Quick Takes
3-alarms in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ: This house fire was late Sunday night at 27 Columbus Avenue. FirefightingNews.com has still pictures and details.
Prayers for Arkansas firefighter caught in wall collapse during commercial building fire: Firefighters and others gathered Monday night to offer prayers and support for Pine Bluff Fire Department’s Lt. David Curlin. TodaysTHV.com reports Lt. Curlin and others were on their way back out of the Clemments Office Center early Sunday morning when the wall of the second story collapsed, pinning Curlin under a heavy metal beam. The hose he manned is still trapped under the debris. Lt. Shauwn Howell told reporters, “Fellow firefighters had to come to his rescue using everything they could get their hands on, the jaws of life, shovels, scoops, hands, just doing everything they can to free him from the entrapment up under the debris.” Lt. Curlin is listed in serious condition with a broken leg and arm and several internal injuries. Watch the story here. Read more here and here.
Polls close at 3:00 PM: You read my choice yesterday (Firegeezer), now make your choice in FireCritic.com’s Fire/EMS Blog of the Year of 2009 contest. You can email your vote to firecritic@firecritic.com.
Mayor defends placing campaign manager in top fire department position: We first mentioned this issue from Rochester, New York back in late October. Yesterday, Chief John Caufield said he never really considered anyone other than Molly Clifford for the job of director of fire administration. The job used to be held by a sworn deputy chief. DemocratandChronicle.com’s Brian Sharp reports Clifford will have oversight of code enforcement, community outreach, administrative services such as budget, the supply depot and of planning and research. Fire investigations has been transferred to a deputy chief. The union is charging Clifford, with no fire service experience, is not qualified. Cifford had worked as assistant general manager at Rural/Metro ambulance service. Monroe County Fire Wire has the video from the press conference and a few documents.
Emergency radio traffic from Las Vegas shootout: It isn’t our normal beat, but we have the police radio traffic from yesterday morning’s deadly shootout at the federal courthouse in Las Vegas. Click here.
Sexpert advice for firefighters: A sex doctor indicates firefighters have a leg up in the fantasy world. Read more. A warning: the comments on this post may be more than some can handle.
Fireground audio & video from Boston 3-alarm house fire: Three firefighters suffered minor injuries last night at a three-alarm fire at a three-family home in Roxbury. Click here for Part 1 of the fireground audio and here for Part 2 (courtesy FireSceneAudio.com). Details and video are here.
Update from Modesto, CA: The Modesto Bee has been doing a good job of keeping tabs on the status of two firefighters who fell through the roof of a burning home New Year’s Night. Jim Adams has second and third degree burns over 40-percent of his body. Adams is currently in a medically induced coma and is expected to be at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for as long as a month. Jason Clevenger, with burns over 10-percent of his body, could be released from Doctors Medical Center within a day or two. Read more.
Florida fire may be related to suicide attempt: Click here for details, video and pictures from a large apartment complex fire in Ocoee last night.
Fireground audio and video from Dallas fourth-alarm: Click here for the fire yesterday morning at a floor covering business.
Frozen hydrants: The problem delayed efforts during a restaurant fire in Indianapolis. Click here for the story and the video.
New Year’s Eve fire in Lower Towamensing Township, Pennsylvania: Jason Thomas has been coming back swinging after a few technical setbacks with Firefighter Spot. This fire from Carbon County is one of many videos he has been posting in recent days. Read more about the fire.
