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Challenging Downtown Fire in Paris

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Successful Containment by Fire Brigade

Shortly before 10 am Tuesday in Paris, France, a fire broke out in a Vanoprix discount store that spread rapidly through the building that also housed a wedding shop.  It got into a locked area where wedding dresses were stored and was burning in the entire building when the fire brigade arrived.

20min

Over 100 firefighters were called to the scene and worked under difficult conditions to successfully contain the fire to the one building as the roof collapsed.

20min

The fire was extinguished in four hours and the only injuries reported were two store managers who had some smoke inhalation.

The police forensic team is still trying to determine the cause of the fire, but building inspectors say that the entire structure is in danger of collapse.

AFP

Le Parisien has the STORY.
20minutes has more photos HERE.

 

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Posted by on June 23, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,

The Internet is my Religion

1 comment

Something worth 12 minutes of your time

In darkened rooms, staring into bright screens, we may fantasize about making a difference as we blog away.

Jim Gilliam's presentation at the Personal Democracy Forum 2011 puts that fantasy into a real-life example.

The Internet is My Religion

TechPresident provides a summation:

Religion at a conference about technology in politics?

A personal life story on the same stage that saw heady talk about statecraft and Internet infrastructure?

A guy staring out at rows of faces tilted downwards at laptops, not up at him — at least at first — and explaining that he can feel Christ in the wi-fi?

Unexpected. Transgressive. Radical, because it was painfully sincere.

More HERE

Jim Gilliam website

NationBuilder (Internet tools to shake up a broken political system

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Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on June 22, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, News, Patient Management, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Upcoming Events – June 22 edition

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Upcoming Events to Plan On

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Always There: First Responders of the 1890's

June 18–September 18, 2011 • Grand Island, Nebraska
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
(308) 385-5316; info@stuhrmuseum.org

Join us for this tribute to firemen, police, the military and all those who have kept us safe since the 1890's. Events include period fire suppression demonstrations, an exhibit of police gear, a remembrance ceremony and more.

Web page (URL):
http://www.stuhrmuseum.org/

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Pennsylvania Pump Primers
Antique Fire Apparatus Show & Muster

July 9 – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
10 am to 4 pm at River Park.
Mass pumping demo. at 11 am

36th Annual Antique Fire Apparatus Show & Muster featuring over 100 antique fire trucks pumping from the Susquehanna River and at static display. A few hand drawn fire apparatus will be on display also. All apparatus must be 25 years or older to participate. Fireman games include Barrell Spin, Barrell Bust and Bucket Brigade, participants / teams need not have apparatus present to participate. 30-40 Firematic Flea Market vendors present.

More information at Pa. Pump Primers Assoc. website:  http://www.papumpprimers.org/index.html

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Los Angeles County Fire Museum presents:

Squad 51 and both Engine 51s
from the TV show EMERGENCY! will be reunited at the "home of the show"
for the first time in more than 30 years!

Open House will be at Sta. 127 from 10 am to 4 pm

Day 2 Open House, July 10 at the museum in Bellflower
For more information:  http://www.lacountyfiremuseum.com/

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The Cradle of Liberty Antique
Fire Apparatus Association

2011 Annual Muster

This year we will homage to the 100th Anniversary of motorized MACK fire apparatus. All makes are welcome. There will be over 50 awards given. See our website for more information and registration forms:  http://www.CLAFAA.org

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Toronto International Fire Buff Convention 2012

August 14–18, 2012 • Toronto, Ontario

Guided Tours of Canada's Largest Fire Department (5th Largest in North America)
Guided Tours of Large Suburban Fire Departments
Apparatus Displays
Professional Workshops
Spouses' Programme
Area Fire Buffing

Web page (URL):
http://www.torcon2012.com/

Greater Toronto Multiple Alarm Association
416-231-3578; gtmaa@gtmaa.com

International Fire Buff Associates, Inc.
schaetzp@msn.com

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German-American Firefighters Association 28th Annual Fire Muster

August 28, 2011 • Southampton, Pennsylvania
10:00 am to 3:00 pm

The muster will be held rain or shine. We are expecting about 100 fire companies, vendors and fire buffs that will display antique, modern, special, unusual and otherwise interesting fire fighting apparatus. There are prizes for antique and modern vehicles owned by departments as well as individually owned. All entries will receive a dash plaque and a muster booklet.

Website:
http://sites.google.com/site/germanamericanffs/

contact info:
German-American Firefighters Association
215-332-7538; igafa@igafa.com

　

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59th Annual International Fire Buff Associates Convention

September 6–10, 2011 • Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey

-Seminars including 9/11 First Responders
-Antique Fire Muster and Display
-Hudson River Harbor Cruise
-Demonstration and Display of Neptune Large Caliber Foam System
-Urban Search and Rescue Demonstration and Display
-Fire House Tours
-Tour of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Intrepid and other points of interest.

Web page (URL):
http://www.fbanj.com/

Contact:  Paul Schaetzle, President
schaetzle@fbanj.com

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132nd Annual Firemen’s Association of the State of Pennsylvania Convention

September 21–24, 2011 • Kidder, Pennsylvania

Event hours:
Sept 21 11:30am onwards
Sept 22 8:00am-10:00pm
Sept 23 8:00am-11:00pm
Sept 24 8:00am onwards

One of our goals this year is to celebrate the proud history of the fire service by showcasing hand, horse and motorized antique fire apparatus. We will be displaying many of these units during the fire expo.  More info. on website:  http://www.2011pastateconvention.com/

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WPI Firefighters' Fund 7th Annual Stop-Drop-n-Roll Chili Cook-Off

When? Saturday, October 15th, 2011 10 am – 5 pm

Where? Parking lot of Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine, TX

An October Texas tradition, the annual Stop-Drop-n-Roll Chili Cook-Off brings in thousands of rabid chili enthusiasts nationwide. Admission is free, and all-day chili sample cups are $5 a pop. Every dollar contributed or donated goes directly to the WPIFF: no expenses, no red tape, and no neglected firefighters.

$20 to register your chili team, prizes awarded to winners, vendor booths, kids activities, live music, raffle, and much more!

More info? Visit www.wpiff.org or call 888.616.7976 or email wpiff@williams-pyro.com

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Kansas Firefighters Museum Parade

October 15, 2011 • Wichita, Kansas

The parade features antique fire engines, modern fire trucks, antique cars, local ROTC groups,
the Kansas Firefighter Calendar contestants, food, drinks, games and more.

Website: http://members.cox.net/ksfm/

 

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Do you have a fire-related event, muster, antique show, flea market, etc., coming up? Send us the info. to: geezerguys (at) yahoo (dot) com.  Be sure to include website links, graphics and phone contact, and we'll post it in our Upcoming Events listings.  (Special thanks to Collectors Weekly for assistance  http://www.collectorsweekly.com/  )

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Posted by on June 22, 2011 • Filed under: Upcoming Events • Tagged:

Warrant Served on Medic ….. While He’s In His Ambulance

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Police Agree That It's Unusual

STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA, POLICE PULLED OVER a LifeNet ambulance Tuesday and served a felony warrant on one of the medics.  Timothy Grauberger, 38, was arrested on the spot and taken away to jail, directly to jail without passing Go.

KFOR-TV

Grauberger had been previously served with civil papers for a bad check worth more than $500 and failed to settle the complaint.  So a warrant was sworn out against him and the process server tracked him down and notified the police of his location.  KFOR-TV reports that Captain Randy Dickerson with the Stillwater Police Department says, "It's a unique situation and it's an unfortunate situation, but the reality is a felony warrant is an order signed by a judge. You're going to take someone into custody no matter the circumstances."

KFOR -TV also filed this video report on the circumstances:

  

LifeNet is a regional ambulance service covering parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas, but have just initiated service in Stillwater at the beginning of May.  The assumed the EMS from the Stillwater FD and hired a batch of new employees, including Grauberger, to cover the new territory.  Grauberger passed his background check in March, but the crime was committed in May.

The Stillwater News Press had a story in April explaining the transfer of EMS in the city HERE.

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Posted by on June 22, 2011 • Filed under: crime, current events, EMS Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: ,

“Not Worth the Money They’re Being Paid”

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Alameda Citizens Unforgiving of Firefighters

IT WAS A FULL HOUSE IN THE ALAMEDA, California, city council chambers Tuesday night as the council took up the budgetary measure of a new union contract with the city firefighters.  After two years of negotiations with the firefighters' Local, and contract was agreed to by both the city and union representatives and was brought up at the public hearing last night.

But anger still lingers from the Memorial Day suicide drowning of a citizen that was passively observed by both police and firefighters who refused to wade out into the water to talk to the eventual victim.  When the contract came to the floor for comment, the responses from the citizens were far from friendly.  KGO-TV Ch. 7 had a camera in the chambers and recorded this video report:

 

The new contract calls for the firefighters to forego a pay raise, contribute more into their pension fund, and for new-hires to pay health insurance premiums themselves for their spouses after they retire.  "Seventy percent of our budget is tied up with guys who make too much damned money," City Auditor Kevin Kearny told the council just before they voted 4 – 1 to approve the new contract.  Councilman Doug DeHaan, the lone dissenting vote, said there was a sense among members of the community that firefighters were not paying attention to their job requirements.

It was also announced that the city will be laying out $13,000 to buy a small rescue boat.

The San Francisco Chronicle has MORE via Firefighter Nation.

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Posted by on June 22, 2011 • Filed under: current events, Funding & Staffing, labor, News, Videos • Tagged: , ,

3-Alarms in California Valley Town

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A Night Filled With Dumpster Arsons

A 3-ALARM FIRE STRUCK THE San Joaquin Valley town of Manteca, California, Tuesday morning while a string of dumpsters were being set afire around the city.  The fire destroyed a strip-shopping center and it is currently believed that it also began with two dumpsters that were burning inside a fenced enclosure at the rear of the building.

Manteca Bulletin

The alarm was dispatched at 4 am Pacific and the first-in units found heavy smoke and some fire showing from the roof in the center of the 11,700 sq. ft. building.  A second alarm was immediately struck followed shortly by a third.  The initial attack lines went into a sports bar where the fire was concentrated, but examination above the drop ceiling disclosed that the steel joists were beginning to sag.  The interior crews were immediately pulled out and operations were confined to the exterior.

The building has a common attic and the firefighters placed trench cuts on each side of the main body of the fire.  The action was beneficial and the fire was mostly contained to three occupancies and knocked down a short while later.  However the entire roof had failed from the heat in the roof joists and the fire marshal stated that the entire building was lost.  Concentration on exposures kept the fire from spreading to nearby businesses.

Manteca Bulletin

While all this was going on, at least eight more dumpsters in various parts of the city were set alight and one of the engines that was working the shopping center fire had to be redeployed to respond to the other fires as they came in.

The structure which was built to code at the time in 1984 had no firewalls nor sprinklers.  The fire department called in all off-duty firefighters and some reserve members.  They remained on the scene for ten hours until the fire marshal returned the property to the owners.

Manteca Bulletin

The Manteca Bulletin has the full STORY.

Hat tip:  Bill K.

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Posted by on June 22, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires • Tagged: , ,

Morning Lineup – June 22

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Wednesday Morning – Buh Bye, Sears

The once-mighty Sears (nee Sears, Roebuck & Co.) continued its seemingly irreversible slide into extinction yesterday when a major credit rating agency lowered the Sears Holdings Corp.'s rating downward into junk level, five steps below investment grade.  The Chicago Tribune reported yesterday:

The downgrade reflects continued deterioration in adjusted earnings on worse-than-expected sales and a "precipitous decline" in the first quarter, said Brian Bertsch, analyst at New York-based Fitch in a Tuesday report.

In May, Sears reported that it swung to a first-quarter loss as sales sank at Kmart and Sears stores and its core appliance business continued a downward slide. Fitch described Sears’ liquidity as "adequate but declining" and the agency expects Sears debt to increase as it will have to borrow more to fund operations.

"The magnitude of decline in profitability and the lack of visibility to turn around operations remain a major concern," said Bertsch.

This is no surprise because this slow death has been taking place for many years right out where we can all watch it happen.  Younger people cannot appreciate the impact and presence that Sears used to have in the American retailing market.  When Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck teamed up in Chicago in 1886, Sears had already started a sales catalog aimed at farmers and rural customers who didn't have access to large markets.  It was this catalog that propelled the firm into an astounding success, eventually bringing thousands of items for sale into the parlors of the untapped market in what was then an agrarian-based population.  As the Sears catalogue grew in popularity, they started opening "catalog stores" in small towns throughout the country as road paving projects started making the market centers more accessible. 

By the 1930's Sears had a physical presence in practically every town and small city in America.  In the 1950's they were the largest retailer in the world and continued to expand by opening full-retail stores in shopping centers and big-city retail districts.  Their booming success led to the construction of the 110-story Sears Tower office building and corporate headquarters in Chicago that was the world's tallest building when it opened in 1974.

1902 logo

Not long after that, though, the company began a series of management decisions that were destructive in the long term, to say the least.  The catalog business, the backbone of their success, was left to founder while they concentrated on shopping mall expansions and for reasons that are too lengthy to get into here,  customers fled the "Sears book" and started shopping from the hundreds of competing catalogs that were being delivered into mailboxes everywhere.  The most destructive move, I believe, was their decision to switch all of their retail operations to large, enclosed malls that were mushrooming all around the country, and shifting their sales emphasis to clothing.  As they opened their regional mall stores, they would shut down the retail/catalog outlets that were a fixture in nearly every town.  And as Sears was vacating the small-town shops, a man with a vision named Sam Walton was sliding right into the available spaces.  He started calling his growing chain of local shops Wal-Marts.

Today, the mighty catalogue is gone.  The Sears Tower was sold off less than ten years ago, and the substantial home appliance sales have dried up.  The number of subsidiaries that built the wealth of the company have all been sold or shuttered including their highly-profitable credit card business, Allstate Insurance and Whirlpool appliances.  Last week it was disclosed that now they are planning on leaving their original home base in Chicago after 125 years and relocating to another state.

R. I. P. Sears & Roebuck.

Now let's keep up with the times and get this equipment checked out.  I'll start the coffee while you are doing that.  See you back in the day room.

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Posted by on June 22, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: ,

Quick Success On Refinery Fire

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This report was submitted by Firefighter Nenad Ilisic in Croatia.
The story is told in his words:

Refinery Fire in Croatia

MONDAY MORNING AT 10:30 A MAJOR FIRE started in the Sisak oil refinery in Sisak, Croatia.

All photos via Jutarnji

The fire was up to 20 meters high, and the smoke was visible in 60 km area. In the action were engaged FF from the Sisak refinery, the cities of Sisak, Ivanić-grad, Zagreb, Velika Gorica, and Čazma.

About 160 FF with 60 vehicles fought the fire. First information says that more than 50 000 liters of foam solution and 2000 kg of powder were spent in this action. 6 FF asked medical help, 5 of them for light smoke inhalation and one of them for light burns on his hands.

People living near the refinery were evacuated, and the crisis center was formed. 2 helicopters and 3 firefighting airplanes (Airtractor – Fire Boss) were on alert, ready to fly.

Reuters posted some good, yet brief, raw video of the fire:

 

The fire was under control at 13:00, and extiguished at 15:00 hours.

Today is the start of investigation to find the reason of fire and explosions in the refinery.

Jutarnji has a 57-image photo gallery HERE.
Vecernji has a good video HERE.

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Posted by on June 21, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, HazMat, Major Incidents, Videos • Tagged: , ,

4-Bagger Going in San Jose

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Fraternity House Fully Involved

Update:  Video added.  Scroll down.
Update #2 posted below.

THE SAN JOSE (California) FIRE DEPARTMENT is on the scene of a 4-alarm fire at the San Jose State University this morning.  The alarm was received at 3:21 am Pacific time for a fire at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house that was heavily involved when the first units arrived.

San Jose Fire Dept. photo from frat house interior
(approved helmet cam?)

Although school is out for the summer, there were still 28 members staying at the "frat house," and all of them escaped safely.  The fire was still burning just an hour prior to this posting and no further information is available yet.

KNTV Ch. 11 has posted this raw video taken from their helicopter:

 

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

Update #2:
The fire was brought under control in three hours.  Intial firefighting operations were interior, but after 45 minutes there were indications of impending roof collapse and all operations were moved outside.

The entire second floor burned off and the first floor was so severely damaged that the building is declared a total loss valued at $1.7 million.  It is owned by a group of university alumna.

Investigators have begun their work and are initially considering a 2nd-floor laundry room.

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Posted by on June 21, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

The News Ticker

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Some More Stories From the News Ticker

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LODD – FLORIDA WILDFIRE:  Two Florida Division of Forestry firefighters were killed and two more injured Monday at the Blue Ribbon fire in Hamilton County.  Information is limited so far, but FirefighterNation has all that's available at this point HERE.

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A RUSSIAN PASSENGER PLANE CRASHED early this morning as it was approaching an airfield in northern Russia in foggy conditions.  It may have clipped an electric line that caused a power outage shutting off the runway lights.  The pilot appeared to have tried to alter course and land on a nearby highway, but instead crashed killing 44 and leaving 8 severely injured survivors.

Russia Today has filed this raw video from the crash site:

 

Sky News has more plus additional video HERE.

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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, FIREFIGHTER Randy Jankowski turned crimefighter Monday morning when he spotted a bank robber leaving a branch bank.  Randy's buddy had seen the robbery in progress inside and came out tell Jankowski who then called 9-1-1 and they began following the holdup man in their jeep.  The robber was on foot, so they trailed along in the car while talking to the police dispatcher until a few minutes later the big swoop moved in.  KDKA-TV Ch. 2 documented the full story in this video report:

 

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND, firefighters responded to a house fire Sunday afternoon that was caused by "improper disposal of grilling materials."  A nice way of saying that the resident dumped the smoldering charcoal into a plastic bag or bucket.  It cost them a $400,000 home.  WTTG-TV Ch. 5 was there with a video camera:

 

Grill Fire Destroys Home in Beltsville: MyFoxDC.com

(Firegeezer covered this topic in yesterday's LINEUP.)

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Posted by on June 21, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged:

Another Stolen Ambulance

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Left Unattended With the Motor Running

MED-STAT AMBULANCE SERVICE in Rutherford County, Tennessee, has their ambulance back unharmed after it was stolen Sunday morning.  The medics had parked it at the loading dock of the Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro and left the motor running while they took a patient into the emergency room.   Shortly after, Bruce Burdick, 55, came walking out after being treated for injuries from an accident and found the inviting ride home just outside the ER entrance.

He hopped into the driver's seat and took off.  When the ambulance crew returned outside they discovered that the ambulance was missing and called the sheriff.  After an area-wide "be on the lookout" call was dispatched, a deputy spotted the ambulance on a nearby Interstate weaving from lane to lane but not speeding.  He followed the ambulance until it exited from the freeway and then stopped the driver and took him into custody.

WTVF-TV posted this video report of the incident:

 

Burdick is being charged with theft over $10,000, auto theft, and evading police.  He has been released on $20,000 bond and will return to court on July 20.

Read Channel 5's full report HERE.

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Posted by on June 21, 2011 • Filed under: ambulances, crime, EMS Topics, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Morning Lineup – June 21

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Tuesday Morning – Summer Officially Begins

It might be the beginning of Summer according to the calendar, but for most people Summer has been in full-attack mode for over a month already.  My electric bill shows it, too.  However, in the grand scheme of things, the earth's tilt will reach its maximum placing the sun directly over that latitudinal line known as the Tropic of Cancer.  In my corner of the world that will occur early this afternoon at 1:16 pm, but I'll most likely forget about it by then.

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An email arrived overnight that had an interesting web link in it.  It's about an article posted in a website that is focused on colleges that offer fire science degree programs, but the topic of the article is different from that.  It's titled Top 25 Wildfires of All Time and is a good compilation of some of the major incidents in modern times.  The editor doesn't get deeply into the stories, but the title of each heading is a dirct link to sites that have more information on whichever fires you want to read up on.  I found it to be interesting, so I'm passing it along to you HERE.

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There was a fire yesterday morning at a luxury hotel in Brussels, Belgium.  The fire was relatively small and was inside an elevator machine room on the roof that is covered with a dome structure.  The incident itself was handled by the local fire brigade as well as you'd expect, and isn't particularly newsworthy outside of Brussels.  But one of the videos that was posted online and spotted by Fireball is worthy of checking out, I believe.  It has some good views of a Magirus tower-ladder at work that has one of those articulated sections up near the tip and it can be seen in operation.

 

 

 

 

(If the video is slow loading, be patient.)  We don't have many (any?) of those in North America that I know of, but I vaguely recall seeing one of the apparatus manufacturers offering them for sale.  Do you know of anybody who's bought one over here?  If so, let me know and tell me how it's working out.  I've always gotten a kick out of those "recliner" chairs that the ladder operators work from.

We'd better get our own equipment checked out now.  I'm going to get the coffee started and then a little later we can hit our recliner chairs in the day room for some more news and updates.  See you there.

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Posted by on June 21, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup, Videos

Is This North America’s Oldest Fire Service?

3 comments

Celebrating 350th Anniversary This Year

CAPTAIN TOM L. FROM THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY of New York thinks it might be and sent along this story.  The Kingston, New York, Fire Department is celebrating its 350th year of service this year that dates back to 1661,

Kingston Central Fire Station
(thanks to Youngstown Fire Forum)

Kingston was originally a Dutch settlement and the colonial government set up Brantmeesters, or Fire Marshals, to sound the alarm at the sight of any hostile fire.  The Daily Freeman continues:

The history of Kingston’s fire service dates (to 1661), with the appointment of the fire wardens by the Dutch to "sound alarms, organize bucket brigades, and maintain fire lines and enforce codes," according to a chronology drawn by Bernie Matthews, a former fire commissioner who is an expert in fire department history.

"These individuals are paid from the fines assessed and themselves were fined by the government for dereliction of duty," according to the chronology.

Matthews and Deputy Fire Chief Wayne Platte are collaborating on histories of the paid fire service to be published in the form of a journal this year.

The town's paid fire department was organized in 1908 when the department was outfitted with 14 men to man three chemical hose wagons, one tiller ladder truck, an alarm system wagon, and a chief’s wagon, all of which were horse drawn.

Kingston also has a rich collection of artifacts in the Fire Department Museum which is located in a 19th-century firehouse.

The Daily Freeman has a good article about the FD's history and an informative description of the fire museum HERE.

If you think you know of another fire service in the continent that dates back this far, let us know.

Update, Monday evening:
That sure didn't take long!  Firegeezer's unofficial official photographer and noted fire historian Mike Legeros has filled in the blanks for us pertaining to early fire protection services:

1648 – First fire wardens appointed, New Amsterdam. The four are charged
with the responsibility of checking residential chimneys and levying
fines as necessary.

1653 – Boston burns, leads to laws requiring all houses having at least
one ladder. Also leads to public purchasing of fire equipment.

1654 (or 1653) – First fire engine used in America, Boston.

1657 or soon after – First night watch created, New Amsterdam. Eight men
walk the streets after dark, watching for fires and stopping anyone who
looks suspicious. They carry rattles to sound a fire alarm.

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Posted by on June 20, 2011 • Filed under: antique apparatus, Fire Rescue Topics, history • Tagged: ,

The News Ticker

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More Stories Fresh Off the News Ticker

THE FUNERAL SERVICES HAVE BEEN set for Firefighter Corey Shaw, Du Quoin, Illinois Fire Department who died when an exterior wall collapsed on him Friday evening.  (Firegeezer REPORT.)

It is scheduled for this Wednesday, June 22 at 10am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Du Quoin; interment: Old Du Quoin Cemetery.  Firefighter Close Calls has the details of the arrangements along with some recently-disclosed facts about the tragedy HERE.

A ZEELAND, NORTH DAKOTA, FIRE OFFICIAL has been arrested for impersonating a police officer in a bizarre turn of events.  Darrell Graf, who runs the North Dakota Fire Academy and was a law enforcement officer 25 years ago, claims that he was appointed by the mayor of Zeeland to "investigate corruption" in the county.  The Bismarck Tribune reports:

According to April 11 minutes of the Zeeland City Council, Mayor Bob Schumacher appointed Graf as a reserve officer and detective and established the Zeeland Police Department, and the other three city council members approved the move. The minutes said Graf would not be paid and could not carry a weapon but would have full arrest and investigative powers. Zeeland City Attorney Sidney Gross said the move was allowed under the North Dakota Century Code.

Wrong.  It takes more than a simple vote to establish a police department and Graf has no authority to investigate anything, including the fire vs. ambulance feud that got the whole thing started.  It didn't help matters any when Graf then chose to begin investigating sexual assaults, too.  Now one woman wants her pictures returned.

Read the complete, and slightly complicated, story in the Tribune HERE.

THE CAUSE OF THE FATAL HOUSE FIRE in Warren, Ohio, this past Thursday has been identified.  The early-morning fire reported in Firegeezer HERE killed six people, four of them children.  Two of the four children were neices sleeping over.  It was noted at the time that the house did not have any smoke detectors.

WFMJ-TV now reports:

The fire marshal says a charcoal grill started the fire that took their lives. Now Chief Ken Nussle tells 21 News the preliminary investigation revealed one of the victims, Derek Dorsey, arrived home very early Thursday morning and used the grill prior to going to bed.

"We're getting some information that the grill, the charcoal grill, could have been used as late or early as 3:00 or 3:30 in the morning. And given the nature of the damage, we felt the fire had been burning for at least 20 to 40 minutes prior to notification," Nussle said.

THE UNION FIRE COMPANY of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, had its suspension lifted Friday night and is now operating again.  The volunteer fire company was put out of service earlier last week by the city's public safety director following a series of serious missteps by the department (Firegeezer REPORT). 

When the city shut them down it was with the provision that they would be allowed to resume activities if they replaced the fire chief and agreed to be placed under the authority of a citizens' oversight board.  The Bensalem Patch has the details on this still-contentious settlement HERE.

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Posted by on June 20, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics

Groom Sets Castle on Fire – Marriage Already Shaky

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Rage Over Caterer's Bill

A GROOM IN CHESHIRE, ENGLAND, BECAME ENRAGED over the bill for the wedding reception costs at the castle where the big event was held and set a fire that destroyed 25% of the interior.

100 firefighters worked the fire for most of all day Sunday  (Daily Mail photo)

The Peckforton Castle is a medieval-style country house built in 1840 that has been converted to a high-dollar reception center and hotel.  It is popular for full-service wedding parties where the nuptuals are held followed by a grand reception and providing classy hotel rooms for the guests.

Early Sunday morning an alarm of fire was dispatched for the castle at 4:45 am bringing 20 fire companies to the scene for a major blaze in progress.  The fire had started in the Drawing Room, the largest public area in the castle, and spread throughout the entire 3-story wing gutting one-quarter of the building.  About 70 guests were evacuated safely by the hotel's night staff to the courtyard.

Unhappy Campers
The former friends of the newlyweds spent half
the night shivering in the courtyard.  (Daily Mail)

A Cheshire Fire & Rescue spokesman said, "The fire was extremely fierce, and with the castle’s wooden floors and wooden furniture it took a number of hours to bring it under control.  Crews were able to prevent it spreading to the rest of the castle, however, and due to the thickness of the walls it is hoped that the building will still be structurally sound."

Later Sunday morning the groom was taken into custody by the police and is being held in the police station for questioning.  Several people have said that he had a row earlier with management over the cost of the bill that was presented to him.

The Daily Mail has more details of the STORY HERE along with some background history of the castle.

The owners of Peckforton told the Daily Mail that they estimate the damages to reach $1.6 million.  The 36-yr.-old groom is being held under suspicion of setting an arson with intent to cause bodily harm.

Peckforton Castle is a luxury wedding venue, hotel and sometime-movie set.

Hat tip:  Mark D.

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Posted by on June 20, 2011 • Filed under: arson, fire, Fires • Tagged: , , ,

San Diego and Rural/Metro Sign New 2-Year Agreement

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First Step in Dissolution of Partnership

THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND RURAL/METRO have taken the first step in dissolving their legal relationship.  Following the disclosure of a whistle-blower lawsuit that suggested some fraudulent billing practices by the ambulance firm, the city council decided to sell their share of the emergency ambulance franchise to Rural/Metro in exchange for an agreement to continue their services for two more years while the city prepares a bidding process for open offers to take over the service.  (See the Firegeezer report HERE that explains the background of this situation.)

Today it was announced that Rural/Metro has signed a contract with the city to be the exclusive emergency ambulance provider through June 2013.  In a press release issued Monday morning, Rural/Metro states:

The two-year agreement begins July 1, 2011 and is expected to generate annualized net revenue of approximately $55 million.

The contract reflects the City's new service delivery model, which involves the City no longer being an equity partner in a joint venture with Rural/Metro. Instead, the Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the City's interest in San Diego Medical Services Enterprise L.L.C. (SDMSE) for $5.5 million, following a vote last week by the San Diego City Council authorizing the sale. Upon completion of the purchase, which is scheduled to occur on June 30, 2011, Rural/Metro will own 100% of the interest in the former joint venture and will retain all operating assets and contracts currently served by SDMSE.

Rural/Metro and the City continue to work toward a resolution of matters raised in a City Auditor's report issued on April 25, 2011 regarding Rural/Metro's role in SDMSE. To facilitate a timely process, Rural/Metro and the City are working with the assistance of a neutral mediator and third-party auditor.

Read the entire press release HERE.

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Lawn Care Special!

Black & Decker Cordless Electric String Trimmer

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  • Includes trimmer, 2 batteries, and charger; weighs 6.8 pounds; 2-year warranty

CLICK HERE to read more and to order one.

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Posted by on June 20, 2011 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics • Tagged: , ,

Body of Missing Fire Recruit Found in Reservoir

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Missing For Three Weeks

THE BODY OF A MISSING BALTIMORE CITY FIRE RECRUIT was found Sunday in the Liberty Reservoir in Carroll County.  Rodney Earl Goggins Jr., 20, was reported missing by his family on Monday, May 30, and did not show up to work for his training with the Baltimore City Fire Department on Tuesday, May 31.  (see Firegeezer REPORT.)

The Owings Mills Patch reports:

Shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday, Baltimore City watershed rangers patrolling the Liberty Reservoir received an alert by boaters who discovered a floating body south of the Liberty Road Bridge, according to a Carroll County Sheriff’s Department press release.

Rangers located the partially decomposed body in a remote area of the reservoir and alerted sheriff’s deputies and rescue dive teams from the Gamber Volunteer Fire Company.

The body was recovered and later identified by detectives as the missing fire recruit.

The body shows no outwardly signs of trauma.  The search for Goggins has been focused in the area around the reservoir because his car was located parked nearby.

WBAL-TV has more details HERE including some information from the Baltimore City Fire Academy.

WMAR-TV Ch. 2 filed this video report:

 

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Posted by on June 20, 2011 • Filed under: current events, labor, News, Videos • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – June 20

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Monday Morning – Let's Cook Outdoors

It's just amazing how some people completely put away common sense and/or stop thinking altogether, then end up in terrible circumstances requiring a call to 9-1-1, our job security number.  When you're very tiny you learn that fire is hot, fire is painful, and fire is destructive.  And yet they will blunder along through life disregarding those basic rules of physics and in some cases they pay the ultimate price for their lapse.

They can't honestly say that they didn't know about this potential, especially with all the public safety announcements about things like smoke detectors and putting out your campfires, and school lessons on stop-drop-and-roll.  But still, as sure as the sun will rise in the east tomorrow, somebody will fire up their barbecue grill on an apartment balcony and cause a phase of instant-homelessness for a dozen families.

(Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue photo)

During the course of today's postings we will be mentioning just two recent examples of outdoor grill misuse that became unusually destructive.  And the extremely costly wildfire in Arizona that has become the worst fire in the state's history is believed to have started at a campfire site that was not extinguished properly before it was abandoned by the irresponsible marshmallow-cooker.

We can predict the cycles because it happens every year despite the warnings.  Right now we are going through the BBQ grill phase.  Next month will usher in the fireworks ka-booms.  And each November we document the run of turkey fryers that take down garages and houses from coast to coast.  And without fail, the wintertime will see the usual parade of clueless yuppies who dump their fireplace ashes into plastic trash containers and then wonder what all the commotion out front is about when Big Red pulls up.

I guess we must chalk it all off to "human nature" and just be aware that once in a while there will be somebody who switches off the brain power long enough to get us involved in their lives.  That's what we're here for, so let's get the equipment checked out.  I'm going to get more coffee started before we meet back in the day room.

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Posted by on June 20, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup

Camden Gets Another One – 7 Alarms

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Another Derelict Industrial Building

THE CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, FIRE DEPARTMENT FACED its third multi-alarm fire in ten days on Sunday when a vacant detergent factory building burned early in the morning.

WPVI-TV

The fire was discovered around 5:30 am and went to seven alarms before it was brought under control five hours later.  It has already been declared an arson, but the investigators are not saying why they believe so.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had completed a six-month, $1 million cleanup on the site in March, removing asbestos and over 400 containers of hazardous, flammable chemicals.

WPVI-TV Ch. 6 filed this early report from the scene:

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer had MORE HERE.

This raw video taken at the fire's height was posted by probie9088:

 

Thanks to Carmine S. for assistance.

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Posted by on June 19, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Haz-Mat at Sea Training in Italy

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Water Rescues and Chemical Spill Mitigation

On 15 June, the Vigili del Fuoco (Italian Fire Service) carried out the exercise of Venice "Pollex 2011" organized by the Harbour – Venice Maritime Directorate.

The haz-mat team boards the fireboat to respond to the "chemical spill."
(all photos courtesy of the National Vigili del Fuoco)

The scenario presented the simulation of an accident between a merchant ship and a vessel engaged in transportation of chemicals, resulting in the leaking of pyrolysis gasoline (the substance is highly toxic – harmful and flammable), on board the ship  about 4 miles from the Port of Malamocco.

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Part of the exercise was the rescue of shipwrecked crewmen from the chemical ship. The other evolution was the containment and cleanup of the pyrolysis gasoline,

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They participated with the operations of the Motobarcapompa Detachment Port carrying personal conduct teams CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear), SAF (Alpine cave and river rescue) and firefighters.  Also the Divers Unit 81 Dragon and the helicopter recovery team.

The entire operation was completed in about four hours.

The National Vigili del Fuoco has a photo gallery of the exercise HERE. (Click on Successive for the next page.)

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Posted by on June 19, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, HazMat, rescue, Rescues, Training, training-fire-rescue-topics

Holyoke Fire Chief Update

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District Attorney Gets Involved

THREE DAYS AGO ON JUNE 16, it was reported (HERE) that the interim fire chief of Holyoke, Massachusetts, was suspended with pay immediately on a moment's notice.  Deputy Chief William Moran has been serving as interim chief since September while the city goes through the selection process for a new fire chief.

Chief Moran

At the time of the suspension it was speculated that he had sent one of the engine companies out on a false alarm to "see how well they responded."  While the engine was chasing ghosts, three cars on the street pulled over to let the engine pass, but a fourth car failed to slow down and crashed into the car ahead, causing a chain reaction crash that damaged all four cars and resulting in one person being transported to the hospital.

There is now some evidence that the fire chief's brother, who is also a Holyoke firefighter, was a participant in the "prank" and he is now on paid leave from the FD too.

On Friday it was announced that the investigation has been turned over to the State Police and the District Attorney's office.  They will be able to conduct an independent, non-partisan investigation and determine if any criminal charges will be filed.  It is a crime in Massachusetts to call in a false alarm.

WWLP-TV Ch. 22 filed this video report on the updated disclosures:

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D.A. to decide Fire Chief's fate: wwlp.com

WGGB-TV Ch. 40 has more details and a good video report HERE.

The Republican has the story on this latest chapter HERE.

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Posted by on June 19, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, labor, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

A Sunday Emergency !

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Season Two – Episode 15

The Professor

 

When a foreign dignitary becomes ill, Dr. Brackett is asked to cure him.

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Posted by on June 19, 2011 • Filed under: Sunday Emergency • Tagged:

Bald Tires Lead to Ambulance Rollover

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From the state of Karnataka, India

AN EMERGENCY AMBULANCE IN MYSORE, INDIA, had a rollover Sunday morning with a patient and relative inside.  It was noted by the local newspaper the Star of Mysore, that all the tires were bald and they are calling for an investigation.  Following is the article in full posted by Star of Mysore Online:

Mysore, June 19 (MTY&KMC)- The passengers of a 108 Ambulance, including the patient, the driver and a male nurse were severely injured after the ambulance's back tyre burst, causing the speeding vehicle to topple off the road this morning.

The accident occurred near Dr. Rajashekar Hospital near Alana-halli village, about five kms from the city. As the driver Manjunath was maneuvering the deeply curved road, the back tyre burst, causing the vehicle to lose balance. The ambulance (KA-40, G-261) was carrying a patient named Mahadevamma from T.Narasipura govt. hospital to JSS Hospital in city. She and her husband Mahadevappa, a relative named Sannamma and male nurse Santosh Kumar were severely injured. It was noticed that all the four tyres and the stepney (spare tyre) were worn out and needed immediate replacement.

Hampa Nagaraj photo

Ambulance turns turtle: In a freak accident, a 108 Ambulance on 24-hour service turned turtle and fell on its side with a patient and paramedical staff inside, following the tyre burst. It is observed that the tyres of this ambulance were all bald and even the stepney (circled in picture right) was bald. It is worth investigating into when the tyres were changed to find out if any misuse of funds or negligence has occurred. The accident occured near Rajashekar Hospital on T.Narasipur Road this morning.

Indeed.

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Posted by on June 19, 2011 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances • Tagged: , , ,

Morning Lineup – June 19

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Sunday Morning – The Shifting Global Economy

Apparently they have managed to settle the estates of all those expatriate Nigerian banking ministers.  It has been a long time since I have received an offer of instant riches if only I would allow some stranger to have access to my checking account for a few hours.  The main thing that held me back was my inability to figure out just which of those magnetic symbols at the bottom of my check are the account number.

It looks like the focus of wealth transfer is now in the realm of "just send us something…..you'll feel good for doing it" without any monetary rewards in return.  I awoke this morning with an email waiting for me (The Managing Director) from the president of the Firefighters Volunteer Association of Nepal.  Mr. Kewal Kumar Chapagain is standing by for my "positive response as soon as possible" to his request for:

1. Fire Engines and Ambulances
2. Emergency Equipments
3. Idea exchanges
4. Economic Support
5. Training Books, videos and other publications regularly
6. Official Supports etc.

He's also hoping for some "fireproof dress", but I expect that the "Economic Support" is what they are targeting.  After all, the only paved roads in the country are the very few that connect some of the cities, so my fire engines won't be able to fit on the footpaths that connect the neighborhoods.  And of course, all my training books are printed in English.  With a national literacy rate below 50%, I don't think they would help a whole lot.  But I do have a backup Bunn-O-Matic in the basement, so maybe that could be put to good use somewhere.

Right now we have to put our check lists to good use and get our own equipment checked out for today.  I'll see how the Sunday breakfast is coming along while I make some more coffee.  See you back in the day room.

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Posted by on June 19, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup

3 Firefighters Canned For Looting

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First Responders to Joplin Tornado

THREE BAXTER SPRINGS, KANSAS, FIREFIGHTERS WERE FIRED from their jobs with the Baxter Springs Fire Department, it was disclosed this week.  The dismissals took place on June 9 when it was learned that they had participated in some sort of thievery or looting of businesses on the night after the tornado ripped through Joplin, Missouri, destroying a large part of the city.

The Baxter Springs fire chief was also placed on administrative leave while an investigation is taking place.  The Baxter Springs mayor emphasized that Fire Chief Les Page is not in any way suspected of participating in the looting, but she has not stated why the action was taken.  Chief Page has been prohibited from discussing the charges or why he was also suspended.

KOAM-TV Ch. 7 prepared this video report:

 

When the Baxter Springs officials learned about the incident, they investigated the charges and have turned all their findings over to the Joplin Police Department who are carrying on the investigation.

The Joplin Globe has the STORY.

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Posted by on June 18, 2011 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: ,