Drivers Left With Sauer Taste

A SAUERKRAUT TRANSPORT TRUCK was involved in a messy accident Tuesday morning in the German state of Hesse shortly before 5 am.  The driver of the kraut-carrier misjudged the speed of a car directly ahead and drove into the rear of the car.  A second truck failed to react in time and crashed into the rear of the kraut transporter.

All photos via FNP

The secondary crash cause several hundred bags of sauerkraut to be flung out onto the highway where they splatted open in the sub-freezing weather.  The chopped kraut and the juices all froze almost immediately onto the pavement making an unnavigable slippery mess.

Shovels or brooms were no use on the stubborn chopped vegetable and the highway department had to send a salt truck out to cover and thaw the frozen mess.  The autobahn had to be completely shut down causing a 10-kilometer backup while the vegetables and vehicles were all removed from the crash scene.

The lanes were finally reopened at 9 am.  The woman driving the car was slightly injured and the two truck drivers were not injured at all.  The damage estimate was 157,000 Euros.

Franfurter Neue Presse has the STORY.

Hat tip:  Christian Lewalter.

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Save Money and Fight Fires (or something like that)

THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, HAS DIRECTED the Fire Chief Laura Knapp to cut spending 10% over the next three years.  So she has come up with a plan that the City Council loves to hear.  So much so that yesterday morning (Tuesday) they unanimously approved the plan and gave her the go-ahead to start implementing it.

The city has 11 fire stations and Knapp plans to replace the fire engines in three of them with "Quick Response Vehicles" (QRV's), described by the fire department as "basically a Dodge chassis with a box on the back" for a 300-gallon water tank and compressed-air foam system.

This GRFD drawing looks an awful lot like THIS ONE:

SGVN photo

The selling points for this conversion are first of all, replacement costs of $873,000 for all three units compared to a comparable price for one real fire engine. 

Secondly, the QRV's will only carry two firefighters instead of the three or four currently riding on the real fire engines.  This will allow the department to operate with 12 fewer firefighters, music to a councilman's ears.  Twelve is the magic number because the SAFER grant that the FD received to fund 12 positions runs out in three years and apparently the city does not have plans to retain those slots.

Chief Knapp projects a total savings of $21 million over the next 15 years once the plan goes into effect.

The Grand Rapids Press tells us:

Knapp hopes they will help the fire department maintain existing service levels in the face of coming staffing cuts.

About 89 percent of current fire-service calls are handled by a single unit, Knapp said. The "quick-response" units could handle those calls, she said.

"We need to better align our resources with these single-unit calls to ensure our performance is maintained (as we reduce firefighters to cut costs)," Knapp said. "Right now we don’t have a lot of flexibility in our deployment. The (‘quick-response vehicle’) is the answer for our current rigid operational system."

The firefighters themselves aren't convinced yet that fewer fire engines and fewer FF's will translate into "maintaining existing service levels."  William Smith, president of the Local tells the GR Press,  "If they’re rolled out, we’ll do what we’re told to do. There’s a question of how effective they’ll be."

WZZM-TV filed this brief video report:

Full report in the Grand Rapids Press HERE.
Local President Smith speaks more about their skepticism HERE.

Firegeezer notes:  These things became popular back in the great recession of the late 1970's.  Back then they were called "mini-pumpers" and were introduced with the same promises we're hearing from Grand Rapids.  Several dozens of fire departments jumped into the concept, but within three years they were all back to Plan A.  Why do people think it will magically start working now?  Or is this just a gimmick to get the budgeteers to turn their focus onto another agency?

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Ruminations on outcome based research

Spent time as a first-line supervisor on a haz-mat rescue company, when being a "glo worm" was new and cool.

The first response with the rescue was weird. A box alarm dispatch to a mid-rise senior facility was sending four engines, two trucks, an ems unit and the rescue … and my crew was S-L-O-W-L-Y walking to the rig.

Was this a test for the new officer?

Welcome to the Toast Patrol

The chauffer explained that they ran this address two to four times a day. The first due company is a few blocks away.

On almost every incident the first engine is returning the box alarm assignment within a few minutes.

It would be the first of hundreds of times the rescue would pull out into traffic, with me wailing the 2QB and stuttering the air horns. We drove the length of the shopping center parking lot next to the fire station before going in service.

Pretty dumb – why not just send the first engine and truck?

Apparently, we used to … until a 1+1 dispatch during a severe winter storm became a two alarm fire with rescue of an occupant in the fire apartment.

Looking at the details

The mid-rise facility was constructed in 1973, before fire sprinkers were required by the code to be installed within the apartments.

Built in an "in-field" property, truck company access to the rear of the building is tight.

The facility has almost 300 bedrooms.

A smoke detector is mounted in the kitchen, near the refridgerator. Every extra crispy toast and overbrewed teapot generated an alarm … breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Lean Manufacturing Model

Dylan Scott, writing in the February 2012 issue of Governing magazine, described the application of best practices by Patricia Gabow, MD, to improving Denver Health operations.

The lean manufacturing model is based on five principles, according to the Lean Enterprise Institute:

1. Identify the value of the product for the customer
2. Map the process for creating the product and eliminate elements without value
3. Create a flow for the value-creating steps
4. Let customers pull value from that flow
5. Begin the process again and seek perfection.

Put more simply, it’s about eliminating wasteful actions. Anything that doesn’t add value for the ultimate customer is considered wasteful. “The philosophy is that waste is disrespectful to humanity because it squanders scarce resources, and waste is disrespectful to individuals because it asks them to do work with no value,” Gabow says. “We’ve added that waste is disrespectful to our patients because it asks them to endure processes with no value.”

Denver Health Becomes Profitable After Using Toyota As A Template

It it valuable to send seven fire companies two to four times a day for extra-crispy toast?

Wonder what the cost comparison and risk analysis would be if we placed a fire-rescue person at the facility to immediately respond to activated fire alarms? Maybe an ems credentialed responder with AED?

An example from Denver Health Medical Center:

Lean also inspired a restructuring of the Denver Health Medical Center’s rapid response system for patients who go into cardiac arrest. At most hospitals, a dedicated team is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for rapid response, and temporarily assume care of those patients from their primary nurses and doctors.

But in applying the lean principles, the medical center’s staff recognized an opportunity to cut costs while ensuring continuity of care. A regular assessment schedule was established for nurses to monitor their patients, and criteria were developed for nurses to determine if a patient was at risk. Then a specific protocol was outlined for staff to follow if a nurse made that determination, providing guidelines for moving up the chain of command if the immediate attending physician is not available or the patient’s condition did not improve.

An analysis by Denver Health staff found that the number of non-ICU cardiac arrest incidents decreased significantly following the implementation of the new procedures. And it bestowed rapid response responsibilities on staff members who were already working, rather than requiring an entirely separate team.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

This post dedicated to Technician Mark Baban, Rescue 401, B-shift. You left too soon.

Some Good Postings From Other Fire/EMS Websites We Recommend

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*  Dave at STATter911 carried the story – and video report – about the weird incident where a firefighter who ran a medical assist call entered the home and immediately recognized a lot of the items around the living room.  They had been burgled from his home a week earlier.  Read this "small world" report HERE.

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*  Bill Carey at the Backstep Firefighter does a serious critique on a search-and-rescue fail that occurred recently HERE.

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*  The Fire Critic, Rhett Fleitz is a bit puzzled by the activity in New York City to try and recruit people who don't even have the simple ability to fill out an employment application HERE.

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*  Michael Morse of Rescuing Providence thinks out loud about the impending bankruptcy of the city he works for HERE.

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*  Bill Gabbert at Wildfire Today informs us about a cockamamie scheme an "environmental scientist" has come up with to reduce wildland grass fires by importing elephants and rhinoceroces to live in the wood near you.  Seriously.  As Bill says:  What could possibly go wrong?  Read it HERE.

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Roundup Creates Gap in Work Schedule

TWO CHEROKEE COUNTY, GEORGIA, FIREFIGHTERS were arrested separately this week and charged with a variety of drug crimes involving fire department ambulances.  Both men are employed by the Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's office first announced on Wednesday that Johnathan Wayne Thomas, of Canton has been charged with Sell of Hydrocodone, Felony Possession of Marijuana, Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance, among several other charges.  He is being held without bond.

Agents arrested the 34-year-old at his home Wednesday afternoon, after an undercover investigation determined he was linked to the crime. Cherokee Sheriff’s Lt. Jay Baker said Thomas had access to the vials because of the nature of his job. Additional investigation details will be released at a later time, Baker said.

Johnathan Thomas (left) and Jarad Jones

The Sheriff's department announced that a second firefighter with the Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services was arrested today (Thursday). Jarad Jones, 25 years old of Canton, turned himself in at the Cherokee Adult Detention Center Thursday afternoon. Jones is charged with Felony Theft by Taking.

Jones is accused of stealing Fentanyl, a liquid pain killer, from a Cherokee County Ambulance in 2011. Investigators believe Jones stole the Fentanyl on more than one occasion and that the drug was used for his personal use. Jones’ bond is set at $5,700.00.

Canton-Sixes Patch tells more about the crimes and arrests:

The illegal drug use came to light on Sunday during a routine inspection of ambulances in the county. Garrison credited changes in the fire department with bringing the activity to the attention of authorities.

Restructuring within the agency put new personnel in fire stations and "new eyes on some of these ambulances," Garrison said. Those individuals "saw things that just didn't appear to be correct in these inventory processes," he said.

This past Sunday, Cherokee County fire officials reported their observations to the Cherokee Sheriff's Office, which investigated the incident in conjunction with the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Tim Cavender said in a statement.

An undercover operation was conducted, and Thomas was arrested at his home Wednesday afternoon following a search warrant at the location. Thomas has been with the fire department for three years. He has no previous disciplinary infractions in his files.

Read the complete article in the Patch HERE.

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Some Good Stories From Fire/EMS Websites We Don't Want You to Miss

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*  STATter911 has some good video along with a description provided by a firefighter of a gas station fire in Alberta Monday night.  The entire shopping district of the small community apparently is constructed of wood-frame, unsprinklered building.  Check it out HERE.

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*  Green Maltese has an article about a new Dept.of Energy program that is directed towards fire and EMS agencies educating us about hazards found in incident involving alternative-fuel vehicles.  The best part?  The DOE is issuing free phone apps for alternative-fuel hazard references.  CLICK HERE and get the address to download yours.

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*  The Fire Critic (Rhett Fleitz) and the Iron Fireman (Willie Wines) joined up with Zach Green, owner of MN8 products (the FoxFire glow-in-the-dark stuff) to visit FDNY Rescue 2 and present checks combining donations to their Mayday Fund.  Rhett has a good write-up along with a photo gallery documenting their visit HERE.  Please make sure you check this one out.

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*  Chicago Area Fire has coverage of a multi-alarm EMS call with several people transported.  As always, their story is accompanied with an extensive and excellent photo gallery HERE.

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*  Wildfire Today has a story about Ollas, the primitive precursor to the tanker shuttle HERE.

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*  Firefighter Spot has posted a batch of videos documenting fires in Brooklyn HERE.

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Four Firefighters Included in Injury Count

Update, 9:30 am Eastern:  Alcohol said to be determining factor.  Scroll down.

CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT ENGINE 62 was involved in a collision Tuesday evening around 6:23 pm that injured ten people including four firefighters.  The engine was responding to a medical call when it approached an intersection and slowed to look for traffic.  All cars in the intersection had stopped, so the pumper proceded into the intersection.  Without warning or reason, one of the stopped cars suddenly started forward and pulled into the path of the fire engine causing a destructive collision as the engine T-boned the right side of the car.

WSBT-TV image

The two adults and three children in the car were all trapped and had to be extricated.  They were all transported in serious condition.  A sixth passenger was only slightly injured.  The four firefighters were also transported in good to fair condition.

Police are investigating and still trying to find out why the 18-yr.-old driver suddenly started driving the car when he did.  The intersection is controlled by a 4-way stop sign.  Some witnesses say that the engine had its lights on, but they did not hear the siren.

WLS-TV prepared this video report from the scene:

Chicago Tribune has the STORY.
The Sun-Times has more plus photos HERE.

Update, 9:30 am Eastern:
The Chicago Tribune is now reporting that alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor in the crash.  The Tribune writes:

Authorities say they suspect alcohol played a role in the collision between a Chicago fire truck and a carload of people in the Far South Side that injured 10 people.

None of the victims — including three children and four Chicago firefighters — suffered life-threatening injuries when the truck, responding to a fire call, collided with a mid-size sedan at Halsted and 128th streets, police said. A female passenger did suffer a broken neck, authorities said.

One source said the sedan's driver, a man, had a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit. A second source said police were seeking felony charges against the driver. Both sources requested anonymity because they weren't cleared to discuss the matter publicly.

A police spokesman said he was awaiting further information and declined to comment.

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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

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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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