Quick Takes
Mayday in Maysville as landmark burns: A fire yesterday heavily damaged a 124-year-old building under renovation in Maysville, Kentucky that had been at various times a post office, funeral home, Masonic lodge and drug store. MaysvilleOnline.com reports there was a close call for a firefighter almost three hours after the fire was reported – At approximately 6:50 p.m., calls of “mayday, mayday, firefighter down” came over the police scanner in Mason County. “Someone get the ambulance up here,” said someone over the scanner. Officials at the scene identified the firefighter as Kevin Doyle, who was injured when a section of the third floor ceiling collapsed as he and six other Maysville Fire Department firefighters were inspecting the building. Initial reports indicate Doyle may have sustained a broken collarbone.
Fire department S&R dog shot multiple times: Poor Casey is looking bad. The search and rescue dog for the Croft Fire Department in South Carolina was wounded by more than 100 pellets of bird shot. No one has been arrested. Casey is expected to recover. Click here for our story. And by the way this was one of the very few times I was able to beat SConFire.com’s Grant Mishoe to a SC story. I am proud of myself even if it is only by 20 minutes. But always be sure to check out his great site for what’s happening in South Carolina.
Help for a brother blogger: Matt McDowell runs S.A.F.E. Firefighter another one of the sites on FireEMSBlogs.com. Matt is also a lieutenant with Bluffton Township Fire District (BTFD) near Hilton Head Island. Matt and his wife are expecting a baby girl before the end of the year. It is already known the child has a heart defect that will require many surgeries. Tom Bouthillet, who has the blog Prehospital 12-lead ECG, has details how Matt’s fellow firefighters are coming through (as if that’s a surprise) with a fundraiser to help with the expenses. Here’s the link if you’d like to learn more about a 50/50 raffle that will be drawn on November 20.
Labor board goes after ambulance company over Facebook firing. What does it all mean?: The recent case in Georgia over the cell phone video of a dead woman has a lot of fire chiefs working on their social media policies. But the chiefs might want to huddle with the lawyers to see just how far they can go with this. A case in Connecticut has nothing to with patient privacy but everything to do with what limits you can put on your employees. The National Labor Relations Board says the ambulance company went too far. Check out my thoughts on its impact on first responder social media policies. Let me warn you that I have a lot more questions than answers. One chief who regularly reads my musings on this topic (or at least feigns interest) told me if policies can’t be as restrictive as management thinks is prudent then maybe my previous column about social media ethics training for recruits (and veterans) might be the answer.
New photos added to Friendly’s fire post: Last week we showed you video and told you about a fire that heavily damaged a Friendly’s in Norwich, Connecticut. We now have a link to some nice pictures of the roof operations taken by Aaron Flaum of the Norwich Bulletin. Click here to go directly to the photo gallery.
Chief, who is a 41-year veteran, has finally had enough of the town’s politics: Firegeezer Bill Schumm has an interesting story from Eaton Township, Ohio where the chief’s battles with internal and town politics has him walking out the door. Click here.
Hey, it’s only the chief. It’s not like his job is important: John Lattanzi has been the fire chief in Clairton, Pennsylvania for 22-years. Apparently town officials have determined after all of this time that they really don’t need a chief. In an effort to save $40,000 the chief’s position has been eliminated. Read more.
Give us a break … a tax break. The public agrees: A poll conducted for the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs found 69% of the public supports volunteer firefighters getting a $3,000 tax credit even if it costs the government millions of dollars. Those are poll numbers any politician could love. Here’s the story from the Toronto Sun.
Mother and boyfriend charged after padlocks found on burning home with children inside: In Greenville, South Carolina the only means of escape for three children from a burning mobile home was a broken window. Firefighters had to cut padlocks on front and rear doors to get to the kitchen fire. The children are nine, thirteen and sixteen. Two suffered minor injuries while making their escape. Here’s more.
