House fire in Buffalo: Shawn McMahon and Don Murtha shot this fire last night at 275 Strauss Street. There is a report of one person burned. Their still pictures can be found here. Click here to listen to the fireground audio from Erie County Fire Wire.
Explosion in Cleveland: We have audio from FireSceneAudio.com and brief early video following yesterday’s explosion that destroyed three homes and damaged many others in a Cleveland neighborhood. Here’s our coverage.
4K a year to volunteer in one part of Prince George’s County, Maryland: The Bowie Volunteer Fire Department has presented an incentive plan to the Bowie City Council that would allow active volunteers to receive a stipend of up to $4000 each year. At the same time the firefighters want Bowie to consider operating its own fire department, separate from the short staffed PGFD, and similar to what is done with the Bowie Police Department. Virginia Terhune has the story at Gazette.net.
It’s the cover up: A good reminder of how not to handle things when they go wrong. Two Fond du Lac, Wisconsin police officers were fired recently and two firefighters received lengthy suspensions after one of the cops became involved in an off-duty crash. The firefighters were passengers in the car and according to fdlreporter.com had been drinking. The news reports indicate what made things worse was the cover up of the crash that came about with the assistance of an on-duty officer and the firefighters. Here are the details.
Firefighter to return to work after child rape charges dropped: More than a month ago a Worcester, Massachusetts firefighter was arrested at the firehouse and charged with raping a seven-year-old girl who was “well known” to him. A grand jury found there was no evidence to move this case forward and the charges will be dropped. The firefighter is expected to soon be back to work. Here’s the story.
Mayor Menino on firefighter’s raise: Boston’s mayor writes a column on the 19% raise an arbitrator awarded firefighters and says the money isn’t there. Check it out.
Now retired firefighter and son to stand trial for murder: An update on that ugly road rage scene in Philadelphia. A now former Philly firefighter and his son have been ordered to stand trial in the beating death of a man. Here is the latest.
An announcement for jobs where you might want to keep your bags packed: FossilMedic Mike Ward posts the announcement for the medical director and assistant medical director positions in the DC Fire & EMS Department at Firegeezer. I lost count long ago how many people have filled that post in the almost 30-years I have been covering the department. I do know this will be the third medical director since Chief Dennis Rubin took over three years ago.
