What’s Up With Metro?; NY Fallout; Ward on Kentland; 1st Responder Mask Problems; Different View of Firefighting from Sweden; Premature Immolation
Media General’s TBO.com has more pictures like this from yesterday’s electrical substation fire in Lakeland, FL. See below for more links.Metro power problems. Officials trying to figure out what’s behind them. Questioning if this is all accidental.
Something’s going on with Metro. Power issues have delayed service two nights in a row. Metro said that most of the 8 fire department calls on Sunday were related to a power surge in Northern Virginia. But after Monday night’s problems in D.C., Arlington and Alexandria, officials are questioning whether the power problems are accidental.
Metro operated normally this morning.
UPDATE: Metro has scheduled a 3:00 p.m. press conference to discuss the power issues.
Power problems elsewhere.
An electrical substation lit up Monday in Lakeland, Florida. Lots of video and pictures.
“It’s not a mission – it’s a job.”
Those are the words of Stefan Svensson PhD, Swedish firefighter and Research and Development Engineer who is critical of the way fires are fought in the U.S. Pointing to Sweden’s firefighter safety record, Svensson explained the Swedish way, last week in Atlanta, at Fire Rescue International. Read Lisa Snowden’s account of Svensson’s presentation posted late this morning on firehouse.com.
Kentland quiet, but FossilMedic stirs the pot.
The best I can tell is that, for the moment, both sides are keeping a low profile on the Kentland VFD/PGFD front. Word is there might be some more discussions this week. But this quiet time hasn’t stopped the man who wrote the book on Kentland (or at least the paper) from giving us his insight. Mike Ward makes some points on FireGeezer.com.
Burning Man has an early burn.
How do you charge someone with burning something that is going to burn anyway? At the Burning Man arts festival in Nevada, that is apparently what has happened.
Maryland Department Accreditation.
Montgomery County Fire & Rescue services becomes largest combination department in the country to be accredited.
Fall out from fatal fire in New York.
The problems at 130 Liberty Street have resulted in a deputy chief, a battalion chief and a captain being relieved of their duties.
WithTheCommand.com brought to our attention yesterday’s New York Post article which has the memo outlining a plan of attack in case of fire at the Deutsche Bank Building.
Also from New York, NYPD handles first responder mask recall.
NYPD has been dealing with potential problems in 30,000 masks from MSA.
Hydrant issues.
Two extremes with hydrants. Those who don’t have them and those who have them and are trying to keep them working.
Internal affairs.
The task force you probably don’t want to call for in DCFD is the Internal Affairs Task Force. It is a joint operation between D.C. Fire & EMS and MPD.
Well, it does get hot in the South.
Grant Mishoe at SConFire.com says he has the reason behind the sudden resignation of a South Carolina fire chief. He explains that a ladder truck operator is also an air conditioning repairman. If you can’t figure out the rest, Grant spells it out for you here.
Also from SC, the Charleston City Council is trying to figure out where it fits in with the fire department reforms. And Grant alerts me to this TV story about ISO wanting to meet with Chief Thomas’ crew.
First aid.
Automatic aid is being discussed and tempers are flaring over how a 911 center handled a recent fire in Arkansas.
Volunteering, Part 3.
In my business it used to be you knew we were in sweeps month because everyone was doing a 3 part series. Not sure who’s rating FireGeezer (up there at the top in my ratings diary), but he is on Part 3 of his look at volunteers in today’s society. He’s off the yuppie rant for the moment.
FireGeezer also has a story from Maryland’s Eastern Shore about fire destroying 30 years of research. The Geezer, as usual, asks some good questions.
Over at Firefighter Hourly, Jay has a history lesson.
More OT issues.
Another department has received a ruling ordering a lot of overtime to be paid. This time it is Minden, LA where the fire chief is also the police chief.
A picture costs medic his job and some bruises.
EMSvillage.com found this story about a Kentucky paramedic who posted pictures from a crash scene online. The family of one of the victims tracked down the medic, beat him up and then helped get him fired.
See
, anybody can do this job.
A 65-year-old woman takes care of her own house fire before firefighters get there.
Next, the council member will suggest we get a bunch of 65-year-old women to do the job for cheap.
You remember the numbers game that had a lot people focusing on cutbacks in Omaha, Nebraska. Well, people in the mayor’s office say that proposal is DOA.
But there is also the other issue where a study has shown Omaha can save money. That’s getting rid of the requirement that captains ride ambulances. EMSresponder.com found the details.
More cuts.
We first told you yesterday that a fire station has been closed down in Elyria, Ohio. Now you can listen to the chief and union officials, yourself.
Miami-Dade to the rescue.
A Florida search and rescue team is assisting in the rescue of a family trapped underground in Barbados.
Click the photo to find out more on this fire from Alabama’s Decatur Daily.
