Quick takes
Welcome back and happy new year: We know a lot of you have been missing your daily dose of STATter911.com over the holidays (probably a good thing for your mental well being). For that reason we give you just one more chance to view our exclusive and shocking year-end review (along with some scathing comments from a few of the people we mentioned). Click here. Below, we have some new items along with stories from the last few days that you may have missed.
Dispatch records and a history lesson: We have a new picture from the fire on New Year’s Day that killed six people in the District of Columbia. Also, a complete run down of the timeline and units dispatched in a copy of the CAD report for 1014 Jackson Street, NE.
In addition, STATter911.com, with some help from a few friends, takes a look back at the deadliest fires in the city’s history. Click here.
House fire kills eight in Oswego County, NY: Investigators say no smoke alarms were found in the house in Richland. Only one person escaped from the fire. Click here and here for coverage.
Taking another look at Baltimore recruit’s death: We all know what opinions are like and that everyone has one. What I like, even if I disagree with someone, is a well thought out argument based on the facts that gets your mind working. It appears to me that is exactly what Art “ChiefReason” Goodrich does in his blog entry Baptism By Fire Or Death By Diversity? at FirefighterNation.com. It is worth reading.
St. Paul chief faces a lot of challenges: Not the least of which is becoming certified as a firefighter in St. Paul, MN. A racial incident, morale issues and now budget cuts are on Chief Tim Butler’s plate. Read more about his 13-months on the job.
Philly waits for higher court ruling: It appears the only thing that could stand in the way of closing seven Philadelphia fire companies is the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. If that doesn’t happen, the closings could come as early as today. Read the story. Watch the story.
Nightclub owner to be charged: New Year’s Eve countdown fireworks apparently were involved in the fire that has now killed 62 in Thailand. The club’s owner is to be charged with carelessness leading to the death of others. Read more.
Baltimore fire & police pension fund caught up in Madoff scandal: The Baltimore Sun has the report of how $3.5 million of pension money ended up with disgraced money manager Bernard L. Madoff. Read the details.
Busy weekend in Stafford County, VA: A fire engine wreck (no injuries), two house fires and two injured firefighters. Click here for the details.
Raw video from Maryland house fire: We have neighbor’s home video from a fire Saturday in Rockville, MD.
How cold is it?: How about 50 below? A house fire in North Pole, Alaska. See the pictures.
Is it slug a firefighter week?: In San Antonio a man is accused of setting his house on fire and then punching firefighters who tried to handle him and the fire. This follows a call just 2:39 minutes into the new year in Chicago for a man down. That man got up and attacked the firefighter trying to help him.
What’s your return policy?: That’s what the Ypsilanti (MI) Fire Department is trying to determine after getting what they believe is a lemon of a ladder truck. FireGeezer has more.
Public gets to attend fire chief’s termination hearing: That hearing is Wednesday for Stratford, CT Chief John Cybart. The hearing is the result of a probe into the bidding process for a new fire truck that involved a lieutenant Cybart appointed to the truck committee. The lieutenant was also employed by a fire equipment company that won the bid. Read the details.
Outcome of scandal may be merger: Trying to recover following investigations of money misuse, the New Market Volunteer Fire Company and the New Market Volunteer Rescue Squad may unite. Click here for an update on this story from Virginia.
LODD involving father and son: An awful story out of Oklahoma where a father and son firefighting team, in two separate vehicles, handling a smokey grass fire, collide. The father is dead. Read more, including the police report.
Firefighter accused of vandalizing station: A Tulsa firefighter was arrested, accused of ramming his pickup into three bay doors of a renovated firehouse. Click here.
Jake’s for jakes: The funeral for Delaware’s Michelle Smith is today. FirefighterCloseCalls.com tells us of a fundraising event to benefit the fund for Firefighter Smith’s daughter. It will occur at all Jake’s Hamburger locations in Delaware on Thursday from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Jake’s will donate 20% of all sales that day to the trust fund. Firefighters will also be on hand at each location throughout the day to accept donations.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPC0Dj0ge1A&hl=en&fs=1]
FirefighterSpot.com posted this raw video from the fire in Elizabeth, NJ on Friday where FF Gary Stephens was killed. Stephens was run over by his own engine as he was helping to guide it backing up to lay a supply line. FirefighterSpot
.com also has a number of other new videos. Check them out.
