Quick takes
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Charleston Fire Department in action: From a reader in Charleston, SC, a fire on James Island at The Boathouse Restaurant early Thursday morning. Click here to read more on the fire.
Layoffs outlined in Prince George’s County: The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department is the only department adjacent to the Nation’s Capital that frequently responds with two-person staffing on its fire equipment. Recently the department has left the fire boat protecting the National Harbor complex and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge out of service, to use the firefighters to make up staffing that has been lost elsewhere lost to furloughs and overtime cut backs. Now comes word the department could lose 48 more people in the 2010 budget due to layoffs. It is just a proposal and is far from a done deal, but we have reaction from union and county officials. Click here for our coverage.
Thursday night PGFD brass and volunteer leadership met in Greenbelt to discuss a new plan to use volunteers to fill-in for the loss of career staffing due to furloughs and overtime reduction. The goal, we are told, is to cut overtime in half by having volunteers staff stations on specific days. A previous plan to completely remove career staffing from more firehouses and consolidate the career force to a smaller number of stations was rejected in Upper Marlboro.
Double fatal fire for PGFD: A house fire in the Landover area this morning took the life a man and a woman in their 60s. Read and watch details.
3.5% annual raises for firefighters: No it is not April 1. That is apparently the new 5-year contract for firefighters in Springfield, IL. The city believes it needs to be competitive to hold on to trained personnel. Read more.
Delay in staffing cuts in Texas: Austin is holding off for the moment in cuts that would force three-person staffing instead of four. Firegeezer has the latest.
Protest in New Hampshire over police pretending to be firefighters: Newport’s police and fire chief defend letting cops masquerade as firefighters in order to serve a high risk arrest warrant. The Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire think this was an awful idea and puts firefighters in a bad position. Click here and here for the story. Click here to read the union’s press release.
Mechanics unqualified in Boston: A preview of a consultant’s report in the wake of the death of Lt. Kevin Kelley indicates the city is paying a lot of money for poor maintenance. Fire Commissioner Fraser says the report will be scathing. Click here to read and watch the story.
Saving the fire station in Wheeling: A new plan from the city manager in Wheeling, WV could keep Fire Station 4 open. Here is the update.
Staffing issues at Western Maryland VFC: Washington County, MD is offering more career staffing to the Fairplay Volunteer Fire Company after concerns about response problems. Fairplay made news last November when a dozen members quit or were told to leave at election time. Click here for the latest.
Blast in Montana: An old friend alerted us to the explosion and fire that shook downtown Boseman On Thursday. We have pictures, video and more.
Supermarket fire in Virginia: A pre-dawn fire in Newport News. Click here for the pictures, videos and details.
Keeping a clean machine in Brandywine: The Brandywine Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George’s County has a car wash fund raiser this Sunday from 9AM to 3PM at the firehouse located at 14201 Brandywine Road. The cost for cars is $5.00. Trucks, vans and SUVs are $10.00. Donations are also welcomed. There will also be a fire prevention and recruiting table for children.
