Arlington protest; Metro drill raw video; CA tunnel raw video; Report on Baltimore FF death; Baltimore Co. helmet cam; Demotions from FL scandal
Arlington County firefighters and paramedics protest treatment of those suffering following Pentagon attack, along with others seeking disability pensions.
Firefighters and medics showed up Saturday morning at the meeting of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors. More than a dozen testified about difficulties getting health and retirement benefits. Some of them, like Firefighter Ray Buettner (pictured above), say they have been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following their response to the Pentagon. See STATter 911’s coverage, here.
Raw video from Metro drill involving DC, MD and VA
STATter 911 has ten minutes of raw video from Saturday’s drill at the Yellow Line bridge crossing the Potomac. Also, the hydrants adjacent to the bridge, were fixed in time for the drill. See video and story, here.
Picture of the day: Above, are some of the 17 firefighters and 1 police officer burned in Bangalore. The Hindu, India’s national newspaper, says they were fighting a fire in a lubricant shop on Friday night. The paper reports the fire was under control when a spark ignited an open vat of oil. The first article talks about the fire and the second focuses on the lack of protective equipment and the treatment of the firefighters at local hospitals. Sadly, it seems nothing like the burn speciality units available in the U.S.
Video of the day #1: Click the image above to see three minutes of raw video of a multi-truck crash and fire in a Southern California highway tunnel. FireGeezer was on top of this while I was still sleeping. He has the details, other videos and pictures.
Video of the day #2: We ran a lot of old video from the Vancouver area this week. Above is a fresh one. Short video, but a lot of fire at a furniture store. Some details here.
Last weekend, Allan Roberts name was added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, MD. Friday, a report looking at how the Baltimore City firefighter died was released.
It was a year ago this week that Roberts died while operating at a row house fire. The report, by ATF, says the fire started because of an illegal electricity hook up.
The report found poor communications and coordination, along with confusion on the fireground. Here are excerpts from The Baltimore Sun’s article:
A year after a veteran firefighter was killed responding to a blaze in Greektown, Baltimore fire officials released an investigative report that blamed the death on more than a dozen errors and safety violations – including miscommunication and possible equipment misuse.
Allan M. Roberts, who had been a firefighter for 19 years, was killed in the blaze Oct. 10 last year after he entered a rowhouse at 514 S. Macon St. with two other firefighters. As the firefighters retreated from the building, Roberts collapsed inches from the front door and could not be rescued.
The 314-page report – which follows a preliminary report obtained by The Sun in April – found 14 problems, including that fire crews behind the home sprayed water on the fire as Roberts and others entered the building from the front. Water flowing in from outside a building can trap heat and steam – endangering firefighters inside.
Though the cause is unclear, a valve regulating the flow of oxygen to Roberts’ face mask was found in the off position when his body was recovered. The report suggests that Roberts might have accidentally shut the valve as he tried to open it for more air.
Here is WJZ-TV’s report.
Demotions from cheating scandal
Orlando Fire Chief James Reynolds has decided to demote, rather than suspend two top ranking firefighters — one who was one notch below Reynolds — after an investigation found they cheated on an exam five years ago.
The chief’s reversal is cited in a Friday memorandum to firefighters Rudolph Johnson and Brian Will, who have risen through the ranks of the department since they took the exam.
But Firefighters for Integrity, who led a boisterous campaign against the firefighters saying their punishment wasn’t harsh enough and called for their demotions, aren’t pleased with the decision.
Massachusetts House and Senate approve more than a half-million dollars to reimburse fire companies involved in the massive, 4-day-long, Bernat Mill fire. The video above is from the July, 10-alarm fire.
Boy saves family from Charles County, MD house fire
The picture above from the La Plata Volunteer Fire Department’s website. The site has more pictures and an account of the early Friday morning fire. The Washington Post has the story of how the 12-year-old boy living at the home on Dr. Samuel Mudd Road in
Waldorf, saved his parents and two younger brothers.
Baltimore County helmet cam action
The video above is from the Middle River VFC, Company 22. It is some exterior operations at a 25 box (Hyde Park) on October 6.
Around the web
SConFire.com has the shot above from Anderson County, along with more SC news.
WithTheCommand.com has the story of the Texas judge apparently cleared of suspicion of arson along with a fire in Wayne County, PA.
Firefighter Nation keeps growing and along with its forums, has great videos.
VAFireNews.com has the details of the ambulance contract being dropped in Richmond and lots more.
Firefighter Spot has pictures of a late September fire at a Brooklyn hi-rise and more.
FirefightingNews.com’s lead story is a CT townhouse fire.
Fairfax County’s 5th Battalion Training Blog has a RIT question as its latest entry.
Maryland Fire News is another source of pictures and info.
Old video of the day
Above, a house fire from Shreveport, LA 5 years ago.
And finally, who needs Dalmatians?
For that matter, who needs a Federal Q when you have the Cocker Spaniel in the video above?
