Quick takes
The next thing you know they will be cutting back mom and apple pie: For some, it is the fire danger. For many others it is the economy. A lot of Independence Day fireworks displays across the country have been called off. Read more. Also, fuel prices are causing fire departments to rethink parades. Here is one that has been canceled in Shenandoah County, VA.
A weighty decision on a strike: Firefighters in Aberdeen, Scotland are taking a strike vote after a 22-year veteran was fired because he is too fat. More details, here.
Looking at longer response times in Gloucester: That’s what happens when a station is closed due to budget cuts. Read a detailed article on the money woes.
Three homes burn in Malibu: Overnight a house fire on the beach in Malibu, CA spread to two other homes. Click here for video.
Hazmat crew needed to do a cat scan: They thought they were dealing with a meth lab in Charlotte, NC. The smell was quite overpowering in the apartment building. Reporters and photographers raced to the scene. The only offense here came from some cats with bladder control problems. Read more.
I will be opening the STATter 911 psychic hotline next week: You may recall in our Tuesday “Quick takes”, being the smart aleck I am, I made fun of the interest in the fire at Madonna’s childhood home. What suddenly popped into my head very early Tuesday morning was a fire I covered many years ago on the grounds of George Washington’s boyhood home in Stafford County, VA (not the one in 1740, but probably the early 90s … 1990s). The place is called Ferry Farms. I hadn’t thought about that fire for many years. Little did I know that Ferry Farms would be big news the very next day with the announcement that archaeologists have pinpointed the foundation of Washington’s home. History buffs, click here.
