Collapsed at the Pump Panel

DAVID CRENSHAW, A LONG-TIME VOLUNTEER firefighter and former fire chief died suddenly Monday morning at the scene of an auto wreck in Anderson County, South Carolina.

Crenshaw had driven a Pendleton Fire Department engine to the crash scene at 6:30 am Eastern and was found collapsed at the pump panel, apparently unwitnessed.  He was transported already in cardiac arrest and pronounced dead at the hospital.  The coroner stated that initial findings indicate a probable heart attack.

Mourning members immediately began gathering at the firehouse.  (WYFF-TV photo)

He had been a member of the PFD for 50+ years and served as their fire chief for 21 of them.  He was a retired deputy sheriff who also served one term as County Sheriff from 2004 to 2008.  He had just recently been elected to the Pendleton Town Council. 

WYFF-TV has the early REPORT.
The Anderson Independent Mail has MORE.

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51 Years On the Job

THE LONGEST-SERVING FIREFIGHTER in the history of the Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department retired last Friday at 0700 hrs. when he got relieved at shift change.  Captain Louie "Scooter" Martin, now 75 years old, has hung up his gear after serving 51 years on the department.

Capt. Louie Martin at his last fire Thursday night.
(Kansas City Star photo)

He spent most of his career as a truckie, usually assigned to Truck 2, one of the city's busiest ladders.  Tony Rizzo writing in the Kansas City Star reported:

(Fire Chief) Dyer praised Martin as someone who exemplified what firefighting is all about."He’s the kind of firefighter you want," Dyer said. "He has dedicated his career to serving all of the citizens of the city."

Most amazing, from Dyer’s perspective, is the fact that virtually every shift of Martin’s tenure has been spent "on the line" and not behind a desk. "He’s had an unbelievable career," Dyer said. "This is a historic day for the Kansas City Fire Department."

Martin admits that, as a child, he never dreamed of becoming a fireman. He "stumbled" into the job as a young man who thought it sounded interesting. He said he is grateful to have been blessed with such a long career doing something he loved, and still loves. But it was "just time to go. You have to leave sometime," he said.

Read the entire article including some reminiscenses of Capt. Martin's in the Kansas City Star HERE.

Kansas City Fire Department WEBSITE.
IAFF Local 42 WEBSITE.

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Released Wednesday Morning

THE NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION released their anticipated video to the public this morning.  It was produced in cooperation with the Chicago Fire Department and was embargoed for two weeks until all the personnel at the Chicago Fire Department and the families of their fallen members had the opportunity to view it first.  After watching it you will understand why.

It is being released with the hope that many of you will encourage your local politicians and civic leaders to also take the 38 minutes needed to view it.  It carries a lot of impact and is a remarkable report.

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"Eat Smoke, Live Longer" – cont'd.

ANOTHER REPORT COMES IN about a long-serving firefighter who joined the fire service before your parents were born.  This time we learn about a man from League City, Texas, who is 92 years old.  Art Hewitt came home from WW-II after being held captive as a POW for a year, then joined the League City VFD.

KTRK-TV Ch. 13 Houston paid a visit to League City FD recently and had a nice chat with FF Hewitt.  Then they ran this video report about it.  Notice that the fire station is now named in his honor:

Art had to quit going to fires when he reached age 85, but he still walks down to the station every morning to check the equipment and help out around the station.  Firegeezer bets that he knows how to run the Bunn-O-Matic, too.

League City Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Talk About a Disjointed City Government…..

PORT WENTWORTH, GEORGIA, LOST THEIR fire chief this summer, but nobody knows why Chief Greg Long walked off the job suddenly.

Chief Greg Long  (ICS photo)

The small town's fire department runs out of two stations and is operated by two paid firefighters and ten volunteers.  Station 2 covers its territory with a John Bean fire engine and a brush unit.  Station 1 has a modern E-One pumper and a heavy rescue unit.

However a timeline of events relating to the leadership of the FD, and the city council itself, raises some curiousity about what is going on there.  The Savannah Morning News has been digging into this story and has found out:

• Starting July 29 Chief Long went on annual leave with several hours accumulated.
• On September 13 Long resigned, giving a the city administrator Phillip Claxton a 1-sentence letter of resignation.
• The city council members learned of it later via emails and none of them know yet why Long left.
• The mayor who goes by the nickname "Pig" says he knows but won't tell because he doesn't want Long to have difficulties finding a new job.
• Long's personnel records have been expunged by a legal agreement between the city and Long.
• They are not going to hire a new fire chief until after the first of the year.  The operations of the department have been turned over to the senior paid man, Captain Wesley Bates.  Bates was hired by Long in 2007.
• Bates was released from a state prison in 2006 after serving eight years for armed robbery.  He is not eligible to hold a state firefighter certificate, but he got one anyway four months after he was hired.
• The newspaper's disclosure of Bates' record caught the clueless city council by surprise.  They never knew that, either.

Mayor Glenn "Pig" Jones
(Savannah Morning News photo)

Much credit goes to the Savannah Morning News for their work on this story that is just taking off.  Read their entire article that was posted this morning HERE and learn more of this puzzling chain of events.

Port Wentworth Fire Department WEBPAGE.

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Filled the Parking Lot

A FAULTY THEATRICAL SMOKE MACHINE set off an alarm in Rochester, Kent, England hotel Saturday night, leading to an evacuation of the guests along with a group of merry-makers attending a charity fund-raiser that featured 60 Elvis impersonators.

When the sleepy-eyed guests poured out of the hotel into the parking lot they were stunned to see a mob of Elvis Presleys awaiting them in full costume. "I was in a bit of a state getting out of my room," one guest told the Mirror. "But I was more confused when I got outside to see all these people dressed as Elvis.  There were people in full Elvis jumpsuits and wigs standing by a roundabout, looking a bit worse for the wear."

The Rochester, Kent, Holiday Inn
(new record-holder for Elvis leavings)

The party in the ballroom that was being entertained had 250 people dancing to an evening of rock and roll acts along with the Elvis crowd.  A DJ who was spinning the wax was using a smoke generator for effects when it got into the detector and set off the building's alarm.  After the fire brigade arrived, they checked it out and gave the all-clear to continue getting all shook up.

The Telegraph has the STORY.

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Served His City for 34 Years

ENID, OKLAHOMA, FIRE CHIEF PHIL CLOVER died suddenly Sunday 
from a heart attack while he was in Tulsa.

Enid News photo

Chief Clover was a well-known, widely respected and beloved member of the community and his loss will be strongly felt.  He began his career in 1977 and worked his way through the ranks to the top position that he was appointed to in 1996.  He was 58 years old.

The Enid News tells:

April Danahy, who was on the civil service commission that promoted Clover to chief, recalled and lauded the chief’s efforts.

"When he interviewed to become the fire chief in Enid, Okla., one of the things he wanted to do was to create positive images of the fire department, increase the image of the fire department," she said. "He really wanted to make a difference and make the fire department a true community department and he did."

The Enid News has a detailed and informative article HERE on the man and his career.
Enid Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Several Choice Positions to Choose From

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THE MONROE, LOUISIANA, FIRE INVESTIGATOR IS FACING a career change this morning after being tossed in jail Wednesday for threatening a man with his gun.  The Monroe News-Star reports:

Chief fire investigator David Hill, 47, and his wife, Dana Hill, 30, both of 209 Fairfield St., West Monroe, were arrested by West Monroe police Tuesday and booked into Ouachita Correctional Center, each on an obstruction of justice charge. David Hill was also booked on an aggravated assault charge.

According to police, patrol units responded to report of a disturbance involving a firearm around 10 p.m. Friday.

The investigation revealed a victim was driving north on Fairfield Street when he was flagged down by David Hill. The report stated Hill flagged down the victim because he was reportedly speeding through the neighborhood.

Police said Hill reportedly approached the driver's side of the victim's vehicle and an argument ensued. During the verbal altercation, the victim stated he told Hill he was calling 9-1-1. As the victim reached for his cellphone on the center console, Hill reportedly displayed a handgun from the back of his pants area and pointed it at the victim.

When the police started showing up, Hill passed the pistol to his wife who then dashed inside their house with it.  Witnesses told police that they saw Hill take something out of his back pocket and point it at the victim's head.

Hill's wife Dana was also arrested and charged with obstruction.

Full story in the News-Star HERE. 

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THE FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE Friendship Volunteer Fire Department in Smith's Station, Alabama, has resigned from the fire department where she had served for 30 years and pleaded guilty before the court to one count of embezzlement in a plea bargain agreement.

Angelia Curran

Angelia Curran, 45, was charged with stealing $28,000 of grant monies from FEMA that was intended for equipment and training.  Her guilty plea will probably spare her from any prison time.  The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer has the FULL STORY.

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IN AMARILLO, TEXAS, THE GLOBE-NEWS reports:

Amarillo Fire Chief Steve Ross announced his retirement from the Amarillo Fire Department on Tuesday after 33 years of service.

Ross served as fire chief for the past 15 years and has been with the fire department for 33 years. Ross announced he and his wife are relocating to the Fort Worth area, where he will soon begin service as the new fire chief for the Haltom City Fire Department.

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THE WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, Times-Record-News tells us:

Scott Burkett, former Archer City volunteer fire chief, turned himself in to authorities about 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to 97th District Attorney Jack McGaughey.

Burkett has been the center of an investigation into the unauthorized use of department funds since August, and he resigned from his position around the same time.

After the investigation, a grand jury indicted him on 52 counts of theft Oct. 3.

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Memorial Service 10:00 am to 12:30 pm Eastern

Live-Stream programming begins here at 9:30 am

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Candlelight Service held 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Eastern time

Live-Streaming Begins Here at 6:15

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