Quick Takes
Tunnel fire training: This is an interesting video with an international flavor. Here’s the description posted with the clip – With Haifa(Israel) Fire Brigade team undergoing Tunnel Firefighting training in VHS-Hegerbach, Switzerland March 2010.
Flint, Michigan continues to burn moments before layoffs: Video at 4:30 AM showed three fires burning at the same time in vacant buildings. At least eight similar fires have been reported since late yesterday. This morning, 23 Flint firefighters are to be let go in budget cuts. Two fire stations are scheduled to close. That’s about 25 percent of the city’s firefighting force. Click here for some pointed quotes from a battalion chief, pictures, video and maps.
New budget proposal brings blunt assessment from Baltimore’s fire chief: Chief Jim Clack says the budget submitted by his boss “goes too far” in its call to permanently close three fire stations (on top of four daily rotating closures) and layoffs of firefighters. It is early in the process and the chief says he has assurances that if money is found the fire department will be a priority. Here’s the chief’s message to the department.
Keeping the public in the dark: FirefightingNews.com has the story from Springfield, Illinois where officials don’t think it is important to let the public know which fire stations will be closed for a week at a time. The union says it will take care of that role.
Paper calls for outside review in Spotsylvania, Virginia fire: The Free Lance-Star says it shouldn’t have taken a prying reporter to prompt the internal review of the February fire that took Sandy Hill’s life. Now, an editorial wants to see outside experts take over the probe of why, for about 20-minutes, firefighters couldn’t find the woman talking to 911 during a relatively small fire. Click here.
Baltimore paper is against cancer presumption: The Sun has an editorial telling Maryland lawmakers to be cautious before they re-write workers comp laws in connection with firefighting. Read it.
Up close and personal with MERV: We first heard about the new Metro Emergency Response Vehicles from WMATA’s emergency management team. They have been involved in training Washington, DC area firefighters in the use of the portable, battery-powered rail cars. We have a series of videos you should see that show how the cars are quickly put together by firefighters, a ride down the rails on a MERV and details from the press conference. Click here for all of the clips and the story (you can also find the videos loaded in the player near the top of the right hand column).
Sad upate from India: Firegeezer.com followed up on the video we showed you the other day from Calcutta. The death toll jumped from six to 23 in a building fire after 17 bodies were found at the top of a stairwell. Here’s the latest.
The must see video from Belgium: You will want to see this video first spotted in the domestic fire service media by Firegeezer.com. Firefighters in Brussels work to get to an elderly woman on a balcony as fire is licking at her back. Click here.
Pothead gets rescued: Still on the international scene, firefighters rescued a little boy in Germany who said he just wanted to see what it looked like on the inside. Check out the picture that explains this one.
Guilty plea from Eastern Shore firefighter: One of a trio of Mardela Springs firefighters accused of arson has entered a guilty plea. Check out the update from Wicomico County, Maryland.
Cow stampede prosecution is going ahead: That firefighter in the U.K. will stand trial on manslaughter charges after he responded through a group of cattle causing a stampede that killed a farmer. Here’s the latest.
