Quick Takes: December 22, 2010
St. Louis Post-Dispatch sees the handling of this fire as an example of a much bigger problem: A scathing editorial from the paper blasting the problem plagued Northeast Fire Protection District over what neighbors say was a slow response to this apartment fire on Saturday. But the paper goes on to point out a bigger issue. Specifically the 43 different fire districts and municipal fire departments in St. Louis County. Click here to read the editorial titled To fix fractured government, start with the fire services. Here’s the original article on the fire. Also, Northeast Fire Protection District blames the slow response on planters and barriers put up by the complex. Click here for that story.
DC’s fire chief in waiting Ellerbe & Fire Chief’s Wilmoth both post comments at STATter911.com: Following a number of reader comments about Janet Wilmoth’s blog criticizing the appointment of Kenneth Ellerbe, both the chief and the blogger show up in our comments section. Janet Wilmoth’s comments can be found at the bottom of this post. Chief Ellerbe has two responses, here and a short one here.
Ten hurt as fire rig, medic unit & 3 other vehicles crash in Philly: We have radio traffic from AlertPage.net of last night’s crash of Philadelphia’s Squad 72 & Medic 18. Click here. More details and PhillyFireNews.com pictures by Ron Trout are at Glenn Usdin’s FireTruckBlog.com.
A must read – Charles Bailey’s year-end review: To me Charles is probably among the best writers in the fire service today. On top of his writing skills Charles is always challenging his readers and asking the important questions. While we aren’t always in agreement, I am with him all the way on this one. Reflecting on the year in his FireRescue1.com column, Charles turns the mirror on the “Look at me” generation of firefighters asking them to look at themselves and the impact on the fire service. Please read.
New helmet-cam gets the attention of a local newspaper: An interesting article in the Cedar Rapids Gazette, with video posted on its website, of recent helmet-cam video from the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. The paper looks at how the department plans to use the video for training. Here’s more.
‘Tis the season …. : … for giving. Over at Firegeezer, Steve Marshall has been asking for help for a young volunteer firefighter in Pennsylvania who has had a number of tragic situations come his way recently, including a house fire. Take a moment to read this.
Baltimore County fire video: Michael Schwartzberg on the scene in Towson at a chiropractor’s office.
Last minute gift idea: Don’t forget STATter911.com reader Will Wyatt’s book, And a Paycheck, Too. The Texas firefighter gives us his unique view of the job. A very enjoyable book. Click here to get it and tell Will Dave sent you.
Rhett likes how they curse in Canada: The Fire Critic weighs in with a comment on video I posted from Winnipeg that has great, but profane narration from a couple of young locals. Click here, but just don’t sue me wanting to get the two-minutes-and-forty-five seconds of your life back that will be wasted listening to this crew (or reading Rhett, for that matter).
Deputy fire chief’s home catches fire: That’s the story from Cary, Illinois.
Who needs 911?: A Fort Wayne firefighter just had to walk outide the firehouse to find a house fire on Monday. Read the story.
More video from Perth Amboy, New Jersey fire: This is another video of Sunday’s multi-alarm fire just posted by David Psenechnuk at FireBuffVideo.com. Earlier we had posted video of a man who had jumped to escape the fast spreading fire.
