Quick Takes: September 12, 2011.
House fire in Modesto, California: Two firefighters were hurt fighting this fire yesterday at 1608 College Avenue. Shot by ModestoNews.org.
Looking back ten years: A long, chronological view of 9-11-2001 from my vantage point at the Pentagon. It concludes with a look at how the public perceives firefighters that, in hindsight, is still quite relevant. Here it is.
On that note. Click here to look at what happens when you put the word firefighter into the Google News search engine. The first 19 pages of articles (about a dozen to a page) are almost exclusively about firefighters and the tenth anniversary of September 11th. Many of the news items are about communities not only paying tribute to those who were lost in New York, but honoring or featuring local firefighters around the country with parades and other events. It isn't until the 20th page that other news about firefighters starts showing up alongside the 9-11 articles. So, are firefighters once again heroes after a couple of years of attacks on budgets, staffing and pensions? I am guessing the hero label will have a much shorter shelf life than a decade ago and likely has a September 12 sell by date.
From Tennessee to Harlem: FireTruckBlog.com looks at a rig donated to FDNY ten-years-ago that is still running in Harlem. Click here.
9-11 Memorial Stair Climbs: The New York Daily News did a nice overview of the 9-11 Memorial Stair Climbs sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Here are some videos and news coverage from the stair climb events around the country in honor of FDNY's 343 – Manassas, VA, Myrtle Beach, SC, Nashville, TN, Denver, CO, Manchester, NH, Dallas, TX, Grand Rapids, MI, New Albany, IN, Kansas City, MO, Wausau, WI, San Francisco, CA, Greenbelt, MD, I hope to have video I shot for NFFF at Greenbelt up later today.
More on 9-11: At Firegeezer both Bill Schumm and Mike Ward give us their thoughts.
Lou Angeli's video from New York: Delaware's Lou Angeli, who has long combined his experience as a news videographer with his passion for the fire service, is featured in a story about his call to New York to chronicle the aftermath of the attacks. He spent 16 days with an up close and personal view through his lens. Check it out.
One more chance to say Statter sent you: You have until September 15th to get a nice discount for the Gateway Midwest Firefighter & Leadership Training event October 21-23 in St. Charles, MO. Put STATTER in the promo code. Here's the website. I hope to see you there.
Fairfax County Professional Fire & Rescue Officers Association: A reminder that the 9th Annual Professional Development Seminar is October 6 & 7 at the Marriott in Tysons Corner, VA. Still time to sign up. Click here for details.
Firefighters save City Hall: In some communities firefighters have been looking for City Hall to save them, but that was not the case on Saturday in Painesville, Ohio. Here's more.
2-11 in Chicago: Steve Redick video at an auto repair shop that burned yesterday in the 5600 block of Grand Avenue.
