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Hardy, Virginia, Embezzlement Update

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IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR WE BROUGHT YOU the story (HERE) about the fire chief of the Hardy VFD in Bedford County, Virginia, who had been arrested following an investigation into his handling of FD funds.  In July, Chief Jeffrey Shifflett, his wife Deborah and his son Cory were all indicted on13 felony theft (embezzlement) charges.  The following day, Jeffrey Shifflett committed suicide.  Firegeezer has a detailed report on the  investigation and subsequent suicide HERE.

The Roanoke Times has reported (HERE) that Jeffrey’s son, Cory Mitchell Shifflett appeared in court on Tuesday, November 17 and pleaded guilty to his charges while throwing himself on the mercy of the court.

“He wants to take responsibility and make things right,” Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Krantz said after a Circuit Court hearing in which Shifflett pleaded guilty to seven charges of embezzlement.  Each charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors made no plea agreement with Shifflett. A sentencing date has not been set.

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Cory Shifflett (far left) and his lawyer, Darren Shoen,
were in Bedford County Circuit Court.
(Roanoke Times / Soares photo)

The guilty pleas came four months after Shifflett, his father and his father’s wife were indicted on charges of taking for their own use an estimated $150,000 to $200,000 intended for the Hardy Volunteer Fire Department.

Investigators have said the Shiffletts used department money for their own expenses, including buying a gun at a pawn shop, and clothing and other items from Gander Mountain, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Walmart and other businesses. Jeffrey Shifflett was accused of issuing checks to himself to cover training costs, but no records indicated such training occurred.

Krantz said Cory Shifflett probably was responsible for no more than $10,000 of the misspent money. He likely acted at his father’s direction, though Shifflett did not offer that as an excuse, Krantz said.

Krantz also said that their investigation did not go back any farther than 2007 because they accumulated enough evidence by then to prosecute.  But he believes that the thefts began occurring prior to then.

The Roanoke Times article also has links to earlier stories on the case.

 

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: Law & Justice, News • Tagged: , , ,

Mystery Minute 03.08

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Thunder and Lightning begins at Part One HERE.

 

Part Eight

I made my way over to the refreshment table.  After all, I had just been struck by lightning, I needed a drink! ….Was I struck? I couldn’t remember for sure now … and I seemed to be okay. By this point, I was expecting Rod Serling to appear out of thin air and start into his bit…”You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind….a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination….your next stop..the Twilight Zone…”

 

I picked up a white ceramic mug and filled it from the coffee urn.  Maybe they rented out the meeting room for a wedding and I didn’t see the memo. No, that wouldn’t explain the antique truck downstairs and all the changes around the station. As I took a sip from my cup, my eyes wandered towards the cork board on the wall. Ahh that’s it, I’ll check there. Surely there is a notice that the hall had been rented out for a special ceremony or something. Seeing nothing official looking, I decided to check the calender to see if there were reservations posted there…but something didn’t look right. It was the same calender from the funeral home up the street that had been hanging in that spot for decades…but it was for 1935!

 

Watch for Part Nine HERE.

 

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Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: Mystery Minute

Around the Fire Web

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*  STATter911 has updated the story on the Lancaster (Pa.) fire captain who fell out of the aerial platform while delivering a Santa Claus at the local mall the other day.  Check it out HERE and then take a look at THIS STORY from Prince George’s County (Md.) about a backdraft explosion last night that blew several firefighters tush-over-teakettle across the front yard.

*  Fire Daily has a remarkable story of some Oak Park, Illinois, firefighters who chose to take early retirements so that the city could re-hire five younger firefighters that had recently been laid off.  How wonderfully selfless.  Read it HERE.

*  Firefighter Close Calls ran a brief report on a domestic dispute in Mangum, Oklahoma, where the town’s fire chief was shot by his own brother-in-law who then turned the gun on himself and killed himself.  The fire chief survived after surgery.  The story was in The Oklahoman on Friday HERE. 

Longtime readers of Firegeezer may remember Mangum from a picture story that we posted in February 2008 about long-lived light bulbs.  Two of the top-three longest, continuously-burning light bulbs still in use in the world are in firehouses.  The Mangum station is #3 where their bunkroom light has been turned on since 1927.  The champion light is in Livermore, California, fire station 6.  It has been burning since June 8, 1901.  You might have some fun reviewing our story of the bulbs built before planned obsolescence HERE.

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The Mangum light

*  Firefighter Blog has a bit of reverie over the official closing of this year’s wildfire season out west with a good video HERE.

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Blogs • Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

New Batch of Extreme Beer Released

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THE BOSTON BEER CO., MAKER OF SAMUEL ADAMS BEER, has  just issued its biennial release of its Samuel Adams Utopias “extreme” beer.  Clocking in with a punch of 27% alcohol content, Utopias is not what you pack in the cooler for a tailgate party.  The classy ceramic and copper bottle shaped like a tiny brew kettle, sells for $150.  More properly described as being a beer liqueur, it’s designed to be served at room temperature, offered up in 2 oz. servings and savored like a fine brandy or port.

Extreme Beer

AP / Krupa photo

The elegant brew has been aged in a variety of woods at the Boston Brewery for up to 13 years. A portion of the beer was aged in hand-selected, single-use bourbon casks from the Buffalo Trace Distillery. The extended aging process enhances the distinct cinnamon, vanilla, and maple notes in the beer’s flavor. The beer is then finished in sherry and madeira casks from Portugal. The sherry casks add nutty, oak, and honey notes, while the madeira casks contribute slightly more elegant, creamy fudge-toffee aromas and flavors.  Boston Beer president and CEO Jim Koch tells about it in this video from Associated Press:

Thirteen states prohibit its sale because its alcohol content exceeds the legal limit for beer: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Washington.

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: beer, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , ,

Tanker Fire Near Dallas

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A GASOLINE TANKER WRECKED AND CAUGHT FIRE Monday morning in Mesquite, Texas.  The crash occurred around 4:30 am Central time at an I-30 underpass and lead to the shutting down of the freeway for over an hour.  WFAA-TV Dallas reporting on the incident said that witnesses said the driver of a gravel truck may have been involved in the accident. The gravel truck was observed leaving the scene immediately after the explosion.  WFAA-TV also filed this video report:

The driver of the tanker was able to escape without injury.  The FD elected to let the fuel burn off and were still on the scene 90 minutes later.  The video shows that the tanker was completely destroyed.  The Mesquite FD says that there is no determination yet on how the accident occurred.

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: fire, HazMat, Videos • Tagged: ,

Florida Ambulance in Fatal Crash

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AN 18-YR.-OLD WOMAN WAS KILLED SUNDAY AND three other people seriously injured in Jacksonville, Florida, when an ambulance collided with a pickup truck.  WJXT-TV is reporting:

The Florida Highway Patrol said a (Liberty Ambulance) turned left into the path of a northbound pickup truck about 8:30 p.m. on Philips Highway just south of the intersection with Interstate 95.

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First Coast News

Megan Bunn, of St. Augustine, was a passenger in the Chevrolet Silverado and died at the scene. The driver of the pickup, Michael Linder, was transported to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center in critical condition.  Troopers said neither was wearing seat belts. The Florida Highway Patrol said a private ambulance turned left into the path of a northbound pickup truck about 8:30 p.m. on Philips Highway just south of the intersection with Interstate 95.

The two EMT’s were also hospitalized with serious injuries.  The Florida Highway Patrol has not yet disclosed whether the ambulance had its emergency lights and siren activated.  There was no patient in the ambulance.

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WJXT-TV

 

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: ambulances, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances • Tagged: , , ,

Timely Discretion

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WHEN WE LAST LEFT FIREFIGHTER DOE, it was a Saturday at the 7 am fire station line-up. He was asking permission to run his car up to the tire shop (HERE). Gordon Graham, a noted public safety risk manager, points out that fire officers misuse time when making decisions.

Graham has taken his talent as a police officer/lawyer with a master’s degree in Safety and Systems from improving a large California law enforcement agency to improving operations at local, regional, and federal public safety organizations. He is a co-sponsor of FirefighterCloseCalls.com.

If you have heard about “Low Frequency/High Risk” events, you have encountered a Graham teaching point. This link takes you to a 2002 presentation on Non-Punitive Close Call Reporting: Learning from the Mistakes of Others Prior to Disaster (HERE).

DISCRETIONARY TIME

A key element in Graham’s risk management is discretionary time. He points out that some High Risk/Low Frequency events have No Discretionary Time. Company officers need to be hardwired to make the correct decision immediately. Using an overhead projector and acetate sheet, Graham represents this with HR/LF NDT.

The challenge is that we are not hardwired to make the right call on High Risk/Low Frequency No Discretionary Time events. That takes pre-planning, training and regular repetition … to be covered in a later urban commander blog.

Unfortunately we act like every issue requires an immediate decision. Failing to use discretionary time to make a decision often results in additional human resource, customer service or fire station leadership problems. The Doe/tire issue has loads of discretionary time available before the shops close Saturday afternoon.

Graham advocates that you reach out and consult others when you confront a new issue that has discretionary time. Contact a peer who may have more experience with the issue, check with your supervisor.

GOLD-BADGE-ITIS

A common affliction of new and inexperienced company officers. Allergic reaction to placement of a gold badge on the uniform or changing the color/frontspiece of the helmet. Elevated feelings of worth, power and self-importance. Itching to show “how it is done” by making immediate and righteous decisions instead of the hemming-and-hawing that older officers demonstrate.

This sticker shares an expression in a community where company officers wear red helmets:

redhelmets

We have HOURS to resolve the issue of repairing a damaged tire on a Saturday.  The suggestions posted with the original blog entry are similar to suggestions made when this case was presented to fire officer candidates.

You do not have to solve the problem by 7:05 am. Caulfield suggests that you turn the problem back to the firefighter.

WHY?

Caulfield promotes the idea of asking “why?”

The (leadership) game really turns in the Lieutenant’s favor if he has mastered the art of saying “no.” The skilled leader reserves – and exercises – the right to say no without feeling guilty or offering an elaborate explanation. Simply asking “why” creates a noticeable difference in atmosphere and is a positive step toward such a turn.

Doe’s scenario is pretty clear, if he does not get the tire fixed Saturday, he will have to wait until Monday.  This will delay his family vacation by a day-and-a-half. This does not rise to the level of a family life-threatening emergency, but it is pretty big for Doe.

The company officer role in this crisis is to:

  • Not take on Doe’s problem as one’s own
  • Establish the boundaries for an acceptable resolution
  • Share the problem resolution with the battalion chief

SETTING THE BOUNDARIES FOR DOE

Assume that you require that the position on the aerial must be maintained at the fire station. No responding to the tire shop to pick up Doe.  While Doe works on another solution, you check with the battalion chief.

The introduction to this issue included a description of a complicated and restrictive work substitution procedure. The chief tells you that she can authorize a work substitution for up to six hours without needing three signatures on a FRD 375.

Other solutions include getting an off-going firefighter to run the tire to the shop, seeing if a tire vendor can come to the station, getting a relative to handle the problem, have the truck company drop the tire off at the shop, etc..

Asking why and saying no to Doe’s request to get off the rig and run the his car up to the shop may result in a confrontation, which will be covered later.  What do you do when Doe screams obscenities at you in the firehouse kitchen, in front of the rest of the crew?

Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

URBAN COMMANDER is an irregular feature aimed at career staff working in metro-sized fire departments. It will cover topics that were too esoteric, short-term or “sharp” for the Fire Officer: Principles and Practice textbook. Click “Urban Commander” under Categories to get all of the articles.

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , ,

School Shattered by Explosion in Virginia

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AN EXPLOSION RIPPED OPEN A WALL IN A Newport News, Virginia, school early Sunday, injuring eight contract workers at the site and leading to a ninth injury in a related traffic accident.  The blast took out a 50-ft. section of wall and moved another wall “off its foundation.”

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Daily Press / Snider

The work crew was performing roofing work over the holiday weekend when the blast occurred directly under where they were standing shortly before 7 am.  The roofers were using propane to melt tar to spread on the roof, but it is too early to determine if that had any bearing on the blast cause.  The Newport News Daily Press reports this morning:

When medics arrived, they found eight men with varying degrees of injuries suffered during the explosion. A fire crew that was first on the scene immediately began treating the (injured), said Battalion Chief Steve Pincus with the Newport News Fire Department. At 7:16 a.m., a second alarm was called “because of the explosion, and for mass casualties,” Pincus said.

“There was a small amount of fire in the roof area when they first arrived, but their most important task is life safety, so a second alarm was called and subsequent apparatus and firefighters began attacking the fire.”

Initially, four of the victims were transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center, three to Sentara Hampton CarePlex and one to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for burns and other injuries, said Lou Thurston, a Newport News police spokesman. All were taken by ground ambulance and all but one were placed on advanced life support. Two of the victims originally taken to Riverside were later flown by helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General and two were flown to the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Thurston said.

Read the full report in the Daily Press HERE.

WAVY-TV has a video report from the scene:

An ambulance that was responding on the 2nd-alarm was involved in an accident when a 75-yr.-old man drove his car into the path of the ambulance and was injured from the crash.  Police say that the ambulance, that was responding with lights and siren, had the green light at the controlled intersection. 

The ambulance struck the driver’s side door and the man had to be extricated.  He is in fair condition at the hospital.  The two medics were evaluated at the ER and were back on duty by 10 am.

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: explosion, Mass Casualty Incident, Videos

Morning Lineup – November 30

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Some of you probably stayed away from the computer over the long Thanksgiving Day break and missed Rodney Gentry’s fine article on Wednesday about using Verizon’s new Droid service in a fire/ems setting.  He expects to have a follow-up later on incorporating some other apps and passing on your ideas and experiences with it, too.

So take about four minutes this morning to read his posting HERE (and scroll on down through the Comments, too), and get in on the discussion.  His email address is in the article.

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No real surprise here, but I thought I’d pass on the news that the ATF has officially declared that the large fire in the Rochester Family Dollar store was intentionally set, and a $5,000 reward is being offered for information about who set it.  (See Firegeezer reports HERE and HERE.)  The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported yesterday (HERE) that:

Chris Porreca of the ATF said 16 investigators from throughout the country completed a “painstaking” investigation, with help from eight local investigators.

Porreca said investigators have determined where the fire started in the Family Dollar, but he would not release the information while the local investigation is ongoing.

Rochester Fire Chief John Caufield said his department has not linked the North Clinton fire with a fire that occurred earlier the same day at a Family Dollar store on North Goodman Street. ATF agents did not investigate that fire.

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Do you remember our chat last Friday about the S & H green stamps?  (HERE)  One of the unique gimmicks of the S & H company was their willingness to get almost anything that you wanted to exchange your stamp books for.  People used them to get vacation trips to Disneyland and churches ran collections to get enough books for a new social room kitchen, for example.

One of our readers pointed out that his VFD had a campaign to collect stamp books and they accumulated enough to get a new pumper for the firehouse.  They acquired stamps worth $17,000 and purchased a new 1963 Howe/International 750 gpm pumper with a 500-gal. tank.

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How about that?  You can visit the Rowley (Massachusetts) FD website HERE and read up on the history of Engine 3.

Now we had better bring our own histories up to date and get this equipment checked out.  I’ll go start the coffee.

Posted by on November 30, 2009 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Around the EMS Web

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*The Treatment of Kenny Farnsworth: For much of a decade, he called 911 routinely for an endless list of medical issues. Now he has an endless stack of bills he is unlikely to ever pay. So what’s the diagnosis? Washington Post Magazine article.

* Chicago woman accused of punching paramedic. (also spit on a nurse!)

*34 year old Andy House was driving the 2006 Bugatti Veyron that ended up in a Texas salt lake (HERE) He runs Performance Auto Sales in Lufkin, “The Leader in Salvage Rebuilders” … maybe Bill “Firegeezer” was on the mark with the staged crash theory!

* Mark and Jason Justin are taking a breather after their UK-US ems exchange.

Posted by on November 29, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Blogs

Mystery Minute 03.07

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Thunder and Lightning begins at Part One HERE.

 

Part Seven

In a kind of a daze, I walked up stairs and into the meeting room where I had spent so many evenings debating the merits of rapid water, RIT teams and dozens of other modern day firefighting tools and techniques.

 

What I found on the second floor astounded me. The room had long been the repository of numerous chiefs portraits, plaques, trophies and mementos from years gone by. It was difficult to even SEE the wall in places because of all the history that hung there, but now the walls were completely bare and the old glazed tiles gleamed like they were brand new. I knew this room now. I had spent countless hours looking through my department’s scrapbooks. I had seen this site before. It was exactly what the company’s meeting room looked like the day the station was dedicated.

 

Read Part Eight HERE.

 

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Posted by on November 29, 2009 • Filed under: Mystery Minute

Ready, Fire, Aim !!

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THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS KICK-OFF CELEBRATION IN THE PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, suburb of Etna finished a little earlier than planned Friday night after a mishap during the fireworks display.  The annual Light-Up Night brings thousands downtown for the festivities that culminates with a fireworks show.

But during the execution of this year’s display, one of the rocket platforms tipped over after the firing sequence had been started and the rockets started flying into the spectators instead of over them.  The display was being presented by noted fireworks firm Zambelli Internationale and was being launched from a vacant lot a couple of blocks away from the main activity center.  But still there was a group of about 150 to 200 people watching the launches from about 400 ft. away, according to Etna Fire Chief Greg Porter.  When the set of mortar tubes tipped over, the spectators began a mini-stampede to get out of the way of the hurtling rockets.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-News reports HERE:

“All of a sudden I heard this boom and thought it sounded really close, so I looked out the window and all I could see were people stampeding,” said Susan Haas Colonello, 45, of Hampton, co-owner of the Burke and Haas Always in Bloom florist at the corner of Bridge and Freeport. “You could see them stooping, running — and fireworks were going off right above their heads.”

Nine people, including children, suffered first- and second-degree burns from the explosions or bumps, bruises and cuts in the resulting panic, Porter said. All were treated at the scene, and some said they would drive themselves to local hospitals for further treatment. None was hurt badly enough to require emergency transportation.

The florist shop became a triage center after the accident, Colonello said, with emergency personnel sorting the injured from the merely stunned.

The first rounds started shooting at ground-level — one toward the bonfire but falling short of it; another up Freeport Street. Other rounds shot off toward surrounding buildings about six to eight feet off the ground. Burke said police and firefighters in the crowd started directing people away from the area and preventing a worse stampede. The whole salvo took about a minute and a half, he said.  “As soon as it happened, the fire department was issuing orders to put all the injured inside the store,” said Burke, 55, of Hampton. “Part of the reason things went so well for us is how well the police and fire department handled things.”

Posted by on November 29, 2009 • Filed under: ambulances, News • Tagged: , , , , ,

5 Dead, 10 Critical After Minivan Rollover on I-10

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AN OVERLOADED MINIVAN TRAVELING ALONG INTERSTATE -10 near Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday, blew a tire and rolled over several times, spewing passengers out with every tumble.  The eight-passenger van had 15 people in it, 2 adults and 13 children, when a front tire blew, causing the van to sideswipe a delivery truck in the next lane and then careen into the median and roll over several times, coming to rest in the opposite lanes.  The Associated Press and WAFB-TV have this video report:

Only the driver and the front-seat passenger were wearing seat belts and all 13 other passengers were ejected from the van as it rolled.  Louisiana State Police Trooper Russell Graham said that the accident happened just before noon and that the children ranged in age from infancy to 14 years old.  The Advocate newspaper relates:

Michael Gorrondona, of Baton Rouge, was one of the first witnesses to reach the crash site on I-10 east of La. 928 in Ascension Parish.  Gorrondona said he was driving east on his way from Baton Rouge to Metairie about 11:45 a.m. when he saw debris flying across the road in front of him.  “They were just laying everywhere,” he said of the children flung from the van. “Kids were spread out across 60 feet.”

Troopers and Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputies worked together to get the roadway cleared while first responders from the Prairieville Fire Department, St. George Fire Department, Acadian Ambulance and Baton Route EMS tended to the injured, State Police said.

Read the full article in The Advocate HERE.

The State Police released the names of the passengers this morning, saying that Mona Hines, 38, was driving the 2000 GMC Safari minivan.  She died alongside four of her passengers: Ricky Hines Jr., 2; Lachante Floyd, 12; Edward Barnes 14; and Ashley Hines, 14.  One other adult on board — Stacey Hines, 28 — survived, and so did seven other children, ages 6 months to 14 years. They all remained hospitalized in critical condition at 12 a.m. Sunday.

WBRZ-TV via CNN has some raw video from the scene:

After all of the victims had been tended to and transported,
remaining Fire, EMS and Police gathered for a prayer.

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The Advocate

Posted by on November 29, 2009 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics, rescue, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , ,

New Demands for Drive-Thru Dry Cleaning

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FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 25 MONTHS, a Phoenix, Arizona, dry cleaning business has been penetrated by a pedal-challenged driver who stomped on the big one instead of the small one and propelled their autos through the front window of the shop, coming to rest just inches away from the owner who was sitting at his desk.

Not again !

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The owner of Regal Cleaners, David Reddish says that he’s going to put some concrete bollards in front of the store now.  This latest sudden-acceleration did $10,000 in damage to the plant.

KSAZ-TV has the surveillance videos from all three visitations:

Firegeezer suggests that he also consider relocating his desk.

Posted by on November 29, 2009 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Morning Lineup – November 29

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About once every three or four years, the companies that make plastic garbage and trash bags decide that they are going to “save money” by not putting twist-ties in the boxes of bags that they sell.  Instead, they lop off the top of each bag in some sort of strange, wavy design that is supposed to simulate “handles” that permit you to somehow tie the top of the bag off in an overhand knot.

Ha!!  Can’t be done. 

Anyway, if you succeed in looping the non-handle around to some sort of closure, it’s never tight enough to quell the unsavory odors that tend to emanate from slowly-decaying garbage.  And those bigger bags filled with trash and the smaller bags?  Fuggettaboutit.  And all the time I’m thinking, “What a bunch of cheapskates.  Just gimme what I want to buy.”  And that’s a box of trash bags that comes with twist-ties.

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So far, every time that they’ve pulled that stunt it appears that the consumers just switch brand choices and start purchasing a different selection that has T-T’s in it.  After a couple of months or so of slumping sales, the bag people start selling complete sets again.  But until they do, I just go over to the produce section of the market and grab a few of their twist-ties that they set out for the produce bags each time I’m in the store.  That gets me through until reason is restored once again in the solid-waste disposal industry.

Let’s get this equipment checked out so that we can get back to the day room and flop out until the Sunday breakfast is ready.  I’ll get the coffee started.

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Posted by on November 29, 2009 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged:

Arrest Made in Jockey Arson/Murders

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A 37-YR.-OLD MAN WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY AND CHARGED BEFORE A MAGISTRATE Friday with the deaths of two apprentice jockeys who died in a fire in an apartment on September 5 in Yorkshire, England.

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Jamie Kyne (left) and Jan Wilson
(RacingFotos.com)

Firegeezer carried a video REPORT HERE September 6 on the gruesome deaths of Jan Wilson, a 19-yr.-old woman from Scotland who had recently won her first race, and Jamie Kyne, 18, who  had been touted as one of Ireland’s most promising young jockeys.  The two victims were attending a small party with other apprentices when somebody set a deliberate fire in the hallway, trapping the occupants inside.  One of the residents who shared the flat with Kyne managed to jump out the upper story window and survived.

jockey a peter brownThe suspect, Peter Brown of North Yorkshire appeared for 3 minutes to verify his identity before he was remanded to custody to await a hearing before the Crown Court on December 4.  His soliciter declined to apply for bail.

It was claimed that the blaze started following a minor row when a man was refused entry into the flat where the jockeys and their friends were having the party.  Brown lived in the block of flats at the time.  He was originally arrested just hours after the fire but was released without charge.

Posted by on November 28, 2009 • Filed under: arson, Law & Justice, News, Uncategorized • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Mystery Minute 03.06

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Thunder and Lightning begins at Part One HERE.

 

Part Six

I opened the door and stepped into the station. The smell was totally different. What was this all about? One of the things that made me feel at home there was the smell of diesel fuel, rubber tires and smoky turnout gear. That “firehouse” smell was the same the world over…but it was missing now. At this point, I knew something most certainly was amiss. The old station, nearly 100 years old was now looking brand new and wait…..the truck..that was most definitely NOT my fire truck. Someone had taken my 2004 Pierce and replaced it with an antique! OOO nice restoration job on that old pumper! I was starting to get really confused at this point. I was pretty sure I was alive and awake. I could pinch myself and it hurt. If this was a dream, then it was a dandy!

 

I moved on into the apparatus bay to get a closer look at the old truck when I noticed several other people in there. They were all dressed in class A dress just like the guy I saw leaving a minute ago. Okay, I’ve been on the receiving end of enough fire house jokes in my time, and I’ve certainly been party to enough…but this one was waaaay beyond anything I could imagine.

 

At that moment, one of the firemen walked over to me and said,  “ The ceremony will be starting at half past the hour, you are welcome to go up to the meeting room upstairs and wait. We have some refreshments set out”.

 

Read Part Seven HERE.

 

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Posted by on November 28, 2009 • Filed under: Mystery Minute

IAFF Local Agrees to Restore Antique Pumper

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THE CITY OF MT. VERNON, ILLINOIS, IS RUNNING out of room for vehicle storage.  The city manager and city council decided that the old 1939 Diamond T fire engine has to go.  For the past five years, the antique pumper has been stored in a city equipment building, but the room is needed for some arrivals that will be kept there.  City Manager Ron Neibert announced that the city could no longer afford to store and maintain a piece of equipment that was no longer functional.

When the city announced that they would be including the old engine in an auction of city surplus, the members of IAFF Local 738 began a petition drive to save and preserve the important piece of the city fire department’s history.  This past Wednesday Neibert announced that the city and the local have come to an agreement permitting the local to save and preserve the engine.  The Mt. Vernon Register-News writes:

“The understanding would give the union the opportunity to do several things,” Neibert explained. “First, they have to find a place to store the engine outside of city property by the end of this year because the city has new equipment and needs the space. Second, they have 12 months from Jan. 1 to develop and implement a plan to refurbish the vehicle and put it in a location appropriate for the truck to display the history. If they can accomplish those goals, then they can keep it locally.”

Mt. Vernon firefighter and Local 738 member Doug Boczek said the petition drive was a way to preserve the fire department’s history.  “The history of fire service has always been a big thing,” Boczek said. “It’s a really proud thing for not only the fire department but for the city. We’re not trying to keep the fire engine as a union, but as firefighters for the history.”

Read the full story HERE.

mt vernon reo a local738

FROM THE LOCAL 738 WEBSITE:

The Diamond T was constructed in St. Louis by the Central Fire Truck Corporation. The MVFD continued to run calls with the older trucks during this time, including a massive blaze that destroyed the Wesley Methodist Church on January 15, 1940. On the same day, the largest fire to date occurred in Woodlawn at the Watkins Hatchery, the largest business in town. The lack of available fire apparatus caused this huge blaze to completely destroy the business. Shortly after that, Chief Partridge proposed the purchase of a “community” fire truck. The truck would be housed in Mt. Vernon and driven by Mt. Vernon firemen, however small volunteer departments would be formed in small towns in the area to actually fight fire with the truck. This was the first time such an idea was proposed in Jefferson County.

On March 3, 1940 the newly constructed fire engine arrived in Mt. Vernon. It was lettered No. 8, as it was only the 8th fire fighting vehicle used by the MVFD. The truck was a 110 hp Diamond T chassis with a 500 gallon per minute pump and a 125 gallon booster tank. The principle features of the new apparatus were the booster tank (new for this area), the foamite and Du-Gas equipment, for fighting oil, gasoline and automotive fire, also new features for this area.

Click on the Local’s webpage HERE for the complete story and more photos.

Posted by on November 28, 2009 • Filed under: antique apparatus, Fire Rescue Topics, history, labor • Tagged: , , , ,

Biker Dies After Head-On With EMS Car

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IN SOMERSET, ENGLAND, A MOTORCYCLIST WAS FATALLY INJURED in a head-on wreck with an EMS Rapid Response car.  The accident took place around 5:30 pm on Thursday near Taunton, Somerset.  The 30-yr.-old biker died a few hours later in the hospital.

Police say that the RR car with a sole paramedic driver on board was responding to a cardiac arrest call with its lights and siren activated when the two vehicles, which were traveling in opposite directions, met.  The violence of the accident left the motorcyle in pieces all over the roadway.  A regular ambulance that was responding on the same call, came across the wreck scene moments later and was able to immediately provide care and transporation for the biker.

SW amb a BBC News

The rapid-response car (background) and
the motorcycle were traveling in opposite
directions.  (BBC News photo)

The “very experienced” paramedic from the South Western Ambulance Trust was uninjured, but suffered a severe shock from the accident and is on leave for the time being.

The London Telegraph has the STORY.
South Western Ambulance Service WEBSITE.

Posted by on November 28, 2009 • Filed under: ambulances, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances • Tagged: , , ,

Another Ford Ambulance Burns

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A GRAND LEDGE (Michigan) FIRE DEPT. AMBULANCE CAUGHT ON FIRE Thursday night while transporting a patient to a hospital in Lansing.  Smoke started coming into the driver’s compartment while in Lansing and the driver pulled over.  The two medics evacuated the patient safely while waiting for the Lansing FD to respond to the incident.

The ambulance is one of just two operated by the GLFD.  “These engines have been problematic since we bought these,” said Fire Chief Casey Godlewski. “It’s kind of hit or miss. One day it may run, next day it may not.” 

WILX-TV has this video report:

Posted by on November 28, 2009 • Filed under: ambulances, Fires, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Morning Lineup – November 28

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I’d like to take this time to send a reminder of something that we mentioned a couple of months ago.  I’m referring to the practice of shopping centers and malls to lease store space for very short terms such as 30 days or 90 days.  Normally they prefer to sign up temporary tenants for 4 to 6 months, but times are tough right now in the retail market and they are more inclined to accept very short lease terms.

The advantage to the shopping center owner is apparent.  Mainly, it generates some income.  Just as important is getting some activity in the storefront.  A shopping center that has a half-dozen or more empty stores is not only uninviting, but it signals to the potential customer this is not a very popular place to shop, thus encouraging them to drive elsewhere to make their purchases.  It becomes a self-generating spiral downward.

Fortunately for the real estate people, there is an increase in the demand for short-term leasing during December, as many seasonal retailers and part-time peddlers are anxious to take advantage of the big selling season.  And that is where both fire and EMS agencies need to become aware of what’s going on in these places.  We need to be alert to locations that are suddenly occupied where they weren’t last week.  There are several reasons for this:

  • Receiving calls for an unfamiliar address or store name.  Where is it?
  • What is inside there?  It is not at all unusual for these temp. tenants to fill their store space overnight and immediately begin selling who-knows-what to anybody that drops in.  No occupancy inspection to see if the space should be limited to X number of people at any one time.  No fire inspection to see if they are storing any flammable or other dangerous products in a restricted space, etc.  This is particularly risky in kiosks where the seller may have installed a propane heater or something similar.
    kiosk a
  • Storeroom nightmares.  Most of these tenants have neither the knowledge nor the concern about safe and legal storage practices.  They just bring everything that they hope to sell in the next few weeks and stuff it into the storeroom.  Panel box?  What’s that?  What is a “path of egress”?  “I need a fire extinguisher?”  You get the idea.

It behooves everybody to get out onto the streets and seek out these temporary occupancies.  Nobody’s going to voluntarily tell you where they are (or what they’re doing there).  Just about every station has a blackboard or similar device that is used for temporary and timely notices.  Set up one of these to list your temporary occupancies.  List not only the address, but the name or whatever words are visible from the street.  They are usually printed on a temporary banner or sign.  And a note on what is inside the shop.

SCMP 01MAY09 NS SHOPS1 K__Y4898.JPG

For sure, get inside for a look around the place.  If your department permits fire companies to write Notices of Violation, then take your book with you and cut off potential problems before they happen.  You know the drill.

Now let’s get the equipment checked out.  I’ll get the coffee started.  See you back in the day room.

Posted by on November 28, 2009 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: , ,

Fiery Crash Kills 2 Best Friends in Milwaukee

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SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT THIS MORNING a car traveling at a very high rate of speed slammed head-on into a pickup truck in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The crash drove the pickup into a parking lot where it burst into fire, killing a 22-year-old man and his best friend, 20.  At least two people in the speeding car were taken to the hospital.

WTMJ-TV has this video report from the scene:

Posted by on November 27, 2009 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , ,

Hydrant – 1, Woods – 0

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Updated.  Scroll down.

CHAMPION GOLFER TIGER WOODS WAS INJURED EARLY THIS MORNING at his home in Orlando, Florida, when his SUV that he was driving struck a fire hydrant and then careened into a tree.  The accident took place around 2:25 am, but the Floriday Highway Patrol did not release the information until 2 pm this afternoon.

The FHP says:

Woods, 33, had pulled out of the driveway at his residence in the 6000 block of Deacon Circle. Woods was driving in a 2009 Cadillac SUV. ”As he began to drive on Deacon Circle, (Woods’) struck a fire hydrant,” FHP reported. The front of Wood’s vehicle “then struck a tree” located at a neighboring property.  

They are also reporting the crash remains under investigation and that charges are pending.  The FHP report indicates alcohol was not a factor in the crash. It also indicates “unknown” on whether a seat belt was used.  The airbags in Woods’ Cadillac Escalade did not deploy, which means the vehicle was traveling under 33 mph, according to FHP.

Orange County Fire Rescue received the call for aid at 2:28 a.m. Woods was transported from his Windermere-area neighborhood by the hospital’s own ambulance.

It is also being reported that Woods was treated for facial lacerations and then released from Health Central Hospital in Ocoee.  The hospital is expected to issue a press release at 4 pm this afternoon.

WESH-TV Ch. 2 Orlando has this early video report:

Update, 4 pm:
A statement from Woods’ publicist and Health Central Hospital called the accident “minor” and said Woods was “admitted, treated and released today in good condition.”  Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn told CNN that local police arrived within two minutes of being notified. The golfer was taken to Health Central Hospital, where he was treated for facial lacerations and released, Bruhn said.

Posted by on November 27, 2009 • Filed under: current events, hydrants, News, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Mystery Minute 03.05

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Thunder and Lightning begins at Part One HERE.

 

Part Five

Wait….something didn’t look right. It was then I noticed that the cars going by out front were classics! Beautiful old cars from the 1930′s and not a mark on them. I remember thinking that there must be a car show in town or something. About that time, a woman with a couple of kids in tow came walking past me…and were openly staring at me like I had just stepped off of a UFO or something….maybe my fly was down or something. Why were they acting like that? I noticed she was wearing a dress and a matching hat too, not common nowadays in small towns. Everyone is normally in jeans or shorts. Wait, that’s an old dress too…hmm maybe she was with the car show.

 

I turned towards the station…having momentarily forgotten the storm.  It was then I noticed the building. It looked brand spanking new. The bricks looked like they had been laid yesterday, not the last century. I knew the city was talking to a contractor about some remodeling but wow, this was some great work! That was when the door opened and out walked a fireman in dress uniform. He headed down the street, but he too was looking at me funny. Hey who was that guy? I’ve been a member at this department for 30 years…and I don’t remember ever seeing this fellow. His uniform looked old school too. I thought about stopping him and asking him what was up but the way he was looking at me, I figured either he or I must be crazy, so I didn’t chance it.

 

Read Part Six HERE.

 

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Posted by on November 27, 2009 • Filed under: Mystery Minute

Around the Fire Web

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*  I always thought that fire chemistry was taught in all the basic FF certification classes, but it looks like that’s not the case.  STATter911 has a disconceting story about a FD in New Jersey that built a bonfire for a high school homecoming rally.  It leads off with a picture that has to take the honors for being the most amazing photograph for all of November.  CLICK HERE to see it for yourself.

*  The Fire Critic has a compendium of videos from a variety of large fires that occurred on Thanksgiving Day from several places HERE.

*  The Street Watch has a “day in the life of….” moment that manyof us have seen before, but he tells about it a lot better HERE.

*  He didn’t mean to do it….. but Bill Gabbert at Wildfire Today has just destroyed someone’s childhood memories of Smokey the Bear.  He tells the whole, sad story HERE.
*  The Chicago Area Fire Departments website hit a big milestone yesterday.  They now have every single Chicago FD fire station linked with photos of the stations and at least some of the apparatus at each.  Still some blanks to fill in, but as we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, it’s a developing site and growing every day.  Go to THIS PAGE and then click on the Chicago FD link in lower center to start your tour of Chicago.
Posted by on November 27, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Blogs