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LODD – Italy

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ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 17, AN ITALIAN FIREFIGHTER lost his life when a fire department helicopter crashed into Lake Bracciano near Rome.

italy a copter

The helicopter was taking part in a water-rescue training exercise when it went down.  There were four firefighters on board with three of them recieving only minor injuries.  Sadly, the pilot perished in the crash.  He has been identified as Gabriele Valente, age 32.  His body was recovered by Vigili del Fuoco divers on Thursday at the bottom of the 400-ft. deep lake.

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No information has been released on the cause for the helicopter to go down.

Corriere della Serra has posted some raw video of the search operations HERE.

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The cross indicates the crash site in the lake.

This video was taken earlier of the helicopter that crashed Wednesday:

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Posted by fireball on March 19, 2010 • Filed under: In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Videos, aircraft • Tagged: , ,

Off-Duty Captain Makes Rescue

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WHEN THE DISPATCH FOR A TRAIN vs. car collision was sent to the Huron, Ohio, fire department Wednesday night, Captain Kurt Schafer was at home with his monitor on and heard the call.  The report was for a car that had been struck and was on fire next to the railroad crossing.  Capt. Schafer lives not far from the location and he responded from home to try and help before the units arrived.

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When he came on the scene he found a car well-involved in fire and two legs sticking out of a window.  Then he noticed that the legs were kicking as if trying to crawl out of the vehicle.  Schafer ran up to the car, grabbed the victim’s coat and pulled him out and away from the blazing vehicle……ironically a Chevy Blazer.  The train was traveling 50 mph when it struck the car sending it tumbling over and down an embankment.

WJW-TV Ch. 8 Cleveland interviews Capt. Schafer as he relates his story:

The driver of the Blazer was found to have 3 times the legal limit of alcohol in his bloodstream and admitted to police that he had consumed about 25 drinks earlier that evening.

The Morning  Journal has a good report on what happened along with a link to the 9-1-1 tape HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on January 21, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, In the Line of Duty, Rescues, Videos, fire, rescue • Tagged: , , , ,

Updates, etc.

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UPDATES FOR SOME RECENT FIREGEEZER ARTICLES:

*  This afternoon (Monday),the firefighters of Morbihan region paid a tribute to the Ajudant Damien Hochet who died in a firetruck accident on December 23rd.  (see Firegeezer story HERE.)  Many people were at the services which took place in a gymnasium in Kerlivio.

morbihan a funeral

His two colleagues who were injured in the accident, Emmanuel Magnan and Anthony le Bot, were able to attend, also.

Source:  Ouest-France.

*  Do you recall the story about the Asian Carp migrating up the Illinois River that we posted on December 2?  We had that fascinating video HERE showing scores of the fish jumping out of the water as a boat passes by.  The focus of the story was on the fear that then encroaching species was about to get into the Great Lakes via the Chicago ship canal.

Last week the State of Michigan filed for an injunction in the U. S. Supreme Court against the Army Corps of Engineers  to force them to keep the locks closed that connect the two bodies of water.  Read the background in our first report HERE (and watch the funny video), then watch this video report from WFLD-TV Chicago on the legal challenge by Michigan:

*  Sunday morning the city of Northampton, Massachusetts, had a series of 11 arsons in a span of 73 minutes (Firegeezer video report HERE) that left two people dead in one house.  Today the NFD released the dispatch tapes of the radio activity and they have been transcribed onto a set of three YouTube recordings.  Our correspondent Richard C., who sent along the link, refers to them as “a dispatcher’s nightmare.”  CLICK HERE to listen to them and see if you agree.

Posted by fireball on December 28, 2009 • Filed under: In the Line of Duty, current events, dispatch • Tagged: , , ,

Another Kind of “Fire Wall”

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IN THE MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO, there is another Fire Wall coming soon.  This one will be a permanent memorial to the firefighters and rescue workers that have died in the line of duty in the nine counties that comprise the Miami Valley.

The project was initiated 22 years ago when two area firefighters, Rod Longpre, now retired from Dayton FD, and Darrell Perkins of Box 21 Rescue Squad got together and laid out their plan.  The Dayton Daily News tells: 

[T]hey established the nonprofit Miami Valley Firefighter/EMS Memorial Association with the goal of creating a public sculpture honoring their fallen friends.

Dayton Firefighters Local 136 raised some $20,000 through bake sales, fish fries, and benefits featuring local rock bands. The Memorial Association received a $25,000 grant from the Robert E. Miller trust and two grants from the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District totaling nearly $7,000.

Spokesman Steve King said private donations have boosted the total to more than $65,000 but an additional $10,000 to $15,000 needs to be raised before construction can begin on the sculpture that will be installed at Stubbs Park in Centerville, near the natural amphitheater.

“It has been a long strange trip,” Longpre said, “and I can’t believe we’ve come this far.”

Once they had sufficient funds to begin building the memorial, they commissioned a sculptor to design and build the centerpiece sculpture.  After calling for submissions and then having a jury select their favorite, the job was given to Jon Barlow Hudson, a local artist who has provided commissioned works in several major parks around the world.  The Daily News continues:

The names of [the 58] dead will be inscribed on one panel of the 15-foot triangular form, which will incorporate abstract and realistic components. “Fire Wall” will be constructed from three massive steel triangles symbolizing fuel, heat and oxygen. The silhouette of a firefighter will be laser-cut into a bright aluminum tread plate that is found on most fire trucks. A cutout of the firefighter will be installed several feet behind the silhouette.

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The earliest recorded death was that of John Dawson of Springfield on Feb. 24, 1847; the most recent is Rose Woodbridge of Hanover Twp,, who died July 28, 2006. Edward Doudna died March 25, 1913, while rescuing victims of the Great Dayton Flood.

Read more details about the project and the artist in Dayton Daily News story HERE.
Miami Valley Memorial WEBSITE.

Posted by firegeezer on December 27, 2009 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, In the Line of Duty, culture • Tagged: , ,

Fatal Firetruck Rollover in France

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A FIRETRUCK FROM THE HENNEBONT FIRE DEPARTMENT in the Morbihan region of France crashed shortly after 1 am this morning, killing one firefighter and injuring three two others, one seriously.  The worst-injured firefighter was ejected from the cab.

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Ouest-France photo

The truck was responding to a vehicle accident call when it got onto an icy patch of roadway, went out of control and had a complete rollover.  The three FF’s were all career firefighters;  the unidentified 40-yr.-old man who perished was  trapped under the cab and had to be extricated by his colleagues.

Update:
The deceased firefighter’s name has been released.  He is Damien Hochet.

Ouest-France has the STORY.

SDIS 56 WEBSITE provided this photo of the truck taken before today:
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Hennebont FD WEBSITE.

Posted by fireball on December 23, 2009 • Filed under: In the Line of Duty, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, apparatus, health & safety • Tagged: , , ,

Connecticut FF Wins Valor Award

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A NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, FIREFIGHTER was commended by the city council Monday night and then awarded the Fire Department Commendation of Valor. 

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The Day / Tim Martin

Kaim Rosado (above, right), an 8-year member of the NLFD, was honored for his swift and unselfish  actions on December 12 when a disturbed man attempted suicide on the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.  The 22-yr.-old man had climbed a fence and then scaled the span up to the peak, 130 feet above the water.  As a couple of state troopers attempted to hold him to the bridge,  Rosado took out his self-rescue rope and climbed out onto the ledge where he secured the patient while others used bolt cutters to remove a section of the fence and drag the man back onto the bridge.

The Day newspaper has a complete description of the rescue operation and a review of last night’s ceremony HERE.

Hat tip:  Rob L.

Posted by firegeezer on December 22, 2009 • Filed under: In the Line of Duty, rescue • Tagged: , , , , ,

Two FF’s Killed in Blast at Russian Military Base

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ulyan a RIA novosti

RIA Novosti

AN EXPLOSION AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE AT A MILITARY DEPOT in Ulyanovsk, Russia, Friday has caused significant damage while killing two military firefighters and injuring at least 20 others.  At first there were thought to be more than 30 missing, but they were found later sequestered in a bomb shelter and escorted to safety.  The facility is a Russian Navy arsenal where weapons and ammunition are stored.  Officials say that there are “thousand of carloads” of ammunition kept in the depot.

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NTV

The Russian Defense Ministry said the initial explosion took place around 4 pm local time (8 am Eastern time) “apparently during the disposal of ammunition.  The explosion in one of its workshops led to a fire which spread onto adjacent buildings of the military units,” the statement said. “The surrounding area is cordoned off. Fifteen fire brigades … are trying to localize the fire.”   The fire response was later upgraded to 20 companies.

CNN has this raw video from VESTI-TV:

Local hospitals were flooded with civilians suffering from cuts by broken glass caused by the long succession of explosions that at one point were occurring every 30 seconds.  Two trucks loaded with gunpowder also exploded.  Provincial governor Sergei Morozov said 3,000 people were evacuated from the area.

Russia Today has this excellent English-language video report that goes into more detail of the fire and the causes:

The two firefighters that perished were part of a team that was working to keep the fire from spreading within the compound.

This report will be updated if and when any further information is released.

Posted by firegeezer on November 14, 2009 • Filed under: Fires, In the Line of Duty, Major Incidents, Videos, explosion • Tagged: , , , , , ,