Quick Takes
Friday’s fire in historic chapel in Alexandria: I’ve rightfully caught a little hell from readers for not posting anything on Friday’s fire that destroyed the chapel at the Virginia Theological Seminary. There are a number of reasons that I won’t bore you with, but I am also surprised by the lack of video from the fire (if I had been home I likely would have been there shooting my own video). This and a companion clip from the same person is all I found on YouTube. Firegeezer (I catch a lot of grief when Bill beats me into my first due) and WUSA9.com have more coverage. Also, always check the WUSA9.com video player in the right hand column. The 9NEWS NOW stories have been in there since Friday. Many times that player will have things I haven’t yet gotten to.
The Rube checks out: The very first posting on this blog (I hadn’t even come up with the name STATter911 at that point) on May 4, 2007 was about DC Fire & EMS Department Chief Dennis Rubin. Since then, there have been 206 references to Chief Rubin at STATter911.com (and numerous TV stories). I imagine he is the most mentioned individual in the blog’s short history. Last week Chief Rubin sent a mass email to his friends and contacts (not to the fire department, as some news outlets reported) saying he would be leaving the post when the new administration takes over on January 2, 2011. Even though he has expressed some unhappiness with what we do here, Dennis Rubin has been good for this blog. Because of his national reputation in the fire service there always has been a lot of interest in the good, bad and ugly from the Nation’s Capital. In fact, there may not be another fire chief in the country who has had to endure this kind of scrutiny over an extended period. Just another symptom of the digital environment fire chiefs now have to deal with. As the Rubin era winds down in preparation for a new chief you can click here to review our coverage of his administration. Now, with Chief Rubin soon gone, Kentland quiet and Jerry Engle gone from the fire service what’s to become of STATter911.com? Will anyone still read this rag?
Check out the t-shirt in this accused arsonist’s mug shot: It reads, “You can’t scare me, I’m a firefighter”. In Parke County, Indiana a member of the Bellmore Fire Department is charged with setting a series of brush fires. Click here to read and watch the story.
Reaching back for some vintage films from Chicago: We’ve posted four wonderful old CFD clips that came from ChicagoFD1 on YouTube. Check them out.
Denver Fire Department saves the wedding: The ceremony was held up for about an hour as firefighters freed a carload of guests from a stuck elevator. The pictures and the details can be found here.
Squaring off on fire based EMS in Wisconsin: The Sheboygan Press has a local business leader and the fire chief providing opposite views on the vote coming up that could take the ambulance service from the fire department. Chief Jeff Hermann’s case for keeping the ambulance service is here. Gary Maples of the Greater Sheboygan Committee pushes for the private sector to take over EMS.
California garage fire: Early video catches the arrival of Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Engine 26 at a fire in Valinda. Watch the video.
PGFD fatal fire: A three-alarm weekend fire at a Suitland, Maryland apartment complex left one person dead. Video and pictures are here.
Indiana house fire: Video from a fire last week in Merrillville.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you: I helped Rhett Fleitz line up Union City Chief Kelly Edmison for Firefighter Netcast last week to talk about the latest “pay for spray” news from Obion County, Tennessee. To repay my kindness and generosity Rhett uses the interview as an opportunity to further attack me because of my views on this controversy. Rhett would have better spent the time apologizing for the remarks he made when this controversy first surfaced. Click here for the interview and here for the kind words and heartfelt thanks from Rhett.
Captain accused of putting camera in bathroom to spy on female firefighter: In Los Alamos, New Mexico another peeping case involving a camera and a firefighter. Click here for the sordid details.
Female firefighter is canned after having sex with lieutenant: In Illinois the Oswego Fire Protection District has fired its only female firefighter after she had sex inside the firehouse with a lieutenant. The lieutenant had already resigned. Read more.
Firefighter gets a second “last chance”: From Spokane, Washington a firefighter who already received a “last chance” agreement for sick leave abuse gets another chance and another agreement. Here’s the story.
