Quick Takes
House fire in Baltimore County: From yesterday morning on Carla Road in the Pikesville area. Video from Michael “FirePix1075” Schwartzberg. Read details at the Pikesville VFC website.
Fairfax County & Los Angeles County USAR teams to Haiti: Late yesterday, the U.S. Agency for International Development tapped two teams to respond to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. We now have interviews posted as the Fairfax County team prepared for its departure. Click here for details.
No fire deaths: A pretty amazing stat for 2009 considering it is the city of Boston, Massachusetts making that claim. Click here for more interesting statistics from Boston.
Volunteer deputy chief suspended for peitition drive to help save career positions: This one sure is different. Scott Kivet, the deputy chief of Monroe Township VFC #1, has been suspended for six months. After a December 29 Fire Commissioner Board meeting, where firefighters learned two career firefighters would be eliminated, Kivet decided to take action. He began circulating a petition around town last week. Chief Lonnie Pipero believes Kivet represented himself in a manner that would be interpreted as the opinion of the fire department. Read the details here.
Dash-cam video of fatal Pennsylvania ambulance wreck: Jason Fait is guilty of running a red light when driving the Penn Township ambulance back from the hospital, but was cleared of vehicular homicide. The tragic moment in 2006 was caught on video. A 46-year-old man was killed in the car hit by the ambulance . The video was released after Fait had his day in court. Watch the video and read the details. You can also click here to watch the whole story.
New boss in Frederick County, MD comes from Fairfax City, Virginia: Tom Owens has his work cut out for him as he becomes director of Frederick Fire & Rescue Services. Owens spent the last 6-years as the chief in Fairfax City, Virginia. He doesn’t get the chief title in Maryland because the political leaders decided in 2008 not to follow recommendations outlined in a consultant’s report. Career – volunteer issues await Owens on February 1 when the takes over a combined department that is suffering growing pains. Read more.
UPDATED – Disciplinary process for firefighters involved in bonfire explosion: Gasoline, diesel fuel and too many pallets brought about the pre-Thanksgiving explosion at New Jersey’s Vineland High School. It wasn’t students or teachers who set this up, it was firefighters. A local paper took the pictures of the firefighters spreading the fuel and caught the blast. Three firefighters now have to face the music. Click here for the story.
And click here for the updated story that confirms the state’s decision on discipline for the three firefighters.
Oh, and I thought it was to pick the top blog in this country: If I had fully understood that the contest to pick the best fire & EMS blog of 2009 was international in scope, of course I would have put my money on Paramedic Mark Glencorse of the UK’s North East Ambulance Service. Mark’s Medic 999 blog is the winner, beating out my man FireGeezer (clearly the best this country has to offer). Here’s more at FireCritic.com.
