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Fire Lieutenant Arrested on Child Porn Charges

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What's with these guys, anyway?

A FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY, FIRE LIEUTENANT WAS ARRESTED Thursday morning in a Lexington motel where he had been hiding from police.  Dennis Hodge, 40, was charged with one count of child pornography and one count of voyeurism.  He is currently being held in the Frankfort County detention center on a $12,000 cash bond.

Lexington Channel 18 reports:

On Monday, Kentucky State Police got a complaint about voyeurism involving a minor. According to arrest documents, Hodge is accused of videotaping a nude minor he knew. State Police got a warrant to search Hodge's house on Old Georgetown Road in Frankfort.

"Seizing a laptop computer, they then worked with the Kentucky State Police Electronics Crime Branch, where they were able to find known child pornography on that computer," says Trooper Ron Turley, with Kentucky State Police.

It was enough to charge the firefighter with one count of possession of child pornography. After days of looking for Hodge, State Police with Lexington Police's help, tracked him down at the Catalina Motel.

WKYT-TV filed this video report:

 

Hodge has been a Frankfort firefighter for 12 years and was just recently promoted to Lieutenant.  He has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for October 18.

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Posted by on October 14, 2011 • Filed under: crime, News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Assorted Updates

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Updates of Some Recent Postings

*  GRAND CANYON FATAL RV FIRE.  More information has been released on the suspicious fire that consumed an RV near the Grand Canyon National Park earlier this month (see Firegeezer report HERE).  The fire completely burned out an RV from Minnesota that held the charred bodies of a man and two young children.  The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting today that:

Investigators believe a 35-year-old Woodbury man who was vacationing at the Grand Canyon with his children shot them before lighting their motor home on fire and turning the gun on himself.

The National Park Service on Thursday identified the three bodies found inside the charred RV at Grand Canyon National Park. They released the name of the father, Anthony DeHaven.

Although authorities did not release the identities of the children, the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale school district said earlier they were two students: Jersey DeHaven, 5, a kindergartner, and her brother, Jace DeHaven, 11, a sixth-grader.

*  SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, PARAMEDIC Bryan Stow continues to make remarkable progress in his recovery after being beaten into a coma by two thugs in the Los Angeles baseball stadium (see previous Firegeezer reports HERE, HERE, and HERE).  He has been recently transferred from the hospital in San Francisco to an undisclosed rehabillitation facility to begin the next stage of his recovery.  CNN has the latest update in this story HERE with more details.  Thanks to Mark D. for referring this.

*  THE LEADER OF THE MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL who ordered the arson of a casino in Monterrey that killed over 50 people has been arrested.  Firegeezer reported on the fire HERE and the subsequent arrests along with security video of the raid HERE in August.  CNN has this report on the top leader's arrest without incident HERE.

Oliva Castillo, accused of overseeing criminal operations in three Mexican states,
has been captured in Saltillo, Mexico.

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Posted by on October 14, 2011 • Filed under: current events, EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics

Morning Lineup – October 14

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Friday Morning

The week's activities at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland, are coming to their conclusion this weekend.  This is the 30th annual commemoration to honor the hundreds of firefighters who have paid the ultimate price while protecting the lives and properties of their neighbors.  I want to remind you that Firegeezer will once again be live-streaming the Candlelight Service from the chapel on Saturday evening and then the impressive Memorial Service on Sunday when the families of the fallen firefighters  of 2010 are recognized as the heroes are added to the memorial.

Another reminder for you, be sure to visit the Virtual Remembrance Banner HERE where you can post your thoughts or prayers for any of the fallen firefighters.  Or just read through the many poignent postings that are already on there.

While it's been raining for the past several days in the area, the forecast for both Saturday and Sunday calls for beautiful weather, sunny and in the low 70's.  For today's video we will offer to you the highlights of last year's Memorial Weekend:

 

Be sure to visit with us Saturday evening and Sunday morning for this year's presentation.

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Last evening the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) announced the winners of this year's media awards.  There were 234 entries in the 21 different categories that were presented.  As the IAFF states it, this competition pays tribute to those who, in the public media and through their affiliates, document the great and the small in the life of fire fighters everywhere.

There was a newly-established category this year for Blogs and Firegeezer was nominated for that category.  There were four finalists in that category, one for First Place and three Honorable Mentions.  I'm very pleased to tell you that we received one of the Honorable Mention awards.  First Place went to LAFD News and Information, the excellent site maintained by the Los Angeles City public affairs department led by Brian Humphrey.  It is no surprise that they took the top award as they have been online for many years and shown the rest of us the way to digital communications and how best to utilize the rapidly improving electronic media.

Besides ourselves, the other winners included our good friend Mike Legeros (the Firegeezer unofficial official photographer) and his website, Raleigh/Wake Fire Fighting Blog.  We have linked to the site frequently, particularly for Mike's excellent history lessons and photo articles.  Just recently his website has been re-named to Legeros Fire Blog.   It's the same website, just a different title, and I recommend you drop by regularly to see what the old D.J. and movie critic is up to next. (http://legeros.com)

The other finalist is a blog on Fire Chief Magazine's website called "Sophmoritis in the Fire Service" and is published by Jim Spell.  I am not familiar with that one, but I will be sure to check it out today.  Congratulations to all the winners of this year's contest.  I am humbled to be in such good company.

Now we had better get our own equipment checked out and ready for today's business.  I'm headed for the Bunn-O-Matic to get some more coffee ready before we meet back in the day room.

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Posted by on October 14, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged:

Either comply with your rules or change the requirements

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The stupidity of waiving organizational requirements

The appointment of Ron Rogers to the fire chief's position in Hillsborough County Fire and Rescue without meeting the organizational requirement of a master's degree ignites the experience-versus-education debate.

Obviously, my perspective is skewed towards formal education.  But that is NOT why I am mad. 

Failure to enforce the formal education requirements for the fire chief, while requiring it for everyone else in the department, creates a corrosive work environment.

NEVER MIND WHAT THE PERSONNEL REGULATIONS REQUIRE

the job description for the Director, Fire Rescue (U8008  October 2006) includes this Key Job Requirement:

Formal Education: Master's degree required; Bachelor's degree with work experience

There is a big leap in educational requirements when entering the executive/managerial "unclassified" positions.

To compete for a Battalion Fire Chief position, which is covered by civil service regulations, you need a high school degree or GED certificate, and a Florida Firefighter's certificate of compliance. Also need eight years of emergency services experience – including four years as a Company Fire Captain with Hillsborough County Fire and Rescue.

WANT TO BE THE HILLSBOROUGH RESCUE DIVISION CHIEF?

Like the fire chief's position, this position is "Unclassified and serves at the will of the Appointing Authority."

Just advertised. Pays $80,496 – $120,786

The October 2006 job description for Rescue Division Chief (U8075) includes this requirement:

Formal Education: Bachelor's Degree preferred; or 2 year degree with work experience

Same formal education requirement for the Chief of Operations (U8077  February 2009). 

The Administrative Chief (U8132 October 2006) requires a Bachelor's degree. Chief Ron Rogers held this position without a bachelor or associate degree.

Closed October 1, the  2010 Rescue Division Chief job announcement provides extensive minimim qualification options:

Just amazing …

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Training & Development, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , ,

What To Do With That Last Patch?

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No Better Place Than This To Send It

HAVE YOU BEEN SAVING THAT LAST fire department patch for just the right moment to give it away?  Even if you have more than one left, we have found the perfect place to donate it to.  We have just heard from one of our friends up in Montreal, Quebec, about a 5-yr.-old boy who is also an avid fire buff.  Unfortunately he also has an advanced cancer that is requiring chemotherapy treatment that he is receiving.  Oh, he also had to have a kidney removed.  All this at just five years of age!

A group of helpful people who are watching over him have asked all firefighters everywhere to think about sending young Michael one of your department's patches to help cheer him up and make for a nice display on his wall.

Personally, I can't think of a better place to send one myself.  (If you're out of extra patches, cut one off the sleeve of the shirt left in the station by that guy who is on his 4-day break.)

Come on, Geezerguys….. let's pitch in and put a smile on this little fellow's face!

Mail your patches to:

Michael
c/o MaisonBrison Communications
2160 de la Montagne Street
Suite 400
Montreal, Quebec H3G 2T3
Canada

He will be happy, you will be happy, and I will be happy.  Thanks a lot!

Bill Schumm, Firegeezer

Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: charity, News • Tagged:

Looking Back

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Fire Engineering – January 1954

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Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: Looking Back • Tagged: , ,

Is Minneapolis Fire still boarding up buildings?

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The difficulty of city-council initiatives

Former Minneapolis City Council member Paul Ostrow advocated that the fire department get into the building board-up business.  Taking one firefighter off already understaffed rigs, the program intended to be a revenue generator for the department and save the jobs of two firefighters. Ostrow projected $400,000 in new city revenue.

Nick Halter, reporting in the Downtown Journal, filed this report:

Fire Chief Alex Jackson gave the city’s public safety committee a report Sept. 14 saying his department was losing $34,000 a month and staffing one firefighter around the clock on a board-up truck.

In total, he said, the program has caused a $282,000 budget shortfall over the past 11 months.

CITY HALL UPDATE // Board-up program burning hole in Fire Department’s pocket

Related City Pages September 14th article by Andy Mannix:  Minneapolis Fire Dept. board-up program lost $281,977 in 11 months

The Fire Chief's presentation was moved to the September 23 council meeting.  Click HERE to see the chief's PowerPoint presentation.

We covered this isssue, as well as the decimated staffing, earlier:

IAFF Local 82 on FaceBook

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Con Man Who Wiped Out VFD Treasury Sentenced to Prison

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Accused of Stealing Up To $5 Million From Several Parties

TROY, NEW YORK, BUSINESSMAN MATTEW RYAN was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday) to more than ten years in Federal prison for running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 53 investors out of an estimated $5 million. 

Matthew Ryan  (Times Union photo)

One of those duped was the Oak Hill Durham Volunteer Fire Co. in Greene County who lost their entire treasury of $364,000 to Ryan.  The Albany Times Union reports:

Department member Jodi Wood told the judge that the department must hold fundraisers to pay for vital equipment. The department discovered the news when it went to make a payment for a new truck. All the money was gone and Ryan's business was closed.

"We are in financial ruin," Wood told the judge.

Oak Hill Durham VFC  (Google Street View)

The Business Journal reports this morning:

Ryan began in 2002 to solicit money from investors as a representative of American Integrity Financial Co. But American Integrity—which Ryan told clients was a substantial Manhattan financial services firm—existed in name only. He guaranteed people—most of whom were in their 60s and 70s—fixed rates of return ranging from 3.85 percent to 9.35 percent a year.

The grand jury found that since at least 2004, Ryan used investor funds "for multiple purposes he concealed from investors," including to repay other clients "in a Ponzi-scheme fashion."

According to the indictment, as of March 2010, Ryan had deposited $5.8 million into a bank account under the American Integrity name, including $4.8 million in investor funds. The grand jury said he withdrew $1.9 million to pay investors; $845,000 to pay Prime Rate, $265,000 to pay real estate loans for Prime Rate; $125,000 to pay expenses related to his luxury cars; and $400,000 to pay himself.

Yesterday's sentencing closes the case.

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Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News • Tagged: , , ,

Promotional Opportunities

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Chief Demoted to Civilian Real Fast

UNTIL RECENTLY, JAMES "JIMMY" YOUNG was the fire chief at the Georgia state prison at Jackson.  An employee of the Department of Corrections for many years and runs the fire station that is just outside the prison walls.  The facility runs all fire calls in the prison complex as well as mutual aid runs to the surrounding area and is staffed with prison inmate trusty's.  Young was also a part-time paid firefighter for the Butts County Fire Department.

That has all changed now with Young out of a job and his state firefighter and EMS certifications permanently canceled after he pleaded guilty to shooting an inmate-firefighter with a pellet rifle.

WAGA-TV Atlanta has the details in this video report:

 

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Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, crime, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – October 13

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Thurs am – how U doin?

There is fresh proof out today that modern technology does indeed create new business and generate income.  In this case, chiropractors and physiotherapists are benefitting by an increase in the number of patients suffering from what they call "text neck" syndrome.  A recent article in the UK Daily Mail goes into the malady a little further:

Back and neck specialists say that increasing numbers of patients are suffering neck pain from spending too much time hunched over phones and computers.  They claim the rise of smartphones and tablet computers has fuelled the problem.  The extra capability for playing games and browsing the internet on smartphones means they tend to be used for longer periods. And unlike laptops, tablet computers are often placed flat on the lap, meaning users crane their neck over to view the screen.

Chiropractor Rachael Lancaster said 'text neck' can lead to irreversible arthritic degeneration if left untreated and anyone experiencing pain should get themselves checked.

Physiotherapist Nicola Hunter said: ‘Some people get in their car, drive to work, work on a computer, play on their mobile phones on their breaks, drive home and work on their computer and their phone again in the evening and that’s really unhealthy. We are not built to be sitting down hunched over screens.’

They go on to explain that an adult human's head weighs from 10 to 12 lbs. and when you cantilever it out in this manner, then you are putting an unacceptable stress on your neck muscles when you try to keep it at that position for any length of time.

Tim Hutchful, of the British Chiropractic Association, said doctors were seeing an increased number of cases where overusing mobiles (cell phones) was contributing to neck and shoulder pain.

'Our muscles are designed to flex and retract,' he told Mail Online. 'If you stay in a fixed posture for too long like peering over a phone you are putting those muscles under stress.'

Mr Hutchful said leaning the head forwards was like holding a 10 to 12lb weight away from the body. 'Muscles will go into spasm if they have to hold such a position,' he said.

This article in The Daily Mail can be read in its entirety HERE, so be sure to forward it to your teenager's cell phone.

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I want to remind you that once again, we will be live-streaming the weekend events at the  National Fallen Firefighters Memorial located on the U. S. Fire Administration campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland.  On Saturday night we will be carrying the Candlelight Service from the Chapel and on Sunday morning the entire Memorial Service will be shown.

And repeating from yesterday's Lineup (HERE), we want to remind you that the Virtual Remembrance Banner is up and running now. If you wish to post a thought or prayer for a firefighter who was an LODD in years past, then you can enter the website now and leave your message. Or maybe you will just wish to read the touching tributes that are being left. CLICK HERE to go directly to the Virtual Remembrance Banner page and read or post. It’s a wonderful way for family, friends and others who can’t be in Emmitsburg to have a connection to the events.

This morning I want to present this video tour of the Fallen FF Memorial site.  National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Executive Director Ron Siarnicki describes the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and he also gives a tour to retired Chicago firefighter John Graber who finds the names of some former colleagues on the Memorial's plaques. (Warning: Hanky alert.)

 

We'd better get our equipment checked out now, so grab the clipboards and let's get started.  I'm going to fire up the Bunn-O-Matic and make sure we have enough coffee when we meet back in the day room.

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Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: ,

Train – 1, Truck – 0

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Spectacular Crossing Crash in France

A LARGE DELIVERY TRUCK WENT AROUND THE CROSSING GATES at a railway crossing in Saint-Medard, France, Wednesday evening at 5 pm.  The truck was broadsided by a speeding regional passenger train and the collision broke the truck into several pieces in a spectacular wreck.  The accident took place next to the Saint-Medard train station, but this train was not stopping there.

All photos via Ouest France

The crash caused the railcars to impact and throw the 170+ passengers around, leaving at least two dead and more than 30 commuters injured.  One of the passengers told the press:

"I was in one of the last cars. All of a sudden I felt a big jolt. At first I thought the train had hit an animal or a car. Then the windows exploded. Scrap metal fell on us. The seats were torn. I got broken glass (around me). In the car, people were screaming. Two people seriously injured were trapped in their seats. The controller of the station was close to us. He told us to evacuate and the passengers asked if there were doctors. I take this train every day to go home. I do not know if I can go … "

About 200 firefighters, police, and ambulance people were on the scene with firefighters using extrication equipment to free some of the passengers.  A full medical unit was set up on the site and several helicopters were used to take the most seriously injured to the hospital in Rennes.  The truck driver was only slightly injured despite the fact that the truck was scattered in pieces for 200 metres along the track.

Ouest-France has the early REPORT plus more photos.

This video provided by Ouest France has several good scenes of the rescue operation:

 

 

 

Additional raw video here:

 

 

 

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Posted by on October 13, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Mass Casualty Incident, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Firetruck Mechanic Arrested For Fuel Thefts

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At Least He Didn't Take Any Regeneration Filters

THE PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, POLICE ANNOUNCED Tuesday that they have arrested the town's fire department mechanic and charged him with stealing diesel fuel from one of the city's pumps.

Fred Lee Wade, 58, is charged with grand theft after taking fuel from a town-owned pump at least 20 times this year.  Following a tip from a citizen, the police began investigating  Wade in August and acquired enough evidence to arrest him on Monday and charged him with a felony.  The Palm Beach Daily News is reporting:

Police began their investigation in August based on a tip. They examined records that tracked Wade’s use of an assigned key card issued to him as part of his job as a Fire-Rescue mechanic assigned to Station 3 in the town’s South End at 2185 S. Ocean Blvd. in Phipps Ocean Park, according to the report.  Police initially found 16 instances of Wade’s key card being used between Jan. 24 and Aug. 16, the report stated.

Police set up a surveillance camera to monitor Wade’s activity at the fuel pump and found he was filling cans with the diesel and using it in his personal vehicle, the report stated.

On Monday he was confronted with the evidence and he admitted that he had taken the fuel, saying that he was having difficult financial times and he needed the fuel to be able to get to work.  Wade's salary is $78,852 annually.  He was released yesterday on $3,000 bond and has been placed on unpaid administrative leave.

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Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: , , ,

An A-maze-ing Rescue

4 comments

Massachusetts Maize Maze Makes Problem

EACH YEAR THE CONNORS FARM OF DANVERS, Massachusetts, plants a corn maze on a 7-acre field next to the roadway and charges admission for families to have fun trying their survival skills in finding their way from the start to the end.

Each year a different design is formed in the corn plot.  This year
saw a graphic of the headless horseman.

This year's maze was apparently too challenging for one family of four because as dusk started to settle in, they were lost and getting panicky.  So who you gonna' call?  The maze supervisor?  Noooo.  The farm office?  Nooooo.  This young couple, who were standing about 25 ft. from the roadway, whipped out their cell phone and called 9-1-1.  This video report from WHDH-TV tells what took place from there:

 

The GateHouse News Service reported:

The 7-acre corn maze is a challenging course, said owner of the farm, Bob Connor. This year’s course with a design cut into the corn of the “Salem Village Headless Horseman” may be trickier than years past Connor said. Other designs from previous years included “Eastwood,” with Clint Eastwood’s face emblazoned through the corn, and "Family Guy."

“We had a few people who got a bit lost last year, but they found their way out,” Connor said. “There is no wire or fence around the maze, so if they really want or need to get out all they have to do is listen for the sound of traffic.”

Connor said that the farm has a night security person on hand every night who stays until everybody leaves.

“We make sure there are no cars left in the parking lot. We don’t want to leave anybody behind in the maze,” Connor said. Connor had just left the farm for the evening when he got a call from a friend who had heard on the police scanner that somebody was stuck in the maze.

“They were a really nice family. We offered for them to come back on us and try the maze again – but I think they had enough,” Connors said.

Thanks to Mark Donovan.

Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: culture, current events, News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Upcoming Events

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Some Upcoming Events to Plan on Attending

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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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Go > Forward Training Presents:

18+ Educators
30+ Sessions

Fire Chief, Company Officer and Firefighter tracks – plus a slew of flex options – ensure you can choose
exactly the right program for you, featuring some of the most well-known names in the fire service and next generation educators.

CLICK HERE to read the conference agenda.

Less than 30 minutes from Philadelphia, King of Prussia is a great location and an easy drive from many East Coast cities.

Early-Bird Registration Closes This Friday October 14

CLICK HERE to Register

Presented by Go>Forward Media http://goforwardmedia.com/
Contact us HERE.

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ANNUAL FIRE MEMORABILIA AUCTION

Novermber 5 – Southborough, Massachusetts

Handtub Junction, USA
508-786-0977; handtubjunction@aol.com

Hours and location TBA

http://www.handtubs.com/
 

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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 October 12, 2011 • Filed under: Upcoming Events

Top-Level Toppling in Augusta

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Four Sudden Retirements Spark Hope For Demoralized Firefighters

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN suffering a long period of anguish dating back to when they were led by the one-man wrecking ball named Few.  The long-suffering firefighters have a fresh outlook this morning as the entire top leadership of the FD have announced quick retirements along with a well-connected battalion chief who was using the department to bolster his private business.

The upheaval began on Monday when the beleaguered Fire Chief Howard Willis announced that he will "ease into" retirement at an unspecified date.  He has been on extended sick leave since September 14 when he was taken by ambulance to the hospital for an undisclosed medical problem that is apparently the main reason for his announcement.  One week later Deputy Chief Mike Rogers was appointed acting chief to serve during Willis' convalescene.

Chief Howard Willis

Within 24 hours following Chief Willis' declaration on Monday, both of his Deputy Chiefs, Mike Rogers (the acting chief) and Carl Scott announced their imminent retirements to become effective November 1.  In addition, the fire chief's brother Battalion Chief Tommy Willis dropped his papers yesterday too, making his retirement also effective on November 1. 

Batt. Chief Willis has been on administrative leave since October 6 when it was discovered that he was using his fire department connections to steer business to a private company he is connected with that provides board-up services.  He was placed on leave because not only did he use undue influence to generate business, but he never obtained the required permission from the fire chief (his brother) to operate a business apart from his FD job.  His board-up business is owned by a construction firm that is owned by the cousin of city councilman Joe Bowles.  The Augusta Chronicle published a detailed article on the questionable activities of the company and its fire department tie-ins on October 1 HERE.

Fire Station 8  (AFD photo)

The department's chief training officer Chris James has been appointed acting fire chief while the city begins the process to hire a new chief and replace the two deputy chiefs.

For more detailed coverage on this action, read the Augusta Chronicle HERE and HERE.
Augusta Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Fire-ology, labor, News • Tagged: ,

The Moose Chronicles

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An Occasional  Report on Noteworthy Moose Activity

IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A WANDERING MOOSE took a wrong turn and ended up in a backyard swimming pool.  The beast crashed through the backyard fence and unwittingly stepped onto the pool cover, taking it into the water with him.

WMUR-TV

WMUR-TV tells what happened next:

Police, firefighters, and fish and game officials were called to a home on Lindstrom Court in Manchester just after 10 p.m. When they arrived, they found the moose stuck swimming around in the water, unable to get out of the pool.

The visit came as a shock to the pool’s owner, George Trapotsis, who said "This train-like noise came through the fence and dove right into the pool. He tore the cover, got entangled and just couldn't move," Trapotsis said.

At about midnight the rescue of the moose was underway. With a rope attached to the moose, nine men pulled the animal out of the water.

WMUR-TV also provided this raw video that documents the water rescue:

 

IN EAGLE LAKE, MAINE, TWO SEPARATE vehicle accidents involving moose occurred just two hours and three miles apart on September 21.  The Bangor Daily News reported:

Maine State Police Sgt. Tom Pelletier said that one of the crashes seriously injured Cyr Martin, chief of the Ashland Police Department.  Martin, 46, of Eagle Lake was driving his 2006 Chevy Blazer south on Route 11 between Portage and Eagle Lake about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday when a moose entered the roadway, Pelletier said. Martin’s vehicle struck the moose and swerved into the northbound lane, colliding head-on with a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck.

Martin, the driver of the pickup, 70-year-old Melford Bouchard of Newburgh, and Bouchard’s passenger, Eileen Ross of Newburgh, were taken by Fort Kent and Eagle Lake ambulances to Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent.   Ross was treated and then released, according to Pelletier, but Bouchard and Martin were taken by LifeFlight to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

The second accident happened two hours later on the same stretch of Route 11 when a delivery truck struck and killed a moose that stepped out in front of it.  The moose was the only casualty while the truck and driver both escaped any damage.

Whack-A-Moose in Maine

THE STATE OF MAINE has raised the speed limit on a 120-mile stretch of I-95 from the Canadian border down to  Bangor from 65 mph to 75, the highest in New England.  The new speed limit took effect in the first week of October and has serious implications on the mortality rate of auto vs. moose collisions.  WMTW-TV has the DETAILS.

Foreigner Shoots Famed Albino Moose

NORWAY INTERNATIONAL NETWORK REPORTS: 

Moose lovers were mourning the highly publicized loss (last) week of Norway’s near-legendary albino moose, killed by a Danish hunter who reportedly has few regrets. The moose wandered into his hunting area southeast of Oslo and he simply pulled the trigger.

Ole Frost was said to be unaware that the moose, nicknamed Albin, was popular and had been informally protected even by local hunting teams.

Frost, who had arrived for hunting in Norway on Monday, told Danish website bt.dk that he’d heard about a protected moose a few years ago but nothing recently. "So when I get it in my corner, I have just a few seconds to think about what I should do," he told bt.dk. "But I decided to shoot the moose and it’s a decision I stand by."

After hauling the carcass back to his workshop, Frost gave interviews to the curious press including TRK News who filed this video report HERE.

Albin had been protected, if only by loose agreement among Norwegian hunters, since first spotted in 2007. He was five years old and was technically not a true albino. Albin had gray eyes and a reddish mane.

A WOMAN IN BARRIE, ONTARIO, ARRIVED home to find a large crowd of her neighbors, police officers, and assorted news media gathered around her backyard fence where a young bull moose was thrashing about.  The Barrie Examiner continues:

Police were dispatched at about 7:15 a.m. and found the moose in Missen's yard at about 7:30 a.m. The constable on the scene called the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). She then tried to keep people quiet and away from the yard to prevent the moose from jumping or crashing through the fence to freedom.

The moose alternated between lying down and panting, and jogging around the yard and peering over the fence.

The MNR arrived at about 10:15 a.m. and officers shot the moose with a tranquilizer gun from the back yard.

Barrie Examiner

After an MNR officer was confident the moose was unconscious, it was blindfolded and its were legs tied. An officer removed the tranquilzer darts while police laid out a large green mesh tarp. Ten MNR and OPP officers lifted the approximately 900-pound animal onto the tarp and into the back of the MNR pickup truck.

It was taken away to be released back into the wild.

THE IDAHO STATE POLICE REPORTED on September 25 that two people were transported to the hospital with injuries caused when their truck rolled over after striking a moose on I-86 near Pocatello.

The Idaho State Journal tell us:  Idaho State Police Cpl. Chris Baker said the flatbed Dodge 2500 pickup, which has Montana plates, was eastbound on I-86 and had just passed the Highway 30 exit shortly after 8 p.m. when it was struck by the moose. The car (sic) then slid off the interstate into the median where it rolled once.

Idaho State Journal

Baker, who wasn’t the investigating officer, had few additional details. He did say, however that the same moose likely hit a car just a few minutes earlier in the same area. That car was not so severely damaged and the driver pulled off I-86 at the Chubbuck exit, making his way to the Walgreen’s parking lot where he called emergency services to report the incident.

The moose, which Baker estimates was a two- to three-year old male, was killed in the incident.

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Hat tips to Mark D. and Gnome Handler along with several loyal readers who alerted us to the swimming pool moose story.  Thanks!

You may catch up on previous Moose Chroncles HERE.

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Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: Moose Report • Tagged:

Arsonist Destroys Several Townhomes in Ontario

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High-Dollar Loss to Nearly-Completed Construction

FIREFIGHTERS IN AJAX, ONTARIO, WERE DISPATCHED Monday night to a major fire in a townhouse complex at 9:40 pm.

CP24 / Ethier

They found a large blaze that involved several units that were under construction in a complex that had many already-occupied homes.  CP24 News reported:

It took crews about 90 minutes to bring the blaze under control.  During that time, police evacuated a townhouse complex across the street as a precaution. About 20 people were forced from their homes.

Durham Regional Police said the construction project was nearing completion because the building was framed and shingles and windows were installed.

Global Toronto

Investigators are still working on getting evidence for the suspicious fire.  Six units were destroyed and six more had extensive damage.  The builder estimates the loss to be $2.5 million.  The fire marshal said that a completed firewall kept the blaze from spreading into another section.

CTV has a video report HERE. 

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Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fires • Tagged: , ,

Morning Lineup – October 12

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Wednesday – Approaching Fallen Firefighter Memorial Weekend

This coming weekend is the 30th annual tribute at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial site in Emmitsburg, Maryland.  As we have done in the past, Firegeezer will be live-streaming the Candlelight Service on Saturday night along with the impressive Memorial Service on Sunday when the firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2010 will be honored and their families recognized.

The Virtual Remembrance Banner is up and running now.  If you wish to post a thought or prayer for a firefighter who was an LODD in years past, then you can enter now and leave your message.  Or maybe you will just wish to read the touching tributes that are being left.  CLICK HERE to go directly to the Virtual Remembrance Banner page and read or post.  It’s a wonderful way for family, friends and others who can’t be in Emmitsburg to have a connection to the events.

Another program that is part of the tribute is the Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters that encourages the public to pause and remember the firefighters that we've lost.  This video explains the program that more fire departments and places of worship are signing up with every day:

 

Starting today and continuing through Sunday we will be posting more items and links connected with the weekend for your enlightenment.

Next we will have to pause and get this equipment checked out, though.  So while you get started on that, I will make sure we have plenty of coffee on hand before we meet back in the day room.

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Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged:

Siren Saboteur Hits Pennsylvania Town

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Sleep Well, Youngwood

THE WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, TOWN of Youngwood has a persistent vandal who has been disabling the fire department's house siren for the past month. 

At first the miscreant was pulling the wires that power the siren.  But when the fire chief put a padlock on the equipment box, the vandal then pulled out the telephone wire that carries the signal to trigger the alarm. Youngwood Fire Chief Lloyd Crago told WTAE-TV that he knows the 70-year-old siren is loud, but he also said it's a necessary part of keeping the community safe.

"Everybody relies on these sirens that notify us when we have a fire call or something going on in the borough," Crago said. "Once they hear the fire whistle blowing, they go to the fire station, 911 announces what kind of call it is and where we're going."

WTAE-TV then filed this video report on their visit to the fire department:

 

Chief Crago says that the siren cycles for about 90 to 100 seconds and  they get called out about 500 times a year.  That's an average of 1.4 blasts per day for a total of 130 seconds of beautiful siren sounds.  Firegeezer thinks claims of great disturbance are being exaggerated.

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Posted by on October 11, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fire-ology, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Off-Duty EMT Murdered While Trying to Help Assault Victims

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Breaking ….. Arrest  Announced This Morning

AN OFF-DUTY EMT WHO WAS AT HOME in Nashua, New Hampshire, Sunday was brutally stabbed to death when he went to the aid of two women who were being attacked by a knife-wielding passer-by.

Paul Frontiero III, 27, lived with his parents in an apartment house in Nashua and heard some commotion going on in front of the building around 10:30 pm.  Going outside to see what was happening, he saw two women who lived in the other apartment being accosted by a man with a knife.  He had already stabbed one woman and was holding the knife to the throat of the other when Frontiero interrupted the attack.  The assailant then turned on Frontiero and stabbed him repeatedly, killing him on the spot.

WMUR-TV photo

The man then jumped into a car being driven by a second man and sped away.  None of the people at the home knew the attackers who had just been passing by and apparently decided to create some mischief.

Frontiero was an EMT for EasCare ambulance service in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and was studying to become a paramedic.  All the neighbors described him as a fine and likeable man who was very friendly.  Many, including his family, said that he was devoted to helping other people.

The Nashua Telegraph has more details HERE.
WMUR-TV Ch. 9 has more plus video HERE.

Update:  Arrest Made – Announced Tuesday AM

A SUSPECT HAS BEEN CAPTURED IN Massachusetts overnight and is being held in Wareham pending his return to New Hampshire.  It is being reported by the Boston Herald:

Police in Wareham, Mass. say 19-year-old Matthew Packer of Nashua was found sleeping on a couch at a home in town at about 10:30 p.m. on Monday. He was arrested without incident. Local police had been tipped off that Packer was at the home.

Packer is scheduled to be arraigned on a fugitive from justice charge in Wareham District Court on Tuesday. He faces a second-degree murder charge in New Hampshire.

Matthew Packer

Thanks to Mark D. for assistance.

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Posted by on October 11, 2011 • Filed under: crime, EMS Topics, News • Tagged: , , ,

Regeneration Filters Still Fouling the Firetrucks

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Your (un)friendly EPA at work

THE SUBJECT OF REGENERATION FILTERS for diesel engines continues to dominate firetruck maintenance divisions across the country.  A full 18 months ago we saw a forceful and informative letter in STATter911 HERE from a Florida fire chief who was pleading with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency to waive the filter requirements for emergency services like they do for the military.

KGTV image

Since then, there have been many more calls for some relief from this onerous rule as firetrucks and ambulances are being suddenly shut down while on emergency calls and city shops are busting their budgets trying to maintain  the things.

Now the city of San Diego is going public too, and calling out their congressional delegation to do something as they have already had more than 350 breakdowns this year alone.  KGTV Ch. 10 ran this video report Monday:

 

While the calls for relief are mounting and our Congressmen are being peppered with complaints, the  EPA continues to ignore the impracticality of their scheme.  Firegeezer does not expect the EPA to alter their requirements, primarily because the current leaders of the agency have demonstrated that they are confirmed ideologues who are not concerned with the effects of their policies on municipalities.

We expect to be hearing even more of these sorts of stories as time goes by.

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Posted by on October 11, 2011 • Filed under: apparatus, Fire Rescue Topics, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Morning Lineup – October 11

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Tuesday Morning – Anything Missing?

Not only are all of the fire-rescue websites talking about it, but all of the major news providers throughout the country are now reporting on this bone-headed idea being floated in Camden County, Georgia, this week where the county commissioners are considering using prison inmates as firefighters.  You read that right.  This group of collective dunderheads wants to place two prison inmates in each of the county fire stations as a way to (ready for it?) "save money."  You see, this assorted group of felons will not be paid like a real firefighter, but will be given this opportunity to have a nicer way to serve their sentence.  Plus, since they are to be "on duty" continuously, each jailbird can take the place of three real firefighters.

One of the commissioners, Jimmy Starline said "I've been told these inmates are very enthusiastic about being a firefighter. It's an opportunity to break that cycle," he said. "This is not like a chain gang. Life at a fire station could be a whole lot more pleasant than life in jail."  That's right, these nitwits think that prisoners should be made more comfortable and their lives more pleasant, completely disregarding the idea that jail is supposed to be punishment.  Unfortunately for the citizens of Camden County, their lives will become a whole lot less pleasant while convicted thieves and drug addicts are allowed to roam around their homes where they can rummage through their cabinets and jewelry boxes, etc.

But wait! as the  voice in the informercial says, There's more!  According to the report filed by the Florida Times-Union and distributed nationally by the Associated Press, the inmates would have no guard, but would be monitored by a surveillance system and by the traditional (sic) firefighters, who would undergo training to guard the inmates.  I'd be willing to bet that the commissioners never took the time to ask the firefighters what they thought about this forced career change from firefighter to prison guard. 

This entire proposal is so ridiculous that I'm left sputtering trying to respond to it.  The Camden County official website has direct links to each of the five commissioners' email addresses HERE. 

We need get the direct link to our check sheets now and get this equipment checked out.  I'm going to go make some more coffee before someone steals the Bunn-O-Matic.  Head count will take place in the day room in a little while.

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Posted by on October 11, 2011 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged:

Return of the Poles

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(Not People From Poland)

RICHFIELD, MINNESOTA, FIRE DEPARTMENT is the latest in a slowly-growing movement back to using slide poles in firehouses.  As property in urban areas becomes more expensive and/or scarce, many jurisdictions are going back to building 2-story fire stations out of necessity and they need poles to connect the bunkrooms with the engine bays once again.

The City of Richfield has just built and moved into a new municipal center that contains the administrative offices and public services for the city as well as the police department and the main fire station/headquarters.  Richfield increased its office space by replacing the old, 1-story municipal center with a new 2-story city hall.  And the fire station was no exception, thus the re-admission of pole practice.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, in an article about the new firehouse, wrote:

Richfield's new fire station replaces one that didn't have poles, and newer stations in Minneapolis and St. Paul also have fire poles. Six of Minneapolis' 19 stations have poles.

Richfield firefighters are delighted with the poles in their new station, which is part of the new City Hall-police station complex on Portland Avenue and 67th Street. "There's a lot of … pride in being a station with a pole," Fire Chief Wayne Kewitsch said.

But it is practicality that is keeping the fire pole alive. Richfield's building site was too tight for a single-story firehouse. The city talked with its insurer and decided to go with poles because the station stairs have their own dangers, with two turns to get to the first floor.

Richfield Patch / Burgess photo

"It's a revival business," said Arthur Anthony, owner of the nation's only remaining major maker of the poles, McIntire Brass Works of Somerville, Mass. "They went out of favor for a while because, west of the Mississippi, they built all one-story stations. … Now, roughly 75 percent of our business is west of the Mississippi."

Richfield bought its 30-foot poles from McIntire at a cost of $6,700 each, installed. The firm sells brass and stainless steel poles, a big improvement from the waxed hickory poles first used in Chicago in the 1870s.

There's a four- to five-month wait for McIntire's poles, which are selling in places like Qatar, Thailand, Ireland and Micronesia, he said. While the demand is great for business, the poles last forever. If another company entered the field, he said, "we'd both be starving."

You can read the entire article about the poles returning to Richfield HERE.
Richfield Fire Department WEBSITE.
McIntire Brass Works Slide Poles WEBSITE.

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Posted by on October 10, 2011 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations • Tagged: , , ,

Fire Captain Dies While Running Chicago Marathon

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Had Not Yet Reached the Finish Line

A GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, FIRE CAPTAIN William "Will" Caviness died Sunday after he collapsed while running in the Chicago Marathon.  He was 35 years old.  The Greensboro News-Record states further:  According to the Chicago Marathon's web site, Caviness was on target for a time of three hour and five minutes, a result that would've been fast enough by 10 minutes to qualify the 35-year-old to enter the Boston Marathon.  Caviness posted a time of 3:17:26 in the Outer Banks Marathon in November 2010, placing 62nd in a field of more than 1,600 finishers.

A year ago on this same weekend, Caviness completed Greensboro's Cannonball Run half-marathon in one hour, 34 minutes and 38 seconds, finishing 28th of 418 runners. His time was three minutes faster than in the same event in 2009. And Caviness raced the five-mile Beerun in March in 32:28, an effort that was nearly eight minutes faster than he ran it in 2010.

He was using his multiple-marathon efforts to raise money for the IAFF Burn Foundation, running in several marathons each year.

Capt. Caviness was approx. 1/4-mile shy of the finish line when he collapsed.  The Chicago marathon's medical director, Dr. George Chiampas says that studies show that marathon deaths tend to occur at or near the finish line.  This probably explains why they were able to get five emergency physicians to Caviness' side within moments.  He was in arrest when they got to him and they were able to re-establish a pulse before transport.  Unfortunately he passed away one-hour and 45 minutes later at the hospital.

The IAFF issued the following press release Sunday night:

It is with deepest regret and sorrow that the IAFF reports the death of Captain William Caviness, a member of Greensboro, NC Local 947. Brother Caviness, 35, died suddenly today while running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on behalf of the IAFF Foundation’s Burn Fund Fitness Team.

For the second consecutive year, the IAFF Foundation’s Burn Fund Fitness Team was competing in the marathon to raise awareness and funds for fire and burn prevention education, advocacy, burn research and to improve the quality of life for burn survivors. Caviness had raised about $2,500 before the race, and donations continue to roll in after news of his death.

IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger says, "On behalf of the 300,000 members of the IAFF, I extend our deepest condolences to the Caviness family. Brother Caviness was giving beyond his call to duty by supporting the IAFF Foundation’s Burn Fund. Throughout his career, Brother Caviness showed the true spirit of giving, especially helping those who needed it the most."

"We're just heartbroken," Dave Coker, president of Local 967, told the Chicago Tribune. "Will was a competent company officer, a good father, a good husband and he spent his free time raising money for burn survivors."

WXII-TV Ch. 12 Greensboro posted this video report:

 

An autopsy is scheduled for today to seek the cause of his death.

The Greensboro News-Record has the detailed REPORT.

Firefighters at Station 14 set up this memorial in the station lobby

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Posted by on October 10, 2011 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Netflix Net-flips

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Partial Retreat After 3 Weeks of Customer Storm

IN A QUICK AND FIRM TURNABOUT, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced this morning that Qwikster, the dvd-by-mail replacement, is now Gone-ster.  The disastrous decision to create a separate entity for their mail-order arm that would require their customers to have two separate accounts and billing cycles has been reversed effective immdiately.  Now everything is back to one account under the Netflix name again.

Qwikster Curtain Quickly Closes

The hastily concocted scheme not only infuriated their existing customer base, but more telling was a sudden 25% drop in their stock value.

The new pricing scheme for the separate services will remain in place however.  That amounted to a 60% price increase for some of their customers and began the public relations backlash that still continues.

Read the full story and view Hastings' video announcement in the Wall Street Journal HERE.

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Posted by on October 10, 2011 • Filed under: current events, News, technology • Tagged: ,