Quick takes
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The 911 call seen around the world: To go with our picture yesterday of the current most famous ambulance in the world (and Mike Ward’s motherly comment) is the mobile data display of that response as shown in The Sun. LAFD reports it sent an ambulance with two paramedics, a four-person engine company with one paramedic and an EMS captain to 100 block of N. Carolwood Drive for a 50-year-old male who was not breathing. The call, according to Capt. Steve Ruda, came in at 12:21:04 on Thursday afternoon and took 42 seconds to process. The first unit was on the scene in 3 minutes, 17 seconds. The crews were at the house working on the patient for 42-minutes and arrived at UCLA Medical Center at 1:14 PM. In case you somehow haven’t seen the video of the ambulance heading to the hospital, I have added it above. The shot of the day is the chop top Hollywood tourist van pulling up next to Engine 71. Does it get any more bizarre than that? If you don’t know by now whose home this was, just go back to sleep and forget about it.
Public wants head of dog-killing firefighter: The president of the IAFF in Columbus, Ohio says he has received hundreds of emails and calls from people who want David Santuomo fired. We told you yesterday about the firefighter getting jail time for shooting his two dogs in order to avoid paying a kennel charge while on vacation and then left the bodies in the trash behind the firehouse. Read the latest.
Firefighters want head of dog-snatching chief: Firefighters in Brownsville, Texas called police after their chief took Chief. Chief is the 3-month-old puppy found dehydrated and malnourished two-months-ago by the firefighters from Station 6 while on a diving drill. They rescued the dog. Chief Lenny Perez came by the station on Tuesday and took the dog to the pound. The firefighters are accusing their chief of theft. Chief Perez says the firefighters didn’t follow his orders to get rid of the dog. Read the story. Watch video of Chief.
The trail of the donated fire engine & ambulance: Mike Debonis, AKA Loose Lips in Washington City Paper, attended yesterday’s hearing on the aborted donation from DC to Sosua in the Dominican Republic. As you may recall, DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Dennis Rubin was taking all of the heat when reporters uncovered this issue. The mayor’s office was quiet on the matter as Chief Rubin was left to answer the tough questions. At the time, even though he says he knew little or nothing about it, Rubin took responsibility as the chief of the fire department. Now the fingers are being pointed at one of the mayor’s friends and a top aide. Read the story.
In case you missed it: Listen to the fireground audio from Monday’s Metro collision in Washington, DC.
Watch video as mayor abruptly ends meeting when asked about fire department layoffs: The meeting with citizens didn’t go exactly how Muncie, Indiana Mayor Sharon McShurley had planned. The questioning about the layoffs of 32 firefighters and the closing of two stations is apparently what prompted the mayor to end the meeting 90-minutes early. Click here to watch story. Read the story.
Despite chief’s warning of brownouts budget is cut: San Francisco Chief Joanne Hayes-White says she will work with the Board of Supervisors to avoid closing stations, but she isn’t confident it can be done after losing $6 million from the budget. Read the latest.
Judge rules for volunteers: We have told you before about the funding dispute between Stamford, CT and the volunteers from Turn of River FD. The volunteers won the latest round in court with the judge ordering the city to pay almost $300,000 by next Tuesday. Read the details.
More fires in Hinton: The seemingly never-ending Arson problem continues in Hinton, WV. Read the latest.
Text addicts: Firegeezer devotes his Morning Lineup to the dangers of DWT. Click here.
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Homes come with own water supply: Marine operations in evidence from Thursday at Liberty Dock, Waldo Ponit Harbor in Sausalito, California. Fire involves two houseboats. Read more about Thursday’s fire.
