Quick takes
From the STATter911.com archives: This is a little DCFD action I came across recently. It is the October 15, 1984 fire at the U.S. Postal Service Headquarters building at 475 L’Enfant Plaza, Southwest (20260-2200, if anyone cares).
Bourne’s identity is in crisis: The Bourne Fire Department in Massachusetts seems to be more like a soap opera than a place providing emergency services. A deputy chief is on full duty status while a rape charge goes through the courts. His wife, a lieutenant who posed for a charity calendar, is under investigation for something. Firefighters are being interviewed at the police station about the lieutenant. Town officials refuse to shed any light on what is going on and apparently have accused a firefighter of leaking information to the press. That firefighter is now off duty because of stress issues. And there’s more. Click here for our rundown.
A battle in New Jersey over the effective closing of a volunteer company: We have a detailed article from the Courier-Post’s Jane Roh showing both sides of the fight in Cherry Hill, New Jersey over orders from the chief of the Cherry Hill Fire Department that forced the VFC to close. Interesting stuff that is well worth reading. Click here.
Man arrested for fire at place where 9/11 remains are held: Craven and contemptible is how New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg describes someone who would do this act. Read the story.
Better late than never I: Three days after it occurred, we finally reported on a two-alarm fire a few miles from STATter911.com’s World Headquarters. The fire was Thursday in Alexandria, Virginia and an alert regular reader found some early video. Click here.
Better late than never II: The Wenatchee World is a lot slower than STATter911.com. On Friday, the paper posted a story about a member of the Wenatchee Fire Department who was terminated in July. Apparently the paper only recently noticed that a woman, heralded as the first-ever female firefighter in Wenatchee when she was hired in May, 2008, was missing from the 36 member department. It turns out that Kari Paulson had her probation period extended after a c0-worker filed a complaint (a rather tardy filing) after being sent more than 50 sexually suggestive text messages while on duty. The paper reports, while on the extended probation, Paulson called in sick. On that sick day she was spotted at a Coldplay concert (I admit I had to look it up to find out they are an English alternative rock band). Read the story.
Actions of medics are focus of lawsuit: A story from Ohio on the Bainbridge Township Fire Department. A lawsuit has been filed saying that medics did not provide the proper treatment to a woman in cardiac arrest and changed their story about what was and wasn’t done. WKYC-TV reports word from Bainbridge officials is that appropriate care was provided. At the same time the TV station reports the two paramedics were given remedial training, protocols were changed and the medical director replaced. Click here for the story.
Joy ride in FD vehicle: Police in Massachusetts have arrested a 39-year-old man for stealing a Crown Vic belonging to the Lowell Fire Department. Click here for details.
5-alarms in the Bronx: Firegeezer has the details, pictures and more from the fire that destroyed 14 businesses Saturday morning.
Fire in Delaware: Early video from a fire Friday in Glasgow.
The long road to become a firefighter: A very interesting article about a 40-something who decided to become a firefighter after a career as a chef , on the water and both.
Housekeeping: Some of you who subscribe to home delivery of STATter911.com may not be getting that service now that we have moved. There is a convenient place to re-subscribe (or be a new subscriber) in the right hand column near the top. Also, if you have a site that has been running an RSS feed of STATter911.com, thank you! If you haven’t updated it to our new blog the address is simple- http://statter911comm.wpengine.com/feed/ . Don’t forget you can follow STATter911.com on Twitter, our Facebook fan page, on LinkedIn and Firefighter Nation. If none of those work, just send me your number and I will read STATter911.com to you over the phone.
4-alarm house fire: Sunday evening in West Caldwell, New Jersey. Description with the video indicates water issues with the initial companies.
