Quick takes
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UPDATED – Medic is a “danger to the community”: The words of Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Daniel Martin’s attorney at a press conference defending his client over his role in the May 24 confrontation with Creek Nation Paramedic Maurice White Jr. The picture above shows bruises Martin says he obtained during his scuffle with White. We have more than one-hour of raw video from the press conference where Gary James lays out the details of why he believe Martin was right and White was wrong. By the way, the attorney also reveals that Trooper Martin is a volunteer firefighter. Paramedic White’s attorney says that Martin’s attorney could have defused this situation, but did just the opposite. Richard O’Carroll told KOTV-TV, “He was lawfully behaving against an unlawful action and in this state, that’s appropriate.” We have added his interview. Click here for much more on this story.
911 call from Alexandria, Virginia investigation: 9NEWS NOW interviewed Alexandria Police Chief Dave Baker who says an investigation will get to the bottom of why police did not break into an apartment where a husband believed his pregnant wife was with their young son and the daughter that was on the way. The woman apparently had a seizure and gave birth on the apartment floor. She wasn’t found until hours after police left. Click here for our updated story that includes the first 911 call and the interview with Chief Baker.
Speed not factor in Vermont ambulance crash that killed long time rescue squad member: Police say they don’t know why the Bennington Rescue Squad ambulance veered off the road on Monday, but they have concluded it wasn’t because of high speed. Killed in the crash was veteran member Dale Long. Read more here and at Firefighter Close Calls.
Fire chief testifies sprinklers could cause confusion: Spring Hill, TN Chief Jim Swindle doesn’t want a requirement for residential sprinklers in his city. The chief believes it would be too confusing if the city code is different than the state code. Read more.
House had sprinklers but it burned down anyway: Prince George’s County, Maryland had a code that differed from the state starting in the late 1980s when it required residential sprinklers (fully phased in by 1992). While PGFD cites many success stories through the years, a fire yesterday is not on that list. A house in the Bowie area, built in 2002, was destroyed by fire. Not yet clear why there was so much fire when crews arrived. We have raw video from the blaze from Tom Yeatman.
Another PGFD fire on Monday: Two-alarms needed for the apartment fire in the District Heights area. Click here to watch it.
Couple dies in Maryland town house fire: This fits what has been a pretty clear pattern in Montgomery County, with senior citizens as fire victims. Smoking was the cause of this fire. Watch the story.
Not really fire related, but it sure was fun: I’m in Ocean City for the Maryland State Firemen’s Association Convention. On Sunday, like thousands of other beach goers, I had a front row seat of a spectacular air show featuring the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. Click here to watch the video I shot.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-YmEhsjtDk&hl=en&fs=1&]
Three-alarms at a Bethlehem, PA massage parlor: Video from our friends at NewsWorking.org of a fire on Monday. Here is the description with the video – It was mid-afternoon and the box was struck for a building fire at 1458 Stefko Blvd. Engines 7, 5, 6 and Tower Ladder 2 responded. Crews found fire through the roof of the two-story structure. Command quickly struck the 2nd and then the 3rd alarms. The building housed a barber shop and a massage parlor.
