Quick Takes
House fire in Upton, Massachusetts: Minor injuries to the couple living in the house. The fire broke out yesterday morning. Read details.
NEW – A glimmer of hope in Baltimore hours before a fatal fire occurs with the closest truck company shut down: Overnight in Baltimore a fire in the 3100 block of Presstman Street left one person dead and one injured. Firefighters found them both on the second floor. The PIO for the department confirms the closest ladder truck, Truck 18, was shut down due to rotating closures. The next closest, Truck 16, is scheduled to be shut for good next month. Read more.
This comes a few hours after city leaders confirmed they are now looking for overtime money to help the fire department reduce the number of rotating closures. The new effort to address overtime follows Chief Jim Clack’s proposal to permanently close three fire companies. Late yesterday Mayor Sheila Dixon reduced the number of permanent closings to one (Truck 16). The chief’s plan appears to have stimulated some discussion. Click here for that part of the story.
Think Safety – the monthly planner: Billy Goldfeder tells us about this one –
This is our fundraiser for the IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section for the holidays and an excellent, and quite honestly, a “dirt cheap” risk management tool that will put a specific FIREFIGHTER SAFETY AND SURVIVAL MESSAGE in front of all of your members-everyday. You can also have up to five lines for your FD info, name, message from you etc imprinted on the front …and will be delivered before Christmas.
Click here or here for ordering information.
Coaching soccer on-duty costs two firefighters their jobs: In North Port, Florida, where a ladder truck crew took the rig three miles from the station so the lieutenant could coach a youth soccer match, two firefighters are out of work. Lt. Robert Combs, who was coaching the team and didn’t respond with the crew on a medical call, has resigned. One of the other two firefighters on the truck was fired. Read the details.
A refreshing lesson in public information during a crisis: Yesterday, in Woodbridge, Virginia, a student opened fire with a rifle on the campus of the Northern Virginia Community College. The school went on lock-down for more than three hours. No one was hit by the bullets and the gunman was captured very quickly (though there was a long, thorough check for possible accomplices). This left hundreds of students stranded, parents and friends worried, and of course the press, including me, racing to the scene. Well before we even got to Woodbridge, the long time public information officer for Prince William County Police, Sgt. Kim Chinn, had confirmed some basic information and set up an area for reporters, live trucks and cameras. There was no fighting with police to get to that location. The officers at the road blocks were already briefed to let us through. Once there, we were given regular updates with new, relevant information. Much of it important for anyone who had a loved one trapped on campus. We didn’t have to wait for the police chief or an elected official to come tell us what the PIO knew. There wasn’t a big joint press conference where most of the time was spent thanking each other for doing their jobs. It wasn’t about the brass, it was about the information. We weren’t berated because we asked questions or told there would be no more information for hours. The police answered with the information that was available at the moment, with no speculation. The police even encouraged and brought campus representatives out to talk to us. When I remarked to Deputy Chief Barry Bernard how refreshing and unusual the treatment of the press was during this emergency, he made it clear this wasn’t by accident. Chief Bernard pointed out, in a crisis like this, the press is their conduit to reach the community with vital and important information. From my experience, this is not the prevailing philosophy on handling public information in this part of the world. But to me it is one that makes a whole lot of sense.
A warning to firefighters: In Shoreline, Washington firefighters are being warned about a man who assaulted a firefighter and threatened to kill first responders. Police also found a cache of weapons. The man who called 911 for a medical emergency was arrested and released. Read the details.
Houston harassment report: Interesting details from a report looking at allegations of harassment and discrimination in the Houston Fire Department following some high profile incidents. Click here to read and watch the story.
Two from Pennsylvania: Photographer Steve Roth has two photo galleries of recent incidents. One is a dump truck into an SUV and a house in Adams County east of Gettysburg. Click here for the pictures. The other is a commercial building fire in Hanover. Click here.
It was a monster: That’s how a firefighter in Port Tampa, Florida described the 12-foot Burmese python he helped capture. See the video. Read the story.
Boston firefighter to sue police: After being acquitted of criminal charges in a dispute with a girlfriend, Firefighter Wayne Abron is now focusing on police officers he says used excessive force in his arrest. Abron is expecting to file a lawsuit against two Boston cops. He says the incident has left him paranoid about police, including at work. A police union attorney points out that Abron can make those accusations but it doesn’t make it so. Read more.
A reminder about comments: They aren’t going to be printed when they include expletives. I am not personally offended. Just the policy of the TV station. Also, react, state your opinion, but don’t act as the reporter. If you want to go beyond what is already on the record about an incident or topic and provide a whole bunch of new facts, please do so on your own blog. The other option is to send me your tip or information, and if there is time and a way to verify it, I will (I am always interested in tips). While it is not policy, personally I prefer spirited conversations about the facts and not personal attacks. We also do not edit comments. If it is a long, beautiful and thoughtful commentary, but it includes one four-letter word, it will be killed. We encourage comments and are getting close to posting comment number 13,000. Hope this helps explain why your comment may not have made the cut.
And finally … some silly stuff: Dave got away from the blog Sunday night and for a brief moment found himself set up by two of the funniest people in the world at the Kennedy Center Honors. There is even a fire department connection to my story. the video. Check it out.
