Video from Tampa Fire Rescue (TampaFROfficial) from a house fire at 401 Janette Avenue on Friday afternoon. The second video below shows firefighters saving the family’s pet.
No people were inside, but a gerbil named Sniffles was rescued by a firefighter and given to the family.
This fire began when a teenage boy was cooking chicken and fries and the grease caught fire on the stove. The kitchen quickly filled with smoke, setting off the smoke detectors, and he could not extinguish the fire, fire officials said.
In addition, Jenkins, who was also charged with insubordination and not following rules, was also evaluated as: requiring assistance on routine matters; not reliable under unusual circumstance; having disinterest in the job; and reacting negatively to criticism.
When we reminded the chief he said he concurred with the evaluation, he first said, “No! No!”Then, he admitted, “Well, yeah.”
After Jenkins had his gun stolen for a second time in 2010, the chief said it was inexcusable.
Jenkins was acting fire marshal when the department was trying to solve the case of the Ybor city arsonist in 2010. Some say he botched that assignment. At the time, Mayor Pam Iorio pulled Jenkins and the fire department off the lead role in the investigation. When the former mayor put the police department in charge, she apologized to the neighborhood, saying the investigation was not handled with the sense of urgency and coordination that she expected.
Milton Jenkins’ promotion was not finalized until he received a $1,000 city bonus that managers are not eligible for. Meanwhile, Jenkins fought the fire department designation of incompetence and an arbitrator overruled the fire department.
Jenkins also disagreed with the negative evaluations, but those findings stand.
The video above is from Tampa Fire Rescue as 22-year-old Dwayne Duke and his passenger, 30-year-old Zachary P. Zachariades, wait on top of the 2003 Dodge Ram they had been riding in before plunging through the Brorein Street Bridge guardrail and into the Hillsborough River.
Duke was driving too fast when he tried to switch lanes and hit the brakes, police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said. Duke will be cited with careless driving.
The Dodge was westbound on Brorein when it hit the metal grating of the drawbridge and started to fishtail, said Wes Zweibel, a Tampa Tribune employee who was on his way to work just before 8:30 a.m. when he saw the crash.
The red and white truck swerved between lanes before crashing into the railing near the span’s apex. It hung on the railing for a split second before plunging into the river on the north side of the bridge, Zweibel said.
About a month ago we told you that both the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office and Tampa Fire Rescue officials had been pushing for felony charges after their investigations into the really stupid radio station turkey fryer stunt last fall that set fire to a van and left a firefighter injured. But Hillsborough State’s Attorney Mark Ober has decided not to file charges against the people involved with M.J. Morning Show on WFLZ.
Mark Ober announced that instead of facing misdemeanor charges, Todd Schnitt, host of the “The MJ Morning Show” on WFLZ, 93.3 FM, and two other members of his crew will have to enter a pre-trial diversion program for first-time offenders.
Schnitt, the two other employees and station owner Clear Channel Radio will donate at least $15,000 to Tampa Bay area charities that support fire and burn victims.
They also will engage in a four-week public service campaign to support those charities. The campaign will include five recorded announcements per day voiced by members of the show and a live broadcast from an event sponsored by or benefitting such a charity that would include interviews with victims, parents, volunteers and firefighters.
The station also will provide links to charities on its website.
Each member of the show also will have to perform 10 hours of community service at one of the charities.
Despite skating on these charges and being grateful, the attorney for the radio station went on the offensive questioning whether the Tampa firefighter was actually injured at the scene. The attorney cites conflicting reports about how the injury occurred. Maybe I don’t have enough insight into this, but I am not sure how slipping and falling and pulling a hose line are mutually exclusive. But according to WTSP-TV reporter Mike Deeson, the State’s Attorney report backs the claim from the lawyer. Deeson also says at the end of the video above that Tampa Fire Rescue officials who previously had gone public with their complaints about Ober’s handling of the case have now been “muzzled”. Here’s more:
While the WFLZ radio personalities were worried about being arrested for arson the morning of the fire, State Attorney Mark Ober says while these actions were irresponsible outrageous and offensive, it does not fit the legal definition of arson. However, Ober says it does violate the Hillsborough County Ordinance for open burning without a permit, which is a second degree misdemeanor.
We asked M.J.’s attorney, John Fitzgibbons, if this had been a John Doe, would the outcome be the same? He said, “Absolutely.”
And while internal memos show the program director of the radio station said people will either laugh or die, so it will be good on TV, Fitzgibbons and the Clear Channel attorney have been saying it was a waste of time to pursue criminal charges.
However, the State Fire Marshal’s Office disagrees. John Corbett points to the fact that a Tampa firefighter was injured in the incident. Corbett says it is not a waste of time to investigate any time a public safety official is injured.
But Fitzgibbons questions whether the firefighter was really injured. He says, in one report, the firefighter indicates he was injured while pulling out the hose. Another he indicates a different injury, which is inconsistent. In addition, Fitzgibbons says there is a video that exists that indicates the firefighter wasn’t injured. The State Attorney report agrees with Fitzgibbons.
And while the report does note a history of M.J. fire-related incidents since 2002, Fitzgibbons says his client and the station did nothing wrong. He says radio stations have been engaged in stunts for years and he maintains WFLZ took precautions, but something went wrong.
Fatal 2-alarm house fire in Buffalo: A 58-year-old man on oxygen and in a wheel chair could not escape this fire Tuesday night around 11:00 PM on Wyoming Avenue. The man’s daughter did get out.
Dispute over WTC steel coming to Washington, DC: The DC Fire & EMS Department disputes allegations that a disagreement over the date for bringing pieces of the Twin Towers to the Nation’s Capital centers on Chief Dennis Rubin’s schedule. The chief is supposed to attend Fire Rescue International in Chicago on August 28, the day organizers hoped to move the steel to Washington. The fire department says there is a lot more than the chief’s schedule impacting this decision. What is clear in all of this is that those running the Iron and Steel program aren’t very pleased right now. Here’s the story.
Just off the boat: One of the first of many reader comments I noticed under this story from Boston asked, “Who cares?”. I am sure a lot of you are going to say that after reading what WCVB-TV has uncovered. A citizen alerted the TV station to the fact that a Boston firefighter had his boat parked in the firehouse and was washing it while apparently on duty. The story has generated more than that one comment. Check it out.
Seattle firefighters dealing with multi-fatal fire: The Seattle Times looks at how firefighters are handling frustrations over not being able to rescue a woman and five children during Saturday’s apartment fire. Compounding the issue was the inability to get water from the first arriving engine. Here is the latest.
Savannah’s union stretching their wings into neighboring community isn’t making everyone happy: It wasn’t their fire. The burned out home is in the neighboring community of Southbridge. But a day after the blaze IAFF Local 574 from Savannah, Georgia canvassed the neighborhood touting the services of their department. It all has to do with the potential annexation of Southbridge. Check out this unusual story.
More on the Hawaiian punch: A police report indicates a man yelled obscenities and grabbed a Honolulu area firefighter’s shirt before that firefighter decked the man. It happened when firefighters showed up to investigate the man’s barbeque. Read the update.
Fire at the Port of Tampa: Firegeezer Bill Schumm is all over yesterday’s four-alarm fire with details, pictures and video. Check out Bill’s coverage.
Hobart, Indiana apartment fire: This is the first clip in a month we have seen from Ed Malik who shoots all of those Gary, Indiana videos. Not Gary this time, but Hobart and a May 30 fire at the Cressmoor Apartments. Read more here.
Arson blamed for Sunday afternoon house fires: A pair of homes that burned in Tampa is being looked at for a connection to a strong of 22 arsons in the area. One vacant home burned and a second home used by an adjacent business was damaged in the 1500 block of E. 17th Avenue. Firefighters kept the fire from spreading to the main building of Tommy’s Wholesale. Click here to read more about the 3-alarm fire.
Firefighter John Glaser: A Shawnee, Kansas firefighter died in a house fire Saturday night. Thirty-three-year-old John Glaser was a six-year member of the department who leaves behind a wife and two young children. Here’s our coverage.
What did the firefighters know and when did they know it?: Free Lance – Star reporter Dan Telvock has an interesting follow-up to his story about the fire in Spotsylvania County, Virginia where firefighters couldn’t find the woman talking to 911. According to Telvock, a police report by a sheriff’s deputy who was first on the scene indicates the deputy gave some important details to firefighters about who was in the house. Telvock reports this information was not part of the official review of the incident ordered by County officials. Read more.
Remember her? I warned you this Australian trainer would get more publicity than any of you for her efforts at firefighting. Tash Bennett helped put out a fire in a palm tree while doing some topless sunbathing. Now she is posing for the men's magazine ZOO Weekly (source for picture above) and says a firefighters' organization in Illinois is bringing her in to speak. Click the image to read more.
Hazmat from 22-years-ago: From the STATter911.com Archives (actually I found it on my desk) a 1988 story on a series of hazardous materials incidents in the Washington area and a look at how firefighters were trained to handle such things. There are interviews with the late Warren Isman, then chief in Fairfax County, and Pat Walsh, a STATter911.com reader who was then a DC lieutenant. Check it out.
Firefighter charged in pipe bomb incident: Volunteer firefighter Walter Scott Jr. from Salisbury, New Hampshire told police he found the bomb and then took it back to his garage before calling for help on March 16. Scott is now charged with reckless endangerment for tampering with the bomb. Read and watch the story.
Lt. and crash victim wrestle for gun: In Florida, Port Orange Fire Department Lt. Joe Carrasquillo spent his 44th birthday facing the barrel of a gun held by a man who crashed his vehicle. Read the dramatic story of how this one ended.
Mobile sick-out: The latest news report indicates there were eight firefighters out sick Sunday compared to 31 on Saturday in what some are calling a spontaneous sick-out in the Alabama city. The department recently closed three fire stations and dropped minimum staffing to three. Firegeezer has the original story.
Lawyers not interested in case of collapsed gurney: The daughters have the video showing their father hitting the ground after the gurney he was on collapsed during unloading at a Michigan hospital, but no lawyer is interested in helping them sue. Read why.
Sheriff says no to raise for firefighters: In Broward County, Florida where the fire department is part of the sheriff’s department the top man is saying no to a raise ordered by a special magistrate. Read details.
Long Island fire: Lots of video from last week’s fire in Baldwin in a block adjacent to the firehouse. Click here.
Three-alarms for vacant electronics plant in New Jersey: Struthers Dunn electronics moved to South Carolina 16-years-ago but their old building is still around in Mantua Township. It burned early Saturday. Click here to read more about the fire.
Dayton, Ohio junkyard fire: Firefighters are still on the scene of the junkyard fire involving thousands of junked cars. It began around 3:00 Thursday morning. Here’s details and more video. This is just one of many daily videos WUSA9.com’s Emily Cyr adds to the player in the right hand column of the STATter911.com. There are lots of good fire and EMS stories and raw video from around the country here. Check them out. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!: Your comments here, on Facebook and by email about the news that I will be leaving Channel 9 after 25-years have been quite touching (even the one from Fire Critic Rhett Fleitz). I believe I replied to each of you either in the comments, on FB or by email (hope I didn’t miss anyone). Just to ease some who seemed generally concerned about me and the blog, let me clarify a few things. No one forced me out. While I am a pain in the butt shop steward for our union, our current management has been very kind to me and quite supportive of STATter911.com. This decision was based on a buyout deadline that is at the beginning of June. It is something I had been planning for since it was negotiated by my union in December 2008. A special thank you to Bill Shumm for his lovely column on my exit from television. STATter911.com wouldn’t have made it through three years if it wasn’t for Bill’s support and kindness. The blog will continue. Please don’t read anything into the fact that I have not been a prolific in my posting of items the last few days and haven’t gotten to some stories sent in by our regular readers. It isn’t my intention to slow down (just the opposite) but there is a lot to do in the coming days and temporarily you might not be hearing as much from me. Again, thank you all.
Much more from the foul-mouthed fire critics from Canada: We found two earlier tapes of the young couple who discovered a fire in Sylvan Lake earlier this week. The fire destroyed four homes. The new clips show when the two first discovered the fire and give a lot of insight into what they did and didn’t do about it. Check it out.
Photographer shoots a familiar face at fire scene: Photographer Steve Roth is a regular contributor to STATter911.com from Pennsylvania and his most recent story is quite interesting. Steve has a photo at the scene of a recent fire of a man who is accused of setting the blaze. The same guy, according to police, had stolen fire department radios. He also faced a prevous arson arrest. Here’s Steve’s pictures and our coverage.
Fire company suspends chief for speaking to police & IRS: Maryland State Police confirm there is a crimnal investigation underway of the Halfway VFC in Washington County. The company has suspended Chief Jeff Ringer because he spoke with investigators without a company lawyer present. Ringer’s attorney says the chief only talked about himself and not fire department business. County officials confirm the probe is focusing on the company’s bingo and tip jar fundraising. Read more from the Herald Mail’s Heather Keels.
Chief’s car stolen: The fire chief in Edinburg, Texas came out to discover his city issued vehicle had been stolen. Click here to read and watch the story.
Pennsylvania firefighter charged with arson: A volunteer in Jackson Township (Mercer County) is the latest of a recent string of firefighters charged with arson in Pennsylvania. Read the story.
Paying $74 million for firefighters to agree to come to work sober: That’s the take of Boston City Council President Michael Ross on the 19-percent pay raise an arbitrator awarded firefighters who will now have to undergo random drug and alcohol screening. Of course the firefighters don’t quite see it that way. Click here and here for the latest.
Chief responds to report: St. Anna Fire Department Chief Robert Thome gives his views on a Wisconsin fire marshal’s report on the December fire in a dumpster that took the life of Firefighter Steven Koeser. Here’s the story. Click here if you haven’t seen the state report.
Firefighter resigns town post because of potential conflict: In Newmarket, New Hampshire Town Councilor Daniel Dickens has resigned because of a law that prevents him from serving in the post and receiving pay as an on-call firefighter. Click here.
Early video from Tampa house fire: This duplex fire at 7903 N. Brooks Street in Sulphur Springs occurred Sunday evening. Investigators believe a child playing with matches started the fire in a bedroom. There were no injuries reported.
Radio traffic from runaway fire engine with children on board: We have added FireSceneAudio.com’s radio traffic from Saturday’s birthday party in Anne Arundel County, Maryland where a Lake Shore VFC engine took off with eight children on board. The children weren’t hurt. One firefighter was injured after he jumped into the cab. The rig stopped when it hit a tree. Here’s our coverage.
Fundraiser for Baltimore’s Jeff Novack, plus an update from his family: A lot of thanks from Al Novack and his family as he provides an update on his son Jeff’s progress. The Baltimore City firefighter was seriously burned and suffered multiple fractures during an April 7 fire on Liberty Heights Avenue. There is a fundraiser on Thursday. Click here for all of the details.
Mayday radio traffic in Cincinnati: Click here for the fireground audio from the yesterday’s fire in a vacant duplex. One firefighter fell through the floor.
Click the image for details and a series of pictures by Dennis Walus of this fire yesterday in Detroit.
Fire vs. police, female vs. male: This wasn’t just a contest between fire and police recruits in the District of Columbia, this was a battle of the sexes. It was caught on video at the DC Fire & EMS Department Training Academy. I think you will want to check it out. Click here.
Settlement in U.K. sex suit: We told you last week of the lawsuit Kate Ellis filed in her battle with Hampshire Fire & Rescue. Ellis, who once was on a department recruiting poster, said she slept with her supervisor in an effort to stop harassment at the fire station. That suit has been settled, but a lot more detail is coming out. Read the update.
New definition of “deadliest catch”: We have two examples for you of fishing expeditions that brought back work for firefighters and other first responders. A fishing crew off the coast of Italy snagged a World War II mine. Firegeezer has that story. In New Bedford, Massachusetts a clamming operation dredged up about 100 hand grenades from either WWII or the Korean War. Check that one out.
Fallen Heroes Day: Nita Walden alerts us to the 25th anniversary of Fallen Heroes Day at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Baltimore County. It is being held on May 7. Click here for all of the details.
Fall River arson problem: Mill buildings and a few other things have suddenly been catching on fire in this Massachusetts town. Click here.
Watch Philippine firefighters in action: Some interesting video from a fire last week that destroyed 20 homes and businesses. Check it out.
High-rise fire in St. Louis: Video from a fire on the 15th floor of a 31-story building in downtown St. Louis.
A rescue any self-respecting firefighter can relate to: In Naperville, Illinois firefighters had to cut a dog out of a mechanized recliner. Here’s the story.
Early video from Tampa: Watch the initial attack on a house fire yesterday at 4906 Wishart Boulevard. Investigators say smoking materials caused the fire.
Close call in Baltimore: It sounds like Truck 12′s crew was by themselves for a bit last night when fire broke out across Berwyn Avenue from the firehouse. Two firefighters were hospitalized. One in serious but stable condition after bailing out of a burning apartment. We have fireground audio and more.
Two-alarm fire in Prince George's County, Maryland overnight. WUSA9.com's Ava-Joye Burnett snapped some pictures as fire damaged three townhomes on Jacobs Drive in Greenbelt. Click the image for more.
Houston has a problem that may take the wisdom of Solomon: Mayor Annise Parker made it clear she wants a “complete house cleaning” at Station 54 after lengthy investigations failed to determine who was responsible for the racial and sexual graffii that targeted two female firefighters. This was the same station where a “team building” exercise in January to welcome back Firefighter Jane Draycott went so bad the fire chief stepped down. Despite the mayor saying yesterday, “We’re going to break up the culture at that station and we’re going to move on”, the Houston Chronicle reports the city attorney and acting fire chief are indicating not so fast. City Attorney Arturo Michel points out what the mayor wants is “not going to happen” because essentially Draycott’s shift mates have already been moved to other shifts and fire stations. Draycott’s attorney doesn’t believe enough has been done to pave the way to bring the firefighter back to the airport station. Meanwhile, the union president points out nine months of investigations essentially exonerated the firefighters and officers of Station 54. And you wonder why Phil Boriskie, the former chief, was glad to take a demotion and get back to firefighting. Here’s the latest.
Lawsuit in Chicago after family finds the body firefighters failed to locate: A lawsuit has been filed by relatives of a man Chicago firefighters failed to locate after a fire a year ago. Read more.
Reporter takes on firefighters in Missouri after they failed to find woman’s body: Calling what happened to Gloria Banks in Northwoods, Missouri an “undignified way to go”, KMOV-TV reporter Mark Schnyder has some pointed comments for the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District. This was the story we first alerted you to yesterday of the woman found in the bathtub hours after firefighters initially left the scene of a house fire. In his blog Schnyder writes, “What an embarrassment for the fire department… but what bothers me more is that someone’s loved one was left inside a burned out building and no one seemed to care enough to find out she was there… in her tub… covered in debris.” Click here to read more.
Wine man whines about firefighters: In St. Helena, California wine maker Dario Sattui writes to the local paper saying firefighters have it good, too good. Check it out.
Why did the firefighter cross the road?Apparently to kill the chicken: No, the next riddle is not why did the chicken wear red suspenders, but it might as well be with this silly story. Much is being made in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania about the police officer, when confronted with a large chicken “terrorizing” a neighborhood, called in his buddy the bow and arrow toting firefighter. The firefighter ended up having a nice dinner, but the meal turned out to be someone’s pet (I don’t recall this transgression coming up in the recent report on firefighters behaving badly … clearly we overlooked something). Click here to find out if someone can turn this bad turn of events into chicken salad.
Kentland firefighter saves infant: Before they could get to the patient, the choking baby came to them. Click above for the details on a life saved in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
(NOTE: What follows is comment and analysis and does represent the view of the person whose name is on this blog.)
“As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”
Above is probably the most famous line of the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. It was uttered by station general manager Arthur Carlson (played by the late Gordon Jump, who I once did some lame acting with in a few scenes for a radio awards banquet video) in its sixth episode, airing on October 30, 1978. It was uttered after the station’s ill fated Thanksgiving promotion where live turkeys were dropped from a plane. But, of course, that was fiction (even though it appears to be based on some real events).
Now, 31-years-later, the line should be changed to, “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fry”. This, after a real holiday stunt by a real radio station that is every bit as stupid and potentially more dangerous than what the comedy writers came up with on WKRP.
As we reported yesterday (click here for the raw video and more), this time there aren’t a lot of people laughing. Certainly not Tampa Fire Rescue whose spokesman rather bluntly blasted the radio station, WFLZ, and the program MJ Morning Show.
Tampa Fire Rescue Captain Ken Licata likely isn’t laughing either. He was treated and released from the hospital after slipping and falling at the scene. (An earlier report of a civilian injury is apparently not correct.)
Here are some the quotes from the department spokesman Captain Bill Wade as told to TBO.com:
“They wanted a fire. They had no permits, no proper safety crews. When the fire got going, they called the fire department.”
“I am very upset that this radio station chose to do this stunt in an unsafe manner, causing injury to a firefighter.”
The Florida State Fire Marshals office and the Tampa Fire Marshal are now investigating the incident.
You would think that with an injured firefighter, a van set on fire without any permits or fire crews standing by, and an investigation by people who can bring arson charges, the radio station might get the idea that not everyone is looking at this as the funny radio bit they have been portraying all day. Think again.
Fester finally did it! Just a few weeks ago Fester couldn’t even start a fire but this time it was a little too much. Fester let the fire get completely out of control and the fire department had to be called to extinguish the inferno.
Management has released a statement about the results of this public service demonstration:
Like we’ve done several times in the past, our intent was to show how dangerous it is to cook a turkey in this type of situation. We were prepared to extinguish a modest fire. Once the fire got out of control, we quickly called the fire department.
Tommy Chuck
MJ Morning Show Program Director
The radio personality MJ (aka Todd Schnitt) apparently isn’t talking to reporters about the incident. He had plenty to say during the demonstration and on two previous turkey fryer demonstrations that were part of his radio show.
The earlier events (above and below) show that MJ and the other people involved won’t be able to use the excuse they didn’t know what would happen. In fact it seems pretty clear the burned up van is exactly what they expected and wanted to happen.
There are some obvious questions that come to mind. Did anyone at the radio station think this one through? Did the radio station just think it was perfectly fine to set things on fire? Was the Tampa Fire Marshal aware of the previous incidents and, if so, what was done about it (apparently some official warned the station in the past about burning)?.
There is very little that offends me when it comes to humor. I can laugh at an awful lot of things that aren’t politically correct or might bother other people. I tend to look for the humor in most everything and usually find it as long as it is the least bit inventive.
I just have just never found anything funny about setting things on fire. So, the way I see it, these people on the radio in Tampa not only likely broke the law and endangered people, they failed to do what they are paid to do: entertain.
I am not buying their claim this was a “public service demonstration”.
Now, if someone were to hold them accountable over this incident and even make them squirm a bit in the process, that is something that would put a smile on my face. It also would likely meet the goals of the MJ Morning Show and the suits at the radio station and provide them all with even more publicity than they received yesterday.
Roof operations in Tampa: A smoky restaurant fire at 7212 N. Armenia Avenue on Saturday. This raw video is from Tampa Fire Rescue. Read more here. There is more Tampa news and video below.
Trial for Baltimore mayor starts today: While this is not directly fire service related, Mayor Sheila Dixon has certainly not been a favorite among firefighters. Realistically speaking, even mayors without these criminal problems are having a tough time staying on the good side of city employees in tough budget times. But as you can read in this AP article previewing the trial, Mayor Dixon has had a particularly tough time with her image issues. Some of Dixon’s legal problems stem from allegations she made personal use of holiday gift cards the mayor’s office had asked businesses to donate to the needy. That doesn’t need to be illegal for it to be problematic. And as reporter Ben Nuckols writes it is just one in a series of similar public image problems Sheila Dixon has inflicted on herself.
New York’s Unified Call Taking system cited for dispatch error in deadly Queens fire: The wrong address was put into the computer for the triple fatal in Woodside on Saturday. Firefighters union officials point out the delay and are again pointing fingers at the Unified Call Taking system which has police dispatchers taking fire information from 911 callers. The New York Times has the story.
With a fire station that is only open one week per month what could be next for Gilroy, California?: Gilroy’s Sunrise Fire Station is being shut down three weeks a month to save money (that’s what the article says). Now a council member has an idea how to save even more money. He wants the union to give up minimum staffing of 4 on engines at its two other stations. Read more. The city’s document on the brownouts (or if the newspaper is correct, near blackout) doesn’t indicate the fire station will be closed that often. Here it is.
Tampa Fire Rescue image of crews trying to rescue worker overcome by fumes aboard a Coast Guard ship in drydock. Click the image for the raw video and the details.
Chief & wife at center of tragedy are now in the middle of a potential scandal: It has only been a month since Danny & Stephanie Clark were the first help to arrive at a vehicle wreck just south of Cashion, Oklahoma. They found their daughter dead and six of her friends injured. Now, Danny Clark, Cashion’s fire chief and director of emergency management, and Stephanie Clark, the town’s clerk and treasurer, have been placed on administrative leave with pay. The mayor says they are being investigated for “questionable financial practices”. In that town they aren’t alone with these kind of troubles. Read more.
A little must see video in the what goes up, must come down department: In this case it is the way you come down. A new high-rise rescue rig was very publicly demonstrated recently in Spain and it appears it is not ready for prime time. We also have two companion videos. Click here.
More must see video from the what goes up department: In case, like me, you missed the story of the medical chopper hitting the power line in Iowa, click here for the before, during and after video. All were okay.
Lots of rescues at Massachusetts 5th-alarm: Firegeezer is all over a fire that destroyed a four-story apartment building in Greenfield, MA. Click here.
Fireground audio illustrates some of the drama from a fatal 3-alarm fire: People waiting at windows ready to jump and water supply issues are evident on the audio from last Monday’s midday fire in Jacksonville, Florida. One of the water problems came from a citizen’s car running over and disrupting a 5-inch supply line. Check it out.
Another all-hazards department. You too can be a FF/Herpetologist: In one town in India the firefighters are getting snake catching lessons because of a rise in the snake population. Not me. That’s where I would be telling them what they could do with that snakes and their lessons. Click here for the details.
Maybe they needed to call a pachydermatologist: Instead they called 911 in Enid, Oklahoma when an SUV collided with an elephant. The plight of that elephant is truly a serious matter that previously caught the attention of federal authorities and likely will again. While that part has little to do with the fire service (other than having to respond to another escape by poor Kamba), there is the interesting 911 call and, in my opinion, an enlightening discussion in our comments section. That’s where a somewhat naive question by Firehouse Zen‘s Mick Mayers forces me to respectfully provide the chief with an anatomy lesson and a fire service reality check. Just trust me. You don’t want to miss this one. Our coverage begins right here.
Pranks for the memories: The Fire Critic (which, by the way, is a term I could use to describe most of the firefighters I know) seems to like the two videos I posted here of firehouse pranks. Rhett has a much more extensive collection of such videos that you can find here and here (my personal favorite).
CO leak at church: Saturday, people started feeling sick at St. Bernard Church in Prince George’s County, MD. Responding crews soon found CO levels at 1300 ppm. Click here.
More from Gary: This was an occupied house that apparently had a natural gas explosion Saturday night. There was a report of people trapped initially. No one was injured. Much of the rear of the home was destroyed by the blast.
Two men working inside the hull of a dry docked Coast Guard ship are safe tonight after firefighters say they were overcome by fumes while cleaning a water tank on board.
Image from Tampa Fire Rescue
HAZMAT crews arrived to the scene at Riverhawk Marine off Tyson Avenue in South Tampa. The company builds and refurbishes marine vessels, many used by the military, according to the company’s owner.
Two workers were initially overcome but rescue crews say one was able to make it out on his own, while the other remained inside, possibly disoriented and unable to escape.
Tampa Fire HAZMAT crews pumped fresh air inside the ship’s hull as firefighters prepared to crawl inside the narrow water tank where the worker was trapped. The man was eventually rescued and taken to Tampa General Hospital, conscious and alert.
The owner of the company believes at least one of the workers may have taken off his breathing apparatus while cleaning, allowing him to breath in the fumes. Firefighters say if the worker had been exposed to the chemicals longer, the situation could have become life threatening.
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