Quick Takes: April 4, 2011.
I'm sure they were rethinking that decision: Watch this video of a truck fire starting at about the 20-second mark. A driver decides to ignore all of the warning signs, like heavy, black smoke pushing across the highway and a truck burning up, and just goes for it. You can't let a little thing like that keep you from where you need to be. I'd love to know what was going through the driver's mind when they heard the pop and saw the flames shooting toward them a bit. They are probably now telling everyone how they cheated death.
FEMS follow-up and Fossilmedic has a new pen-pal who still isn't fond of Rubin: If you read DC City Councilmember Phil Mendelson's response to a complaint by Mike Ward at Firegeezer.com you will likely get the impression that Mendelson is not a big fan of calling the city agency that operates the fire trucks and ambulances " FEMS" (even though Mendelson uses the word a lot). But Mendelson may like it more than he likes the former FEMS chief, Dennis Rubin. Ward had written Mendelson with concerns about the move toward FEMS. You can find that email under the column titled Calling them FEMS will not improve out-of-hospital emergency medical care. In his response Mendelson thinks EMS needs to be highlighted but FEMS may not be the answer,
I have told Chief Ellerbe, however, that the change must be phased in. Further, I told the chief that he ought to consider alternatives such as "DC Fire & EMS." The Chief indicated that he is open to these suggestions and that he will work with the union presidents.
As for the former chief, Mendelson wrote, "Dennis Rubin did damage to the efforts to assert the EMS mission and a small part of that was re-asserting the DCFD designation." As you may recall, many of the clashes between Rubin and Mendelson were chronicled on STATter911.com (click here for the Rubin archives). Read the complete email from Mendelson to Ward.
FireTruckBlog.com: The late Donald Smeal being honored in Nebraska and a fire truck pull in Indiana make up some of the apparatus news from FireTruckBlog.com today. Click here.
Mineral oil & propane help fuel warehouse fire that damages rig: A fire engine from Hillsborough County, Florida took a beating during Saturday's fire at a building housing a business that rehabs electrical transformers. Click here for our coverage.
FDNY in action with multiple people at windows on arrival: The photographer got there before the fire trucks did on this recent fire in Brooklyn. Check it out.
Who has your back?: Is it the Republicans? The Democrats? The Tea Party? Politico looks at potential damage done by some governors during the pension battle that may have some cops and firefighters switching parties. Here's the story.
Bank moves to own Maryland volunteer fire company: McCoole Fire & Rescue in Allegany County is broke. Now lenders have filed a lawsuit to seize its assets. Here's the story from The Baltimore Sun's Peter Hermann.
Climb in DC: If you saw our video of the 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb at FDIC (click here) you know what a great event it is. There is also a climb this week in Washington during CFSI this Wednesday. Click here to sign up.
Fire truck runs over man in street: In Winnipeg, a fire truck on a response ran over and killed a man. Police say the man was lying in the street and the driver of the rig couldn't stop in time. Here's more.
Master stream knocks ladder off of roof: One firefighter was hurt when a ladder was pushed off the roof of a burning house in Minneapolis. Part of it was captured on video. Click here.
