Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Must hear 911 call; Atlantic rescue; Update on MN fatal fire controversy; Statter's grudge with a Prince George's official; Power grab in CA
"The head of the baby is already out". Words of a very excited father in the middle of a rain storm on the Capital Beltway near New Hampshire Avenue, as his baby girl is born right next to him on Monday morning. Moments later he is screaming at the 911 call taker, "The baby is out".
The new father yells those words over and over again. At least 25 times during a 35 second span.
Click here to listen to that section of the call.
Still, Firefighter Matt Markett, on the other end of the 911 call, expertly takes control of the situation. Firefighter Markett calms the father down, gives him instructions and stays on the line until Montgomery County, Maryland fire and rescue crews arrive on the scene. All are now doing well.
Hear entire 911 call, courtesy Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service
Download radio traffic, courtesy Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service
Coast guard video of deadly research boat accident during nor'easter
The picture above is from John King on delmarvanow.com. It shows the RV Russell Peterson aground in front of the Bethany Beach Boardwalk. The ship apparently got into trouble and started to break apart as it was 14 miles east of Rehoboth. Here are the details:
A crew member of a research vessel that broke up in heavy seas off Rehoboth Beach died of his injuries as residents throughout Delmarva and the Mid-Atlantic battled rain and high winds brought by a late spring nor’easter Monday.
The dead man was one of two people rescued Monday morning by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from RV Russell Peterson, which broke apart about 14 miles east of Rehoboth.
A Coast Guard helicopter rescued the two men from the research ship 14 miles off Rehoboth Beach and brought them to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
A punishing gale broke apart the research ship launched in March to study Delaware’s offshore wind power resources.
The helicopter plucked the two crewmen from the RV Russell W. Peterson at about 9:30 a.m. after they reported the ship was being pushed onto a jetty, taking on water and in danger of sinking.
Their names were not immediately available.
The Peterson, a former Gulf Coast oil industry service boat, was christened March 29 and sent to sea to support Bluewater Wind LLC’s efforts to build a 150-turbine offshore wind farm in Atlantic waters east of Delaware.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher McLaughlin told the News Journal a Coast Guard swimmer helped one of the two crew members into a basket during the rescue.
The ship sent out a distress call at about 8:46 a.m. while trying to negotiate swells of 12 to 14 feet, in winds that were were blowing at 30 to 40 knots.
The second part of the video is of a sailboat that got into trouble off of 10th street in Ocean City, MD. It was the fifth rescue of the day for the helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City. Read more.
Probe to begin in MN fire
Since the end of last month we have been telling you of the problems in the Oak Grove, MN fire department that surfaced after internal criticism over tactics at a fatal house fire. When we last looked at the situation (click here and scroll down) firefighters were ordered not to make any further public utterances about the fire or their other complaints.
Now a retired chief from the area has been hired to lead an investigation into the March 5 fire. Read more.
Why Dave Statter will always hate this man
I first met the man in this picture in about 1975. His name is Charlie Wilson. Charlie and his late brother Mark were volunteers with me at the Oxon Hill VFD, Station 21. I am not one to hold a grudge, but in Charlie's case I will make an exception.
Charlie was a good firefighter. He was well thought of by most everyone at OHVFD. Generally, he was an absolute joy to be around. Few people can make me laugh as hard as Charlie Wilson used to. While it seems I only run into him about every five years or so, I consider Charlie a friend.
You are probably saying to yourself right now that Dave isn't making much sense. Well, as that guy on the radio says, "now, for the rest of the story".
Charlie made us all look bad. To this day I have never seen anything like it. He is the only guy I have ever met who could walk out of a fire with every hair in place, his shirt tucked in and not a bit of dirt on him. Ask anyone who was with us in Oxon Hill at the time. I swear it's true.
You would be in the same burning building as Charlie. He would be right behind you, next to you, or in front of you. When you walked outside you would have snot running down your nose, soot on your face and looking like you had been through hell. But not Charlie. He would take off his helmet and/or face piece and look like he just stepped out of Southern Maryland's version of GQ.
As you can imagine the women loved it and loved Charlie.
What brought back this flood of painful memories is, in fact, a flood. The image above was taken Monday during 9NEWS NOW reporter Bruce Leshan's coverage of a sink hole that damaged homes in Camp Springs, MD.
Good old Charlie, now Charles W. Wilson, the Director of the Department of Environmental Resources for Prince George's County, is standing in the middle of a nor'easter. And of course, not one hair is out of place and there isn't a drop of water on him. That sink hole could eat him up and spit him out and Charlie would still look like that.
I hate you Charlie Wilson.
Thank you. I feel better now. Who needs a shrink when you have a blog?
A picture of Truck 21, a 1965 Pirsch, that was in service during Charlie Wilson's era. This image was posted on thewatchdesk.com. If anyone knows who took it, and how to get in touch with that person, please contact me at dstatter@wusa9.com.Power to the people is fine ... but to the candidate may be another story
San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Jarman got the complaint that a city fire truck was being used to promote the candidacy of a retired firefighter running for city council.
It turns out the fire truck with the banner supporting George George (is there an echo in here?) does not belong to the city. It was rented from a private firm by IAFF Local 145. But, it was parked and on charge at a city fire station for 16 hours.
Chief Jarman and the city's Ethics Commission must now decide if anyone is in trouble over the current situation. Read details.
Fire Department needs help with antique
The picture above, from MercuryNews.com, is of a 1928 Ford Model A. The Saratoga Fire District in California is looking for help in restoring the antique fire truck.
According to the fire district, Saratoga bought the firetruck in 1928 and kept it in service until May 1955. After 27 years of service the truck was decommissioned and sold to Henry Clark, a volunteer firefighter and future commissioner, who painted it green and used it for his plumbing business.
In 1968 Clark donated the truck back to the district, and firefighters and volunteers took up restoring it to its vintage 1928look.
Guillory said about $4,000 has been spent to restore the truck and get it running properly. But the fire district now has a wish list of things it needs to still get done, including a paint job and body work they estimate will cost $5,000. The district is also hoping someone will donate a $700 chrome bell with a fire logo engraved on it. Anyone who donates the bell will have his or her name engraved on it as a thank-you from the district, Guillory said.
"We hope this will be around for another 100 years so people can enjoy it," he said.
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