Final report: Ashevlle FD investigation into the death of Captain Jeff Bowen.
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Click here to download entire report
Our friends at FireNews.net have alerted us to the release of the City of Asheville (NC) Fire Department’s line of duty death report looking at the July 28, 2011 fire at 445 Biltmore Avenue that took the life of Captain Jeffrey Scott Bowen.
Chief Scott Burnette talked about some of the changes for the department outlined in the report.
Julie Ball, Citizens-Times.com:
Chief Scott Burnette reviewed some of the changes the department has planned during a presentation for City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Monday.
The chief also released the department’s 522-page internal report on the Biltmore Avenue fire that killed Capt. Jeff Bowen in July of last year.
“It is our hope that the lessons learned from the fire at 445 Biltmore Ave. will create positive improvements in the fire service as a whole,” Burnette said in a letter included with the report.
“We have sent every one of our firefighters through a rapid intervention team certification course,” said Burnette.
The new course is required by the state of North Carolina and teaches crews how to rescue a firefighter in trouble.
Burnette hopes it will help prevent another tragic loss.
“We have also added an extra fire engine to structure fire responses, so that way we can make sure we have enough personnel to serve as a rescue team,” adds Burnette.
Other links:
The loss of Captain Jeff Bowen, the inside story from Firefighter Jay Bettencourt Part 1
The loss of Captain Jeff Bowen, the inside story from Firefighter Jay Bettencourt Part 2
Earlier coverage of this fire here, here & here
Firefighter Jay Bettencourt receives firefighter of the year
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