DC union president takes issue with chief’s “comedy act” remarks. Rubin stands by his assessment of sprinkler demo that went went wrong.
Above, raw video from out interview with Chief Dennis Rubin on the problems with the October 7 sprinkler demonstration at Gallaudet University where a firefighter was burned. President Raymond Sneed of IAFF Local 36 follows Chief Rubin with his thoughts about the incident.
Previous coverage: Firefighter burned 10/9; Chief Rubin talks with Ed Comeau 10/12
DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Dennis Rubin’s explanation that he is responsible for the errors that left one firefighter with minor burns during a sprinkler demonstration at Gallaudet University does not sit well with the head of the firefighters’ union. President Raymond Sneed of IAFF Local 36 believes the chief taking the blame is not good enough and plans to present the issue to elected officials in the city. Sneed hopes they will review the performance of the fire chief and other top officials responsible for the demonstration.
Chief Rubin says he has learned a lesson and will not take things for granted in the future. Rubin echoed the remarks he made Monday during an interview for a fire service Internet podcast conducted by Ed Comeau. Comeau, with Campus-Firewatch.com, helped put on the October 7 demonstration.
Sneed’s biggest complaint is with the chief’s statement to Comeau that the mishap that brought burning plastic onto the gear of three firefighters and their efforts to extinguish it looked like a “comedy act”. “It still in my mind looked like a comedy act”, Chief Rubin said in a Tuesday interview with STATter911.com. “Firefighters to be fully involved and to not have a backup line. I am going to stand by that”.
Sneed said if the chief is sticking by that statement then “he’s the chief comedian because he staged it, he orchestrated it and he narrated it”. Sneed added, “One of my members was hospitalized from this comedy act”.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5owulTfCTw&hl=en&fs=1&]Video above is by Ed Comeau, Campus-Firewatch.com.
Asked about his thoughts as he watched the burning Plexiglas draft curtain from the unsprinklered side of the mock dorm room fall onto his firefighters, Chief Rubin said, “Those are my guys. Those are humans. Those are flesh and blood and the last thing I wanted to see is even a scratch on their bodies.”
