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HERE WE GO AGAIN…. Another photo blowing around the blogosphere that got separated from its caption. I don't know for certain what is going on here with this firefighter, but I remember that St. Patrick's Day was just a week ago and I get the feeling that a leprechaun has something to do with it. Am I right, or do you know something that I don't? Let us all know what you think the caption should read by posting it in the Comments. Faith and Begorragh.
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Collision Triggers Explosion
KFOR-TV
A LOADED PETROLEUM TANKER COLLIDED with a car in the Oklahoma City limits at 7:30 am Central this morning (Friday) causing the tanker to roll over and catch fire. Early reports indicate the both the truck driver and the car's occupant(s) were able to get away from the wreck before it iginited with an explosive force. The driver of the car, a 17-yr.-old girl was uninjured, but the truck driver has some minor injuries. The fire also started a grass fire.
KOCO-TV
The Oklahoma City Fire officials are saying that the tanker was carrying 6,500 gallons of diesel and 1,500 gals. of gasoline.
KFOR-TV is reporting:
According to authorities, the driver of a sedan was driving northbound on Sara Road when she pulled out in front of the tanker truck. The truck was traveling westbound on Northwest Expressway and tried to swerve to miss the car but clipped it, causing the explosion.
Oklahoma City fire crews responded to the scene. Initially, they weren't able to get too close to the wreckage because of the intense heat and flames.
About an hour after the explosion, crews were finally able to begin to apply a foam-water mixture to begin to extinguish the flames. Crews had completely extinguished the flames in about 15 minutes.
KWTV
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Scheduled For Redevelopment
A FIRE HAS BURNED FOR OVER 15 hours in Macon, Georgia, destroying a vital building that was originally a cotton mill which provided much of the town's economy in the 20th century.
Macon Telegraph
The 130,000 sq. ft. building was being renovated and prepared to convert into more than 100 loft-style apartments. The city of Macon and Bibb County had committed more than $1 million into the project that drew $13 million in investment for the conversion.
The fire was noticed by a passerby at 4 pm Thursday afternoon. When the FD arrived there was fire showing from several areas of the 2-story building. The Macon Telegraph reports:
Fire Chief Marvin Riggins said about a dozen fire trucks responded to the blaze.
At first, two crews of firefighters went inside one of the mill buildings to fight the fire. All firefighters were outside when the roof started to collapse, Riggins said.
Assistant Fire Chief Cliff Rushin said crews had to pull back at one point because it got too dangerous. “We backed all our firefighters out of the building,” Rushin said. “We were at one time pretty deep in the building. It just spread over us so fast we got them all out.”
Macon Telegraph
One of the challenges for the FD was to contain the fire to the mill and prevent it from spreading to a nearby apartment complex. The only damage to the exposure was some scorched siding.
WMGT-TV Ch. 41 has an informative video report that includes some fire footage:
The Macon Telegraph has more details plus additional videos HERE.
Macon – Bibb Fire Department WEBSITE.
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More Than Half-Million Dollars Diverted
THE MAN WHO WAS THE TREASURER AND PRESIDENT of a New Jersey VFD was sentenced earlier this week to prison for stealing over $500,000 from his department. Firegeezer reported HERE in January on how his crime was uncovered following a devastating fire the burned out the fire station and destroyed the FD's only two trucks.
Firefighters drag what equipment they could salvage out of the
New Sharon firehouse on the night of the costly fire in 2008.
(Philadelphia Inquirer photo)
Two years later the members are still struggling to rebuild. We quoted the Philadelphia Inquirer in January:
An FBI investigation revealed that the company’s treasurer, Charles Mancini, 45, of Wenonah, had robbed the company for years. First he took out an unauthorized $90,000 bank loan in the company’s name. Then, after the fire, he stole $448,990 in insurance money.
To conceal his thievery, Mancini, who also was the company’s president, gave members bogus bank statements, authorities said.
Following his arrest, he pleaded guilty in court back in September 2010. The U. S. District Court issued the following press release on Monday, March 21, 2011:
CAMDEN, N.J. – The former president and treasurer of the New Sharon Fire Company in Deptford Township, N.J., was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for stealing more than $500,000 from the New Sharon Fire Company and Deptford Fire Department, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Charles V. Mancini III, 46, of Wenonah, N.J., previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to embezzling, stealing, and obtaining by fraud money belonging to the New Sharon Fire Company and Deptford Fire Department, departments of Deptford Township which receive federal funds. Judge Rodriguez also imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to the Information to which Mancini pleaded guilty and statements made in court:
From January 2005 to February 2, 2010, Mancini was the president of the New Sharon Fire Company. From February 2007 to February 2, 2010, he was also the treasurer. The New Sharon Fire Company is a part of the Deptford Fire Department, which serves Deptford Township in Gloucester County, N.J.
In March 2006, Mancini applied for and obtained a $90,000 line of credit in the name of the New Sharon Fire Company without authorization, and from September 20, 2006, to November 21, 2008, he diverted the majority of the funds from the line of credit to his personal use.
When the New Sharon Fire Company received approximately $448,990 in insurance proceeds to repair damage from a December 8, 2008 fire, Mancini diverted the majority of the insurance proceeds to himself. He wrote checks to himself, other entities over which he had control or partial control, and other entities. To conceal the theft and embezzlement of the insurance proceeds, he provided the fire company members with a false bank statement which made it appear as though the insurance proceeds were on deposit with Penn Mutual Bank.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Mancini to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $505,099.79 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Resident Agency in Cherry Hill, N.J., under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George C. Venizelos in Philadelphia, with developing the investigation.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has more on this latest development HERE.
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Warriors, Winter and Walking Around
FDIC in full song, with the exhibit hall and Lucas Oil stadium opening around lunch.
It is difficult to cover the entire exhibit hall area in one day. It may be possible if you do not stop to talk with anyone. I got about one-third of the venue covered.
I had great discussions with Christopher Naum (and his alter ego), Bill Carey, Willy Wines, John Mitchell, Chief Reason (Art Goodrich), and as well as Nate DeMarse and the guys from Brotherhood Instructors.
Also the folks from Fire Rescue Magazine, Go Forward Media and Elsevier.
While the Brunacini clan were interviewed for Firefighter Netcast, spent some time with Chris Brennan.
Fire Service Warrior
Illinois firefighter Chris Brennan has crafted the concept of Fire Service Warrior (FSW).
FSW ethos, taken from his website, explain the concepts:
Chris Brennan's book was one of the two new texts obtained Tuesday afternoon.
Did not 
realize that that was the very first day The Combat Position: Achieving Firefighter Readiness was available.
Last year he made a 90 minute presentation at FDIC, and had much more material to share.
A powerful message.
Chris Brennan is following the same path that "The Seattle Guys" did with Air Management (2008 post here).
Winter Weather returns!
I packed for 60 degree Spring days, the temperature plummeted 40 degrees on Thursday, with a chance of snow tonight.
Made the walk from last night's FireEMSBlog dinner brisk!
Mike "FossilMedic" Ward
Train Operator Admits He Was Going Too Fast
SINCE THE TRAGIC ACCIDENT IN THE SPARTANBURG, South Carolina, city park where a miniature train loaded with children went off the rails, there have been some more developments. You may recall the Firegeezer REPORT HERE on Sunday about the wreck that killed a 6-yr.-old boy and injured about 25 others.
Spartanburg Herald Journal
* Matthew Conrad, the motorman who was operating the train told the police that he knew he was going too fast when the train came around the curve and hopped off the tracks, ending up in a stream bed. He repeated that statement several times in the ambulance while he was being taken to the hospital, but since then he has recanted. He says now that when he made that statement, "I was hysterical. I wasn't thinking. I wasn't in a panic. I was completely hysterical."
His lawyer says that he can show that the train was not capable of going fast enough to jump the tracks and he believes that a pin sheared that controls the wheels of the locomotive. The Greenville News has the details of this theory HERE.
* South Carolina state safety inspector Donnie Carrigan was supposed to have inspected the train ride last week prior to the park's opening for the season. But he was unable to witness its operation because the train's battery was dead. However, he approved it anyway, against regulations, and issued the operational permit. After the accident, the 20-year-employee admitted his action and he was immediately fired on Monday for filling out a false report. You can read those details HERE.
* Police officials have released a video that was taken by a passenger who was recording when the accident occurred. This video report from AP includes that clip:
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Friday Morning – An Anniversary of Sorts
It was four years ago today that Firegeezer.com went online and began the digital journey that has taken us this far already. That first posting (that you can see HERE) wasn't really a story, but merely an announcement that I was online and in service. The first actual posting came two days later on the 27th. But I had my domain name purchased and registered, became a wee bit familiar with the WordPress blogging program to the point where I could make entries and "send" them into the blogosphere, and knew that I had to open the door and begin somewhere.
It was very primitive to begin with. I didn't have the ability to post images yet, and videos were out of the question at the time. And while I had a general idea of what I wanted to cover, I needed to get a lot of postings under my belt before I could get a sense of what sort of story would be interesting enough that people would want to check back the next day and see another one. That is a never-ending chase because universal interests are always changing and I try to stay within that group desire.
One thing that I knew had to be done if it was going to be successful is to make sure that there is a fresh posting every day. If you click in to see what I'm offering up for enlightenment and the same story is there that was on top of the pile yesterday, or the day before, then you will stop coming back. So it has been a firm policy that you will get fresh stories every day, and as we got our routine and skills worked out, within a year I set a guideline of posting at least six articles every day. I will admit that once in a great while we get a day with only five postings for you, but by and large we just about always meet the six-story minimum and most often more than that.
A big leap forward came a month later when friend and colleague Craig Luecke, who is a bonafide geek, designed my header and set up a more advanced layout along with features that allowed me to do things like post images and videos. Not long after that, longtime friend Mike Ward hung the FossilMedic badge around his neck and joined in this unique adventure. And from there we grew to where we are today. More than 90% of blog start-ups fail to last one year and 99% of them never make it for five years. Never a quitter, I'm going for #5 starting today.
Now let's start with the equipment check, too. I'm going to run a pot through the Bunn-O-Matic before we meet back in the day room.
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Fire Engineering – May 1953
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Destination: Omaha
We want to show you a pic from the other day that was taken in the Portland, Oregon, Headquarters fire station when the duty crew mustered to meet with us. Take note of not just the terrific patch collection, but the neat wall decoration made with an old life net:
Tuesday morning before leaving Yakima we visited our mechanic Mark Frey and had him take a look to find out where we were losing anti-freeze. Well, he was able to find it pretty fast and it turns out just to have been a defective radiator cap. $4.00 later and Lorenzo was on his way to Spokane Washington. The trip went without further excitement and he arrived to a great welcome by the City of Spokane Fire Department and Assistant Chief Brian Schafer. The crews made him welcome at the station by treating him to a nice dinner and the Station Captain gave up his private room so Lorenzo could get some well deserved rest.
Lorenzo (l.) and Spokane Firefighter John Knighten
Today (Wednesday) he was off by himself to cross the Rocky Mountains, headed to Butte Montana and then to Omaha, Nebraska. He will be arriving in Waukegan, Illinois, on the 26th and will be presenting the banner from the back of the apparatus that has been signed by all the firefighters across the country so far.
Crossing the Rockies
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Upcoming Schedule
Friday March 25 – Omaha, Nebraska
Saturday March 26 – Waukegan and Zion, Illinois
Sunday March 27 – Madison, Wisonsin, then to Rockford and Bloomington, Illinois
Monday March 28 – St. Louis, Missouri
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Both Bodies Burned Beyond Recognition
TWO ELDERLY PEOPLE, A MAN AND A WOMAN AGES 76 and 80, siblings, perished this morning (Thursday) in a house fire that was discovered at 5:20 am in York County, Pennsylvania.
Fire Chief Lee Byers of the Liberty Fire Dept. in East Berlin advised a large glowvisible from several miles away. He went on scene with fully involved house and commanded exterior operations only. Several alarms were sounded, including RIT plus tankers for water supply.
Fire conditions found on arrival.
(Steve Roth / 911 Photography)
An exterior wall collapsed on several firemen (none injured) about 40 minutes into the fire while they were attempting to disconnect a propane tank, and RIT was put into service immediately.
The wall is just beginning to collapse in
this photo by Steve Roth – 911 Photography
The victims were discovered by the firefighters after extinguishment, but one of them couldn't be removed until heavy equipment was brought in to lift the metal roof and other structural members.
Steve Roth – 911 Photography
The fire is not considered to be suspicious, but the State Police fire investigator will pursue the cause.
The York Dispatch has the STORY.
WGAL-TV has more HERE.
Steve Roth – 911 Photography has a 222-image photo gallery HERE.
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Three Saved in Tricky Rescue
THREE PEOPLE WERE RESCUED THURSDAY MORNING in Fort Worth, Texas, following a near-tragic highway accident. The crash occurred on an I-20 freeway flyover involving a tractor-trailer and a Honda Civic and left the cab of the truck dangling over the side of the bridge and the tiny car crushed beneath the empty tanker trailer.
KTVT-TV / AP
The truck's driver and the two passengers in the Honda were all alive and relatively well when the Fort Worth FD arrived on the scene around 4 am. An aerial ladder was used to reach the truck driver and he was carefully eased out of the cab and onto the aerial. This video clip from KXAS-TV captures the removal of the truck driver:
View more videos at: http://www.nbcdfw.com.
A crane was brought in to stabilize the truck while a 3-hour extrication was used to free the occupants of the car.
A crane supports the cab while the firefighters work to extricate
the occupants of the red car seen under the trailer. (Dallas Morning News photo)
The truck driver was uninjured and the auto passengers had only minor injuries.
CBS/DFW filed this good video report that includes some aerial views of the scene:
The cause of the crash is under investigation still.
Good Stop By Firefighters Saves City Block
A FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE HISTORIC city center of Colmar, France, shortly before midnight Tuesday night / Wednesday morning that threatened an entire area. A car parked in the courtyard of a group of homes surrounded by other buildings that face the streets started burning. The car fire spread to one of the interior buildings and quickly spread to several others.
All photo's via L'Alsace
Many occupants escaped their homes before the arrival of the fire brigade and others were rescued by ladders. The entire fire brigade of the city was dispatched to the blaze. "It's a neighborhood with older homes, the risk of spread is very important, with attics that are not necessarily separated from each other, " said Colonel Monk, head of the fire department. "It's a fire more complicated than the norm because of their space."
The firefighters surrounded the burning homes and were able to quickly contain the fire. It was knocked down by 3 am, but units remained on the scene throughout the night.
About 20 civilians were treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries, but no serious injuries were reported.
DNA.fr has the STORY.
L'Alsace has more plus a 34-image photo gallery HERE.
Firegeezer call this a "good stop."
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Thursday Morning
The FDIC is cranked up to full speed today with all the classes, lectures and demonstrations being carried off as planned. The FireEMS Blogs family is represented with FossilMedic sending back reports here (scroll down to the next posting for the latest one) and others in the group posting their observations, too, including Dave Statter at STATter911, Rhett Fleitz at The Fire Critic, Willie Wines at Iron Firemen, and Jason Hoevelmann of Firefighters Own Worst Enemy.
Speaking of Detroit…. Well, we weren't, but the city-in-shambles keeps cropping up in the news, most recently including the disclosure that the 2010 census results show that they had one of their largest declines in population ever. The number of residents dropped 25% in the last decade bringing the number of residents down to the same count as in 1910. More specifically, there are now 713,777 people stuck there now and the city leaders are reportedly "shocked" because they were expecting closer to 800,000 in the total.
They have a lot of problems there, and we have been showing some of them with the collapse of their EMS system that keeps getting worse. One of the major problems is, and has been, the total incompetence in city hall along with outright corruption. But in Tuesday's press conference held by Mayor Dave Bing to announce the census report, the mayor made a very telling statement. While declaring that he will be asking for a recount, Bing said, "If we could go out and identify another 40,000 people that were missed, and it brings us over the threshold of 750,000, that would make a difference from what we can get from the federal and state government."
Did you catch that? Instead of knuckling down and searching for ways to make the city productive once again and provide a climate that encourages people and businesses to want to migrate back into the city, his priority is to find out how much "we can get from the federal and state government(s)" Somebody needs to let Bing know that the federal and state governments are broke, bankrupt, out of money. The days of relying on other people to pay your way are gone. It's time to make plans to get back to work instead.
And now we need to get back to work and get this equipment checked out. I'm going to get some more coffee started.
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Hail-o from Indianapolis
Wednesday is the first full day of classroom activities, with a traditionally strong keynote.
Fire Engineering has increased its digital capacity, with both real-time streaming video and timely posting of presentation recaps.
FDNY Captain Michael Dugan provided a stirring inspirational "Why Are We Here?" presentation.
Need to dig to find the 22 minute clip – look for one starting with Bobby Halton standing at the podium in The Big Room. (HERE) Or use this link: http://bcove.me/0ryr4cko
Or click below:
Powerful! Agree with Bobby, this clip will show up at many training sessions and fire stations.
Dave, Rhett and Willie have posted their Wednesday experiences as they set up for the opening of today's exhibit hall at noon.
One of the corporate partners from my "day job" is based in Indianapolis, so much of my Wednesday afternoon and evening was spent with them. Sitting in a far north steakhouse, watched a violent thunderstorm with hail about 8:30 pm.
Borders update and a rogue email
One of the things Borders immediately eliminated as they close the downtown store on South Meridian Street was the coffee shop and the eclectic spaces to write in the old bank. Sad.
Spent time in the FedEx Office store around the corner. Needed to use a scanner. Got an unhappy bonus as a garbled email was apparently sent to everyone on my gmail address list while using their desktop … sorry 
A completely inappropriate and decadent lunch at the South Bend Chocolate Company.
Social Media Death Match at 1:30!
Hard not to notice that FDIC scheduled Dave and Rhett at the same time this afternoon.
Predicting that the trash talking will continue long after the presentations.
Mike "FossilMedic" Ward
Sutphen Makes a Strong Firetruck
Here is an update on the adventure of the Code 3 for a Cure Team today. I rode the Greyhound from Yakima, WA to Portland OR. to meet up with Lorenzo there. I was complaining how they could make a 3 hour trip last for 6 hours until talking with Lorenzo. Our arrival times should have been close except for the weather and hi-way-related mishaps that he was facing. The weather on I-5 through the mountains of Northern California was predicted to be snow and possible delays, so after dropping Jeff off, he was traveling alone. Lorenzo decided to take the Coast route up hi-way 101.
Well, the less than desirable driving conditions on that road made his trip quite long. Along the way he had to deal with flooded roads, Tsunami damage, mud slides, and dike in the area that had burst along with the regular slow speeds through the little towns along the way. To say the least, he was late and arrive in Portland around 23:15 hours. The guys at City of Portland station 1 were great, they had dinner waiting for me when I arrived and we made a plate up for Lorenzo and put it in the fridge. I shared with them what our mission is all about and my story of cancer survival and then we just shared fire stories for a while. They made us up a nice room in the bunk house and Lorenzo chose to sleep in a recliner in the "Hog House."
Signing the Banner
Teddy Mayes
Then next morning after a couple of cups of coffee, (they ran several alarms during the night including a fire in an abandon gas station) we did a good rig check and found our apparatus to be a little low on antifreeze. After sharing with the oncoming shift at muster, Bill Humbert, a two time cancer survivor who is retired from Portland Fire Bureau, took us over to their Logistics shop for a good once over. Thanks to the guys there for helping us out along our journey.
Munro, Abundiz, Humbert, Harding
Soon we were heading out on I-5 north to Washington. Along the way we made a stop at the Longview, Washington, Fire Dept. and met with some very enthusiastic young firefighters who were interested in what we had to say. Their Chief Brian Smith himself was a cancer survivor.
Chief Smith
Adding a Name to the Bell Cabinet
From there it got interesting. Just up the road a few miles in heavy traffic, I was driving and passing a slow string of trucks and cars when a pickup pulling a horse trailer came up from behind at a rapid pace, I was committed to my lane and had no place to go, but he decided it was not fast enough. He shot into a small opening on my right side and came flying up along side of us, I thought he was going to rear end the car in front of him, so I slowed and hit my brakes as he made a violent move into my lane, and hit the front of our brand new Sutphen Fire Truck. I hit my air horn and flipped on my emergency lights, expecting to pull over with him to discuss the events,
But to our surprise he just kept on going at a high rate of speed. Lorenzo called 911 to report the accident / hit and run. We attempted to follow and kept him in sight as he exited the freeway. We followed and to our surprise there was a Washington State Patrol trooper sitting at the intersection. We stopped and told him what happened and he stated he was tied up with another accident, so he called another Trouper to assist us. Meanwhile we watched the horse trailer disappear into the wooded area on back roads. Our trooper arrived and as we were taking pictures and doing the paper work, he got a call on his radio that a guy pulling a horse trailer has stopped at the police station about 35 miles up the road reporting that he "had been hit" on I-5. We said goodbye to our trooper friend as he was leaving to go question this guy about why he took the back roads to his destination and why he did not stop.
The Sturdy Bumper
Back on the road we were late for our next stop so we had to miss Olympia this time and headed straight to East Side Fire and Rescue station in Issaquah, Washington. A great visit there and on to Yakima for the night. Mixed rain and snow on Snoqualmie Pass. I-90 slowed us down again, but we made it in to Yakima Station 93 around 21:15 hours. A long day and a long story but the mission goes on.
Next stop … Spokane.
………Capt. Bob Burton
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New Jersey Borough Protests $400,000 Air Ambulance Bill
WOODLAND PARK, NEW JERSEY, (formerly West Paterson) officials are going to court over a disputed charge for an air ambulance service that transported their dying police chief home from Idaho two years ago.
The story began in February 2009 when the borough police chief Robert Reda had traveled to Idaho for an "alternative" treatment for his severe form of cancer. When it became necessary for him to be brought back to New Jersey, the borough's council contacted Angel Jet air ambulance service to inquire about the cost of transporting him. This is where the dispute arises because the borough claims that they were led to believe that the cost would be $12,600….the air service's base rate. Angel Air claims that they also told the council that there was also a mileage charge of $165 per mile plus the costs of medical personnel to accompany him that would be another $62,500. The total bill including all costs was $433,525. The borough claims that they never made a contractual agreement to accept the terms. Angel Jet has filed suit against the borough for the unpaid bill.
North Jersey.com adds:
Buglione, the borough attorney, denies Angel Jet's claims that the borough breached its contract and that there was an implied contract, also arguing that a full agreement never existed. He said the company supplied no full contract price or a full list of what the charges would be before the flight.
"That's their obligation," Buglione said. He contends the borough never agreed to pay the cost.
Angel Jet, the borough's response states, "induced the defendant to believe the said cost(s) would be no more than $12,000, then performed the said service without defendant's consent and issued a bill which is unconscionable."
Buglione said New Jersey municipalities can't authorize contracts worth more than $17,500 without approval by the governing council.
"Under no circumstance was the mayor or any other administrator going to enter into a contract beyond their legal authority," said Buglione. "To a greater extent, the law prohibits that to protect the municipalities."
The borough has counter-sued Angel Jet claiming that by implying a lower price and then submitting a much, much higher bill they have violated New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act. The borough is seeking a judgement for the $433,525 plus treble damages. The U. S. District Court has set a date in May to schedule the trial.
Read the full account in North Jersey.com HERE.
Angel Jet Services LLC does business as Angel MedFlight. Their WEBSITE.
Firegeezer will like to see how they justify over $62,000 for two days wages for the 2 or 3 "medical staff".
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2nd-Due Was First-In Too Late
A NEW LEBANON, INDIANA, MAN LOST EVERYTHING in a fire that burned down his house Tuesday morning.
NBC2
Almost as disappointing as seeing all his property and personal mementos going up in flame, was the non-response of the local VFD. Bart Borders lives less than 1,000 feet away from the firehouse, but when he called for help the first arriving engine came from another VFD arriving 20 minutes after the alarm.
WTHI-TV interviewed Mr. Borders yesterday and filed this video report:
NBC2 has more plus another video HERE.
Travels With Sam
Occasionally, I make some deliveries for Toyne, Inc., a small fire truck builder in Breda, Iowa. Recently, I was asked to bring an engine in from the factory to their dealer Five Star Fire in East Hartford, Connecticut. This past Monday, a group from the Scotland, Conn. VFD consisting of Chief Tony Kasacek, Barry Gagnon and Chris Talmalvic were in the factory to give their new Toyne/HME engine its final inspection.
Chief Kasacek told me that this is their first new piece since 1979. It will be replacing an ’82 FMC/Duplex that they had acquired from the Goshen, Conn. Fire Department. Needless to say, they were quite excited about seeing the finished product. But they took their time and did a careful, thoroughly professional inspection of it.
Around 3 PM, the job was done and I got underway. As it was late in the day, I decided to stay overnight in Le Claire, Iowa, on the Mississippi River, about five hours from the factory.
If the name Le Claire rings a bell, it may be that you’re a viewer of the History Channel show, “American Pickers.” Le Claire is the home of their business, Antique Archaeology. I’m a fan of the show, and this fact was not lost on me. Since their location is about two miles off of I-80, and about one mile from my hotel, I decided to swing by to see if I could see their place and hopefully meet some of the folks.
On Tuesday morning I was in their parking lot shortly before they opened. I got a couple of pictures of the engine a few minutes before "Dusty" came in to open up. Just a bit later, "Becca" also came in. I don’t recall ever seeing either of these two delightful young ladies on the show, but I got each of them to pose for pictures in front of the engine before I got going.
Becca
Dusty
People who know me well know that most of my life and work history has been spent in support roles, rather than on the front lines of whatever I’m involved in. So while I’m sorry that I didn’t get to meet Danielle or Mike or Frank, it was a real treat for me to me meet some of the supporting staff, those behind the scenes people without whose presence things wouldn’t happen as well as they do.
Scotland VFD’s new Toyne/HME 1250 gpm engine in Antique Archaeology’s parking lot
After leaving Iowa behind, I continued on to Richfield, Ohio. Normally I would have gone farther, but it was raining lightly and the temperature was in the low 30s. So rather than risk running into icy roads, I decided to hang it up for the night. I knew that from there I could easily complete the run the next day, barring anything unforeseen.
On Wednesday I was back on my long familiar I-80, then crossing Pennsylvania and onto I-81 and I-84. When I got into New York state, the sun actually came out. I made Hartford, Conn. just in time for one of their world famous traffic jams. I was too late to complete the delivery that evening, so I took a room in a hotel across the street and half a block away.
Thursday morning I met Five Star’s salesman, Ted Parsons. That was a fun meeting, Ted’s been in the business for many years so we had a good time talking about mutual acquaintances and old apparatus. After checking the truck over, Ted accepted it and gave me a ride to the Hartford Amtrak station where I got on a train to go home near Philly.
……… Sam
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Wednesday Morning
The gang is descending on Indianapolis yesterday and today for the annual Fire Department Instructors Conference. FossilMedic has just posted his first impressions and his check-in experience, so after you read this continue scrolling to the next article and see what he has to say. Dave Statter has also posted his Day One experiences on STATter911 including the sudden appearance of some "groupies" who apparently don't think looks are a prerequisite for fame. Read his diary entry HERE.
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I'm sure you'll recall our tip-off last Saturday (HERE) about the SuperMoon, the extra-large full moon that passed by closer to earth than what is usual. The National Geographic magazine knew about it arriving too, and they passed the word along to their cadre of excellent photographers to take photos of the rare event.
Lisbon, Portugal
The National G has posted 98 of their top images of the SuperMoon HERE and I think they are still adding to the collection. So when you get a chance, click over there and enjoy the photo show.
We're running late here this morning, so we'd better get started with the equipment check. I'll get some more coffee going. Enjoy your Wednesday and I'll see you back in the day room shortly.
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My Tuesday Traditions at Indianapolis
My check-off list upon arriving at FDIC:
Second largest convention at Indianapolis
The 30,000 firefighters and emergency workers attending the Fire Department Instructor's Conference make up the second largest conference hosted by the city, generating about $30 million in revenues.
It will be the first event to use the expanded Indiana Convention Center and the first floor of the Lucas Oil Stadium (inside Indiana business item). The three year effort has expanded the conference center hall by 50%.
The largest convention is the October National FFA conference with 55,000 attendees. The 12 – 21 year old Future Farmers of America attendees and their guests/parents make a different impact on the city than we do.
New registration area
The 17th year at Indianapolis includes a new location for registration.
Muscle memory walked me to the northeast corner of the Maryland Avenue side of the center. Confused when all I saw were signs for Hands On Training staging.
Registration moved to the new Georgia Street entrance which is on the east side of the center, across from St. John's Church.
Need to walk one city block south on Capitol Avenue from the old registration area.
Pre-registration for FDIC 2012
When FDIC moved to Indianapolis in 1995, I could get housing within walking distance of the conference center.
The exponential increase in attendance made it a challenge to get downtown housing since 2000. Going through the registration process would often result in staying in a hotel requiring the use of the shuttle service.
I would game the system by looking for new downtown hotels, catching them in their first year before they were absorbed into the conference housing database.
Four years ago Pennwell/Fire Engineering offered an ability to get to the top of the conference housing queue if you pre-paid registration one year early. Thousands of attendees pre-register to get first crack at convention housing.
This year I am at the JW Marriott hotel. First impression: Swarmed by a pimply squad of too-sincere parking valets eager to provide a memorable experience at the blue monolith.
Opened in February 2011, this is the flagship on a Marriott campus on the northwest corner of the convention center. From a corporate press release:
Marriott Place Indianapolis is a collection of five Marriott properties that offer unprecedented options for business and leisure travelers, not to mention meeting planners. In addition to the new JW Marriott Indianapolis, the $450 million complex includes the Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown and the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, with a total 2,248 rooms. All are connected to the newly renovated and expanded Indiana Convention Center.
New Books
I bring a half-empty two-suiter bag that is dangerously close to the excessive weight penalty when I check in for the return flight.
This year includes second edition of classics:
John Mittendorf, Truck Company Operations. 2nd edition
Vincent Dunn, Collapse of Burning Buildings: A Guide to Fireground Safety. 2nd edition
Two new books
Paul Combs, Drawn By Fire (political cartoons)
Christopher Brennan, The Combat Position: Achieving Firefighter Readiness. Chris is an Illinois firefighter/state instructor. Has no relation to the beloved former Fire Engineering editor. Except, as he speculated, "400 years ago in Ireland."
Mike "FossilMedic" Ward
Well, At Least He Has His Hood On
Lets see, fire hose..check….water….check….airtank….check…man sure seems like I forgot something….
Maybe its all that working out I been doing…getting stronger, this gear doesn't
feel as heavy as it used to. (photos via St. John News)
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Arrested on Saturday
Updated, Wed. am: Scroll down.
WHEC-TV in Rochester, New York, is reporting on a story from Holley, New York, concerning an ambulance EMT who has just been arrested. Their early report that was posted shortly after noon Tuesday says in full:
An ambulance EMT from Holley is charged with endangering his children after police say he left them home alone to go on a 911 call.
Richard J. Fiorito, 27, is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Holley police arrested him Saturday. Police say Fiorito left his four year-old daughter and two year-old son alone at home to respond to a 911 call.
News 10NBC is traveling to Holley to speak to the Chief of Police. We'll find out what call Fiorito was answering and how police were alerted to his children being alone at home.
The station plans to update their report later today at: www.whec.com
UPDATE, Wednesday morning:
It is now reported from WHEC-TV that when Holley left his children unattended at home to run the call, his ex-wife alerted the police to the situation. She is a member of the Holley Fire Department and heard his voice on the radio. She went by the apartment and discovered the abandonment.
Channel 10 obtained Fiorito's police statement:
"On Friday March 18 at or about 9:51 p.m. Holley ambulance received a call. At or about 10:05 p.m. I left and went to the ambulance base. My children were in bed sleeping. When I was at the hospital I received a call from (police) asking me who was with my kids. I told him (my friend) was. He asked me why she wouldn't come to the door and I told him she was probably asleep. He told me he would be waiting for me to come home. When I got back to the station I asked (my friend) to go to my house and go in through the back door so she could be seen in the house when I entered with police. I arrived home and let the police in. I know I was wrong and I screwed up. I should not have left my children home alone. I am sorry."
WHEC-TV has posted this video report:
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Duplex House Fire Leaves Victims in Both Units
A FIRE IN AN ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, DUPLEX home was discovered at 6:45 am Tuesday and the fire department was called. The nearest fire station is only a block away and the first unit was on the scene in less than a minute, but too late. Firefighters found five people already perished in the building.
WTAJ-TV
WJAC-TV reports further:
Officials said no one on the second floor made it out alive. The victims' names and ages were not available as of noon. Coroner Patty Ross is working to identify who the five victims are. Ross said there's no indication at this point if any children were in the home.
Crews at the scene said people on the first floor were able to escape the building, but it was not immediately known how many people were in the building at the time and how many were injured. Officials said it was common for people who did not live in the building to stay there.
The fire was under control as of 9:20 a.m, but the building was heavily damaged, and crews had not yet been able to enter the building. A coroner and state fire marshal were at the scene.
The FD says that the building had smoke alarms, but it is not yet known if they were working.
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Known As The Original Home of Famous Can Can
A FIRE RIPPED THROUGH THE UPPER STORY of the world-famous Elysee Montmartre Music Hall in Paris Tuesday morning.
All photos via 20mins.
The 200-yr.-old auditorium had just been opened by the day staff at 7:45 am when the fire broke out in a 3rd-floor office. More than 100 firefighters from 16 stations responded to the blaze and were able to contain it.
An early report (not yet confirmed) says that they were able to keep it from reachng the auditorium which holds 1,200 patrons. However, the amount of fire damage is extensive.
The Elysee Montmartre was first opened in 1807 and is credited with being the original site of the famous French Can Can dance performances. It suffered a major fire in 1900 but was rebuilt. Many of the famous paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec depict the interior of the music hall.
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Our Budget Tsunami: States To Withhold Aid
Comments OffA Five-Step Labor / Management Strategy
Word is out this week that more and more states are withholding massive amounts of financial aid formerly destined for local communities. Ohio, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts and a raft of other state legislatures are adopting or considering a wide range of proposals that significantly reduce—or simply end—state aid to local governments. Cities and counties will have to further trim already decimated budgets or raise taxes, an unlikely prospect to try and weather this next onslaught. The changes being contemplated now could see an end or severe reduction to state revenue at the local level for the foreseeable future.
Labor’s goal should be to avoid layoffs and preserve safe company staffing while managers maintain the highest possible level of service. With these kinds of structural changes in budgeting we must be willing to make decisions that reflect the reality of the situation. The mental picture in our minds of the fire department of 2000 or even 2005 is a mirage that will continually fade into the distance as the months go by. We need a plan.
Reduce Size through Attrition
Given this desperate picture, fire departments should stop hiring and gently contract to a size that more closely fits their revenue stream. Departments that can, should offer incentives for retirement to lower the number of staff if the savings are real. The number of personnel should be rolled back to match the funds available for staffing.
Reduce Service Level
Remember 7-day a week mail delivery or multiple deliveries in a single day? I don’t, but as costs went up, service went down. That’s the way the world works. We do a disservice to ourselves and the public when we assume that we are somehow completely divorced from the realities of our economy. It’s a rational model that makes sense. The service available to the public at pre-recession funding levels is not and will not be available as we move forward. Brownouts and company closures, especially in multiple company houses, serve as a way of distributing the pain (and the risk) caused by fewer resources. Concentrate on life safety: staff for where the populace is real time while acknowledging high-risk occupancies and non-sprinkled structures.
Flickr via Wulfrun
Slash Overtime
Overtime budgets should be the first to go. If fire departments are staffing companies through overtime to fill personnel vacancies, those companies should be out-of-service until they can be staffed with regular troops. Maintaining 100% up-time in these conditions through overtime is just shy of irresponsible. (Only the uninitiated actually believe that fire companies are always in service anyway. Their own call volume in addition to transfers, training and maintenance logistics take a toll that we dismiss in this discussion.)
Stick a toe in the Regional Response Pond
It’s time. Though many foolishly continue to think (often in the largest departments) that no one else can put out their fires, many of us know differently. Management is more likely to consider some level of regularized or automatic mutual aid than organized labor. If it will save jobs in these tough times, we should be open to it. A little regional cooperation will go a long way toward the amelioration of brownouts.
Share the Cost
When the time comes to negotiate a contract or fight for benefits we should be willing to share in the cost of funding pensions and healthcare, at least to a modest degree. If you have to pay for something you suddenly take a lot more interest in how much it costs. Separate and apart from the fiscal crisis, the escalating cost of the provision of health care is a scandal made possible in part because of the mental disconnection we enjoy about how much it all costs.
We can work together to create the new chart that is needed to navigate these troubled waters or rely on the existing and flawed one that may, in the end, put us firmly on a rocky shoal. The choice is ours if we can muster the fortitude to engage in real leadership.
　
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/us/24cities.html?ref=us
http://ohio.gov/docs/Blue%20Book%20-%20Final.pdf
http://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/FN/LB383.pdf
http://publications.budget.state.ny.us/eBudget1112/fy1112littlebook/BriefingBook.pdf
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