UPDATED: Baltimore union says 'firehouse roulette' was behind injuries to Firefighter Jeffrey Novack & civilians. PIO questions union's claims. Second press release blasts PIO.

WBFF TV coverage

WBAL TV coverage

IAFF Local 734

Baltimore City Fire Department

Previous coverage of this fire from STATter911.com

Read entire statement from Local 734

NEW Read second statement from Local 734 on PIO’s comments

(NOTE: Following the posting of this story Friday night, IAFF Local 734 released a response to the comments by Baltimore City Fire Department PIO Kevin Cartwright. There is a link above to read that statement.)

As STATter911.com reported early this morning, not only was Squad 40, the engine company from the fire station next door, on another run at the time of the fire at 3910 Liberty Heights Avenue that seriously injured Firefighter/Paramedic Jeff Novack (seen in picture to the left from the North Penn Fire Company website), so was Engine 46, the second due engine. Third due Engine 20, from Walbrook, also wasn’t available because of the city’s policy to close fire companies each shift due to serious budget problems.

This afternoon, IAFF Local 734 issued a press release indicating the injuries to its member and three civilians were impacted by the rotating closures:

We should all be thankful that this event was not as bad as it could have been, despite the Firehouse Roulette that the Blake Administration carried over from the Dixon Administration.  Hopefully this shines a light to the Mayor and City Council. 

Contacted shortly after the union’s statement was released, Chief Jim Clack told STATter911.com he was aware of its contents. Chief Clack added in an email, “Right now I am focused on helping our severely injured firefighter recover from his injuries. There will be a full investigation into all the factors that resulted in life threatening  injuries to one of our bravest and we will learn from it.”

President Bob Sledgeski made statements similar to those in the news release in interviews with at least two Baltimore TV reporters. Baltimore City Fire Department PIO Kevin Cartwright went beyond Chief Clack’s remarks and responded to the union’s allegations in at least one TV interview. Here is more  from WBAL-TV’s website:

“The claim that this firefighter suffered injuries because we were not appropriate or adequate or had insufficient units on the scene — I question that,” said Fire Department spokesman Kevin Cartwright.

Cartwright said the city is staring down a $121 million budget deficit and that every department is affected, but he said the Fire Department still has the tools and manpower to do its job effectively.

The fire union disagreed.

“Our Fire Department isn’t getting less busy and they’re also using the fire apparatus and our members to help support the EMS system, which is fine. The problem is, we don’t have the resources to do everything for everybody all the time,” Sledgeski said.

Cartwright said there’s no data to support the union’s theory that the rotating closures of four fire stations per day have negatively affected public safety.

“We have very dedicated and committed members. Every time we get a call, we’re going to respond and we’re going to be there as fast as we can,” he said. 

The Novacks from the North Penn Fire Company website.

FF/PM Novack is reported to be in serious but stable condition at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.  He has multiple broken bones along with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his arms.

The press release from Local 734 is providing more details into the firefighter’s actions on Tuesday night as the crew from Truck 12 arrived from the firehouse next door and went to work well before an engine crew arrived. The press release is also critical of statements made by the PIO at the scene of the fire:

Upon their arrival, they encountered a three story apartment building, with fire in a 2nd floor apartment and people trapped on the 3rd Floor. FFPM Novack, and the other men from Truck 12, without hesitation or thoughts of their own safety, entered the burning building to do their job, save people’s lives. FFPM Novack located and removed one victim from the third floor. Outside, he turned the victim over to awaiting BCFD Paramedics. He then returned to the building to search for more victims. At this time, about 9:14pm, the first arriving Engine, Engine 52 from Mondawmin, arrived on the scene and began to extinguish the fire. While searching the 3rd floor again, FFPM Novack became trapped by the fast moving fire. He used his portable radio and transmitted a MAYDAY distress call. Unfortunately, before he could be assisted by the Rapid Intervention Team (a Team of Firefighters on scene dedicated to rescue any Firefighter in distress) he was forced to hang out of a 3rd floor window. There he transmitted another MAYDAY, but the fire was growing too fast. FFPM Novack was forced to jump from that 3rd floor window, or he would have died. Despite other information released by Fire Department officials, he was on the 3rd floor not the 2nd, and he did not fall, he jumped, after saving lives! If more time was spent on the facts then there would be fewer discrepancies.

As we mentioned this morning, there is a really nice article about Jeff Novack and his firefighting family written by Tony Di Domizio in The Reporter newspaper. Jeff, his brother Scott (also a Baltimore City firefighter – Engine 8, D Shift) and their dad Al are members of the North Penn Fire Company in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. As a number of our readers pointed out, Al Novack is also a long time radio reporter in Philadelphia.