IN LODD; FF & cop fight at scene; FFs Down Under almost down under; Washer rescue has Dave missing Maytag repairman; Sour mash flows from sprinkler
(Updated at 11:00 AM)
Wash out: The rescuers needed rescuing in southwestern Sydney, Australia. Read the story of how the fire engine and the firefighters ended up like this.
LODD in Indiana ambulance crash
Brown Township Fire Department Captain David Sherfick died Monday afternoon after the ambulance he was in was hit head-on while returning to quarters. The driver of the other vehicle was also killed and a firefighter in the ambulance was injured.
Chief Billy Goldfeder of FirefighterCloseCalls.com has details:
Captain Sherfick and Firefighter/EMT Evan Kerkhof were in a BTFD ambulance when they were involved in a head-on collision with a civilian SUV. They two had just cleared from a patient transport and were returning to the firehouse when the crash occurred around 1600 hours yesterday, Monday. Cops at the scene credit Captain Sherfickâs evasive maneuvers with saving the life of his partner FF Kerkhof. Kerkhof was airlifted to a hospital with injuries that are serious but not life threatening. Captain Sherflick is 40 years old with 18 years on the Brown Township FD and is survived by a 10-year old son.
Neither alcohol or weather conditions were thought to have contributed to the crash and the ambulance did not have its sirens or lights flashing on.
FireGeezer.com has more pictures and links.
Trooper & FF brawl at crash scene
So far no one is saying what it was about, but a fight between a Kentucky State Trooper and a firefighter led to the firefighter’s brief hospitalization and arrest. It happened Saturday night in Owsley County. Excerpts from Herald-Leader.com:
Firefighter Christopher Gabbard, 28, of Booneville was taken to Kentucky River Medical Center for treatment of a minor injury. He was then charged with third-degree assault and menacing and was taken to Three Forks Regional Jail.
State police apparently want to determine whether Trooper Sonny Dunaway used appropriate force in arresting Gabbard.
Gabbard, who is out of jail, could not be reached for comment Monday night.
The crash occurred at Fish Creek Loop and Winklers Branch Road north of Booneville. James Bowling, 39, Holly Renee Johnson, 26, and an unidentified 3-year-old child were injured.
Trooper Chris Lanham, a spokesman for the state police post in Richmond, said Dunaway is being investigated by a supervisor, but he could not provide details of the altercation.
“This is an active use of force investigation,” Lanham said. “I’m not at liberty to release any more information.”
Rescuers catch baby
FireGeezer beat us all yesterday with these dramatic pictures from a deadly fire in Germany that killed 9 people including five children. This child survived, landing safely in the arms of a rescue worker. Many firefighters and police officers were already in the neighborhood for a parade. Check out Bill’s coverage and all of his links on this story.
Jack Daniels, and Dave, save historic school
My firefighting days are long over, but I am going to take a little credit for stopping a fire in Virginia City, Nevada. My guess is there are a few of you out there who can share in this glory. Follow me on this.
Not all that long ago when my body could handle it, I was one of the supporters of the Jack Daniels distillery. For more than three decades I spent enough money on the stuff that I should have claimed Jack as a dependent on my income tax. The good news is that the folks who run Jack Daniels used some of the money they took from me to make some positive contributions to society.
Among the things they paid for is an automatic sprinkler system for the Historic Fourth Ward School Museum in Virginia City, Nevada. That donation paid off in a big way Friday morning when a small fire was kept small by the sprinkler system. There was very minor damage to the 131-year-old building and everyone is singing the praises of the sprinkler system. I’ll drink to that.
3-alarms in McKees Rocks
Fire around 4:30 this morning started in a vacant house and spread next door to an occupied home in McKees Rocks, PA. Read and watch the story.
Video of Dreamland Ballroom
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2z0Y6ESPnA&rel=1]
This is a short video from the fire we told you about over the weekend at the 99-year-old Dreamland Ballroom at Lake Conneaut Lake Park in Pennsylvania. Investigators say there is no sign of arson.
Church fire raw video
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRnMELS-YyE&rel=1]
Another one from the weekend, the fire that destroyed two large steeples on a Cincinnati Church. Click here for a little more raw video of the fire.
Jiffy Lube fire
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xAod-DKmUc&rel=1]
In New Delhi Township, Ohio on Friday afternoon a Jiffy Lube was destroyed by fire. Firefighters say they tried an interior attack, but had to withdraw. Read more.
A rescue for the Maytag Repairman
Well, at least firefighters consulted him in Dover, Ohio Sunday night when a boy was trapped in a washing machine. Watch the story.
Not that anyone should care about the following trivial piece of informa
tion, but I played a couple of scenes in a video with the late Gordon Jump who replaced Jesse White as the Maytag Repairman. It was used at a local radio awards show that Jump was hosting. Gordon Jump, of course, played the radio station general manager on the TV sitcom WKRP. I would love to find a copy of that video.
