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From the Engineer’s Desk

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January Recalls

Lots of activity this month. As previously reported, Pierce and HME along with others have joined the Meritor electronic stability control recall. Pierce (NHTSA recall #11V-527) began theirs around Dec. 16. Pierce can be reached at 920 832 3000. Their internal recall number is 74B226. Their report to NHTSA indicates that there are a total of 724 trucks involved.

HME (11V-545) has not provided a notification schedule but can be reached at 616 534 1463. Their report to NHTSA shows 346 trucks involved.

Pierce also has a recall out (11V-551) for certain 2005 and 2008-2011 Arrow XT, Custom Contender, Dash, Enforcer, Impel, Quantum, Saber and Velocity 75’ HAL (heavy aluminum ladder) fire apparatus bodies that may be equipped with dual SCBA cylinder storage compartments. The SCBA compartment door latch orientation may have been manufactured incorrectly, allowing the door to accidentally open while the vehicle is in motion.

 Pierce dealers will notify owners and will install a flat reinforcement plate that spans the length of the SCBA door. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on Dec. 5, 2011. Owners may contact Pierce at the number above. Pierce’s recall number is 74B186. Pierce’s report to NHTSA indicates that there are a total of 59 trucks involved.

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Baldwin Filters is recalling (11E-046) certain Baldwin and Hastings brand oil and fuel filters sold as aftermarket parts designed for use in a variety of small diesel engines used in light and medium duty applications such as pickup trucks, vans or buses. The defective oil/fuel filters were manufactured between July and October 2011. The gasket material loses the ability to resist permanent deformation under heat and load. As the event progresses, the gasket is no longer able to provide the necessary sealing capability. Fluid loss will subsequently occur.

Baldwin will retrofit the filter with new gaskets free of charge. Owners may contact Baldwin filters Service Engineering at 800 822 5394, Ext. 79729. A total of 130,529 units are affected.

This is another case where the manufacturer (Baldwin, in this case) will have no way of knowing who, as end user, bought these parts. They’re sold to users by parts houses or installing shops. They may have passed through several distributors, warehouses, etc. before winding up with the end user. So if you think you might have one, it’s going to be up to you to try to find out and get it taken care of. NHTSA’s web site has a list of the affected part numbers. Since I use Baldwin filters for many of my replacements here, I contacted my supplier. I was told that they were aware of the recall and have a list of the part numbers also.

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Meritor is recalling (11E-048) certain MFS-08 series non-drive front axles sold as original equipment to be installed on various heavy trucks.  During assembly, steering attachment bolts may have been insufficiently torqued. Insufficient torque of the steering arm bolts may result in bolt fatigue and fracture and/or arm separation.

Meritor is in the process of developing the notice and accompanying service instructions. The safety recall began on Nov. 23, 2011. Owners may contact Meritor at 800 535 5560. Meritor’s recall campaign number is C12AB. 162 units may be involved.  As with the ESC recalls, there may also be recalls issued by truck manufacturers.

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Ford is recalling (11E-047) certain replacement fuel tanks that could be installed into 2004 – 2008 E-150, E-250 and E-350 vans. The affected fuel tanks have an extra OBDII sensor hole on the top of the tank that may not be properly sealed and may leak fuel.

Ford will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel tanks free of charge. The safety recall began on Nov. 28, 2011. Owners may contact Ford Motor Co. Customer Relationship Center at 800 232 5952. Ford’s recall campaign number is 11S22. 17 units may be involved.

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Hino is recalling (11V-537) certain 2012 ND8J, NE8J, NJ8J and NV8J trucks. During assembly the wheel end retainer on the front or rear axle may have been installed incorrectly. The wheel hub and axle shaft can separate from the vehicle. Hino is in the process of developing a remedy and a notification schedule for this campaign.

Hino is also recalling (11V-549) certain 2012 NE8J trucks. During assembly, steering attachment bolts may have been insufficiently torqued. Insufficient torque of the steering arm bolts may result in bolt fatigue and fracture and/or arm separation. Hino is in the process of developing a remedy and a notification schedule for this campaign. 37 units may be involved.

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Daimler Trucks is recalling (11V-558) certain 2011 Western Star 4900 trucks equipped with Meritor axle assemblies. The weld that attaches a tower bracket to the housing in suspect assemblies may crack as a result of improper welding procedures.

Daimler Trucks dealers will inspect the axles for cracks and welds will be repaired as necessary free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about Jan. 17, 2012. Owners may contact Daimler Trucks at 800 547 0712. 6 units may be involved.

That’s all for now. Just think, only three more weeks until pitchers and catchers report! And with that, the annual hibernation that begins with the end of the World Series can come to an end.
……….. Sam

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Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: Engineer's Desk • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Update – Mysterious Misconduct Lands Firefighter in Jail

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Updated:  Charges Laid Out in Open Hearing Friday Morning.  Scroll Down.

A HALIFAX, MASSACHUSETTS, FIREFIGHTER was arrested Thursday afternoon on undisclosed charges and later released on bond.  Matthew Paris was picked up around 4 pm on a warrant and will face an arraignment this morning (Friday).

Halifax Fire Station

Hallifax Fire Chief William Carrico confirmed that one of his FF's has been arrested and said that he will issue a press release later this morning.  News reports are saying that Paris was charged with misconduct on the job, but nothing specific is known yet.  (Scroll down for update that outlines the charges.)

WCVB-TV Ch. 5 posted this video report last night:

 

FF Paris was hired on a part-time basis in 1998 and since 2000 has been a full-time firefighter with the department.  Halifax has six officers, six full-time fireghters and 16 paid-on-call FF's.

The Enterprise has MORE.
Halifax Fire Department WEBSITE.

Update, 1:30 pm Eastern:

Facing a judge in an open hearing Friday morning, Paris heard the charges laid against him for lewd acts committed on a minor.  Specifically, he was charged with two counts of open and gross lewdness, one count of accosting or annoying a person of the opposite sex, and one count of distribution of obscene material to a minor after he allegedly exposed himself and talked about sex to a 14-year-old.

Paris in his court appearance
on Friday.  (NECN image)

Prosecutors said the girl and her parents reported to police four separate incidents with Paris that happened between last summer and last week. The girl said the last incident happened last Friday.

He is being held on $10,000 bail.

NECN filed this video report from the courtroom:

 

The Wicked Local has more details HERE.

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Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, labor, News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Morning Lineup – January 27

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Friday Morning – Let's Vote

While researching stories about events in the fire and EMS systems around the world, one of the interesting topics that seeps out is just how nutty, irresponsible and in some cases, criminal some of the town governments are.  The outrageous incompetence and/or corruption that lives in city halls in every state are both pitiful and funny.  Everybody is already familiar with the ongoing criminal enterprise known as the Detroit City Council, but they don't have a monopoly on foolishness.

Recently one of our readers brought to my attention the little whistle-stop of Norway, South Carolina.  Attention was focused on their newly-elected mayor last week after he used his blue lights and siren mounted in his car to pull over a state trooper.  Just a few minutes prior to that, the trooper had issued him a speeding ticket for going about 30 mph over the limit.  After the paperwork was finished and signed, etc., the trooper started driving away and Mayor Jim Preacher flipped on his warning devices and pulled the trooper over.  After checking his license and registration (of the state police car) he sent him on his way.  He can do this because in Norway the mayor is also the Town Constable.  The bankrupt town disbanded its police department last year.

But that was just the latest adventure that Preacher has been involved in since winning election to office.  He was scheduled to be sworn in as mayor on January 9, the date of the next town council meeting.  But he received word that the disguntled and worried outgoing mayor who lost to him in the election was "moving stuff out" of the town hall during the Christmas-New Year's break.  So Preacher enlisted a smallish-friend to crawl through a back window early on New Year's morning to open the door and let Preacher in.  He is claiming it was perfectly legal and not a burglary because he became mayor effectively at midnight Jan. 1.  He also had a locksmith there to install all new locks on the town hall doors to stop the removal of whatever the former mayor was taking.  She claimed that she was mereley transferring the "stuff' to the "new town hall," referring to an old school building that the town was renovating, but not really moving into yet.

While Preacher was changing the locks, he posted a notice on the town hall door proclaiming an emergency meeting of the town council to be held the next day, January 2.  At the hastily-called meeting he had himself sworn in early.  This has all the makings of an entertaining year ahead for all the folks in Orangeburg County who get to watch this vaudeville show up close.

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An entirely different mayoral election is being held in the southern coastal city of Taranto, Italy, where the incumbent mayor, Ipazzio Stefano is facing two formidable foes in next month's election.  Two attractive ladies, Amandha Fox and Luana Borgia are challenging him in a race that is certainly grabbing the attention of the voter.  Both women are well-known porn movie stars and are serious about turning the election into a bust-up and returning the office to the non-political class.

Poles apart, candidates Borgia (left) and Fox.

As part of their campaigns, they have agreed to hold an open debate combined with a pole-dancing performance so that the voters can see for themselves what the big issues really are.  They have invited Mayor Stefano to participate, but so far he hasn't indicated whether or not he will.  But then again, we don't know if the voters even want to see him joining in.

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We'd better start thinking about pike poles instead of the other kind and get this equipment checked out now.  I'm heading for the Bunn-O-Matic to get some more coffee started.  See you back in the day room in a little while.

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Posted by on January 27, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: ,

Looking Back

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Fire Engineering – January 1954

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Posted by on January 26, 2012 • Filed under: Looking Back • Tagged: ,

Ontario Sacks Entire Air Ambo Board

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Plus Another 18 Pencil Pushers at HQ

THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT FINANCE MINISTRY has cleaned house at the scandal-plagued air ambulance service, Ornge.  A government spokesman revealed yesterday (Wednesday) that the government has assigned 28 forensic auditors to the offices of Ornge where they are working night and day to wade through the labyrinth of private, for-profit companies that Ornge insiders had set up to possibly funnel money away from the agency and into the private coffers.

The four directors of the air ambulance charity were asked to step down immediately, which they did, and a hand-picked group was appointed to a new 7-member board.  The directors that were tossed were receiving salaries while the new board is all-volunteers made up from respected business leaders.

The Toronto Globe & Mail adds:

The ouster of the board came one day after Mr. McKerlie terminated 18 administrative jobs at head office. As well, Maria Renzella, executive vice-president of corporate services, has gone on medical leave, according to sources. She is the second top executive to do so – Ornge founder and chief executive officer Chris Mazza went on "indefinite" medical leave in December.

Health Minister Deb Matthews is on the defensive over Ornge. Ms. Matthews was aware that Ornge planned to create new business ventures that would make money by trading on the expertise of the taxpayer-funded air ambulance service. Ornge was to receive just 3 per cent of the revenue from these businesses, and the new ventures would pocket the balance, according to a copy of a Stakeholder Briefing dated Jan. 19, 2011 and signed by chairman Rainer Beltzner.

Ornge is responsible for performing life-saving CPR on patients and ferrying them from accident scenes to a hospital. But it is also facing questions about whether patient care was compromised. The Globe has reported that the Health Ministry's Emergency Health Services Branch is investigating 13 cases, including three deaths. Most of these incidents relate to complaints about either response times or the adequacy of Ornge's new helicopter fleet.

Read the full article in the Globe & Mail HERE.

Globe & Mail / Hanley

Ornge was established as a charity but has seemingly been turned into a cash cow for the directors and administrators.  The Toronto Star goes right to the core of the scandal, reporting: 

Scandal has dogged the service since mid-December, with revelations by the Star of high salaries and executive perks, secrecy, less than speedy ambulance dispatches and some mysterious payments from overseas.

What McKerlie did not mention in his email to staff is that very few of the dollars the foundation received since it was created four years ago came from public and patients.

Instead, the money (and gifts like two fancy motorcycles painted orange) came from companies like Pilatus, which sold 10 single-engine airplanes to ORNGE at an estimated total cost of $40 million for use as air ambulances.

In one case, a press release from ORNGE noted that Pilatus donated $343,000 to the Foundation. When ORNGE purchased $144 million worth of helicopters (12 in total) from Agusta Westland, Agusta made a $6.7 million payment to an ORNGE for-profit and gave two orange "choppers" to the Foundation. Another former asset of one of the ORNGE charities was a $50,000 speedboat that founder Chris Mazza wanted to use to teach youth how to wakeboard and water ski safely.

Read The Toronto Star's story HERE.

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Posted by on January 26, 2012 • Filed under: EMS Topics, Law & Justice

Time For A New Training Chief in Jackson?

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A New Legal Advisor Would Help, Too

THE JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, FIRE DEPARTMENT has got itself in a pickle after 26 recruits in a class of 28 flunked the State Certification Exam.  It was learned that the final exam was administered in November, but after the massive fail rate the fire department has been trying to get the Minimum Standards Board to permit the city to re-test the recruits themselves.  The recruit schools run for 12 weeks in Jackson's own academy which has recently started another school of 12 recruits. 

WLBT image

The Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports:

Jackson Fire Chief Raymond McNulty would respond to questions from The Clarion-Ledger only in an email through city spokesman Chris Mims. Some of McNulty's responses were not clear or did not appear to directly answer the questions.

The Minimum Standards Board established a committee to inquire into the situation regarding Jackson recruits when the board discussed the matter in November.

The situation with the recruits apparently arises from a discrepancy between what JFD taught and what actually is on the minimum standards test, though the Minimum Standard Board approved Jackson's curriculum.

WLBT-TV posted this video report on the situation:

 

In the meantime, the 26 FF's that failed have been getting paid while they await the settlement of the problem.  The fire chief says that state law requires them to be certified before they can be allowed to perform as firefighters, so they remain in limbo.

Not true, says Joel Jones, attorney for the Mississippi Fire Personnel Minimum Standards and Certification Board.

"Jackson apparently has an internal policy that they don't actually use guys as firemen until they've passed the course. That's a Jackson policy," Jones said. "State law says after they hire someone they have to be certified in a year. There's no restriction in the state law as to how they use that person, they just can't pay them after a year unless they're certified."

The Clarion-Ledger says that this isn't the first time that Jackson has had learning problems:

An internal affairs report dated Sept. 20, 2005, obtained by The Clarion-Ledger, states that "approximately 80 percent of 2005 recruit class felt that the class was poorly organized and did not receive the quality of training expected."

The report further states: "The class stated that they were given a book for Jackson Fire Department Training Class and later it was determined that this was the wrong book. Instructor (Keith) Simpson told them that they will continue to train from the book. The recruit class felt that improper material affected their academic performance on the Minimum Standard Test."

The report concludes that "The overhaul of (the training) division may be the key to better this department in the future."

Apparently they didn't get a new key.

Read the full article in the Clarion-Ledger HERE.
Jackson Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on January 26, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Training, training-fire-rescue-topics, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Morning Lineup – January 26

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Thursday Morning – What Am I Bid?

Has anybody checked out eBay lately?  I don't hear as much about people bidding in the online auction sales as I did several years ago.  If you want to point out somebody who really fumbled the ball when it comes to running an internet business, eBay has to be right at the top of the list.  They took their success and tried to turn it into some sort of control over their sellers with the result of many of them leaving the dynamic sales room.

It was going so good for a while there, anything you wanted seemed to be available and not just one of them, but dozens of the same type of item giving you lots of choices and chances to win.  There was a real thrill of the chase when I would be trying to win a contested auction with several bidders.  At one time I was trying to build up a good collection of pre-1940 postcards of my hometown for my father, so not a lot of money was involved in playing the "game" of winning  the item.  And when I would win one, I would simply drop a check in the mail for the 5 or 6 dollars to the seller and in a few days the postcard would arrive.  Simple, efficient and satisfying for both the seller and the buyer.  After delivery, I would post a rating on the seller about their promptness and veracity of their product, and the seller would do the same for me as I built up a good public record of purchasing ethics.  Everybody was happy.  Except for the eBay people, though.

With their remarkable success and fast growth, a strong surge of corporate greed set in and eBay began a gradual change of their rules that were inexplicably designed to take away any safeguards that the sellers had from unscrupulous buyers.  One of the biggest was the changing of the rating system.  The sellers were no longer able to rate the buyers, so that other sellers were not able to learn that so-and-do refused to pay, for instance.  The buyers were still permitted to rate the sellers though, and some malicious-types were able to zing an honest seller with no recourse.  Nobody ever knew why they did that, but it started the exodus of the higher-quality and the volume sellers leaving mostly 2nd-rate merchandise for sale.

And then not long ago, eBay made it a requirement that all sales be completed using PayPal (which is owned by eBay).  Since PayPal takes a set percentage of the selling price, the people selling all those $3 and $5 goodies were suddenly losing money on every sale, so they dropped out, too.  Just think, if only eBay had done a better job of protecting their sellers, they would have continued to grow much like Facebook has been doing lately.  Instead it has become largely a retail site with most items available on the Buy It Now option, which is the only type of purchase I have been doing from them for at least five years now.  And even that has slowed down considerably for me.  No more of those late-night vigils with the eBay Clock in one window and the filled-out bid form in another, as I try to time the button punching to arrive at the last second and shut out the competing bidders.  It was fun while it lasted, but the digital world spins rapidly and we move on.

Now we need to move on to the apparatus and get the equipment checked out for today.  I'm heading for the Bunn-O-Matic and where I will press the Brew It Now button.  See you back in the day room in a little while.

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Posted by on January 26, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: ,

Deputy VFD Chief Ambushed, Shot in Pennsylvania

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Ex-Wife's Boyfriend Arrested

A VOLUNTEER FIRE OFFICER, GLEN RUSSELL, 43, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, was getting out of his car Tuesday mid-day when he was suddenly ambushed by a masked man carrying a shotgun who fired on Russell.  Despite being hit several times, Russell managed to run into a nearby bank lobby seeking help.  The bank employees locked the door and called for police.

Glen Russell

The Reading Eagle continues:

(Russell), a Berks County real estate agent was ambushed and shot by his ex-wife’s lover as he arrived for a counseling appointment with his former wife at a Spring Township office complex, according to court documents available today.

Glen Russell, 43, of Pottstown was shot multiple times with a shotgun by Christopher Yingling, 41, of Birdsboro about 11 a.m. Tuesday in the parking lot of Spring Commons Professional Office Village, 2917 Windmill Road, police said.

Russell told police that Yingling had shot him, and Yingling was arrested about two hours later at his workplace in Cumru Township with the help of Cumru police, investigators said.

Christopher Yingling  (Angstadt / Reading Eagle)

WFMZ-TV filed this video report Tuesday evening:

 

The police have not found a motive yet from Yingling who is being held on $150,000 bond charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault.

Glen Russell is a long-time member and a Deputy Chief of the Limerick Fire Company in Montgomery County.  He remains in critical but stable condition in the hospital today.

The Reading Eagle has the details of the story along with an eyewitness' account of the shooting HERE.

Limerick Fire Company WEBSITE.

Hat tip:  Radical Ron

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Posted by on January 25, 2012 • Filed under: crime, current events, News, Videos • Tagged: , ,

St. Louis Firefighters Go To Court To Get Their Children Into School

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Onerous Residency Law Forces Action.

THE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, FIREFIGHTERS are in a jam thanks to the city's oppressive residency requirements.  St. Louis, like many other failed cities, requires its employees to live inside the city.  These laws are usually a tactic to keep more of the taxpayers on the public payroll instead of being shunted aside by better-qualified people who don't live in the city.  This has a bad effect on firefighters and police officers who traditionally will sacrifice their own comfort and abide by the law in order to keep a job that they really love and do well.

The hang-up for most younger workers in the city is the fact that the school systems in these places are just as bad or worse than the rest of the city government and the employees do not want to send their children to non-productive public schools.  The St. Louis schools are so bad that they have lost their state accreditation.

The St. Louis Beacon tells, …. because the firefighters have to live in the city, their choice is between unaccredited public schools, charter schools or private or parochial schools that charge tuition.  If the choice is to pay tuition, the bill can be a hefty one. Wayne Killingsworth said he is paying more than $20,000 a year for his children to attend parochial schools.

Missouri has a state law that requires surrounding jurisdictions to accept students from municipalities that don't have accredited schools into their schools and the tuition and transportation costs are to be borne by the home jurisdiction.

But the couties surrounding St. Louis are balking at accepting the foreign students and now five firefighters have filed a suit asking the court to force the school districts to obey the law and allow them to enroll their children.  Again from the Beacon:

Ryan, who was rebuffed in his effort to enroll his child in Kirkwood, said he doesn't mind having to live in the city, but he doesn't think his child's education should suffer.

"I would prefer to remain in the city and have my daughter attend an accredited school," he said, adding that instead, she is "trapped in a failed district."

"All we are asking," Ryan added, "is that the Outstanding Schools Act be enforced as written. We don't want the future to be unpredictable when it comes to our daughter's education."

IAFF Local 73 is supporting their challenge.

Read the entire article in the St. Louis Beacon to learn the details of this problem and challenge HERE.

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Posted by on January 25, 2012 • Filed under: culture, current events, Fire Rescue Topics, labor • Tagged: ,

Job Openings

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Edmonton EMS Expanding Rapidly

THE EDMONTON, ALBERTA, EMS HAS IMMEDIATE openings for several paramedics and EMT's with still more coming online in the near future.  The need for additional resources including ambulances, stations, and medics to operate them, has come about for several reasons.  The Calgary Herald describes a few of them:

The median response time in the past two years for so-called "lights and sirens" ambulance calls increased to eight minutes and 13 seconds from seven minutes.

EMTLife.com photo

Health Minister Fred Horne announced Tuesday that five additional paramedics and 12 emergency medical technicians have been hired this month, and that 14 more vacancies will be fast-tracked to get to full staffing levels as soon as possible.

He also said Alberta Health Services opened a new EMS station in northeast Edmonton on Jan. 17, and that five more are slated to open across the province between now and 2014, including one in the city's west end.

Horne said response times are longer because the population is growing and aging, with the result being EMS workers are responding to more calls than ever.  (The Herald adds:)  City ambulances responded to nearly 48,000 lights and sirens calls in 2010-11, a number expected to increase to more than 65,000 in 2011-12.

In addition, Alberta is continuing to suffer with overrun hospital emergency rooms creating situations where ambulances are forced to "store" their patients for long periods of time, as much as 45 minutes or longer, before they can take them from the ambulance into the hospital itself, thus keeping ambulances out of service for longer times.

In April 2009 all provincial EMS responsibilities were transferred from the localities to the province-wide Alberta Health Services which also oversees all hospital operations.  And as always happens when local activities are transferred to a giant, centralized government-run agency, the entire EMS network fell apart.  This has had a direct bearing on the ability of local EMS departments to function as well as they did previous to the consolidation.  This has also created the situation where paramedics are fleeing the Edmonton EMS to escape the stress and frustration that has crept into the organization.  A survey taken of Edmonton EMS employees in November showed that 2/3 of them are actively looking for employment elsewhere.

 The Edmonton Journal recently reported:

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta conducted a survey which was completed by 146 out of 304 eligible members of the union (in Edmonton).

It found that in the last four shifts completed by those workers:

— 86 per cent experienced a lack of resources, including no ambulances available for emergency calls, otherwise called a red alert.

— 72 per cent said they could not meet their response-time targets three or more times.

— 72 per cent had pending calls of more than one hour, sometimes up to four times.

"According to our survey respondents, the emergency ambulance service in the Edmonton metro zone is completely inadequate as it is and the vast majority of our respondents have raised their concerns to the attention of Alberta Health Services’ management but to no avail," reads the executive summary of the online survey, done between last Nov. 4 and 11. "We shouldn’t be surprised then that two-thirds of our respondents are seriously considering seeking employment elsewhere."

After seeing those results – that were taken by somebody else instead of them – Alberta Health Services sprung into action and announced that they are going to form (another) committee and start having meetings in February.

Read the entire Calgary Herald article HERE.
The Globe & Mail has MORE.
Read the damning report from the Edmonton Journal HERE.

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Posted by on January 25, 2012 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics, Response times • Tagged: , ,

Morning Lineup – January 25

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Wednesday Morning – Let's Eat!

Our Upcoming Events postings are understandably confined to Fire and EMS events, but we also like to let you know when something is coming up that is generally of interest to our readers, such as the Bonnie & Clyde gun auction last weekend (HERE).  Our Keeper of the Culinary Calendar, Mark Donovan has already begun locating choice eating events and has passed along a couple for you to keep in mind while you're filling out your vacation requests this month.

First of all is the long-awaited announcement of the date for this year's Baconfest Chicago.  This is a VBE (Very Big Event) that brings in crowds of bacon lovers to celebrate America's favorite breakfast meat and luncheon menu planner.

Last year Firegeezer noted the Baconfest and we told you in part,

Baconfest is Chicago’s annual celebration of America’s favorite cured meat. Over 50 of Chicago’s best chefs concocted amazing bacon recipes and served them up to 1500 of our closest friends on April 9, 2011. We also featured 7 liquor sponsors serving bacon cocktails or other refreshing beverages that pair beautifully with bacon. To celebrate special achievement, we give out Golden Rasher awards to chefs that prepare especially delicious dishes.

One of their features was the Bacon Poetry Contest. This year's winner was "Johnny Baconseed: A Poem For the Hopeless Romantics" by Joel Chmara. It's no surprise that Joel's entry was the winner. How could you not enjoy a bit of literary jewelry that includes thoughts like,

Garments perfumed with slight bacon splatter is no call for stain-lifter.
Nay, it simply ensures that one will carry the greatest foodstuff essence
for the rest of the day.

You sure don't want to miss out on a good time like that, so mark your calendars now for Saturday April 14.  Go to the Baconfest Website HERE to get the details.

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The other memorial to gluttony that we want to tell you about this morning is the National Buffalo Wing Festival that is scheduled to be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 1 and 2 in (where else?) Buffalo, New York, the home of the spicy treat.

This one is an ever bigger VBE than Baconfest.  Last year they had 85,000 vistors who scarfed down 37 tons of wings.  They have an action-packed weekend planned and you can check out their colorful and informative website HERE.

Now let's check out our own equipment and get ready for the day.  I'll get the coffee started and see you back in the day room in a little while.

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Posted by on January 25, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged: ,

A Car Show That FossilMedic Missed

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An Important Car Show in Europe

ONE OF THE MAJOR CAR SHOWS in Europe just finished up in Belgium Sunday.  The Brussels Auto/Moto Salon 2012 had a grand exhibit of fancy sports cars and concept cars from many automakers. including this Bentley Mulsanne:

And this McLaren MP4-12C:

You can view a lot more of these car photos HERE and HERE.

If you and Mike missed the show, they have posted a "virtual tour" of the exhibit hall that is pretty cool HERE.  You can move around and travel through the hall in this "tour."

But the real feature of the show are the HotBabes.  Every car maker has a bunch of HotBabes working in their exhibit for obvious reasons.  This video report is about the show's HotBabes and near the end the announcer asks a couple of them to demonstrate the proper way to enter, sit down and get out of a sports car when you are wearing a skirt that barely covers all the parts:

 

Enjoy the show!

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Posted by on January 24, 2012 • Filed under: cars

Another Street Box System to be Discontinued.

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City Has Nobody to Work On System After Layoffs

BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, FIRE CHIEF Joseph McCarthy told the Town Council yesterday (Monday) that the city's 120-yr.-old Gamewell Telegraph fire alarm system will be discontinued soon after the "proper notifications" can be made.  The system was installed in 1890 and had until recently 190 boxes on street corners and inside high-risk facililties.

Bloomfield box 5595 with a police call box
attached to the back of it.  (Backtaps.com photo)

NorthJersey.com reports this morning:

The devices are "sound," but the infrastructure is worn out, McCarthy said at the Bloomfield Township Council's conference meeting on Monday.  "It creates a system of false protection," he said.

The township will begin removing and covering up the system in June or July, after proper notice, the fire chief said.

It would cost the township too much money to fix, and parts are already limited. Maintaining the system was easier when the township's electrical department had five employees. It has since been turned into a one-person department, McCarthy said.

Those buildings which are required to have additional fire precautions are urged to contact a private security firm, he said. (emphasis added by ed.)

Read the full article at NorthJersey.com HERE.

BackTaps.com, a fire telegraph fan page has a good history and description of the Bloomfield firebox system HERE.

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Great Offers on HDTV's From Amazon:

Many Models and Sizes Up to 42" for Less Than $500

CLICK HERE to view the choices and to order.

Firegeezer notes that he bought his HDTV from Amazon
and it was delivered in two days without having to worry
about how to fit it into the car.

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Posted by on January 24, 2012 • Filed under: dispatch, Dispatch & Communications, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , , ,

Paramedic Steals Drugs, Goes to Jail, Keeps Job

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Defining Deviancy Down:
 So Just What Constitutes a Firing Offense, Then?

A QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA, PARAMEDIC STILL HAS his job and nobody knows why.  The Courier-Mail is reporting today:

The 40-year-old paramedic was working near Rockhampton where he stole methoxyflurane – a non-opioid alternative to morphine often used for acute trauma – from the Queensland Ambulance Service in November 2010.

QAS suspended him a month later and court documents show he was convicted in Brisbane Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to "stealing as a servant" in April last year, receiving a $500 fine and five days' imprisonment.

Documents obtained by The Courier-Mail under Right to Information laws show he received a subsequent "formal reprimand" and demotion last June.

This recent disclosure has political groups, labor organizations and government officials in conniptions over why this convicted drug thief was allowed to keep his job.  The Queensland Ambulance Service is keeping mum about it though (so far).

The Courier-Mail has today's breaking story on this travesty HERE.

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Special Deals From Amazon:

Big Markdowns on Automotive Tools and Equipment

CLICK HERE to find one just right for you and order.

Wagan Hi Speed Air Compressor
$30.10

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Posted by on January 24, 2012 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics, labor • Tagged: ,

Chicago Fire Claims 2 Children Behind Locked Door

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Self-Closing Door Prevents Rescue

A CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, WOMAN WAS PUT THROUGH an ordeal early Tuesday morning when she was prevented from saving her two children from a fire because of a locked door.

The fire started around 3:15 am Central this morning (Tuesday) and the mother of three was awakened somehow, alerted to the fire.  She grabbed her 6-year-old son who was closest and took him out the front door of their apartment.  But the self-closing and locking door slammed shut behind her, preventing her from returning to the apartment to snatch the other two youngsters ages 3 and 1 yrs.

WMAQ-TV photo

A police officer who was first on the scene and a passing tow-truck driver tried to break in the door and when they were finally successful, the fire and heat in the apartment prevented their entry.

WLS-TV Ch. 7 filed this early video report:

 

The two victims were in the same bedroom and apparently died from the smoke as there was not burning in the bedroom.  Their mother is in the hospital in serious condition from smoke inhalation, but the 6-yr.-old boy was uninjured.  The apartment had smoke detectors and it is believed that they were working, but not confirmed.

WBBM-TV has a recently updated report with more information and additional video HERE.

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Posted by on January 24, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Morning Lineup – January 24

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Tuesday Morning – Our Serve

I am going to stray off-topic this morning and present some personal puffery for a change.  (I can do that because it's my website, you know.)  I have just recently learned about the unknown world of girls volleyball competition.  When I was in school (foggy memories, for sure) volleyball was something we did in P.E. class when it was too cold or wet to go outside.  But like so many other cultural activities, it has grown into an organized sport with layers of competetive levels. 

Enter Firegeezer's #3 granddaughter Presley.  For those of you who have visited the Firegeezer booth at the Firehouse Expo in the past couple of years, you might remember Presley who was in charge of selling the Firegeezer coffee mugs at our booth.  You'll recognize her from the photo below taken at the 2011 Expo by Mike Legeros, standing between her grandpa and her mother, Tami (GeezerDotter).

This past year Presley has taken an interest in volleyball and it was also just about the same time as another growing spurt was going on.  To make a longer story shorter, as she was learning the skills and playing in after-school organized games, she was spotted as having a natural talent for the game and in December she became a member of an advanced level club that concentrates on national-level competition.  Presley's team in the 14-and-under age bracket is just getting settled in after some more recent player acquisitions and last weekend they had their first competitive games in a tournament that brought teams from many states in the eastern half of the country.

It looks like the combination of top-notch  players along with great coaching and good training facilities has started to pay off already, because in their first real competition together they did very well for a bunch of upstarts.  In the  32-team tourney, they placed #11.  I might have to start learning some more about the playmaking strategies and tactics of what I always thought was just a "punch the ball over the net" game.  Nothing is simple anymore.  The next big tournement is in February over the Washington's Birthday long weekend.

Presley is 2nd from right in the back row in this current team photo.
She plays setter on the net.

We need to get our own team together for some emergency work now, so let's get this equipment checked out.  I'm going to get some more coffee started (and no, it does not stunt your growth), then we'll meet back in the day room later.

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Posted by on January 24, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup • Tagged:

Bonnie’s Tommy Gun Brings $130 Grand

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Pair of Notorious Guns Auctioned Off Saturday

TWO GUNS LEFT BEHIND BY BONNIE & CLYDE when a police raid on their Joplin, Missouri apartment caused them to flee, were sold at a Kansas City auction house Saturday for $210,000.

On Friday Firegeezer REPORTED HERE on the upcoming auction and we included some brief history on the two firearms, one a Thompson submachine gun and the other a 12-gauge Winchester shotgun.  The machine gun is the only "Tommy" gun that the Barrow gang is known to have carried.

Mayo Auction photo

The guns were seized by the raiding policemen on April 13, 1933, and kept as spoils by one of them who later gave them to the great-grandfather of the people who sold them this week.  This marked the first time they had ever been sold since they were stolen and kept by Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

Both items were sold fairly quickly and the same bidder won both guns, paying $130,000 for the Thompson and $80,000 for the Winchester.  The successful telephone bidder was not identified publicly other than as "an East Coast gun collector."

This brief video shows the guns on display at the auction room just prior to the sale:

 

For more information on the guns' histories, refer to the Firegeezer story HERE.

In an article on the sale after its conclusion, the Joplin Globe wrote:

The weapons are believed to be among those seized after a raid April 13, 1933, at the outlaws’ apartment hideout near 34th Street and Oak Ridge Drive in Joplin.

Five lawmen in two cars, armed only with handguns, descended on the apartment, and a bloody gunfight ensued. Two of the lawmen — Newton County Constable John Wesley Harryman and Joplin police Detective Harry McGinnis — were killed. Clyde Barrow, Buck Barrow and fellow gang member W.D. "Deacon" Jones were injured.

After the raid, police confiscated guns, a camera and personal items from the apartment, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The film in the camera, which was developed by The Joplin Globe at the time, was of special interest. The images on the film, which include some with the guns, were the first to identify the outlaws. Historians say the publication of those images in newspapers across the country spelled the beginning of the end for the duo.

Read the entire article HERE.

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Posted by on January 23, 2012 • Filed under: culture, current events, Guns, News • Tagged: , , , ,

Semi Wipes Out Ambulance at Accident Scene

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You Really Ought to Slow Down on Icy Roads

A TOLEDO, OHIO, AMBULANCE WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED Saturday morning after a tractor-trailer jacknifed and crashed into the unit that was stopped at an accident scene.

WTVG-TV image

The incident was originally a one-car accident on I-75 where an SUV slid on the icy highway into a median, slightly injuring the driver.  A Toledo FD ambulance responded to the wreck and had just arrived on the scene when the tractor-trailer approaching the scene lost control on the ice and went into a jacknife slide into the ambulance.  The crash drove the ambulance down the road several yards and under the rear end of another trailer that was stopped.  The two firefighters that were in the ambulance received minor injuries as did three other people involved in the crash.

WTVG-TV Ch. 13 prepared this video report:

 

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Posted by on January 23, 2012 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Topics • Tagged: , , ,

Monday Night Netcast

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Join Billy D. Hayes on Monday, January 23, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. EST as he hosts a special episode of STOP, DROP, and ROLL With the Punches.

Past episodes have included the Who’s Who in the fire and emergency service, but this one will be the view from the trenches. Billy’s guests include firefighters and company officers on the line to share their thoughts on why fire prevention and firefighter safety may succeed and/or fail.

We often miss the opportunity to listen to those in the trenches, so this episode is sure to be a hit! Join us on Monday, January 23 at 9pm ET for this LIVE internet radio show!

Here's the link to get started listening and the call-in number:  Stop Drop and Roll With the Punches.

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Posted by on January 23, 2012 • Filed under: Training, training-fire-rescue-topics • Tagged:

Red-Light Runner Burns Down Detroit House

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Passerby Hero Saves One Passenger

AN AUTOMOBILE CARRYING THREE PEOPLE ran a red light at speed Sunday afternoon around 3 pm, clipped another car and then careened out of control into a house.  As the car crashed through a front bedroom, it tore off a gas meter which led to an immediate ignition and the fire moved into the house within seconds.

All the residents were fortunate to be at the rear of the building during the crash, but less fortunate because they lost everything they owned as the interior of the house was gutted.

WXYZ-TV has this video report that includes some fire footage:

 

Other people already out in the neighborhood rushed to the car to help the occupants.  They were able to cut the seat belt and pull the front-seat passenger to safety, but were unable to free the driver and had to go through the ordeal of watching him burn to death.  The third passenger bolted and ran away.

WJBK-TV has a good interview with the man who saved the passenger's life:

 

Car Hits House in Detroit, Causes Fire: MyFoxDETROIT.com

WDIV-TV has more details and additional video HERE.

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Posted by on January 23, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Product Review – TFT’s Hydrant Wrench

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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 TFT's Hydrant Wrench and Multi-tool. Engine 4 of the Stafford County, Virginia, Fire & Rescue Department has been using one for several weeks now and Sgt. Eric Chenault tells us about the tool:

We have been carrying the TFT Hydrant Wrench for a few weeks now and have found it to be a good wrench that is easy to use and surprisingly light in weight.

Using the large "claw" it tightens up the steamer connection handily without slipping.

 

The square nut wrench on the other end also serves as a good lever to tighten or loosen rabbit-ear couplings.

 

Technician Davis liked the extra leverage while turning on a sticky hydrant valve by taking advantage of the pentagon nut wrench being in the center of the wrench allowing the use of two hands on each side. It seemed to make it easier to turn on the valve.

Using the large spanner on supply line couplings to the pump panel worked fine, but using the smaller lug wrench on discharges is too cumbersome to bother with. It would be ok in a pinch or to use in breaking down a line later, but the standard spanners are better suited for that.

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But it is primarily a hydrant wrench and it is a very good tool for that. The specially-formed grip along the shaft is a bonus, making it a little safer and easier to use.

Lieutenant Cunningham shows the relative sizes of the TFT wrench compared to the standard hydrant wrench. The TFT wrench is made of an aluminum alloy and its 2-½ lb. weight surprises you the first time you pick one up. The "old" hydrant wrenches weigh about 5 lbs.

Overall, we really like using the new wrench and from our experience so far, would recommend it.

……. Sgt. Eric Chenault, Eng. 4
Stafford County Fire & Rescue.

For more information on the TFT Hydrant Wrench, and to order one 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 23, 2012 • Filed under: Product Reviews • Tagged: , , , ,

Morning Lineup – January 23

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Monday Morning – Drive Carefully

Here we go into another new week of the new year.  And we have lots of newsy things to pass along to you, so let's get started.

ChicagoAreaFire is continuing to broaden their scope and coverage by adding a new occasional feature.  They're going to be including some vintage photos of large Chicago fires from out of the past.  Those things are always fun to look at, and Saturday's installment is no exception.  There's something about ice-covered fire engines that fascinates observers.  CLICK HERE to see this posting from Bill Friedrich.  Be sure to read the Comments as their knowledgeable readers fill in the blanks on the details and wherefors of these fires.

I hope you have ChicagoAreaFire on your Favorites list because webmaster Larry "Smoke Showing" Shapiro does a great job of maintaining it.  Most of the members are quality fire photographers or historians and as they compile what is soon to be a catalogue of every firehouse and apparatus in the greater Chicago area, they keep us up to date on current events and major fires.  When you go to the Home Page, click on News to enter the blog where the daily postings are placed.

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Periodically we get stories about some nutty and/or embarrassing actions performed by local polititicians, mayors, fire chiefs, etc.  But the Lancaster, Massachusetts, Town Manager Orlando Pacheco is currently leading the parade of administrators who have embarrassed their residents and taxpayers. 

CBS News image

Just last week the information was released on his escapade last August where he re-wrote the definition of "Really, really drunk" after being picked up by the Westborough Police when they found him passed out on the hood of his car in a gas station parking lot.  He was on his way home after visiting a Worcester strip club and couldn't go any further.

"When I arrived on scene he was unconscious on the hood of his car, his pants were around his ankles," said Westborough Police officer Steve Reale. He had also vomited on himself.  The good folks in Lancaster are kind of wondering why he's still got a job, as you will see in this video report from CBS News:

 

At least everybody here made it to work this mornng, so let's get started with the equipment check.  I need to get some good, strong coffee started before we meet back in the digital day room in a little while.

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Posted by on January 23, 2012 • Filed under: morning lineup, Videos • Tagged: , , , , , ,

Tough Guy Punches Out Fire Sprinkler

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Night Club Closed For Flooding

"TOUGH GUY" SAMUEL CLUCAS is now a felon with a sore hand after punching a sprinkler head in a Chcago night club Friday morning.

Nobody knows why he decided to knock the sprinkler head off in an area that has a low ceiling, but the resulting waterfall soon left several inches of water inside the SpyBar, a popular night spot on N. Franklin St. in Chicago.  The water also got into the floor DJ equipment causing some major damage with it.

S. Clucas, sprinkler menace
(CPD photo)

The bar bouncers held onto Clucas until the police got there and arrested him.  At first he claimed that he merely bumped into it with his head, but surveillance tapes clearly showed that he took his hand and deliberately swung at the defenseless sprinkler head.

He has been charged with felony criminal damage to property.

WLS has the STORY.

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Posted by on January 22, 2012 • Filed under: crime, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , , ,

22 Show Horses Killed in Barn Fire

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Non-Suspicious Blaze Sweeps Barn

A SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, HORSE FARM was devastated Saturday morning when a fire swept through a horse barn killing 22 horses.  The animals were all worth "tens of thousands" of dollars each at the Heritage Acres Farm in Lafayette.

Sometime around 1:30 am a neighbor called the owners to tell them that their barn was on fire, but by the time the first fire units arrived it was fully involved.  The building was about 300 ft. long containing an indoor show arena with stalls inside and was built 20 years ago.  There was no hay or fuel stored in the barn, so the cause is puzzling.  The entire metal building collapsed and was destroyed.  The fire marshal has ruled out arson for reasons he did not disclose.

Benko / Star-Ledger

The Star-Ledger reports:  The horses that were stabled at Heritage Acres placed in competitions up and down the East Coast over the decades, with an eclectic mix of dressage, reining and jumper horses. (Owner Betty) Hahn estimated most of the show horses were valued between $10,000 and $60,000 apiece.

The Hahns who are in their 70's did not have insurance on the barn itself.   "We’re just going to sell our property. It was our business and we’re too old to start over," Betty Hahn said.

The Star-Ledger has the updated report from the fire marshal HERE.
The New York Times has more details HERE.

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Posted by on January 22, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fires • Tagged: ,

Reno Wildfire Fully Contained

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Total of 29 Homes Destroyed

THE WIND-WHIPPED GRASS FIRE THAT took out more than six square miles in just over two days near Reno, Nevada,has been fully contained according to the fire officials.  Aiding the containment was a 2-inch rainfall that dumped on the area early Saturday.

Fox News

The blaze sprung up Thursday and was blown up by 80+ mph winds, but was finally controlled after 400 firefighters were rushed to the area.  At least 29 homes were destroyed and the body of a 93-yr.-old woman was found in a small apartment next to her daughter's home afterward.  It is not yet known if her death was related to the fire or not.

An unidentified elderly man voluntarily came forward Saturday and disclosed that he had accidentally started the fire by not disposing of his fireplace ashes properly.  The police describe him as "extremely remorseful" and the local prosecutor has not decided whether to charge him.

The Associated Press filed this post-fire video report:

 

The AP also has this late REPORT.

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Posted by on January 22, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fires, Wildland • Tagged: , , ,