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House fire: UPDATE – Earlier we weren’t sure where this fire occurred. As usual our readers have the answers. Here is what Bill McCool writes – This job occurred yesterday at around 1530hrs in Doylestown PA (Bucks County) at 310 Sandy Ridge Road (cross streets of Iron Hill and Fox Hill). First Chief on scene had a large 2 story s/f/d under construction with heavy smoke showing. The heavy smoke turned into heavy fire rather quickly and as you can see in the video it totaly collapsed pretty quick as well. The first arriving truck was L-79 (Doylestown’s sub station) and E-19 (Doylestown main Station) arrived right after (from the opposite direction) No real exposure problems but it did start a decent sized brush fire as well. Crews went in service with a ladder pipe, wagon pipe and multiple handlines and a stang gun. Click here for news coverage of the fire. Doylestown Fire Company website.
Fatal fire near unstaffed firehouse: In Flint, Michigan WJRT-TV is reporting one man is dead and a civilian and three firefighters have second-degree burns in a house fire late last night. According to the story, the closest firehouse (Station 5) was not staffed due to the layoffs of 22 firefighters on Sunday. Click here for the story and the video. More here. Previous story on closings. List of Flint fire stations.
Catch of the day: Something you are not likely to see in your career in the fire service here in the U.S. A video from Spain shows a woman escaping an apartment fire by jumping into a life net. Click here for the must see video.
Off-duty firefighter saves woman: A Surprise, AZ firefighter, stopping at a convenience store after his shift, ends up pulling a woman from her burning home in a trailer park. Click here for the story.
Early pictures from a fatal fire: There was a lot of fire when firefighters pulled up to a home early Monday morning in Manasquan, NJ. Monmouth County officials say a 76-year-old woman was found dead in the house with a cigarette as the likely cause of the blaze. Click here for the pictures and the story.
Changes at PGFD: A number of people are telling me the retirement of Lt. Col. Karl Granzow Jr. won’t be the only change we are likely to see in the near future among the command staff surrounding Acting Chief Eugene Jones. Click here for more on Granzow.
On the sprinkler front: From Las Vegas, Azarang (Ozzie) Mirkhah comes out swinging on the battle over sprinklers. Now focusing on the state level, Ozzie gives us his view on “What’s at Stake”. Click here to read the article and here to see a Paul Combs cartoon on the issue.
As always, we encourage those with different view points on this and other topics to voice their opinions. Just contact me at dstatter@wusa9.com.
Fallen Heroes Day in Maryland: The nice folks at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens remind us the ceremony is this Friday at 1:00 PM. Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens is located at 200 East Padonia Road in Timonium (410-666-0490). The event is open to the public and this year honors nine people who have died in the line of duty – Sgt. Richard Findley, Prince George’s County Police Dept. (June 27, 2008); Lt. Michael P. Howe, Baltimore County Police Dept. (August 11, 2008); Pilot Stephen Bunker, Maryland State Police (September 28, 2008); TFC Mickey C. Lippy, Maryland State Police (September 28, 2008); EMT Tonya Mallard, Waldorf Volunteer Fire Dept. (September 28, 2008); PMFF Brian D. Neville, Baltimore County Fire Dept. (October 16, 2008); Officer Richard Bremer, Frederick City Police Dept. (October 23, 2008) and FADO Thomas E. Rice, Baltimore County Fire Dept. (January 21, 2009). Also honored will be former Baltimore Police Officer, Special Agent Samuel Hicks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pittsburgh (November 19, 2008). Click here for more information.
Getting the scoop on the scoop: As many of you know tomorrow evening is 31-cent night at Baskin-Robbins to benefit the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) National Junior Firefighter Program. Click here for info from BaskinRobbins.com. My old friend Jimmy Seavey sent me details of Cabin John Park’s version of the event. Click here for the press release.
Beauty and the Beast appearing in Prince George’s County: Thursday is the annual Public Safety Valor Awards for the county. My understanding is that everyone is quite excited about the emcee for this year’s event. Someone quite special from 9NEWS NOW in Washington, DC will make an appearance. Of course I was feeling quite good about myself when I heard this positive buzz. Then I realized they were talking about anchor Lesli Foster. I get to tag along and they may let me say a few words if I behave myself. Click here for the details.
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Two homes burning in Gary: From Sunday evening in Gary, Indiana. Here is the description with the video – GFD was dispatched to a reported still alarm in the 2600 block of Connecticut at about 8:45 pm on 4-26-09, while en route I was able to see the header and glow at Central and 80-94. Truck 4 And Engine 4 being first on scene advised of a fully involved house with extension to a second house. Multiple lines were advanced and the deck gun was used to knock the fire down. Crews worked the scene for over an hour and fire investigat
ors were requested.
