STATter 911: FF on video says, "We deserve some type of punishment". Volunteer shows camera his other side.

Monday, July 14, 2008

FF on video says, "We deserve some type of punishment". Volunteer shows camera his other side.

Watch the 5:00 PM interview with Jerry Engle

Click here for STATter 911's previous coverage

Jerry Engle spent more than half his life at the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department. One of the most active firefighters in the company's history, and he claims in the U.S., Engle wrote a book on his experience called Probie Days.

Engle may have to add a few new chapters after the recent release to the news media of controversial videos involving Kentland's firefighters.

Engle, now a member of the Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department, is seen on one of the videos using his bare backside as a launching pad for a bottle rocket. The video shows numerous firefighters shooting fireworks inside the fire station on Landover Road. Fireworks are illegal in Prince George's County, Maryland.

The videos were shot more than four-years-ago.

Engle tells STATter 911 he was not involved in the hazing incident seen on one tape and thought that incident was "extreme".

According to sources, the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department has already suspended its chief and others in the videos. Officially, Kentland calls what's on the videos "inexcusable" and will only confirm that disciplinary action has been taken.

Jerry Engle expects that Prince George's County Fire Chief Lawrence Sedgwick will also take action against him and others seen on the videos. So far there has been no official comment from Chief Sedgwick since a statement Friday calling the antics on the videos "disturbing" and "unprofessional".

Engle tells STATter 911, "We deserve some type of punishment."

# posted by Dave Statter @ 9:17 PM

Comments:

Great, A name and face to the great fireworks!

How impressive, credible and noteworthy this story is...

How man legs are we really going to give this?

I'll restate a few things from a previous post...

To say unprofessional activity in the firehouse?? Who cares...it happens in every firehouse across the country...be serious. Ask Dennis Leary how bad it is...he and others are making a living off firehouse life (and I am sure that coward, rat, couldnt join, etc, tape dropper just loves that show...oh, so childlike.....please)

Behavior at the a job, different story...thats not the case here...

For this to make the news...boy it must be a slow news day or someone with an axe to grind.

Obviously the coward, rat, turncoat, (insert your favorite word here ___________) who got the tape (instead of giving it to the chief for him to handle in house, if he was Sooooo outraged and concerned) decided to cop to the moral fiber of the "holier than now" media......oh yeah, they only report the truth, the whole truth so on....

come on guys.... Seriously, are we again to let the internet safety morality police solve another one??

Whew....

We have 2 signs in our firehouse kitchen that I will pass along to you for the future....they aint new, but they read...

What we say here, what we do here, when we leave here, stay's here...

No one else is looking out for us, but us

Take them to heart brothers and be safe
Mack

# posted by

Anonymous : July 14, 2008 10:26 PM

Just another way to sell more books. You are a scum bag Mr "Mayor of Kentland"

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 1:19 AM

I hate to say it, but Jerry Engle just might be the perfect "poster child" for tougher fireworks laws.

All you need to do is to show a picture of him to schoolchildren and tell them "Kids, beware; this is what you might end up looking like if you shoot bottle rockets out of your butt."

Bladensburg VFD must be so proud right now.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 7:15 AM

Waht a freak on a leash! I hope Bladensburg is proud? I guess they are taking what they can get to get out the door since they are 100% Volunteer and he is a jobless bum. What a way to burn your bridges with Kentland Jerry!

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 7:19 AM

I thought the book he wrote was all the truth.....da

Everyone that honestly knows this individual knows he is full of sh*t. He puts on a good front and could talk anyone into anything. How about the family he destroyed in #(*^$#@$$ and the drugs... That would be a story. Oh has anyone looked into his criminal record and numerous addresses he carries. You can run but you can't hide. How about a little research Statter and the rest of the news agencies on this person. He's as crooked as a politician. This should help promote his book of lies. 30 years and the lies continue.......This is retaliation from disgruntled member that has used the media to fight his battle, great job.... Maybe some big news story will break today and you bums can do your job and report news not lies. Good Day or should I say Probie Days.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 7:47 AM

Another slow news day, Why is Bladensburg Volunteer FD allowing this knuckle head to represent there department, who's uniform is he wearing. He can't afford one...

He must be out of money again he spent his last $10 dollars on cigs and pain killers. Maybe these interviews will help promote the book of lies. Why did he get thrown out of Kentland and Riverdale? How do the old timers at Kentland, that he looked up to for all those years feel about these antics (Smith, Lehan, Mattison, Riley, Teague, Wells, Chester, Richards, Penetta)? Can u say "Workmens" Comp....

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 8:02 AM

Wow, can you imagine answering the door and being greeted by this character? "Mam, fire department, could I come in please and check out your apartment?" The nose ring I could deal with, but his hair style is something else. I don't have a problem with him giving an interview, but to do it wearing a fire uniform along with a radio is just poor, and a unnecessary reflection on Bladensburg FD.

# posted by

NJ Steve : July 15, 2008 11:07 AM

if you paint a turd it's still a turd. If you put an idiot in a uniform, well you have an idiot.

Hey PGFD and COUNCIL MEMBERS. Lets get a ruling on the mowhawk and the nose ring. Talk about unprofessionalism. What a looser!

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 12:47 PM

I just want to say "Thank you" to Tom Stommel, Buddy King, Milton Thompson, Mark Henley, Nick Finnamore Bub Prather and the many other volunteer chiefs that have served for so many years and done so without all the BS of the last 5 years that Kentland has produced. If only Reilly, Mattison or Kelleher could have done half the job of those True Leaders of the Prince George's County Volunteer fire service.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 1:37 PM

Looks like someone in trouble and he's a member at Bladensburg VFD!!!!! Time for another interview. Hope its another slow news day. This could turn out to be a TV show "Bevis and J". Lets see who's creditable and has grown up. Bye the way how are the kids????

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 3:14 PM

I have been associated with the volunteer fire service for approximately 30 years and have seen horseplay and good old firehouse fun on numerous occasions. yes sometimes it may have gone to far and maybe what some folks would call unprofessional however it was a way of letting off srelieving the strees of the job and enhancing the bond between the members of the company. I have used various examples of the PGFD in my training classes for years as an example of how the job should be done and the manner in which they performed there duties. The example that will come from this is if you are going to clown around don't video tape it and don't let a rectal orfice shoot fireworks from his rectal orfice. Maybe someone should call Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey to see if the Engle character escaped from thier freak show. What an example to represent the fire service.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 4:07 PM

Does Saint E's have a work release program were not aware of? How did this wing nut write a book when he can't read.....Must be a few GHOST writers in the crowd. It's time for FINES and Suspensions, and Mr. Ivey should see if CRIMINAL activity took place and File Charges. If someone that looks like that is the BEST that Bladensburg has to offer I'm moving to Canada!

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 4:25 PM

Dave, I just wanted to say "thank you" for turning Nine News Now into a casting call for "The Jerry Springer Show". What's up on the broadcast tonight, Dave? Bisexual Dwarf Boxing?

Actually, Mr. Statter, you could have done a better service to the viewing public by turning the camera off, and using the time you wasted on this interview to explain to Mr. Engle that there is a fine line between "Eccentric" and "Weird", and he's crossed WAY over to the wrong side a good while ago.

A purple mohawk, multiple facial piercings, black nail polish and tattoos look just plain goofy on a nineteen year old. On someone who is almost fifty, they just look like a pathetic cry for attention.

Free expression or not, these forms of body adornment simply do not belong on a firefighter, volunteer or professional.

Unfortunately for Jerry, good taste cannot be legislated. However, in this case, standards of professional conduct and personal hygiene clearly need to be enforced.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 5:49 PM

Hey Jerry, Ya know, Ya know, Ya know...Well apparently ya don't. What kind of brotherhood do you represent? You're a disgrace to the fire services long time commitment to being a family of one.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 8:02 PM

Thank God for the local firehouse-this guy might be hanging out on a street corner begging nickles and dimes if it weren't for the local firehouse.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 15, 2008 11:02 PM

His father must not have loved him enough. What a disrespectful look for the PG Fire Department...Career and Volunteer. I must say I would not let someone like that into my home if it were on fire or if I needed Emergency Medical Services.
OK so what they played around int he firehouse, we all have done it.

For the person who let the video out, "SHAME ON YOU" there goes the brotherhood.

Stay Safe Brothers

# posted by

Anonymous : July 16, 2008 12:46 PM

J, remember the comment “Your house is on our first call, I’ll set across the tracks and watch it burn” Or how about the comment “You know , old people get hurt all the time” when speaking of my 72 year old mom. You had a lot of guys backing you back then, I wonder how many are with you now? You should be easy to pick out with the purple mo, ay? How much did you get for the interview? Must have been enough to throw em all under the bus, ay? Taking the high road, knowing you would sooner or later take your self out has been worth the wait.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 16, 2008 1:59 PM

How much did you make for selling out your brothers? Just a promo for your crap book? It's been a few months since your last workmans comp claim. Didn't you get busted for scamming $ at Riverdale? Oh, by the way, how's the child support payments going? You always told us to never burn your bridges. Well cuz/bro, you sure did burn them.

# posted by

Anonymous : July 18, 2008 10:04 AM

Didn't J get a burn on his backside during a "fire" right about the time of this incident? Was that a workman's comp claim too? Wake up PG county, you got a fraud on your hands!

# posted by

Anonymous : July 18, 2008 9:49 PM