Our neighbors to the north in Canada supplied this firehouse video to YouTube. Any bets on how long it stays posted?

Is there really a good reason for posting this video on YouTube?

We haven't been graced with something this classy since Jerry Engle used Side Charlie as a launching pad in that Kentland fireworks video.

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There is a definite pattern to the interaction between those posting comments on STATter911.com (and most other Internet forums) that I am not very fond of. Almost always there's a tipping point where the discussion turns toxic with nasty remarks back and forth over who has the biggest hose. Even when the digital conversation is a good, healthy one, with a thoughtful exchange of ideas, at some point it seems to turn personal and ugly. Many times that happens when someone connected to the department that is the subject of a a video or news article becomes defensive and lashes out.

I am extremely happy to report on one recent case where that did not happen.That was last Wednesday's post titled- Communicating with the public: Fire department Facebook rant chews out ‘asshole’ drivers. We would all like to do this, but should we?. The column was my analysis of a post on the official Facebook page of the Ladd Fire Department in Illinois where a lieutenant quite bluntly took some drivers to task who decided to go the wrong way on the shoulder of an Interstate Highway to avoid a traffic jam caused by a serious wreck. The post included the use of a common four letter word and referred to selfish drivers as "assholes".

Making it clear that I would never suggest or encourage a department to handle official communications with the public in that manner, I also noted that no one in that community was complaining about the language or the chastising of the drivers. In fact there was unanimous support in the 30 comments posted at that time on Facebook. In addition, it caught the attention of a local paper. The paper then wrote an article that focused on trying to get the message to motorists about this type of selfish behavior.

With a couple of minor exceptions, the discussion on this issue on STATter911.com seemed very respectful. Even some of those who had strong opinions about what was right or wrong could see the other side. And one of those who responded on Thursday was the man who wrote the Facebook post in question, Lt. Dan Englehaupt of the Ladd Fire Department.

It was quite refreshing reading what he had to say. Instead of attacking his critics and taking a knee jerk defensive position, Lt. Englehaupt acknowledged, despite the support he had and the success in getting his message in the local media,  there was probably a better way to get his point across and decided to edit his original post on Facebook.

Lt. Englehaupt even acknowledged that the discussion here helped him look at what he wrote in a different light. That kind of positive response is such a rare occurrence I decided it needed to be seen beyond the comments section and have reposted it below (with Lt. Englehaupt's permission):

Wow, this is some good discussion. I happen to be the individual who posted the picture with that caption. While I will agree with those who feel it was inappropriate, I will also say that this is by far not an uncommon occurrence and quite possibly, my emotion go the best of me. Would it have been ideal to have a pad and pen ready to try and write down all the license plate numbers? Yes, probably. But, as the Chief and I were in and out of the truck ourselves during this trek trying to get drivers to move so those who decide to turn and go the wrong way could move over and let us by, that wasn't the first thing on my mind. The 3 seconds it took to take this picture was about all the time we had. Would it have been a better idea to go to the next exit? No, without going into a long, confusing word picture as to the layout of I-80 in this area, it wasn't possible. Trust me when I tell you, if there was a different way, we would have taken it. Construction of this part of I-80 has been on-going over the last two years and quite honestly, it's a dangerous place when there is no construction at all, let alone when it's done to one lane in either direction. Maybe some of that frustration had been implied in the caption I applied as well.

With all that said, I have edited the caption as I too have realized it was unprofessional and not proper for an officer. I think if you look through our Facebook Page, you will see this is an isolated incident in regards to "poor verbiage choice" on my part. Maybe not, but I would contend, it is clean and family friendly, so to speak, otherwise. I apologize to those who felt offended or disagreed. Obviously I would hate to send the wrong message, or at least the right message with the wrong words. So, I appreciate all the discussion and thoughts. I would also like to say thanks to all of you for stopping in to check us out, way out in the middle of Illinois. I would also like to say thanks to Mr. Statter for the enlightening discussion.

Read entire (unedited) Ladd Fire Department post from August 3

(UPDATE – As one of our readers pointed out this apparently was not some renegade rant by a firefighter. Chief B.J. Liebe was driving the utility truck with Lt. Dan Englehaupt taking the pictures and posting on Facebook. The chief chimed in with his own comments. Responding to one suggestion that they run the drivers into a ditch Chief Liebe replied, "Bob that may or may not have happened ". And to another who thought they should have taken down tag numbers the chief indicated that wasn't practical and added, "Besides what r police gonna do, give them a fine? What they need is a punch in the head and even if the police would like to they can't". And to top it off they were able to parlay this into positive coverage in the local press. Click here.)

This could very well be my own fault. Online and in my presentations the last year or so (at FRI in Atlanta August 26 and with Go Forward Training October 21-23 in St. Charles, Missouri) I have been encouraging fire departments to tell their own stories via the Internet and particularly social media. The idea is to communicate directly with your stakeholders on a daily basis and in the process help build your image in the community. You no longer have to rely solely on traditional news media to get the word out. You can be a valued and trusted source of information for your citizens.

From what I can see the Ladd Fire Department in Illinois has been doing just that with the department's Facebook page. There is a lot of information and pictures posted about incidents, fundraising, community events and timely safety information like storm warnings. I see it as a smart way to connect with the people they serve. I will probably use the page as an example in future talks.

But my attention (and the attention of some others like Jalopnik.com) has been drawn to one safety tip that was posted August 3. It is a reminder to motorists not to make u-turns on Interstate highways and travel down the shoulder of the road to get out of a traffic jam without the direction of law enforcement, fire and EMS. The message is an important one for everyone's safety and well being. The form the message took is another story.

The posting is a rant by a firefighter who had been in a utility vehicle traveling with a chief officer to the scene of a wreck involving two tractor trailers. About four miles from the scene they encountered people driving on the shoulder in the opposite direction. The firefighter made it clear how selfish those drivers were. Here are two excerpts:

At NO POINT, while stuck in traffic because of someone else's unfortunate situation, is it considered acceptable or advisable to TURN AROUND AND COME THE OPPOSITE WAY UP THE SHOULDER OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. Your s#$& is not that important to us unless your life is in danger, your house is on fire or if you yourself are on fire. What you do is put our lives in danger. Your hair appointment, sales appointment, shower after work, really is not that important when you think about just exactly why you are sitting in traffic.

When you take it upon yourself to do s#$& like this picture shows, you do nothing but get in the way of getting help to them, and an earful from us. What if your loved one was the one needing us, needing help or assistance? Think people, don't be an asshole!

(NOTE – Those are my edits on the common four-letter word used twice in the rant. It doesn't offend me, but I know it offends some of our readers as I am sure the word "asshole" will).

There is no doubt what this firefighter had to say about the people driving on our roads around emergency scenes and emergency vehicles is something most of us would like to be able to say. My question is should have it been done in that manner?

I actually can see two sides to this story. There is so much sameness out there and so many messages it is hard to get through with something important. You may need to hit people over the head to actually get their attention (you certainly can't do it with a siren and flashing lights). In this case, a firefighter using Facebook to cuss out motorists doing wrong gets your attention. It is kind of like being a child with parents who never say bad words suddenly spouting expletives at you when you screwed up in a big way. It certainly gets your attention.

To me it's similar to the hilarious and effective public service announcement from the mayor of Vilnius, Lithuania (below) who made it clear his city isn't going to take any crap from motorists who park in bicycle lanes. While I know they aren't going to crush my car, if I lived there I doubt I would be parking in any bike lanes (thanks to Eric Lamar who posted this recently in Firegeezer). 

That said, do you really want an official message from the fire department to include the words s#$& and asshole? I know those words have become less and less a big deal in our society. (Note – For the record, none of the 30 comments on the Facebook page complain about the rant and 53 people like it.) 

And do you think chastising them rather profanely is an effective way to reach the citizens and try to correct the stupid things they do? 

Is what you read here any different than the Orange County, Florida lieutenant who shot the bird at a motorist and was demoted (video below)?

The phone lines are now open. Let us know what you think. Just don't be an asshole and use any four-letter words if your want your comment to be posted.

Vote for FireTruckBlog.com as blog of the year (or just write Rhett at firecritic@firecritic.com)

(THE FIRE CRITIC CORRECTS ME, YOU CAN ONLY WRITE IN NOMINATIONS NOW. HE MAKES IT SO COMPLICATED.)

Listen to Glenn Usdin & Tiger Schmittendorf on Firefighter Storytellers tonight at 9:00 PM EST

For the second year, my friend or fiend (depending on the day, or even the hour) Rhett Fleitz of Fire Critic infamy (explain it to him Willie) is trying to determine your favorite fire and EMS blog. Now, don’t think for a moment Rhett is doing this because he’s so vain he wants everyone to vote for his blogs. Rhett made his blogs ineligible. But, despite his many faults (that list runs longer than he does), Rhett is the man when it comes to promoting fire and EMS blogs and other social media outlets. Rhett is quite generous in this regard, as is his hosting of this contest. Maybe we can do like Miss America and give him the Miss Congeniality award.

While I support Rhett’s efforts and am glad to promote the contest, I really don’t want you to vote for STATter911.com. It’s not false modesty. I just think this honor should go to a blogger who spent more than the few years I did in the fire service. While my time as a firefighter (something Rhett claims never happened) was one of the highlights of my life (right up there with meeting Jerry Engle and Rhett) I think of myself more as a washed up reporter who happens to do a fire and EMS blog (the same way I’m sure most of you think of me).

Last year I put my weight (such as it is) behind my friend, retired fire captain Bill Schumm at Firegeezer. As his campaign manager, I came up short. We were beaten out by a paramedic who doesn’t even respond to 911 calls. If you keep encouraging them, these foreigners are going to take all of our fire and EMS blogging jobs. Can’t we build a firewall around the Internet?

I am still a firm believer that Bill has one of the top fire & EMS blogs in the blogosphere, but the masses have spoken. They want younger, hipper, someone with a funny accent and a lot of 9s in his url (all of you who voted for him, remember it is just the devil doing a handstand). This year I am going with Glenn Usdin’s FireTruckBlog.com and I am asking the legions of STATter911.com fans to do the same. Glenn is younger and hipper than Bill (sorry Bill). At least we are moving in the right direction.

Also, as I have mentioned before, I’ve been working with Glenn on FireTruckBlog.com. So, those of you who are dissapointed I don’t want you to vote for me, it is the next best thing.

But it isn’t just because I have a business relationship that I am supporting Glenn (okay, it does help, but he doesn’t even know I am doing this), I also believe in what he is doing. FireTruckBlog.com’s name says it all.

While the blog is one of the new kids on the block, Glenn isn’t. He has a wealth of experience in the fire service in New York and Pennsylvania, buying and selling fire trucks and as a writer and photographer. If you are looking for stories, video, pictures and links about fire apparatus it is THE site for you. It covers an important aspect of the fire service, there’s lots of new material each day and it is consistent. It’s everything STATter911.com isn’t.

Just remember a vote for FireTruckBlog.com is a vote for STATter911.com. Well maybe that’s not such a good slogan (could be why Bill lost last year). Click here, or the link above, for Rhett’s very complicated voting instructions. You can also vote by simply writing Miss Congeniality at firecritic@firecritic.com. You can vote once a day from each of you email addresses (hopefully you have scores of them).

While we are on the topic of Glenn Usdin, tonight you can listen to him tell war stories with Tiger Schmittendorf (another fine blogger) on Firefighter Storyteller. Coming up at 9:00 PM EST.

Four-alarm fire in Fall River, Massachusetts: Providence Fire Videos on the scene yesterday afternoon at a vacant mill complex on Bay Street. Two firefighters were slightly hurt. Here’s more.   

Jerry Engle on the left. James Martinez on the right.

Second PGFD volunteer pleads guilty in 2008 arson case: James Martinez, a 25-year-old former career firefighter in Montgomery County, Maryland, has entered a guilty plea on Monday to second-degree conspiracy to commit arson in connection with a fire that Martinez fought as a volunteer with the Riverdale VFD in Prince George’s County. This is the same fire that long-time PGFD volunteer Jerry Engle admitted to setting. Engle was sentenced in September to a year in jail, but was released on time served (click here for that story). Martinez is scheduled for sentencing on December 3. Ruben Castaneda has more in The Washington Post. Click here to review our previous coverage of this case beginning in April, 2009.  

Suspended Spalding County, GA firefighter identified. Report calls for firing over cell phone video of dead woman: The report looking at the July incident where video was taken of the body of a woman inside a crushed car calls for at least one firefighter to be fired. At the same time the local news media has identified the firefighter who was suspended after the incident came to light as Terrence Reid. Here’s the latest.  

VA fire chief charged with DWI: NVDaily.com reports that Tim Welsh, who heads Virginia’s Frederick County Fire & Rescue Department, is on administrative leave following his arrest Monday on a DWI charge. Here are the details (more here).

Did cops turn off the sprinkler system at California mall where man had barricaded himself?: As we first told you yesterday the answer to that question is now part of the official investigation into the blaze that heavily damaged the Westfield Galleria in Roseville. Click here to learn what a TV station has determined so far. Also, Fossilmedic Mike Ward, who had suspicisions about the sprinkler issue right away, wonders if this was done to keep the robots from melting. Check it out.  

Chief resigns following rebellion by firefighters over winter uniform: In Chelsea, Massachusetts, where the IAFF local and Chief Herbert Fothergill have long battled, the final skirmish came when the chief wrote up almost the entire department for not wearing the winter uniform shirt. Then Chief Fothergill suddenly resigned. More from Boston.com.  

Deputy sheriff’s great escape after lighting up: Pretty amazing story from Jackson County, Georgia where a sheriff’s deputy’s propane-powered cruiser caught fire after he lighted a cigarette while responding to a call. Here’s that story.  

Refund may be coming for Tulsa firefighter applicants: Before charging $25 a head to 342 people who want to be firefighters the City of Tulsa claims it checked out a  lot of the legalities. The one they forgot to look at is whether Tulsa had the authority to do it without a City Council approved ordinance being enacted. Read the details.  

Firefighters honored for saving bridge from barge: In New Hope, Pennsylvania four firefighters have been recognized for helping to figure out how to keep a runaway barge from taking out a bridge on a rain swollen river.  Here’s more.

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.

Here’s an excerpt from an article by Scott McCabe in the Examiner who was with Engle in court yesterday:

Careful not to choke on your breakfast when you watch this: We have Part 2 of this must see series of videos selling life saving techniques (and lingerie) in a unique way. I also pay tribute to a friend of mine who  introduced the Heimlich Maneuver to the public. Check it out.

The firefighters saved the beer and then drank it: When a hotel burned in Oliver, British Columbia firefighters apparently had their priorities on straight, rescuing as many as six kegs of beer from the flames. Now it turns out  those kegs found their way to the fire hall. The mayor is not happy. Two firefighters are under suspension. Here’s the story.

And on a similar note, firefighter is charged with driving the fire engine while drunk: This is from Jefferson County, Oregon where a firefighter who crashed his car on the way to work is accused of then taking the fire engine out to a camp ground, racing through with the siren on and yelling obscenities at the campers. Read more about this smooth move.

Interesting vehicle fire video: Firefighter Close Calls has one you will want to see where the hose got away.

The instructor was “just trying to help fellow EMTS”: The words of a Lexington, Massachusetts firefighter in the center of the EMS training scandal. The help came in the form of giving a passing grade on recertification and not having to take the course. Read the details.

Closed drive-in burns: In Ceres, California Monday night the Ceres Theatre and Flea Market burned. Here’s the raw video. A report of two separate fires in the complex. Here’s more.

Click here and here for much more on this arson case & Jerry Engle

Watch May, 2009 interview with Jerry Engle

See video of Engle’s unique car

Video of the March 17, 2008 fire at 5413 Riverdale Road

Jerry, back in the day. Click the image to watch the other side of Mr. Engle.

In May of last year Jerry Engle told me he did not set fire to the vacant house at 5413 Riverdale Road on March 17, 2008, but instead blamed it on other firefighters Engle had turned in to Prince George’s County fire investigators. My guess is that those familiar with the long saga of Mr. Engle won’t be surprised to learn that Jerry didn’t tell me the truth that day (I know I am not surprised).

This morning the 46-year-old Engle entered a guilty plea on second-degree arson. Besides his time at Riverdale VFD (when the fire occurred), Engle had previously been a long-time member of Kentland VFD.  After leaving Riverdale he ran with both Bladensburg and Riverdale Heights. 

Co-defendant James Martinez, who was also a Riverdale volunteer and a career firefighter in Montgomery County, is scheduled for trial in a month.

Rather than tell the whole story of  Jerry Engle again (even I get tired of that stuff) you can listen to the interview (sorry, only Part 1 is available online) and follow the links to the extensive file available on STATter911.com.

 Below is the press release from the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney:

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney, Glenn F. Ivey announced today that volunteer firefighter, Jerome Engle, 46, of Bowie, pleaded guilty to second degree arson in connection with setting fire to a building located at 5413 Riverdale Road, Riverdale, MD on March 17, 2008.

Mr. Engle was a firefighter with the Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department.

As part of the plea agreement Engle faces up to 10 years in prison but could receive the guideline recommendation from the sentencing commission of 1 year in jail. The State’s Attorney will seek $200,000 restitution from Mr. Engle on behalf of the property owners.

“We expect our firefighters to battle blazes not burn buildings. Mr. Engle not only violated the public trust but also put property and people at risk. We are holding him accountable with today’s conviction,” said Glenn F. Ivey.

A sentencing and restitution hearing is set for July 1, 2010 in front of Judge Graydon McKee who oversaw today’s proceedings.

The co-defendant in the case James R. Martinez of Damascus is set for trial on July 22.

Investigation of this and similar incidents is on-going; anyone with information should contact the Prince George’s County Fire Department at 301-77ARSON.

Statement from Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Chief Eugene Jones: 

“As the Fire Chief of this Department, I fully support the work of the States Attorney’s Office in reaching a guilty plea in this case of arson. I commend their staff as well as the Fire/EMS Department’s Fire Investigators for their due diligence in compiling evidence and building the case. I also want to acknowledge the volunteer leadership of the Riverdale Fire/EMS Station for their support and cooperation during this difficult period.

To the citizens and residents of Prince George’s County; this heinous act is a result of the actions of individuals and should not be a systemic assessment of our Department. Our combination, volunteer and career, Fire/EMS Department strives to provide the very best in fire and emergency medical services possible and are dedicated and committed to keeping our County safe from the perils of all hazards.

One person has been deemed guilty for his actions and a second person is soon to have his day in court.“

From KOMO-TV/CNN via WUSA9.com:

An SUV plunged down an embankment and into the frigid Nisqually River on Saturday inside Mount Rainier National Park – but the driver made it out alive, thanks to the quick actions of strangers.

Witnesses said a silver Pathfinder was heading down a road along the river about a mile from Longmire when it suddenly left the roadway and crashed into the strong current, swollen with snowmelt.

Anton Engleman and his buddies were among the first on the scene. They were riding down the road on their motorcycles when they saw the tracks leading off the road, down the steep embankment and into the water.

They heard that someone was still in the vehicle and jumped in the river to rescue him without a second thought.

He jumped into the roaring current and saw the driver inside the Pathfinder.

“When I went in there and looked in the back, he didn’t look so good,” Engleman said.

The current was so strong the man was stuck in his seatbelt and couldn’t move. But Engleman and others at the scene were able to get one of the doors open, and Engleman cut the seatbelt, freeing the man inside.

Meanwhile, a trained National Park rescue team also had arrived at the scene.

Finally they were able to get the man out – so many hands helping to guide him to safety.

Busy Sunday morning in Minneapolis: This fire at 1169 14th Avenue, SE is one of three handled by Minnesapolis firefighters early Sunday. Click here for more information.

This is why you should vote for Firegeezer for the best blog: The scene is Sunday afternoon at the World Headquarters of STATter911.com and I have plenty of things to do before I get to work at the TV station after a week-long vacation. So, what is it am I doing? I am mindlessly watching an episode of Emergency! embedded on Firegeezer.com instead of doing my work. This is exactly the reason why Bill Schumm should win FireCritic.com’s Fire/EMS Blog of the Year of 2009 contest. Bill knows his audience and he panders to us big time. Bill realizes fire & EMS types of a certain age can’t resist taking one more look at Johnny and Roy in action. Just like he knows they can’t resist all of his writings about beer and hockey mixed in with a whole mess of fires. If his standards and practices committee (Mrs. Firegeezer) would let him get away with it, Bill would probably throw in some soft porn, too. While I have been accused of being the Jerry Springer of the blogs, Bill is our Phineas Taylor Barnum. Which sort of makes sense, since for five-and-a-half years Bill was assigned to a fire station just down the street (second due) from Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia. That Bailey is the same family as P.T.’s partner in “The Greatest Show on Earth”. While the name Firegeezer would make you believe the blog is the AARP of the fire/EMS sites, Bill has an instinct for all kinds of news. It’s a talent that many people in my business would envy.  Now that you know who I have voted for and why, make sure you send Rhett Fleitz your nomination at firecritic@firecritic.com. Vote early and vote often.

Our top story of 2009. If you missed the New Year's Day list of our top 20 stories and the name of our contest winner, click the image.

It wasn’t Jerry Engle and it had nothing to do with PGFD: In case you missed it, on New Year’s Day we published the most popular stories for 2009 and named the winner of our traditional first-annual, year-end contest (we shall see if it actually shows up again at the end of the year). Your guesses, for the most part, were far off the mark (that’s it Dave, insult the people who actually read this stuff), but they were fun to read. If you click here you can see the top 20 and who won the contest.

On a related topic, the top video for the year on the STATter911.com YouTube channel was the DC Fire & EMS Department sprinkler demonstration mishap. It was followed by the controversial Cincinnati beer commercial video.

Two fired over noose: If you were too busy on New Year’s Eve to check in, you may not yet know the end of the year was also the last day for two Loudoun County, Virginia firefighters. Both were fired for their involvement in an incident where a noose was left in the vehicle of a black firefighter in early December. Read the details.

Remembering Steven Koeser: The funeral for the Wisconsin firefighter killed last week after an industrial dumpster exploded was held on Saturday. We have video and details.

Ladder rescue in Murray, Kentucky: Click the image to take you to WPSD-TV's Facebook entry of a series of pictures taken by neighbor Lisa O'Neal after a woman became trapped on the second floor of a home on Poplar Street on Sunday.

Explorer programs under scrutiny after teens hurt in two incidents in two days: I am just stating fact and not an opinion when pointing out that I, like many others, was in the fire service at a time when 16 and 17-year-olds did just about everything except drive the apparatus (and even that happened once or twice). It was not a rare occasion that I was the only one on the rig who wasn’t in high school. I can think of quite a few of those junior members who are now, or have been, in the upper ranks of some large career fire departments. But times have changed.

We have been getting a lot of comments about the story where one 16-year-old Boy Scout Explorer was hospitalized with exhaustion after apparently taking part in interior firefighting operations in Sonoma County, California. Officials there say it is not supposed to happen that way. Read more.

The second incident was the exploding dumpster in Wisconsin that killed the St. Anna’s Steven Koeser. Captain Adam Schuh, who was on the scene and has been handling press inquiries, says one of those hurt in the explosion is his 17-year old stepson. That teen is of legal age to be a firefighter. Also hurt was a 15-year-old boy who is an Explorer. Captain Schuh indicates the boy was at what was believed to be a safe distance from the fire. Read the details. 

Politicians home destroyed: A Pennsylvania state senator escaped in the middle of the night as fire tore through his Montgomery County home. Click here.

The latest from Modesto: Two firefighters were burned, one over 40-percent of his body, after falling through the roof at a house fire on New Year’s Day. Our two earlier postings with video and details are here and here.

Snakes alive …. and some dead: In St. George, Utah they rang out the old year with the traditional trailer fire involving 19 pet pythons. Not all of them saw 2010. Read more.

Fireground audio: Our friends at FireSceneAudio.com have been keeping us busy with timely postings of some interesting incidents. One is a Sunday house fire where a Chicago firefighter was burned. Click here.

We have another entry with fireground audio from a Prince George’s County house fire, a triple-fatal Detroit residential hotel fire, a New Orleans three-alarm fire that damaged three home and a Chicago fire where two people were rescued out of a burning basement. All of that is here. 

Video’s: Since our last Quick Takes way back in 2009 we have posted a few interesting videos. Here’s a run down of things you might have messed if you didn’t take us along for your New Year’s celebration: Major commercial fire damages row of stores in Enterprise, Alabama; Two-alarm frame shop fire in Fairfax County, Virginia; A garage fire in Detroit.

Who made this video?: The folks at SprinklerAcademy.com posted this old flashover video of some time ago and our now trying to figure out who produced the video. Here’s the contact information if you have the answer.