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The Heart and Soul of the Pontiac Fire Department

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Godspeed to the members of the Pontiac, Michigan, Fire Department

April 23, 1883 – January 31, 2012

After nearly 180 years, "Pontiac Fire Department" will no longer be the name on the side to the engines or on the front of the Stations, but it will be the name that every pontiac fire fighter past and present will never forget because it is in our heart and soul.

Once a pontiac fire fighter always a pontiac fire fighter.

http://youtu.be/CL8MHzpSTPE

Pontiac Fire Department's Last Day

PONTIAC (WXYZ) – A lot of history hangs in the halls of Pontiac’s main fire station. Pictures showcase the brave men who risk their lives daily for their community.

Tuesday, a photographer documented the last day the building will be running as part of the Pontiac Fire Department.

Wednesday morning, the Waterford Fire Department will take over and respond to calls in the city of Pontiac. A decision made by an Emergency Manager to cut costs.

Read more of Tara Edwards article HERE

History of the Pontiac Fire Department

http://youtu.be/noBc9aC-G-w

According to the agreement, the top 13 Pontiac firefighters will be granted the opportunity to take early retirement rather than working until their 25th year. The 44 remaining firefighters are eligible for employment with Waterford Township. The city of Pontiac will grant them one-time bonuses of up to $15,000.

Leslie Shepard (2012 January 4) Pontiac firefighters accept Waterford service pact. SpinalColumn

There were 57 Pontiac firefighters. Tara Edward's article today stated that 42 firefighters got jobs at Waterford.

In the FY 2009 – 2010 budget there were 103 approved positions, shrinking to 80 positions in the FY 2010 – 2011 budget. 22 of the 23 positions eliminated were firefighters.

In 2010 the city police department was disbanded, replaced with Oakland County sheriffs.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on January 31, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , ,

Pennsylvania Paramedic Attacked by Shovel-Swinger

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Alcohol Was Involved

A FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AMBULANCE CREW had a harrowing moment Sunday night when they were suddenly attacked by a man wielding a shovel.  The two EMT's were at the door of an apartment in Bullskin waiting to be let in for a heart condition call.  While they were still in the hallway, a man charged out from another unit and began threatening them and saying he was going to get a gun and shoot them.

The EMT talks to a reporter from WTAE-TV

The attacker then grabbed a shovel that was leaning against the hallway wall and started to swing it at the EMT's.  By then they were able to gain access into the apartment where they closed the door and called for police assistance.  When they arrived, the police had to physically restrain the man who strongly smelled of alcohol.

Robert Shaner, 58, of Connellsville was arrested and charged with aggravated assault,  terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, harassment and public drunkenness.

The Daily Courier has the STORY.
WPXI has more details HERE.
WTAE-TV interviews the EMT in this VIDEO REPORT.

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Posted by on January 31, 2012 • Filed under: crime, EMS Topics, health & safety • Tagged: ,

Industrial Fire Raging in London

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Extent of Area Involved Not Yet Known

A LARGE, SMOKY FIRE IN A WEST LONDON, England, industrial center is still burning.  The fire in the the Shepherd's Bush section of the city is burning through a former dairy complex that is now filled with multiple occupancies.  The smoke from the fire can be seen throughout the entire, large city.

BBC News

The fire brigade, concerned with the strong probablility of compressed gas cylinders being exposed, has set up a safety cordon around the area.

The fire was dispatched at 9:35 GMT Tuesday morning and has 15 engines and 75 firefighters on the scene.  The UK Press Association reports:

Station manager Rod Horton, who is at the scene, said: "The fire is affecting a range of industrial buildings on the dairy site. It's a challenging and developing incident at the moment and we're likely to be at the scene for some time."

An ambulance and a hazardous area response team is in attendance but a London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said no-one has been reported hurt. More than 100 people have been evacuated from the Unigate factory complex, according to a local petrol station worker Rashid Ansari.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known. A spokeswoman for Dairycrest said the company sold the building in 2002, but she did not know who bought it.

The incident is still working at the time of this posting.

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Posted by on January 31, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fires • Tagged: ,

Drug Rehab Center Owner Charged With Murder in Peru

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Facility Was Unlicensed

THE OWNER OF THE "CHRIST IS LOVE" DRUG REHAB center that burned down Saturday has been arrested.  The fire that consumed the entire 3-story building killed 27 patients and injured many more.  Firegeezer reported on the deadly blaze last Saturday HERE.  Raul Garcia, who's son perished in the blaze, and his assistant turned themselves over to the police Sunday.  The court has issued warrants for two more men who were in charge of the facility's security.

AP

The police say that the clinic was unlicensed, had no fire extinguishers and no escape routes or fire exits.  BBC News tells,

The few survivors of the fire said they were locked inside the centre when the fire broke out.

Before handing himself in to police, Mr Garcia told journalists that he was innocent and that the clinic was a "house of God". The centre used Biblical teachings to treat dozens of people suffering from alcohol and drug addiction.

Officials are also investigating whether recovering addicts were held at the centre against their will or subjected to abuse.

Lima's fire chief said that the FD had to punch holes through the walls from a neighboring building to get to some of the trapped survivors and the heavy iron gates at the entrance had to be cut open with large power saws.

Nuevo Ojo

Despite the size of cities like Lima, the capital city with a metro-area population of 8-½ million, all of the fire departments in the entire country are all-volunteer and notoriously underfunded.

The Associated Press has MORE.

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Posted by on January 31, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, investigations • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – January 31

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Tuesday Morning – Who-ray?

Granted, my circle of friends and acquaintences is not at all representative of the population at large.  In fact, it's not representative of anything.  But within my limited scope, I do not know of anybody who has switched their dvd purchases and viewing over to the Blu-ray format.  This grand refinement of video disc entertainment was supposed to launch the world into super-enjoyment of videos that match the quality abilities of the new HDTV, or Hi-Def television sets.  But I don't see where "the world" has knuckled under like a bunch of sheeple to the crafty sales ploys of the video entertainment industry.

You see all the ads for the enhanced video discs, and many tv retailers are conveniently tossing in a free Blu-ray video disc player with a tv purchase.  Just what it this Blu-ray thingy anyway?  Well, Blu-ray.com (of course!) explains in simple language:

Blu-ray, (not Blue-ray) also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a new optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson). The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity combined with the use of advanced video and audio codecs will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.

While current optical disc technologies such as DVD, DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM rely on a red laser to read and write data, the new format uses a blue-violet laser instead, hence the name Blu-ray. Despite the different type of lasers used, Blu-ray products can easily be made backwards compatible with CDs and DVDs through the use of a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical pickup unit. The benefit of using a blue-violet laser (405nm) is that it has a shorter wavelength than a red laser (650nm), which makes it possible to focus the laser spot with even greater precision. This allows data to be packed more tightly and stored in less space, so it's possible to fit more data on the disc even though it's the same size as a CD/DVD.

Blu-ray is currently supported by about 200 of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer, recording media, video game and music companies. The format also has support from all Hollywood studios and countless smaller studios as a successor to today's DVD format.

Wow!  With all that firepower behind them, why haven't we all rolled over and accepted this magnificent advance of televiewing pleasure?  I don't know about you, but for me the slightly (yes, slightly) improved sharpness of the HD picture just isn't worth the significantly-greater cost of the Blu-ray dvd's over the standard models.  It's not like the disc sellers are adding an extra buck or two to the price, but they are jacking them up by 25% or more.  I realize that there are movie afficianados out there who truly enjoy any little bit of refinement to the picture of their $5,000 tv set, but I am watching purely for some plain entertainment and a good story.  And I get all that just fine now, thank you.

What about you?  Have you joined the Blu-ray club yet?  Do you know anyone who has?  Am I just out in left field here?  Inquiring minds want to know.

We'd better switch from Blu-ray to Roto-ray now and get this equipment checked out.  I am going to get some more hi-def coffee brewing before we head back to the day room.

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From Amazon:  30% Markdowns and
more on Blu-ray dvd players

Including Wi-Fi models.  CLICK HERE to see the wide selection.

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Posted by on January 31, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged:

Arizona Ka-Boom Destroys Two Homes

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Police Quickly Class it Suspicious

A DEVASTATING EXPLOSION LEVELED A CHANDLER, Arizona, house late Sunday night and caused enough damage to the home next door that it was destroyed also.

KTVK / AzAce

The withering blast that was felt up to two miles away immediately pulverized the house that had nobody in it at the time.  The resident who was not at home was located later this morning and he confirmed that there should be nobody in the house or its debris.

The police soon declared that the incident was "suspicious" based on some early evidence that they had, coupled with the fact that the home did not have any sort of gas service to it.

KTVK / Roscoe

AZCentral News filed this video report from the scene:

 

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KTVK

Phoenix Channel 3 has filed this updated report just before 1 pm Eastern:

 

A full investigation is underway including agents from ATF.  Already the investigators are telling the press that the explosion was intentional and not an accident.

KTVK-TV has more details, videos and a photo gallery HERE.

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Posted by on January 30, 2012 • Filed under: explosion, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,

B shifter quarterly starts second year

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Volume 2, Issue 1, hits the intertubes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Blue Card Subscribers:

Check out B Shifter’s latest installment at http://bshifter.com/SelectMagazines.aspx.

Our latest installment features Joe Starnes discussing flashover causes and prevention. Some firefighting friends from Oz talk about the Australian fire service—complete with a lessons-learned tale of communications gone wrong. Bruno introduces two new reader-response columns, and Vincent Dunn discusses fire-supression techniques in single-family residences. Lots of free downloads! Take a look!

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on January 30, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, News, Training, Training & Development, Urban Commander • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Firehouse Burglar Nabbed Within Hours

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Still Another Good Reason to Put
Your Company Markings on Your Gear

PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE ARRESTED a man and charged him with burglarizing an Adams County fire station Saturday just a few hours after the theft was discovered.

Aspers Fire Company photo

The police were called to the Aspers Fire Company in Menallen Township at 5 pm Saturday to take a report for a break-in and theft of several valuable items from the firehouse.  The York Daily Record tells us:

Once there, they discovered that someone had pried back the metal siding to the rear of the building, then cut through some drywall in order to get inside.

Numerous items were taken from the fire company, including a snow blower, ladders, aluminum collars and nozzles, a computer, printer, scanner, air tools, EMT bags, an oxygen bag, and hand tools, police said.

A short time later, Trooper George Weis was canvassing a neighborhood nearby to look for possible witnesses when he spotted two aluminum ladders at the rear of a home in the first block of Aspers Road North. A representative of the fire company was called to the scene and identified the ladders through markings on the them as belonging to the fire company.

They obtained a search warrant for the house and inside found all the rest of the items that had been stolen.  They then arrested Timothy Moody, 41, and charged him with receiving stolen property.  He was arraigned and jailed Saturday night and is still being held on bond.

Hat tip to Radical Ron

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Posted by on January 30, 2012 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations • Tagged: , , ,

Product Review – Shelby Flex Tuff Glove

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Firegeezer is collaborating with TheFireStore to have
firefighters in the field test and review products found in their catalogue
and then publishing the reviews here and in TheFireStore's
own fine blog, On Scene, which is posted several times each week

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Today we are reviewing the Shelby 5291 FLEX – TUFF Structural Glove.  Sgt. Matthew King of the Stafford County, Virginia, Fire & Rescue Department has been testing them for over a month and tells us what he thinks about them:

I was asked to wear and review the new Shelby Flex-Tuff Gloves. The gloves I tested were size small and fit me appropriately. I was able to wear these gloves during both operational settings and training evolutions. I have been using the gloves for about a month and have worn them under a number of conditions while performing a range of fire fighting skills. Overall I was very pleased with these gloves and would recommend them to anybody interested in trying something new.

 

The dexterity that I have while using these gloves is much greater than others I have worn to include the Shelby style 5228’s that I was previously issued. The “Trigger Finger” design coupled with the separately stitched thumb allow for excellent control when dealing with fine motor operations. This was perhaps most evident in training that I was able to participate in on Mayday/RIT operations. I was able to easily feel all components of the tools I was working with which was vital as I was training in no visibility conditions.

Overall the protection these gloves offer from heat seems to be top notch. I was able to utilize these gloves on a few scenarios where there was active fire and they held up very well. I was not however able to test these gloves under extreme heat conditions such as a large structure fire and hence cannot speak for their prolonged heat resistance capabilities. With that said however, the fires I encountered did no damage to the gloves and their design remained true.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked assets to a good pair of gloves is the ease of donning and doffing. These gloves were a gem. I was able to not only put the gloves on quickly but also remove them easily should the need ever arise for such an instance. This was true for both dry and wet conditions. I was most impressed by this fact when I donned the gloves when dealing with a L.P. Gas emergency. I was working under a blanket of water and my gloves got soaked. This did not affect the wearability of these gloves at all. Nor did it affect the inner liner as is commonly seen in fire gloves.

An additional perk to these gloves is the leather backing. I don’t know if it was by design or not but it is very easy to clean and helps to keep toxins away from your face. This is especially true in my case as I tend to wipe my face a lot out of habit. In fact after wiping the gloves down after our L.P. Gas emergency I could not even detect an odor from the gloves. This is especially nice as nowadays we tend to face fires that involve some pretty nasty substances.

For a number of reasons I have already discussed including dexterity, protection and wear, these gloves are very good. While the Flex-Tuff designed gloves do cost more, I believe that the difference in price is more than made up with the benefits of the glove. As such I would again stress my recommendation of these gloves to those looking for something more than their “normal” firefighting gloves.

……Sgt. Matthew King, Engine 9
Stafford County Fire & Rescue

For more information on the Shelby Flex-Tuff Structural Glove, and to order a pair from TheFireStore, CLICK HERE to go to their catalogue page.

To follow their blog On Scene, CLICK HERE.

Stafford County Fire & Rescue WEBSITE.

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Posted by on January 30, 2012 • Filed under: Product Reviews • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – January 30

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Monday Morning – Into the Wild Blue Yonder…

I have to start off this week with another personal announcement involving close family members, but I'm sure that you don't mind.  While I am writing this, my #2 grandson Colin is getting lined up with a batch of other young men down in Ft. Lee, Virginia, where they will all raise their right hands and be sworn into the U. S. Air Force.  Yesterday was his last shot at "sleeping in" until 10 or 11 am, so he took advantage of it.  Last evening he had to report to a hotel in Richmond where many of the recruits were gathering to stay the night (on your dime, by the way) and then bused this morning down to the army post in Petersburg. 

After this morning's  swearing-in procedure, they will have a minute to tell their parents good-bye before boarding a plane to fly down to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.  That is where the Air Force's only basic training school is located.  I didn't know that before last week.

Sayin' our good-byes on Thursday.  Yeah, he's
a big kid…. I'm 6-ft. tall.

Times have really changed in military recruitment over the years.  When I was Colin's age, if you wanted to join up you went to the recruiting station where the non-com cheerfully gave you a simple aptitude test to take, then graded it while you waited.  If you passed the test – an almost certainty – then you were given 24 hours to go home, tell your Mom what you've gone and done, then pack your things and get back to the recruiting station to be sent on your way to drill sergeant hell.  By contrast, Colin spent slightly more than a year getting the ok-to-go orders.  All kinds of tests, 3 or 4 interviews, medicals, background checks, on and on.  I guess that's partly due to a tight job market creating more than enough applicants, so the AF can be choosey.

Anyway, I'm glad he finally got in.  He's been after this for a long time.  He's got four years to think about it now.

 

And we had better think about getting our own equipment checked out now before we have to take off.  I'm heading for the Bunn-O-Matic to make sure we have plenty of good coffee.  See you later in the digital day room.

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Posted by on January 30, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged:

One month in Bladensburg

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When does William study?

William Patelis, a University of Maryland student and a live-firefighter at the Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department, posted a picture from the station's status board on FaceBook last night:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the help of Chief Randy Kuenzli, got the rest of the details of the first 28 days of 2012:

  • 235 ambulance runs
  • 154 Engine runs
  • 71 Truck Runs
  • 8 structure fires

Bladensburg 8 is one of the all-volunteer staffed fire stations in Prince George's County, Maryland, providing engine, truck and ambulance service since November 2004.

Bladensburg was an early provider of community ambulance service. "Rescue Squad 1" has been part of the department since 1927.

 

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on January 29, 2012 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Urban Commander, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Florida Brush Fire Smoke Leads To Multiple Highway Deaths

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Fiery Crashes Kill at Least 10

A MIXTURE OF MORNING FOG AND SMOKE FROM A BRUSH FIRE caused zero-visibility conditions on I-75 south of Gainesville, Florida, Sunday morning.  Within minutes after 3:30 am a series of chain collisions began in both the northbound and southbound lanes of the Interstate highway with many of the vehicles catching on fire and burning up. 

Gainesville Sun

The Associated Press tells:

Steven R. Camps, 23, of Gainesville, said traffic stopped along the northbound lanes because of heavy smoke and fog. "You couldn't see anything. People were pulling off the road," he said.

Camps said he and his friend began talking to a man in the car stopped next to them about the road conditions, when another vehicle hit the man's car.  Camps said the man's vehicle was crushed under a semi-truck stopped in front of them. Camps said his car was hit twice, but he and his friend were able to jump out. They took cover in the grass on the shoulder of the road.

"You could hear cars hitting each other. People were crying. People were screaming. It was crazy," he said. "If I could give you an idea of what it looked like, I would say it looked like the end of world."

Gainesville Sun

He said cars and trucks were on fire and they could hear explosions as the vehicles burned.

"It was happening on both sides of the road, so there was nowhere to go. It blew my mind," he said. "It was like a war zone. It literally looked like someone was picking up cars and throwing them."

Gainsville Sun

The State Police told the press that when the first police, fire and EMS units began arriving, the smoke was so thick that they had to proceed on foot and head toward the moans and screams of the victims to locate them.

Fox News reports that photographs of the scene revealed a gruesome aftermath, with twisted, burned-out vehicles scattered across the pavement and smoke still rising above the wreckage. Cars appeared to have smashed into the big rigs and, in one case, a motor home. Some cars were crushed beneath the heavier trucks.

Reporters who were allowed to view the site saw one tractor-trailer that was burned down to its skeleton, charred pages of books and magazines in its cargo area. Bodies were still visible inside a burned-out Grand Prix. The rubber on the tires of every vehicle had burned away, leaving only steel belts.

Gainesville Sun

State police estimated that wreckage was strewn for nearly a mile in both directions.

The Gainesville Sun has the story and a 67-image photo gallery HERE.

Fox News provided some raw video of the aftermath:

 

Several dead in multiple crashes on I-75: MyFoxORLANDO.com

Hat tip to Mark D.

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Posted by on January 29, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, rescue, Rescues • Tagged: , ,

Elderly Woman Dies in Fire Engine Collision

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Drove Into Fire Engine's Path

AN 80-YR.-OLD WOMAN WAS KILLED SATURDAY when her car was struck broadside by Denver, Colorado, Engine 22 as it was responding to a house fire.

KMGH-TV image

Witnesses all told police that same story, that the firetruck had the green light at the intersection and was traveling at a reduced speed when the woman drove through her red light and directly into the engine's path.  The engine's driver had no chance to avoid the collision and struck the car right at the driver's door.

KDVR-TV image

The fire engine pushed the car about 30 yards along the street and clipped two other cars along the way.  The firefighters immediately went to the aid of the woman who had to be extricated before they could begin CPR on her.  Unfortunately she arrived at the hospital DOA and was pronounced there.  None of the passengers in the other two cars were injured.

9News posted this video report from the scene:

 

KMGH-TV has the details HERE.

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Posted by on January 29, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, rescue, Rescues, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Distraught Man Crashes Truck Into Loading Bay, Starts Fires in Warehouse in Illinois

2 comments

Building's Sprinklers Saved the Business

A TROUBLED TRUCK DRIVER CRASHED HIS RIG through a bay door at his company's headquarters in Edwardsville, Illinois, early Saturday morning where he then started several fires while brandishing a handgun.  During his exploit he held several dozens of police officers and SWAT team at bay for about ten hours before he turned the gun on himself and commited suicide.

The business is the Schneider National Operating/Training Center, the training facility for the large, national trucking company.

Google Satellite View of the Schneider National Trucking facility

The Alton Telegraph reports:

At about 2:08 a.m. Saturday, (Roger) Adams, 51, drove his rig onto the parking lot of Schneider-National and crashed into a loading dock area. The initial crash set off fire alarms at the business, which sparked a massive response by dozens of fire and police personnel across Madison County.

The truck's cab suffered fire damage, as did the exterior of the loading dock. Police said Adams set the cab on fire with an accelerant, which set off a fire alarm and activated the garage area's sprinkler system.

Adams set three fires in an office area of the business, police said. The sprinkler system extinguished the fires, police said.

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According to an Edwardsville Police Department press release, at 11:50 a.m. officers used tear gas to get Adams to surrender, and a short time after the gas was released Adams shot himself in the head with a small-caliber handgun after telling police of his intent to shoot himself.

After hearing the gunshot, the ILEAS task force secured the scene and paramedics tended to Adams.

KMOV-TV filed this good video report from the scene:

 

During the extended seige, police visited Adams' house where they found grafitti painted on his door and wall, along with a small fire in the back yard that had burned out.

A large fire-rescue task force was assemble near the site along with a haz-mat team and were held on standby for the 10 hours duration.  A special negotiator was brought in to talk with Adams, but the driver decided to shoot himself in the head with his small-calibre pistol.  The paramedics worked on him and kept him alive until they could get Adams on a helicopter when he was flown to a St. Louis hospital where, at last report, he is on a life-support system.

The Alton Telegraph has a good, detailed description of the entire incident HERE.

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Posted by on January 29, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Some Sunday Morning Silliness

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Introducing KA-BOOM Ball !
Some Sunday Morning Silliness ©

MY SON RECENTLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE TWO TEAMS facing each other in the upcoming Superbowl, saying that the last time these two played, the ratings were near record lows for the Superbowl.

In other sporting events, things have gotten so bad, that promoters have even tried near-nudity to bring the fans into their taxpayer provided stadiums and arenas. The Lingerie Football League is steadily growing in attendance thanks to us pervs, but other sports have begun to wane in attendance. 

Lingerie Football League photo

Well I think I can fix that with just a little bit more work. Let's face reality. Many people watch stock car racing not for the race…but for the CRASHES!

It's a fact of human nature that we are inexplicably drawn to images of death and disaster. That's why so many TV shows now feature disaster footage and themes. They know you will watch. News shows lead off with the latest video just in from some God-forsaken place that just got hit by earthquake, volcanic eruptions or tornado….Why? Because you watch!  YouTube videos that feature explosions, stupid people and car crashes are among the top draws there.  Why? Because you watch!  So let's take advantage of that urge.

I propose that the powers-that-be in each of the respective professional sports replace the ball, puck or object used in the game with one that will at some point in the game….explode. Nothing huge, just enough to get your attention…and remove nearby body parts of the slow or unlucky.

The explosion has to be totally random so that there is an even chance that it will explode while no one is around it, or go off while the highest paid player is holding it.

This will accomplish several things:

* People will tune in to see if someone gets killed or maimed this week.* It will help thin out the herd of pampered, spoiled and waaaaaaay overpaid players, making way for the new and upcoming players with potential and motivation.

* We the fans will get to see just who really wants to play and who is just there for the pay check.

* It will be a financial shot in the arm for prosthetics manufacturers, physical therapy specialists, funeral homes and collectible sports cards makers, who will be busy constantly issuing new cards for all the new players and memorial cards for those who were slow on the draw.

* It will generate lots of new jobs and immediately start a whole new industry making exploding sports equipment!

As technology progresses, we could eventually eliminate the yellow penalty flag used in football with player-worn taser belts. Next time a linesman goes off sides, we all get to see the real punishment, not just some lame 10 yard penalty. BZZZZZZZZZZZZ YAH!!!!!!!

I can imagine the play-by-play now…..Jones throws a long bomb ….Richards is in the clear near the 5-yard line….OH NO! Richards and 2 of the CowboyS defenders have disappeared in a KA-BOOM penalty detonation!

You see? I have answers to all of the world's problems but no one asks me!

Reprinted from the Gnome Handler Steve Marshall's e-newspaper Meadville Live.

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Posted by on January 29, 2012 • Filed under: culture, fun • Tagged:

Morning Lineup – January 29

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Sunday Morning – What's On TV?

It looks like the television people are going to give it another go with a new firefighter-based show.  What with Rescue Me being allowed to expire as it degenerated into a daytime soap storyline, NBC has looked at it as an opening for a replacement.  Apparently the TV masterminds believe that there is only room for one hunky firefighter show at a time.

This past Monday the Peacock Network announced that they had picked up the option for a new series following a proposal by the producers and have ordered a pilot episode to be produced under the title Chicago Fire (how original).  The publicity office tells us, "This action-driven drama explores the complex and heroic men and women of the Chicago Fire Dept."  Wow!

This one might have some promise, though.  This new series is being produced by Dick Wolf, a well-regarded producer who gave us the Miami Vice series and the four Law & Order series that were all successful.  Both the pilot and the series (if it's picked up) will be filmed completely in Chicago.

Let's all hope that it turns out to be a lot better than that recent San Francisco paramedic series that crashed almost every night it was run.  Jack Webb showed a long time ago that the best way to be successful with police and fire dramas is to stick to reality with the people and story lines.

Let's stick with our own storyline now and get the equipment checked out.  I'm going to see how the Sunday breakfast is coming along and then start some more coffee.

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Posted by on January 29, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: , , ,

High Death Count in Lima, Peru, Clinic Fire

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At Least 26 Deaths So Far

A FIRE IN A DRUG REHABILITATION CLINIC IN LIMA, PERU, Saturday morning has claimed more than two dozen lives with 10 known injuries.

RPP TV

The fire began around 9 am local time when the 40 patients were in their rooms eating breakfast at the God Is Love clinic.  All of the doors to the facility were locked and they were trapped inside as the fire raced through the clinic located in a densely-populated area of the capital city.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known, but officials were saying that they believe it started in a mattress in a 2nd-floor room.

Nuevo Ojo

Local sources say that the God is Love clinic seeks to treat drug addicts through Biblical teachings.

Diario Correo reports further:

Witnesses say that the fire was started when one of the patients set fire to a mattress during a brawl in the rooms.  Most of the injured were suffering from major burns, many fatally.

More than 15 volunteer fire companies were on the scene fighting the blaze.

There is not further information currently.  The fire scene is still working and investigation is just beginning.

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Posted by on January 28, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fires • Tagged: , , ,

Promotional Opportunities

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Child Porn Claims Another One

A HOUSTON, TEXAS, FIRE CAPTAIN HAS RESIGNED following his arrest and incarceration for possessing child pornography and "inappropriate online contact" with an underage girl.

Saul A. Fiszer

Saul Fiszer, 49, was arrested earlier this week and placed on leave.  He has been with the HFD for 18 years but volunteered to resign on Friday.  He has been in jail since Tuesday on $20,000 bond that apparently nobody is willing to post for him.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

On Jan. 10, Fiszer's wife found a frequently called number on his cellphone, according to court records. Posing as him, she began texting the number.

Fiszer's wife "found that the person texting her from the cellphone was a 14-year-old female who resided in Casper, Wyo., and referred to Fiszer as 'Daddy,' " the records state.

Confronted by his wife, Fiszer "admitted to her that he had been chatting online and trading pictures" with the teen, according to records.

Fiszer told police that he tried to kill himself by running a hose into his vehicle from its exhaust, but the suicide attempt failed when he ran out of gas.

Houston police confiscated Fiszer's laptop and media storage devices that held pornographic images and a video of children, investigators said. Officials said they found at least 450 images of child pornography.

KTRK-TV adds:

Fiszer's wife told investigators that she contacted the girl's parents as well as police in Wyoming to report the incident. Police there confiscated the girl's cell phone.

According to court documents, Fiszer's wife confronted him about the girl and she said he admitted to her that he had been chatting online and exchanging lewd pictures with the girl. The wife also told authorities that she had previously destroyed Fiszer's old laptop after she discovered he had been chatting with other women on the internet.

KTRK also filed this video report:

 

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Posted by on January 28, 2012 • Filed under: crime, current events, labor, News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

No more seasonal employees at da’ Shore

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A summer resort town grows up

A cryptic post in TheWatchDesk (TWD) indicates the end of an Eastern Shore tradition.

 

 

 

 

 

This is first post from 73fire74. TWD is more known for busting chops than breaking news, but ….

No announcement posted on the city's employment page. 

We posted last year's job annoucement on January 5. (Mark Brady, PGFD PIO, took this surf rescue picture while off-duty.)

Work at 'da Shore

The town has been growing, and the combined efforts of the volunteers and career fire-ems seem to result in significant growth of the department.

New station and new rigs

A new Station 5 replaced a garage-with-a-toilet in West Ocean City, dedicated in September 2011.

 

 

 

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Two KME Predator pumpers were delivered in December:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New Engine 2 and Engine 1 (OC announcement).

These rigs join the 2009 KME's assigned to Engine 16 and Engine 4.

There also is a fireboat under construction, a first for the town.

Pretty cool!

Mike "Fossilmedic" Ward, a seasonal employee in 1974.

A "back in the day" reflection in  Beach Patrol First Responders (August 21. 2007)

Correction: The 2011 surf rescue picture was taken by PGFD PIO Mark Brady, picked up by WUSA9 for article. Thanks to Dave Statter for keeping me accurate! Other pictures from OCVFD website.

Posted by on January 28, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, EMS Topics, Funding & Staffing, News, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Morning Lineup – January 28

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Saturday Morning

I have some insider-news from the blogging world to share with you this morning.  One of our fire blog colleagues in Germany, Irakli West has revised and refreshed his widely-read blog that was formerly known as FW Netz.  Yes, it's a German-language publication, so it wasn't nearly as widely read in the  Western Hemisphere as it was over there.  But Firegeezer has had a casual relationship with Irakli's site ever since went online nearly five years ago.

I don't remember how or why we first came in contact with each other, but it was shortly after I started publishing.  Irakli reads and writes English, so we had some emailing back and forth and he graciously provided me with some of his postings re-written in English for my readers.  Over the years we have linked to each other's stories that are of universal interest and thus widened our offerings to our respective readers.  About a year later, maybe a little sooner, Irakli expanded his blog into more of a magazine format including non-news articles, training videos and more of a variety of topics.

This past August the FWNetz site took a breather while Irakli took a sabbatical of sorts and stepped away to rest up.  He has now returned online with a new look and a more basic format that resembles his initial blog purpose.  While the area of coverage has been whittled back, he expects the news and information postings will be expanded and will allow for more opinionated articles along with the usual news items.  He intends to continue with training articles, too.  His small group of contributors remains including one that you are familiar with by now, Christian Lewalter who serves as our liaison and keeps us informed of what's going on in their neighborhood.  And the name has been changed to Feuerwehr Weblog.  FW Netz is no more.

The web address has been changed, too.  If you like to read the German language sites and you had FWNetz in your Favorites file, then be sure to change it to the new URL:  http://www.feuerwehr-weblog.org/

And join the Geezerguys in giving our friends a warm "Welcome Back."

Now let's welcome back our checksheet clipboards and get this equipment checked out for today.  I need to get some more coffee going, so I'll see you back in the digital day room in a little while.

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Posted by on January 28, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: , , ,

Downtown Fire in France

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Challenging Fire Due to Building Conditions

A major fire broke out in the main shopping center in downtown Annecy, France, on Tuesday afternoon around 3:30 pm.

Le Dauphine

The fire began in a 2nd-floor apartment in a 3-story plus attic building and spread through the entire building for total destruction and into the building next door for additional damage.  Despite the high density of construction and occupancies, the fire department was able to keep the fire from spreading to any other buildings.

FALCO

There were no injuries, but 11 apartments were destroyed along with the shops on the ground floor.

Fifty firefighters were working the fire and had it contained by 7 pm. Extinguishment was slow because of the condition of the floors and roof that were threatening to collapse. It is expected that the remains of the building will have to be completely torn down and all rebuilt.

An amateur video was posted:

 

The fire was listed as accidental.

Le Dauphine has the STORY.

Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Videos

The non-driving 1%

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One of 25 Pagani Zonda F supercars

Hong Kong crash:

YouTube Preview Image

Matt Hardigree is hot on the story for Jalopnik. Perhaps a second crash of the same supercar. 

Which of the 1% cannot drive?

 

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Click on next paragraph to get the juicy details. The third Zonda crash in Hong Kong since the vehicle hit the streets in 2005.

Did A Dolce & Gabbana Exec Crash This $1.3 Million Zonda F?

Hong Kong has fire-based EMS that is very conservative.  Notice the (lack) of extensive patient assessment. 

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: cars, Fire Rescue Topics, Urban Commander, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Surprise Garage Collapse Injures 3 Firefighters

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It's Never "Just a Garage Fire"

EARLIER THIS WEEK THREE CalFire FIREFIGHTERS were injured at a garage fire in Indio when the roof unexpectedly collapsed on them.

KPSP-TV

The cas was dispatched at 7:18 am on Tuesday when the fire was discovered in a 3-car garage attached to a house.  The first units arriving found fire showing when they arrived and began attacking the blaze while the rest of the 40 firefighters were arriving.  Five residents of the house got out safely, including an 81-yr.-old woman who was confused in the excitement.

The Desert Sun newspaper tells us, it took firefighters about an hour to control the fire, which destroyed the home’s three-car garage and spread into the attic, causing $50,000 in damage, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Crews kept the fire from reaching the rooms of the home below.  It was while the CalFire-Indio firefighters were knocking down the main fire in the garage that the roof suddenly collapsed on them.

Desert Sun / Chatham

KPSP-TV reported:  Firefighter Tom "T.J." Frazier, 32, was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center and was recovering from surgery for a tibia/fibula fracture. Paramedic/firefighter Michael Lambert, 31, was taken to JFK Memorial Hospital and was treated and released for a concussion and neck injury. Paramedic/firefighter Mike Vera, 30, was also transported to Desert Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released for a concussion.

KESQ-TV has more details HERE.

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Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fires • Tagged: , , , ,

Murder – Suicide by Arson Kills Family of Four in Germany

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Police Still Investigating

 AN APARTMENT FIRE FRIDAY MORNING in Langenfeld, Germany, left a family of four dead and a police investigation into the suspicious fire.

When the firefighters arrived they found a fire largely contained to the small apartment on the top floor over a commercial occupancy and knocked it down quickly.  But the smoke had been thick and when the firefighters looked through the apartment they found the bodies of a 34-yr.-old man, his wife, 33, and their two children ages 1 and 5.

DPA photo

Initial investigation quickly revealed that the fire had been set and not an accident.  Suspicion fell on the father after a neighbor found a note in their letterbox left by the dead man along with his car keys.  The note said "all is explained" referring to a suicide note that he had left in the car.  The police are currently working on the theory that the father had first killed his family members, the set the fire before he took his own life.

NRW posted this video report:

 

None of the people in the other apartments in the building were injured and only smoke damage was done outside the fire unit.

Suddeutsche has the STORY.

Hat tip:  Christian Lewalter

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Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires • Tagged: , , ,

UK Ambulance Rollover

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Had Patient on Board

AN EAST OF ENGLAND AMBULANCE SERVICE ambulance collided with a van Friday morning while carrying a patient en route to a hospital.  The ambulance went into a ditch and rolled over in the 10:25 am accident.

BBC News image

The ambulance was running with lights and siren when the accident happened and there were three employees in the unit along with the patient.  They had initially responded to the man's house for a call that he was unconscious.  One of the four passengers had to be extricated by the fire department, but it has not been divulged whether it was the patient or an EMT that was entrapped.

Authorities insist that the patient, who is in his 70's, remains in stable condition after being transported by a second ambulance.  It is not yet known what caused the accident, but an investigation is ongoing.

BBC News has the STORY.
The East Anglian Daily Times has MORE.

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Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances • Tagged: , ,