor didn’t know about it, the mayor didn’t know about it,” Ellerbe said. “There should be protocol followed anytime one of our employees representing the District of Columbia appears at a public event.”

Ellerbe says the three have each been ordered to file a special report on the event detailing how they came to appear with the president and who authorized it.

“How did they get there, why were they there and why didn’t we know about it before?” Ellerbe said.

Ed Smith, president of Local 36 of the firefighter’s union, said his office facilitated the appearance by the firefighters. “The request came through the International Association of Firefighters,” Smith said, adding that it’s not the first time D.C. firefighters have been asked to appear with the president.

But he said, it’s the first time it’s been an issue. “We’ve done this before. I would hope it doesn’t come to any discipline. They were supporting our president,” he said.

Ellerbe would not identify the department members involved, but one of those pictured is Lt. Robert Alvarado, who has been disciplined in the past by Ellerbe. In 2012 Alvarado was placed on leave after he wore a uniform with an outdated logo.

Ellerbe says requiring Alvarado and the others to explain why they attended the event in their dress uniforms is not payback for any previous incidents.

“There’s no payback, we don’t operate in a payback environment. I know folks say that but it’s not true.” Ellerbe insited.

Ellerbe says none of the firefighters are facing termination, but added one of those involved is a woman who is new to the department and still on a probationary period.