Quick takes
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Baltimore County restaurant fire: Video above from Michael “FirePix1075” Schwartzberg of the second-alarm at Suburban House, 911 Reisterstown Road, in Pikesville on Wednesday afternoon. Read his account of the fire here. Click here for an early chopper report and here for a story on some sad patrons of the popular delicatessen.
The FBI now involved in Houston’s incident from Wednesday: This time it was someone on the radio with a racist remark. The chief says the radio system was hijacked for a very brief period of time. Click here for the links.
The two firefighters from Houston’s incident on Tuesday speak out. Watch the raw press conference: The firefighters say they were the targets of the racial and sexual graffiti found in the women’s dormitory of Station 54 at the airport. The women say they are afraid to be with their co-workers. Read the story from the Houston Chronicle. Click here or here to watch and listen to their story.
The raw video from the press conference involving Paula Keyes, Jane Draycott and their attorney can be found here – Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4.
Racial make-up of potential new hires causing problems as Toledo tries to cut overtime: One way to cut overtime expenses and not close firehouses is to hire more firefighters. That’s what the Toledo City Council wants. They mayor says the problem is that the next 11 on the list are all white and it would conflict with a consent decree issued by a judge 20-years-ago. Check out the story.
Fire hydrant prank by teens, including a firefighter, cost city at least $3 million: That’s the water bill alone after the young volunteer and friends hit two Texas cities with their prank. Read the details.
Their response was just a little too quick: Firefighters in Boyle County, Kentucky started noticing a pattern with three young firefighters who were always on the scene before anyone else. The trio, and two others who had connections to the fire department, have been charged in connection with a dozen fires. Read more.
Taking it to the people: That is what is going to happen in Tucson, Arizona in November. On the ballot, a chance for citizens to mandate staffing levels in the police department and response times in the fire department. Called the “Public Safety First Initiative” it would require the city to meet 2004 NFPA standards on response times. Check it out.
Police say chief is apparent suicide victim after embezzlement claims: That’s the story form Bedford County, Virginia and the Hardy VFD. Firegeezer has been on this one and so has VAFireNews.com.
Two big fires in York, Pennsylvania: A busy afternoon in York with simultaneous fires in a scrapyard and a dozen rowhouses. Click here.
Helmet-cam from commercial fire in West Virginia: The Potomac Fire Company in Allegany County, Maryland has the video from Saturday’s fire at a Comcast facility in Keyser. Click here.
Deadline tomorrow: Don’t forget I will be at Firegeezer’s booth and doing a little talk at Firehouse Expo. Click here for the details on this and an October appearance in Fairfax County.
Also, for Firehouse Expo, if you are interested in an Exhibit Floor only pass, that also includes access to the opening ceremony and keynote presentation, register before July 10 using Promo Code 69SFP and it will be free. Click here.
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Fire in Gary, Indiana: Here’s an excerpt from the description with this one – GFD was dispatched to a reported still alarm at 27th and Monroe on 7-7-09, on arrival Truck 4 advised of heavy smoke showing. After crews made an interior attack conditions deteriorated prompting an exterior attack with the truck.
