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Video of the day: WAVY-TV secured this home video, posted on YouTube, as a man watches one of the tornadoes hit near his home

At least 200 injured in VA tornado touchdowns

Image from WTKR-TV

Another view of one of the tornadoes

Storm chaser Jesse Bass III's video via Virginian-Pilot

Local links:

Virginian-Pilot

WTKR-TV

WAVY-TV

WVEC-TV

From the AP:

The National Weather Service says three tornadoes touched down in Virginia.

Meteorologist Bryan Jackson says the twisters hit Suffolk, Colonial Heights and Brunswick County on Monday afternoon. Authorities say at least 200 people were injured. Property damage was widespread.

Jackson says the Brunswick County tornado was estimated at 86 mph to 110 mph, and cut a 300-yard path of destruction. Assessments of the other twisters were planned for Tuesday, but Jackson described Suffolk's as a "major tornado."

In a Steve Early photo from the Virginian-Pilot, Suffolk firefighters search a home. More photos here.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine declared a state of emergency for the damaged areas of southeastern Virginia.

Two apparent tornadoes struck the city of Suffolk, city spokeswoman Dana Woodson said. Bob Spieldenner from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management said at least 200 people were injured there.

At least 18 more people were injured when the storm hit Colonial Heights, Spieldenner said. Three of those were taken to hospitals. Woodson initially said one person died in Suffolk but later said the death was not connected to the storm.

Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk was damaged, but remained operational, Spieldenner said. Another hospital in the city also was treating the injured, Woodson said.

Sentara spokesman Dale Gauding said about 60 people were being treated, and he expected most to be released.

"We have lots of cuts and bruises," plus leg and arm injuries, he said. Some of the hospital's windows were cracked, apparently by flying debris.

"Multiple buildings have been destroyed, homes have been destroyed," Woodson said. She said the areas around the hospital and in the community of Driver were hardest hit.

Image from WVEC-TV

The storm in Colonial Heights overturned cars and blew out vehicle windows in the Southpark Mall area. Some buildings also were damaged.

Southside Regional Medical Center treated one storm victim with minor injuries and was poised to receive more, hospital spokeswoman Terry Tysinger said. John Randolph Hospital in Hopewell was put on "high alert."

Property damage also was reported in Brunswick County, one of several localities where the National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning. Sgt. Michelle Cotten of the Virginia State Police said an apparent twister destroyed two homes. Trees and power lines were down, and some flooding was reported.

Some of WVEC-TV's live coverage on Monday

Helicopter report on CNN

Firefighter involved in legendary rescue attempt dies

Many of you may recall the 1987 successful effort to rescue 18-month-old Jessica McClure from a well in Midland Texas. There was live network TV coverage of the incident that riveted the country.

Few are likely to recall a similar effort 38 years earlier in California. It too received marathon live TV coverage on the pioneering Los Angeles TV station KTLA. The story of 3-year-old Kathy Fiscus did not have a happy ending. For 52-hours rescuers tried to reach the girl. In the end, Pasadena fireman Walter Patrick Ireland was lowered 100 feet into the well to retrieve her body.

Walter Ireland died last Thursday at the age of 94.

Read about Walter Ireland here

Watch a video on KTLA-TV's 27-hour coverage of the event

Listen to a popular song about the Kathy Fiscus tragedy

Firefighter accused of passing himself off as a medic

In Marco Island, FL, the story emerges over why Brian Franklin resigned from the fire department in December. He is now charged with trying to pass himself off as a paramedic. The charges claim that Franklin went to great lengths to try and convince his bosses that he a state certified paramedic. Read the story.

Home response crash: 65 mph in a 25 mph zone

A firefighter in Fort Smith, Arkansas says the accelerator stuck on his personal vehicle while responding to an accident scene. Matthew Cooper had his own accident, crashing into a vehicle driven by an 81-year-old man who was going 10 mph. Police say Cooper was traveling at 65 mph in a 25 mph zone at the time of the crash. Reports indicate skid marks extend for 400 feet, but all injuries are reported to be minor.

Watch the story.

Ambulance runs off road

Sorry it has taken a few days to get this one on (despite a tip from a STATter 911 reader), but below are some details from Prince George's County Fire/EMS Chief Spokesman Mark Brady about the wreck of Ambulance 833 on Friday morning. The most important information from this is that no one was seriously injured.

While I know there are a lot of people asking questions why the ambulance ran off the road and what the video shows, looking at the information from Mark Brady I have a different question. Why would it take a little more than eight minutes to get on the unit and travel less than one-half-of-a-mile? I have double checked that Ambulance 833 was in quarters and the times are correct. (A further clarification by Mr. Brady on Tuesday morning takes another minute off the time when the crash occurred. He points out these are CAD times and not radio times and that may account for some of the delay. That's why I ask the questions.):

On April 25, 2008, at 4:31 AM, Ambulance 833, Kentland Fire/EMS Station833, was alerted to a medical call in the 3000 Block of Brightseat Road. While en route to the incident, at 4:39 AM, the unit left the roadway and struck a median barrier on Landover Road near Martin Luther King Highway. One member of the crew was transported to an area hospital, treated and released. Other EMS units responded and covered the call on Brightseat Road. As is standard procedure with accidents involving injury or damage in excess of $2,000, the driver of Kentland's Ambulance was administered a post-accident screening. The unit is equipped with a drive cam camera which was downloaded and the Prince George's County Police Department documented the incident. As is the case with any accident, the Fire/EMS Department will conduct a review of the incident and if needed, take whatever action may be deemed appropriate.

I am not able to discuss any particulars of the crash including personnel involved and what may have been contributing factors as these details are included in an on-going accident review and personnel are protected by HIPAA. As always, you may submit a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain additional information.

Worcester 3-alarms with rescues

Sounds like a close call as Worcester, MA firefighters rescued a couple from the second floor of their building. Here is an excerpt from the Telegram & Gazette article on the Sunday morning fire:

Firefighters Jeffrey E. Rutkiewicz and Karl F. Solomon rushed into the burning building and through the thick smoke with a hose in hand yesterday morning looking for residents left inside the three-decker on Hudson Street.

On the second floor, Firefighter Solomon found a woman in bed. He told her to get out while his partner found the woman’s husband — a little dazed — in the kitchen.

Firefighter Solomon moved the woman out of the bedroom at 11 Hudson St. Moments later the third-floor ceiling collapsed as wood and material fell and a sheet of fire crashed down.

“Like 20 seconds after he got this woman out of the bed my partner saw the whole third floor drop into the bedroom where she was,” Firefighter Rutkiewicz said. “That was a perfect example of actual seconds counting.”

“I haven’t seen that before,” Firefighter Solomon said.

4 buildings burn in SF

Watch KPIX-TV story

unday evening fire damages four buildings in San Francisco. The image above and the story below from KPIX-TV:

# posted by Dave Statter @ 12:25 AM