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A Night of Heros

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"A Night of Epic Proportions"

-from The New York City Firefighter Brotherhood

Yesterday afternoon I was eating jambalaya and red beans in a New Orleans dive. The television was in full hurricane mode.

The owner, bartender, cook and regular survived Katrina. Two patrons were from Florida and mentioned that they survived four consecutive hurricanes a couple of years ago. They all asked, where was the media then?

A City So Nice They Named It Twice

The iconic March 29, 1976, magazine cover from The New Yorker symbolizes the assertion that national news is NYC focused. Studios, headquarters staff and production employees are based in the city.

Maybe too much NYC-focused hype. Then Sandy made landfall …

A Catastrophe Unfolding in Digital Bursts

FDNY Incidents posted tweet and Facebook updates that left me slack-jawed.

Gregg Favre, a GWU Emergency Services alumn, made a great observation:

I have a bachelors and masters degree in Emergency Management. I teach the practice at the University-level.

I wrote the St. Louis Fire Department's 500-page SOGs on the topic. I feel like I am pretty knowledgable on the subject and grounded in my expectations.

All that said, I am amazed at what is going on in NYC/NJ/NE. This is going to get worse before it gets better. To all my New York friends and co-workers, please be safe.

Swimming to the fire

Before the Breezy Point conflagration in Queens, Favre was focusing on "The Beach House" - Engine 268 and Ladder 137 in Far Rockaway.

Tonight, the FDNY removed the majority of its units from the Rockaway neighborhood because of extreme danger. They left Engine 268 and Ladder 137 as the lone units.

Favre paraphrased the following radio exchange, I think that The New York City Firefighter Brotherhood Foundation captured a more complete version:

Queens Boro Commander Chief Maynes directly to the officer of Eng Co 268

"The structures are not your concern. Your concern is the residents of Rockaway and your firefighters. Do you understand my order 268"?

Officer of 268 " I understand the orders of Chief Maynes".

That order was made about the same time Engine 268 encountered this situation, as posted by The New York City Firefighter Brotherhood Foundation:

.

268 Engine operating alone at this time at a Rockaway 10-75.

They are unable to make entry into the block and the officer in charge of 268 Engine has decided not to commit members. The fire is in an attached private dwelling and is extending to exposures.

Queens dispatch has just advised 268 Engine that they are unable to send them any assistance. The fire is located at Beach 114 St & The Boardwalk.

Followed by this report:

Members of Eng Co 268 have confirmed people trapped in a 10-75. The officer of 268 has just advised Queens that they are removing their bunker gear and are holding onto handlines in an attempt the make rescues.

This is at the scene of 2 fuly involved private dwellings. 268 members will attempt to swim to the scene and start rescues.

There are hundreds of other events that required courage, creativity and bravery from the last 36 hours.

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

related: September 6, 2010: Updated: 70th Anniversary of London Blitz

Posted by fossilmedic on October 30, 2012 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, Emergency Communications, EMS Topics, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighting Operations, Major Incidents, Mass Casualty Incident, News, Rescues, Special Operations, Urban Commander, weather • Tagged: 268, FDNY, FDNY Incidents, fossilmedic, Frankenstorm, Hurricane Sandy, Rockaway, The New York City Firefighter Brotherhood

Updated – Rare Tornado Strikes Brooklyn

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Hits Breezy Point

UPDATE, 10 pm: Second twister involved. Scroll down.

A FREAK WEATHER OCCURRENCE STRUCK NEW YORK CITY Saturday ~~afternoon~~ morning at 10:50 am when a tornado formed just offshore over the ocean and swept into Brooklyn touching down at Breezy Point and moving through the Rockaways. The Weather Service has confirmed that it was a tornado.

The Google marker denotes the Breezy Point neighborhood.

The New York Times reports:

The swirling column of wind and water, captured by dozens of people on cellphone cameras and almost instantly posted on the Internet, lasted only minutes, according to witnesses, but in that short time it tore down walls, lifted roofs off homes and tangled power lines as it cut a path through the Rockaways, near Breezy Point.

Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, who arrived in Breezy Point on Saturday afternoon to assess the damage, said there had been no reports of injuries.

Brian Ciemnecki, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said the tornado had touched down at Breezy Point. The Weather Service had yet to confirm its strength and duration.

The severe weather was expected to continue throughout the day and into the evening as a cold front moving in from the west made its way into the area, meeting up with the warm moist air ahead of it and causing instability in the atmosphere.

The Weather Service issued five tornado warnings, covering parts of Queens, Westchester County and Rockland County in New York and Fairfield and New Haven Counties in Connecticut.

CBS News posted this home video taken by a Breezy Point resident showing the funnel cloud forming and then moving ashore. The gutsy cameraman hangs in there as the debris and other junk starts flying around him:

CBS News also reports:

Thomas Sullivan, general manager of the Breezy Point Surf Club, said the twister ripped up cabanas and deck chairs. "A lot of rain, a lot of wind," he said. "It picked up picnic benches. It picked up Dumpsters."

Half an hour later the weather was beautiful, but he's had to close the club to clean up the damage.

Lizann Maher, a worker at Kennedy's Restaurant at the edge of Jamaica Bay, said she saw a "swirling cone kind of thing with something flying in it" come down and then head back out into the water toward Brooklyn. "It was scary. We have all glass so we kept saying, 'Get away from the glass!' just in case it did come back around," she said.

The tornado struck as part of a line of storms that were expected to bring damaging winds, hail, heavy rain and possibly more tornadoes throughout the mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Saturday. Across New York state, in Buffalo, strong winds from a broad front of thunderstorms blew roofing off of some buildings and sent bricks falling into the street.

It is too early to learn of the amount of damage as the assessments are just getting started. FDNY says that there are electric wires down throughout the area. No injuries have been reported yet.

Update, 10 pm:
The National Weather Service confirmed later today that the damage farther in Brooklyn was caused by a second tornado that sprang up just after the first one dissipated. The second twister traveled through the Canarsie section of Brooklyn carrying winds of 110 mph and causing structural damage to several houses and downing trees. The Associated Press reported:

Videos taken by bystanders showed a funnel cloud sucking up water, then sand, and then small pieces of buildings, as the first moved through the Breezy Point section of the Rockaway peninsula in Queens.

The second hit to the northwest, in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn also near the water, about seven minutes later. The National Weather Service said winds were up to 110 miles per hour, and several homes and trees were damaged.

Residents had advance notice. The weather service had issued a tornado warning for Queens and Brooklyn at around 10:40 a.m. The storm took people by surprise anyway when it struck about 20 minutes later.

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Posted by firegeezer on September 8, 2012 • Filed under: current events, News, Videos, weather • Tagged: tornado strikes Brooklyn

Ferrari Formula 1 – winter edition

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Snowmaggeden in Europe

Two years ago we were in the middle of Snowmagedden. A Delayed Meet

2010 picture from dcfd.com

Europe has been smacked hard by snow. According to Associated Press's Frances D'Emilio, Italy is issuing government snow shovels to handle the up to 8" snowfall, the worst they have experienced in 26 years.

Snow on the racetrack

Scuderia Ferrari tweeted this picture of their racetrack:

That has not slowed down preparation for the next Formula 1 season. Here is a sneak preview of their latest vehicle:

Better ground clearance than their non-snow version, that appears to use as snow shovel as a aerodynamic aid:

Mike "FossilMedic" Ward

Posted by fossilmedic on February 5, 2012 • Filed under: cars, News, weather • Tagged: Ferrari, Formula 1, fossilmedic, FRANCES D'EMILIO, italy, Scuderia Ferrari, snow, Snowpocalypse, WTOP

Updated – Rare Tornado Touches Down in Springfield, Massachusetts

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Early Reports Claim High Damage and Many People Trapped

Updates continually. Scroll down.
Videos added.
Police dispatch live link added.
Tornado outburst in Worcester, 50 miles west of Boston

5:30 pm Eastern: A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, Wednesday afternoon at 4:45 pm. The twister first touched down in West Springfield and moved into Springfield destroying houses and tossing some cars over. There have been many reports of people trapped in the cars and damaged homes, but it is too early to get confirmed information on the extent of damage.

Springfield Republican

The public safety command post has been set up at 50 Maple Street. Firegeezer will be updating as fresh information comes in.

5:45 pm
Two funnel clouds have been sighted, one in Wesfield and the other in Springfield. As of 5:30 the Springfield funnel was still on the ground. It traveled through the downtown area and unconfirmed reports say that heavy damage was sustained.

Citizen photo of funnel over West Springfield

From WPRI-TV Ch. 12:

Tornado hits Mass.; RI under warning: wpri.com

From WCVB-TV Ch. 5

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Police dispatch live link: CLICK HERE then click on the "Springfield Police" line.

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WTNH-TV Ch. 8 – shows some downtown damage:

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Update 7:40 pm
Reports are still coming in on additional funnel clouds being sighted in Worcester, 50 miles west of Boston. Harrington Hospital in ~~Worcester~~ Southbridge is moving their patients into the hallways. 375 hospital staff being recalled, gearing up for more emergency patients.

Report of more than 30 cars overturned on Route 84. One hotel reported collapsed. Ambulances blocked by trees over roadways.

USAR teams and mutual aid task forces being mobilized. Town of Palmer reportedly needing USAR help.

Worcester Fire & Rescue live radio feed….CLICK HERE. Fire units reporting twister touchdowns in their proximity.

District Chief to engine… tornado reported on ground.
Engine to chief, roger that, it is right in front of us.
Ok, be careful.

(Thanks to Mark Donovan for assistance)

Worcester Telegram & Gazette is reporting online:

State police scanner reports indicated significant damage to the center of Monson, Brimfield, Sturbridge and Charlton.

At 5:23 p.m., trained weather spotters reported a funnel cloud northwest of Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, according to the weather service. At 5:41 p.m., the weather service's Doppler radar was tracking a tornado near Millbury, moving east at 35 mph.

　

Another tornado was being tracked in Brimfield at 6:55 p.m., moving east at 35 mph, and a tornado warning remains in effect until 8 p.m. for southern Worcester County. The National Weather Service described the situation as extremely dangerous and life-threatening and urged people to take cover immediately.

Sturbridge scene (T&G)

WWLP-TV Ch. 22 Springfield reports:

Thomas Walsh, aide to Mayor Domenic Sarno told 22News that the City of Springfield has requested that the National Guard come to the city, where there has been damage from a tornado. Walsh said that the National Guard is on its way.

The State Police Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) has been called in to help search damaged buildings for the possibility that anyone is trapped. Traffic into the city is being limited, as highway ramps leading to the city have been closed by State Police.

Update, 10 pm:
Governor Patrick has called up 1,000 National Guard troops and has declared a state of emergency. It was also announced that there are four known deaths from the storms, one in West Springfield, one in Brimfield, and two in Westfield.

The violent storm system has left the state, no immediate danger exists other than possibility of building collapses.

West Springfield damage. (WWLP-TV)

Adams Grocery Store – Monson. (WWLP-TV)

This post has now been closed. Any further updates will be later in new postings.

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Posted by firegeezer on June 1, 2011 • Filed under: Major Incidents, Videos, weather

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow…

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Most Of The Northern Hemisphere Is Covered With Snow

THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) released this satellite map Wednesday showing that almost the entire northern hemisphere was covered by snow on Monday:

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Posted by firegeezer on February 3, 2011 • Filed under: current events, News, weather • Tagged: NOAA, Satellite map

Medstar Suspends Lights-&-Siren Responses

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From today’s press release:

MEDSTAR SUSPENDS LIGHTS-AND-SIREN RESPONSES DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

Dallas / Fort Worth, TX — February 1, 2011 – Due to dangerous road conditions in Fort Worth and surrounding areas, MedStar has temporarily suspended lights-and-sirens responses out of concern for crew and public safety. Officials will continually monitor roadways to determine when it is safe to resume such responses.

Historically, MedStar sees a dramatic rise in the number of emergency calls during icy weather, particularly motor vehicle collisions and falls. In order to address this increase, additional staff have been called in and a contingency plan has been implemented to maintain staff on-site or nearby to help facilitate operations.

Calls to 9-1-1 are prioritized to address the most life-threatening needs first. During a situation like today’s ice storm, the same system is used, however wait times for non-emergency calls may be extended due to hazardous road conditions and the increased number of calls.

MedStar is dedicated to meeting the emergency medical needs of the communities we serve, even when the weather turns bad. MedStar joins with the city to urge residents to stay off the roads, if possible until conditions improve.

MEDSTAR Press Release

Dallas weather:

A frigid blast of Arctic air blitzed North Texas on Tuesday with freezing rain, snow and blustery winds.

Icy conditions closed Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport and area schools.

Tonight:

16.9 °F

Overcast

Windchill:	9 °F
Humidity:	59%
Dew Point:	5 °F
Wind:	9.2 mphfrom the North

Hard freeze warning in effect until 10 am CST Wednesday…
Wind Chill Advisory in effect until 10 am CST Wednesday…
Tonight
Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Breezy. Lows around 10. Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph shifting to the north 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Wind gusts up to 35 mph are possible. Wind chill readings as low as 4 below to 9 below zero.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. Highs in the lower 20s. North winds 15 to 20 mph. Wind chill readings as low as 3 below to 8 below zero.

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills. Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors and is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services.

Mike “FrigidMedic” Ward

Posted by fossilmedic on February 1, 2011 • Filed under: ambulances, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, News, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, weather • Tagged: Dallas, Fort Worth, fossilmedic, MedStar

Frigid Firefighting – cont’d.

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More Firefighting From the Cold Front

WHEN THAT ARCTIC AIR SETTLED OVER NEW ENGLAND Sunday and Monday, there probably wasn’t any greater challenge than the apartment fire that faced the Lebanon, New Hampshire, firefighters shortly after 8:30 am on Monday morning while the outside temperature was minus-20º F. (For you folks in Canada, that’s minus-29 C.)

An alarm was dispatched for fire in an apartment building and when the FD arrived they found a 3-story, balloon-framed building that houses 11 apartments. They encountered heavy fire showing at the rear of the first floor. The chief immediately called for a second alarm.

The Lebanon FD press release tells:

Units entered the second floor middle section of the building and were able to stop the spread of the fire to the rear portion of the structure. Due to ceiling and roof collapse units were ordered to fight the rear portion from the exterior. The building suffered major fire damage to the rear four apartments and moderate damage to the two middle units.

The remainder of the building sustained water and smoke damage. The fire was declared under control at 1105 hours. Units remained on scene awaiting the arrival of an excavator to assist in pulling the heavily damaged portion of the building apart so that units can extinguish “hot spots”.

There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire was found to be the building owner attempting to thaw some water pipes in the basement with a torch.

Report and photos provided by Lebanon Fire Department.
Lebanon Fire Department WEBSITE.

Posted by firegeezer on January 26, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, weather • Tagged: apartment fire, arctic air, Lebanon New Hampshire Fire Department

Frigid Water Supplies

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Arctic Weather Challenges Northeastern Firefighters

THE WAVE OF SUB-FREEZING WEATHER THAT swept across New England and the Mid-Atlantic states Monday set up some real challenges for firefighters as hydrants froze and working areas iced over. We are bringing just two examples of the many challenging fires that confronted fire and rescue departments yesterday.

photo by Nate Arnold

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, FIREFIGHTERS were called out at 3:30 am for a house fire that was spreading to the home next to it with temperatures sitting at Minus-12 F. on Benton Street. It was the third of four working fires that they had in a 24-hr. span.

Nate Arnold photo

The Republican REPORTS that the house was vacant and the fast-growing fire started burning the next house over that was about 20 ft. away. Flying embers landed on the roof of a third house and burned through the shingles. The first units in were confronted with frozen hydrants and rapidly deteriorating conditions. A second alarm was dispatched ten minutes into the operation.

Nate Arnold photo

The Republican also filed this video report from the scene:

Fire photographer Nate Arnold has an 81-image photo gallery HERE.

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MONROE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, FIRE DEPARTMENTS responded to a working apartment fire where they found every hydrant in the complex was frozen. With the outside temperature sitting at 0º F., they had to rely on a drafting operation from an ice-covered creek.

WNEP-TV Ch. 16 Scranton posted this good video report on how they met the weather challenges:

They struck a total of 7 alarms to bring in enough equipment and manpower to handle the operation and they successfully contained the fire to two units in the center of the affected building. (Firegeezer calls it a “good stop”).

WFMZ-TV Allentown also covered the fire and posted this video on the fire itself:

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IN SHAMOKIN, PENNSYLVANIA, THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT IN COAL TOWNSHIP started up their unique reserve engine and fought this large house fire Monday afternoon:

News Item photo

The News Item, under the headline Police Officer Rescues Dog, reports on this special firetruck that must have been made before 1940:

Firefighters, first dispatched about 1:30 p.m. Monday, were having trouble containing the blaze and at 2:20 p.m. were ordered out of the building.

They’re now working with hoses from outside the house and with a cannon truck, which was trained at the third floor of the home.

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Posted by firegeezer on January 25, 2011 • Filed under: fire, Fires, hydrants, Videos, weather

FDNY down to 166 calls waiting Tuesday morning from height of 1300 during blizzard

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Jonathan Lemire, writing for Tuesday’s NY DAILY NEWS, filed this report:

The backlog of emergency calls to the FDNY – which hit a staggering 1,300 at the height of the Christmas blizzard – dropped to under 200 Tuesday morning, officials said.

Only 166 calls were still outstanding as of 10 a.m., three of which were considered life-threatening, according to FDNY sources.

The potentially dangerous delays were created by the massive blizzard, which made scores of roads impassable and even buried some ambulances in massive snowdrifts.

Marino for New York Daily News

There Goes the Dome!

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BY NOW, ALMOST EVERYBODY has heard about the bit of bad luck in Minneapolis where the inflated roof over their sports arena collapsed under the weight of this weekend’s snow.

In a fine demonstration of why it is not wise to use a piece of fabric for your roof, especially in places that have snowfalls on a regular basis, the Minneapolis Metrodome has released the surveillance videos documenting the fifth and latest collapse of their fabric roof.

Posted by firegeezer on December 13, 2010 • Filed under: current events, News, Videos, weather • Tagged: Metrodome

Updates

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Assorted updates to previously reported stories on Firegeezer

* There are still three people missing and unaccounted for after the disastrous explosion and fire in San Bruno, California.

Another twist in the story is coming to light as records from the gas company, PG&E are being examined. Two years ago they were given a rate increase to raise funding to start replacing portions of that same pipe, but all of the money was spent on other projects and management bonuses instead. They had just recently applied for another rate increase to replace that same section of line that they had collected for earlier.

NECN is reporting via video:

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* THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE says that they will have investigators in New York City today trying to determine if there was in fact a tornado within the destructive storm that swept through Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens last evening (Firegeezer report HERE).

They will be looking over the area and mapping out the width and intensity of the storm to determine if a tornado touched down, according to a NWS spokesman. He added that eight tornados have hit New York City since 1950. The last was in July, when a small one hit the Bronx during a thunderstorm that left thousands without power. In 2007, a tornado with winds up to 135 mph touched down in Staten Island and in Brooklyn, where it damaged homes and ripped the roof off a car dealership.

This famous photograph showing a twister passing near
the Statue of Liberty was taken on July 7, 1976.

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* THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETED into the cause of a tragic farmhouse fire that we reported on back in July HERE in Germany. Six people including an entire family perished in the blaze while four others escaped but were injured. Our story was punctuated by a poignant photo of a volunteer firefighter taken after the fire was out. It is a rural area where everybody knew the family, including the FF’s.

The police investigators and the local prosecuter have been unable to determine an exact cause, partly because of the amount of destruction. Through elimination they have narrowed it to either an electrical malfunction or an accident involving a candle. Officially it will be classed as “unknown.”

Posted by firegeezer on September 17, 2010 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos, weather

Fierce Storm Keeps FDNY Hopping

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A FIERCE STORM WITH TORNADIC-LIKE WINDS swept across New York City Thursday during the evening rush hour, leaving a trail of heavy destruction. It only took a few minutes to pass over any given spot.

NYBuff

The storm came out of western New Jersey, hit Staten Island with 70-mph winds, then moved through Brooklyn and Queens with the winds acclerating up to 100-mph. It apparently spent out after reaching Great Neck. This video from a ship’s bridge shows it moving across New York Harbor:

Tornado warnings were issued for Staten Island at 5:20 pm, Brooklyn at 5:24 pm, and for Queens at 5:36 pm. The warnings were lifted city-wide at 6:00 pm. There are reports of untold hundreds of trees down, many onto houses and automobiles.

NYBuff

Also reports of roofs being ripped off and several tractor-trailers being blown over.

Wires down throughout the entire city and as of 10:30 p.m., Con Ed reported 29,605 outages in Queens; 3,787 on Staten Island; 195 in Brooklyn; and 12 in the Bronx.. The storm was moving so rapidly that many people didn’t have warning of its approach, as evidenced in this home video:

One woman was killed when a tree landed on her car after she had pulled over to stop during the rain in Queens. Partial building collapses were reported in two Queens locations and two more in Brooklyn.

It is too early to get any accurate numbers on fire/rescue activity that came as a result of the storm. We will post any relevant updates on Friday.

Posted by firegeezer on September 16, 2010 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, Major Incidents, rescue, Rescues, Videos, weather

Morning Lineup – February 13

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Winter weather continues to make some strange news this week. A very unusual snowstorm traveled straight west-to-east across the southernmost U. S. Thursday, leaving a measurable snowfall in places where it has never been seen in decades. What made it even more unusual was the wide territory that it covered, including a small piece of the Florida panhandle.

As a result, we had the unique situation where on Friday there was snow on the ground in parts of every state in the U. S., except for Hawai’i. So far, the people who have taken the time to look haven’t found a recorded instance of that every happening before. Ok, we’ve seen it arready! Now let’s melt the dang stuff and get some Springtime in here!

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Reading the news the other day, something that caught my eye was a report datelined from Cass County, Texas. It was the county name, Cass that I noticed. It was the first time that I had seen that geographical name used in Texas. I knew that there were a couple of Cass County’s in the mid-west because my mother was born in one of them. I have always had a mild curiosity about who this guy Cass was, but never to the extent of checking him out. While we all understand who was being honored when Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson counties were named, some of the lesser-known leaders of the time tend to be forgotten over the years. So Cass had some sort of local fame in the mid-west when the states there were formally organizing and joining the Union, but Texas? I just had to finally answer my question about who this guy is, so I looked him up.

First, geographically there are nine states that have a Cass County in them. That kind of surprised me, so many. Eight of them are mid-western states that were all formed from the Northwest Territory. And the ninth is Texas. Brigadier General Lewis Cass came to fame in the War of 1812 (which, as you should know, was fought in 1814) and as a reward for his service, President James Madison appointed him to be the governor of the Michigan Territory. And that began his long political career. And it explains his affiliation with all those other NW Territory states.

lewis cass

Gen. Lewis Cass

After serving as territorial governor for 18 years, Pres. Jackson appointed him to his cabinet as Secretary of War and then 5 years later he became ambassador to France. His political achievements continued to accumulate, including running for President for the Democratic party against Zachary Taylor. He also was noted for leading the expedition to locate the source of the Mississippi River. So he was very famous in his day, yet unknown in our era. So, what’s the deal with Texas? Well, during Cass’ tenure as Senator from Michigan after it became a state, Senator Cass strongly supported the annexation of Texas into the U. S. They were grateful to him for his effort on their behalf. And now you know….. the rest of the story.

And I know we had better get this equipment checked out now. Apparently almost all of us can look out the window and see snow. I’ll get the coffee started. See you back in the day room in a little while.

buckle up texas

Posted by firegeezer on February 13, 2010 • Filed under: history, morning lineup, weather • Tagged: Cass County, General Lewis Cass

Back to the Driving Simulator

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THURSDAY WAS NOT A GOOD DAY for the 1st-responders of New Britain, Connecticut. In the span of only eight minutes they crashed a fire engine, a police car, and an ambulance in three separate accidents.

The troubles began earlier in the morning when a swift winter storm moved across the region leaving a heavy and slick snowfall that disrupted the morning rush hour and led to a lot of dispatches for traffic accidents.

The city’s woes began at 9:48 am when a fire engine that was just leaving an accident scene collided with a road-sanding truck. One minute later, at another accident scene, a police cruiser was rear-ended while the officer was sitting inside. Capping off the hat-trick with a solid triple, at 9:56 an ambulance had a head-on collision with an automobile.

Fortunately, all the injuries incurred were relatively minor. The city has not yet said how much damage the emergency vehicles had. Read the complete report in the New Britain Herald HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on January 29, 2010 • Filed under: apparatus, Vehicle Operation & Ambulances, Vehicle Operations & Apparatus, weather • Tagged: New Britain Connecticut

Tornado Surprise In Atlanta

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A VIOLENT TORNADO-LIKE STORM SWEPT THROUGH ATLANTA, GEORGIA, last night around 9:45. An unusual event for a major city’s downtown area, it left at least 20 homes demolished and caused millions of dollars in damages to buildings in the CNN Tower area.

[photopress:tornado_a_cnn.jpg,full,centered]
Glass and debris cover Marietta Street
outside the CNN Center. (Kyle Almond/CNN)

The Omni Hotel, which adjoins the CNN Center had to evacuate their guests from their rooms down to the lobby and exhibition hall as the storm blew out all of the windows on one side of the building.

In the CNN building the roof was partially torn open allowing water to pour into the building and in the newsroom one of the computers was sucked out through a window.

Across the street the Georgia Dome stadium was filled with spectators watching a regional basketball tournement when the roof split and the scoreboard started swaying. The game was stopped temporarily and everybody moved down to the street level. The game finished eventually, but the next contest was postponed.

CNN has the report HERE.
WSB-TV Ch.2 has VIDEOS.

[photopress:tornado_b_ch46.jpg,full,centered]

Posted by firegeezer on March 15, 2008 • Filed under: rescue, weather

So. Cal. Wind Warnings Reduced

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THE WEATHER SERVICE HAS MODIFIED ITS WIND WARNING for Southern California this morning. Where last week they were predicting the probablility of 60+ mph winds arriving on Wednesday, now they are saying that sustained winds are expected hit 30 mph and last until the weekend, with moisture levels sinking to critical fire threshold levels,

However, respecting the vagaries of weather, the local fire departments will still be pre-positioning their units according to their plan reported HERE.

[photopress:afp_1c_a.jpg,full,centered]

The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that the military announced plans to deploy firefighting aircraft, C-130s, from Wyoming and Colorado by mid-week to Southern California.

Posted by firegeezer on November 19, 2007 • Filed under: weather

Hurricane Watch

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THAT PESKY STORM NAMED NOEL has been wandering around the Caribbean for the past week. Yesterday it was upgraded to a level-1 hurricane and zoomed toward the Bahamas.

It looks like it will be heading north now and probably stay out to sea, leaving some wet weather along the coast.

Make sure you keep up with it by checking the Firegeezer Hurricane Watch page. You’ll find it on the right sidebar and also a link at the top of the page above the header.

[photopress:weather_11_02.gif,full,centered]

Posted by firegeezer on November 2, 2007 • Filed under: weather

Notorious Santa Ana Winds Return To So. Cal.

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THE SEASONAL SANTA ANA WINDS RETURN to Southern California today in what meteorologists predict will be the most severe season in a decade.

The hot, dry winds are expected to touch hurricane-strength at times and will cause major concerns for all firefighting resources. Along with the winds will be extremely high temperatures exacerbating the wildfire dangers. “Red Flag” warnings have been raised in the entire region.

[photopress:SantaAna_a.jpg,full,centered]
Accu-Weather image

The San Diego Union-Tribune REPORTS:

“The weather will be conducive to explosive fire growth,” said Rob Balfour, a forecaster and fire-incident meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Rancho Bernardo office. “It’ll be very similar to 2003, in strength and duration.”

Sustained Santa Ana winds should reach 20 mph to 40 mph, and gusts could hit 60 mph to 70 mph in county canyons and passes. By Monday morning, when the winds are expected to peak, humidity levels should fall below 10 percent and stay in single digits for a couple of days. The inland valleys could reach 95 degrees.

Much of Southern California, with the exception of coastal zones and deserts, will be under a red-flag warning from (Sunday) morning through Tuesday afternoon. The warning signifies extreme fire danger because of a combination of strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures.

“The best way to describe it is we plan for the worst and hope for the best,” said Ray Chaney, battalion chief for the San Diego unit of the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “We’re planning on this being a significant event.”

[photopress:SantaAna_b_uniontribune.jpg,full,centered]
Crewman prepares to shuttle “helitanker”
to Ramona Air Base. Union-Tribune photo

The department repositioned two air tankers and a “helitanker” to the Ramona Air Attack Base on Monday to complement two tankers already there. Chaney said recent storms in the Western United States and Northern California reduced the fire danger there and made the aircrafts’ transfer possible.

The first fire on this event started around 9:40 pm (Pacific time) last night in the northeast corner of Los Angeles County near Castaic. The fire, whipped by winds of 50 mph, has consumed over 500 acres so far and is not yet under control.

[photopress:SantaAna_c_AP.jpg,full,centered]
The first fire of the Santa Ana event has
consumed over 500 acres by this morning.
AP photo

Posted by firegeezer on October 21, 2007 • Filed under: fire, forestry, weather

Hurricane Watch

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Weather system Karen has been downgraded to a tropical depression and is rapidly falling apart. There will be no more advisories issued on this system.

However, a new system in the eastern Atlantic, Melissa has been classed already as a tropical storm and should be watched carefully for the next few days.

Keep up with the hurricane weather activity by clicking on Firegeezer’s Hurricane Watch link on the right sidebar or at the top of the page above the header.

Posted by firegeezer on September 29, 2007 • Filed under: weather

Hurricane Watch

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THE WEATHER SYSTEM 1,500 MILES EAST OF the Windward Islands (marked in red) has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Karen. Weather advisories have been issued on it.

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The system that has been hanging around the SW portion of the Caribbean could be forming into a tropical depression.

For complete reports and updates, go the the Firegeezer Hurricane Page by clicking on the link at the top of the sidebar or above the page header. Firegeezer is the only website that has the Atlantic weather formatted for fire and rescue workers.

Posted by firegeezer on September 25, 2007 • Filed under: weather

Hurricane Watch

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THE 2007 HURRICANE SEASON STILL HAS another 6 to 8 weeks to run. There is a low pressure system approaching the Florida peninsula that has the potential to develop into a tropical cyclone in the next couple of days.

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You should be checking Firegeezer’s Hurricane Watch page daily to keep an eye on the Atlantic and Pacific storm activities. Just click on the link at the top of the right sidebar or above the page header to see the web’s only hurricane page tailored for the fire and rescue workers.

Posted by firegeezer on September 18, 2007 • Filed under: weather

Hurricane Watch

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SURPRISING EVERYBODY, HUMBERTO INCREASED ITS INTENSITY to a Category 1 hurricane just as it hit the coast last night. As we’re watching the (now) storm cruise into Louisiana and over into Mississippi, weather-watchers are keeping their eye on “Tropical depression eight” in the center of the Atlantic. As it moves slowly across the ocean at about 15 mph, it has strong indications of being able to form into a tropical storm.

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Keep up with it by checking Firegeezer’s Hurricane Watch Page by clicking on the link at the top of the right sidebar or the very top of the page above the leader banner. Remember too that Firegeezer’s is the only online hurricane page that is configured to fit the screens of Blackberrys and other PDA’s.

Posted by firegeezer on September 13, 2007 • Filed under: weather

Hurricane Watch

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WEATHER WATCHERS HAVE THEIR EYES ON Tropical Storm Gabrielle which is just 50 miles off the North Carolina coast. It is expected to hit the Outer Banks later today but is not a major hazard.

Another system to keep a watch for is a tropical system in the eastern Atlantic that has the potential for development over the next few days as it moves slowly westward at 15 mph.

Follow this latest tropical storm activity on Firegeezer’s Hurricane Watch page. You can link to it at the top of the right sidebar or the very top of this page.

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The National Park Service has a live web-cam stationed at the Hatteras Light. But as is typical of a government-run operation, it’s not working when you really want to use it. Maybe it’ll be turned on later, you can try by clicking HERE.

Posted by firegeezer on September 9, 2007 • Filed under: weather

Hurricane Watch

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HURRICANE FELIX IS NOW ONLY A FEW MILES from landfall at the Nicaragua/Honduras border.

Meanwhile, a low-pressure system that is about 300 miles east of the northern Florida coast and moving slowly, has the potential to develop into a cyclone in the next couple of days.

To follow both of these system, click on Firegeezer’s Hurricane Watch page over at the top of the right-sidebar.

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Posted by firegeezer on September 4, 2007 • Filed under: current events, weather

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