Quick takes
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z61JyJur070&hl=en&fs=1&]
UPDATED … There’s more to this must see video of a citizen helping in the rescue of 4-year-old boy in the Bronx: If you haven’t seen this yet, take a look. A 4-year-old boy is recovering from smoke inhalation thanks to Billy Cretan who assisted firefighters with this grab. Read more. But there is more. Cretan is now engaged. It happened on live TV this morning while the hero was appearing on Good Morning America. Read the latest.
We have an easy way for you to honor the nation’s fallen firefighters: If you have a website or blog, there is an easy way to embed a video player to carry this weekend’s Candlelight Service and Memorial Service from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Just email me at dstatter@wusa9.com. Contact your local news media around the country to do the same.
Money from MDA boot drive didn’t make it to where it belongs: A Caddo Parish, Louisiana fire lieutenant was arrested after being accused of stealing money Keithville’s Fire District No. 6 collected during its Muscular Dystrophy Association “Shake the Boot” donation drive during Labor Day weekend. Read the story.
Firefighter & mayor go at it and reporter watches: A heated exchange between a volunteer firefighter and the mayor of Robbinsville, New Jersey started during a hearing and continued into the lobby and parking lot. The firefighter says the township has run the fire department into the ground. Read the details. You may recall our previous coverage of some issues involving mutual aid between Robbinsville and its neighbors.
Retirees sue: Five retirees from the Las Vegas Fire Department are suing over cuts in their retirement pay. Click here.
Union issues: In Mehlville, Missouri they have had their share of them. Last December, we told you about James Kornhardt who was a veteran firefighter with the Mehlville Fire Protection District and also the out-going vice-president of IAFF Local 1889. Kornhardt was arrested in a murder-for-hire plot. In June 0f last year we told you of the union president and another firefighter being fired, after being accused of harassment in the work place. An IAFF attorney called it union busting. Now the fire district is trying to get the suit filed by the two fired firefighters dismissed. In doing so, the fire district makes the case that the firefighters were harassing another firefighter they felt wasn’t friendly to the union. Read more details and documents from the lawsuit.
Another firefighter discrimination case to go before the Supreme Court: This case centers around a 1995 entrance exam given by the Chicago Fire Department. The court will apparently determine if a group of black firefighters waited too long to file a discrimination suit. Click here.
Firefighter says ambulance billing falsified: In Clinton, Iowa, a former firefighter and paramedic is making claims that BLS calls were classified as ALS to bring in more money from Medicaid and Medicare. Read more.
Check this out: Firegeezer found this one at FireNews.net. It is well worth seeing. It is a rig with 500 feet of ground ladders and the ability to hold 18 firefighters. Here it is. I think on meeting night we were able to get that many on the side of Truck 21. Okay, two had to ride beside the tillerman.
