Second-alarm on arrival in Baltimore County: Michael “FirePix1075” Schwartzberg on the scene in Garrison, Maryland around 11:30 last night as thunderstorms rolled through the area. According to Michael, first-due Engine 19 was on another call. When Engine 2 from Pikesville approached the scene the officer called for a second-alarm. More details and pictures on Pikesville VFC’s website.
Dave’s long goodbye: It really is getting sickening. Can’t he just go quietly without making us sit through his home movies? Probably not. I’ve been loading in more videos from the Channel 9 archives as I head into my final days at the TV station next week. (Yes, we know you are leaving. Can’t you just give it a rest?) I have a bunch to feature over the next couple of days that are already in the video player to the right (if you want a sneak preview without Dave’s ramblings). Here are links to some of the videos already featured – 1973 deadly collapse of a 26-story building in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia; 1986 9-alarm fire in Baltimore’s Pigtown; 1985 hazmat on I-95 in Prince George’s County.
Fire & police unions want new mayor in DC: Saying Mayor Adrian Fenty has poisoned his relationship with first responders unions representing firefighters and police officers want current City Council Chairman Vincent Gray as the next mayor. Read more on the endorsement.
Faking it – the investigation widens: State investigators in Massachusetts says they are up to 200 EMTs and paramedics in at least a dozen jurisdictions who were recertified without attending the classes. This includes 18 Boston firefighters. Read and watch the latest.
And then there was one: In Coal City, West Virginia (Raleigh County) all of the volunteer firefighters except one have resigned following a dispute with the president of the board. Read and watch the story.
He called everybody except 911: Investigators believe a light from a marijuana growing operation started a December fire that rapidly spread through five homes in Calgary last December. Not only has the man who had that operation entered a guilty plea, it turns out he made 25 calls on his cell phone when the overnight fire was discovered. Not one of the calls was to 911 or to his neighbors to alert anyone about the rapidly spreading blaze. Here’s the latest.
Internet reporter wants to know more about “crappy crime caper”: New York’s Chestertown Fire Company is having a tough time with a web reporter’s requests for more information following charges against three of its members (all from the same family) over the theft of gasoline and toilet paper. The North County Gazette is blasting the fire company’s efforts to put limits on the Gazette’s FOIA request. This is another good reminder that you don’t need a newspaper or TV station anymore to call yourself an investigative reporter. Check it out.
Hollywood’s version of New York rises from the ashes: Do you recall the large fire two years ago at Universal Studios that destroyed, among other things, the New York street sets? The sidewalks of New York have now been rebuilt and over the next five years Universal is donating $100,000 each year to the fire department. Here’s the latest.
Geezer vents over waste: The doubling in cost and the delays in building a fire station in Bexar County, Texas has Firegeezer Bill Schumm making a few points about how fire departments handle such new construction. Read Bill’s thoughts on the subject.
