Two PA FFs busted; SC OSHA report media plan; DOJ probes Portsmouth; EMS plan – just say no; FF takes icy plunge for dog; Videos NJ, TX; FF vs FF
(Updated at 10:19 AM)
At least 5 buildings damaged or destroyed in Barrie, Ontario. The first report, before midnight, was an explosion in the basement of a restaurant. The picture above shows a collapse as the fire spread to adjacent structures. Click the image above from CTV.ca to see the video. Details from TheStar.com.
Two volunteers charged with 9 fires
Click above to read the official release from Pennsylvania State Police
WJET-TV, Action News 24 in Erie, PA broke the story at 5:00 PM on Wednesday. Two Saegertown VFD members are charged with setting vacant homes on fire. Here are excerpts from the TV station’s latest story:
According to Pennsylvania State Police – Saegertown volunteer firefighters Darren Amy and Joseph Dille…both 19 years old… are now charged with nine first-degree felony counts and 39 second-degree felony counts in connection with nine suspicious vacant houses fires in Crawford County.
According to Pennsylvania State Police the pair are tied to fires in the Saegertown area that date back to August. The most recent fire occurred Thursday morning on Mill Street in Saegertown.
Police say the pair allegedly set the fires and then responded to the incidents with Saegertown Volunteer Fire Department, on Thursday night the department didn’t want to comment…but says statements are coming.
Media plan for SC OSHA report uncovered by Charleston paper
Click above to read the email uncovered by The Post & Courier
Grant Mishoe at SConFire.com alerts us to The Post & Courier story this morning concerning the email above. It is South Carolina’s efforts to downplay the report by SC OSHA into the June 18th Sofa Super Store fire that killed 9 Charleston firefighters. Grant has all the links and along with one of his usual stellar “Hot Shot” pictures.
FireGeezer connects the dots between two of his stories
For some it may have been obvious. I personally needed FireGeezer to make the connection. I hope you have been following Bill Schumm’s unusual series of reports, now just simply called the “Daily Donna”. This morning, the Geeze finds some common ground between that story from Seligman, AZ and the one we both ran yesterday from Flint Township, MI.
Justice Department investigates Portsmouth
The hiring practices of the fire and police departments in Portsmouth, VA are under scrutiny. The story is from today’s Virginian-Pilot:
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether the city’s police and fire departments discriminate against black employees in this predominantly minority city, making Portsmouth the third locality in South Hampton Roads to become the subject of a civil-rights inquiry.
Both departments have tried over the years to increase the number of black and minority hires and those selected for promotions, a former union president and city leaders said Thursday.
I’m just an EMS system that can’t say no
Some thinks it’s time for Cleveland to change its policy of hauling anyone who calls 911. A month ago, WJW-TV reporter Tom Merriman looked closely at the non-emergency type calls Cleveland’s EMS system is handling. Using records, recordings of 911 calls, spending time in an emergency department, riding with medics and confronting some of those who called for help, the TV station painted a very interesting picture of the state of EMS. In a follow-up story that ran last week, Merriman showed the impact on the hospital system.
Now there is a call for EMS to change its policy and refuse, with physician consultation, some transports. The EMS commissioner doesn’t seem to like this idea. Watch the stories and see what you think. If you haven’t seen these stories, they are well worth watching. A look at issues that extend far beyond Cleveland.
Lt. works at house where firefighter saved him 44 years ago
It was November, 1963 when a 6-year-old boy ran back into his burning apartment to retrieve a slipper. Rick Vega and his uncle only made it out alive thanks to a firefighter from Chicago’s Truck 44. Now Vega is a lieutenant with that very same fire company. Read and watch the story, here.
The legend of Sleepy Hollow
T
his Sleepy Hollow tale is making the papers in Westchester County, New York. One Sleepy Hollow firefighter, whose brother is the deputy chief and whose father is a local cop, is charged with repeatedly shoving another firefighter until he fell to the ground injuring his knee. It happened on a fireground in Tarrytown. Read the story.
Texas warehouse burns
The fire loss is estimated between 12 and 15 million dollars from this fire in a 300,000-square-foot warehouse in Belton, Texas on Wednesday. Click here to read more.
Dog’s best friend
In this case it would be a firefighter. A dog took a plunge into the icy Old Erie Canal in Dewitt, NY yesterday and so did a firefighter.
Jersey City 4th alarm
From November 29th. Click the image to see Part 1. Four other parts can be found here.
NJ 6th alarm from the same day
From the same videographer as the Jersey City fire, this is allhandsgoingtowork’s look at the commercial fire in Fort Lee on November 29th. Click here to see more parts.
