STATter 911

Get fat for a cause

I can't believe I failed to mention earlier two things close to my heart and my stomach. As many of you know it is "31 Cent Scoop Night" at Baskin-Robbins. The ice cream people will donate $100,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. So eat up.

911 and supervisor given days off after sleeping incident

Click here for complete audio recording

Click here to read complete story and watch news report

WMC-TV in Memphis has the story of a 911 call taker who fell asleep while taking an emergency call for a break-in. It happened in January, but the news report appears to have prompted some action. According to the station, the supervisor was given 20 days and the call taker 7 days. (Other news outlets are reporting the two were fired. For now, I am going with the station that originated the story.) Here are excerpts:

When you call 911, you expect help immediately. Lisa, a Memphis resident, got anything but.

"Our lives were in danger," she said. "Our lives were at stake, and our lifeline was severed."

Severed, she said, because during a recent call to 911, the operator fell asleep while she was on the line.

Action News 5 obtained a copy of the call through an open records request. It begins as Lisa calls 911 and a Memphis operator comes on the line. Lisa tells the operator she was robbed at gunpoint earlier in the evening, and that she now hears someone trying to break into our home.

"I just heard tapping on my window," she tells the operator. "I need somebody over here."

The line goes silent. As Lisa continues to explain her situation, the dispatcher does not respond - not for just 15 or 30 seconds, but for one full minute.

Then, sounds of snoring can be heard on the line.

"Are you there?" Lisa asks.

"Yes ma'am," the operator replies. "What is the, um, what's your address?"

Lisa can then be heard hanging up the phone.

Large church fire in Philly extends to homes

Click here for live helicopter coverage from WPVI-TV (as of 9:20 AM) of multi-alarm church fire at 32nd & Berks Street in Philadelphia. By 9:38 AM they had switched to a tower camera shot from a distance.

Earlier raw helicopter coverage from KYW-TV

Earlier raw helicopter coverage from WCAU-TV

KYW-TV image

As of 9:00 AM, the roof has burned off the large building in the Strawberry Mansion section. There still seem to Multiple master streams are in operation. Looking at a live picture on CNN it appeared there were some water supply issues for two of the streams at one end of the church. The fire has gone to six-alarms.

At 9:08 AM, the helicopter on WPVI-TV pulled back to reveal a rowhouse burning at least 5 homes down from the church. Fire showing from the top floor with firefighter working on the roof.

At 9:15 AM, the exposure fire now appears to be on the third floor of one side of what may be a duplex. A line is in place trying to keep the fire from spreading to a similar building on Side D. Heavy fire on the third floor, Quadrant C. Truck crew moved to roof over the non-burning side of the duplex.

At 9:20 AM, an interior attack has knocked down the bulk of the fire on Quadrant C of the duplex. Still have a bit of fire coming through the roof.

From KYW-TV:

Philadelphia firefighters are on the scene of a raging six-alarm fire in the city's Strawberry Mansion section. Flames also damaged at least three nearby home and residents east of the church were evacuated.

Authorities said the fire broke out at about 7:45 a.m. at the Prince of Peace Baptist Church in the 3200 block of W. Berks Streets. Flames quickly consumed the entire four-story building and went to five-alarms by 8:30 a.m. At about 8:45 a.m. firefighters began going door-to-door evacuating residents in homes immediately east of the church.

At 9 a.m. firefighters struck a sixth alarm for additional manpower after three nearby homes and power lines caught fire.

At this time, no injuries have been reported and the cause remains under investigation.

The church, according to their Web site, http://rship.com, is a Missionary Baptist Church that partners with Missionary Conventions and Associations across the country, "We are a conservative, evangelism oriented, Bible-based congregation with a strong African consciousness."

Fire burning on the West Coast, too

Not to be outdone, Los Angeles firefighters have a major blaze this morning in a building at the historic corner of Hollywood and Vine. Reported to be a a vacant restaurant. Click here for KNBC-TV live video (as of 9:35 AM EDT).

At 9:52 AM EDT there is still a good deal of fire coming through the roof of the building. Master streams are being used along with firefighters with handlines on the roof of what appears to be the taller, Side D exposure.

Earlier helicopter coverage from KCBS-TV

From KCBS-TV:

Flames broke out early Wednesday in a building being renovated at the famous intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.

Los Angeles city fire officials say the fire broke out in an unoccupied restaurant/bar and 40-foot flames could be seen shooting through the roof at 6 a.m.

A plume of smoke could be seen for miles.

Traffic has been routed away from the area.

"These people are hypocrites and liars"

That's the response by Oak Grove, MN Mayor Jim Iund to claims by firefighters that a fatal house fire was mishandled. Mayor Iund, a charter member of the fire department who served 18 years, said Tuesday, "You're talking about a small group of people who want to make trouble."

Here are a few excerpts from the Star-Tribune:

Firefighters are now charging that Fire Chief Tony Hennemann repeatedly bypassed the most qualified candidates for leadership positions. Some said Hennemann won't promote any candidate he believes could be a threat to his authority.

The City Council on Monday discussed hiring someone independent of the fire department -- possibly a retired fire chief from the south metro area -- to investigate the fire that claimed the life of James Verdi Blackford, 86.

But current and former Oak Grove firefighters told the Star Tribune that the turmoil dividing the department began years ago.

The mayor's comments are a follow-up to the claims earlier in the week of a lengthy delay in trying to rescue Mr. Blackford:

The firefighter who reached him said he believes Blackford was alive when he and two other firefighters brought him downstairs in the smoke-filled house.

Ramsey firefighter Chris Weiss, from one of the five departments on the scene, said it was too hot within the blazing house for him to remove his gloves to feel for Blackford's pulse, but "I made the determination he wasn't gone."

But once Weiss and the other two firefighters got Blackford downstairs, he said, they received word that an Oak Grove fire officer had ordered that Blackford not be moved any farther until a backboard could be brought in, a claim other firefighters affirmed but that later became a subject of dispute.

"We had ample time, but there was lots of indecision when decisions had to be made," said Matt Powers.

Powers, an Oak Grove firefighter who was at the scene, said, "We limited his chances. If we could rescue somebody, we should rescue somebody. Somebody should be held accountable."

Among the questions are who knew, or should have known, that Blackford was in the house. Another question, according to Oak Grove firefighter Jon Faanes, was why the department did not hold its customary critique after this fire, particularly because it involved a fatality.

Rob Engler, the Oak Grove fire official who firefighters say ordered the backboard, declined to comment, saying he was told by Fire Chief Tony Hennemann not to speak to the media. When asked after a City Council meeting about the backboard, Assistant Chief Curt Hallerman, who was in charge at the fire, told the Star Tribune, "I don't think they called for a board or anything. I would see no purpose to ask for a board."

But Oak Grove officials did not send firefighters in immediately. Nor did they inform all the firefighters at the scene that Blackford was inside. Weiss, who has nothing critical to say of Oak Grove's department, said, "We heard a rumor that somebody was in there."

Oak Grove firefighter Tony Scavo said he was eventually sent into the house but said he was ordered to go to the attic to open up the ceiling. "I'll be honest," he said. "I didn't even know there was a body in there."

Faanes said he was told not to enter the house without a backup hose line, even though he said the backup line is not mandated by OSHA. He asked why firefighters were not allowed to walk around the structure "to perform a size-up" -- a procedure often done by the first arriving officer, he said.

"Why did it take a firefighter from another city to perform the rescue?" Faanes asked.

Cops guard Boston fire HQ

From Boston.com:

Boston police, acting at the request of the city's fire commissioner, have begun guarding Fire Department headquarters to make sure that no one tampers with evidence subpoenaed as part of a federal investigation into alleged pension abuse by firefighters, fire and police officials said yesterday.

A police cruiser has been stationed outside the Dorchester building since Friday to make sure no one breaks in to steal documents that the FBI has requested.

No threats have been made, according to Steve MacDonald, spokesman for the Fire Department, but he said Fire Commissioner Roderick J. Fraser Jr. wanted to be cautious.

Asked if Fraser feared that firefighters might try to tamper with the documents, MacDonald replied, "He takes the federal subpoena very seriously, and we're doing what we can to cooperate with the subpoena."

Ed Kelly, president of Boston Firefighters Local 718, criticized the move and said he did not see the need for extra protection.

"I think, given crime in the city, those police resources could be better allocated," Kelly he said. "I think the commissioner watches too many movies."

Suffolk chief is positive about twister response

Suffolk Fire Chief Mark Outlaw said the initial assessment of the response to Monday's damaging storms in Virginia is that things went well. Local governments expect to do further study of the response to the tornadoes that left more than 200 people injured. Read the article.

Click here to see our previous coverage with a number of videos from the storm.

MD mystery blast is no longer a mystery

Flashes of light in the air and loud booms. It was happening for months at 2:00 and 3:00 AM in a Pikesville, MD neighborhood. Until now, despite intense investigations using surveillance cameras, there were no answers. A day after WJZ-TV did the story of this mystery an arrest has been made of a 59-year-old man. Watch the story.

DC 2-alarm house fire

From DC Fire & EMS Department PIO Alan Etter on a fire Tuesday in Northeast:

This wind-driven fire in the 300 block of Channing Street, Northeast climbed to two-alarms before firefighters were able to put it down. Dispatched at 1508 hours, firefighters arrived within two minutes to find a set of two-story rowhouses engulfed in flames involving the enclosed rear porches. Fire was present through the roofs of two rowhouses with extension to a third. Further, exposure 'D' was afflicted by wind-whipped flames leaping across a 15-foot alley and causing serious damage to the second floor, cockloft and roof. A second alarm was quickly transmitted - and as firefighters began taking their positions - the fire was reduced to smolder. It was fully extinguished within an hour - with no injuries to either civilians or firefighters. Red Cross was notified for several people who would be displaced. The cause of this blaze remains under investigation.

2 injured in MD automotive garage fire

From Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department Chief Spokesman Mark Brady:

Just before 3:00 PM, Tuesday, April 29, 2008, a citizen ran into Beltsville Fire/EMS Station #831 and alerted personnel of a fire at a nearby automotive garage. Fire/ EMS units responded about 1 block to 11250 Baltimore Avenue at Prestige Collision and Glass to find a 1-story, multi-bay, automotive garage with heavy smoke coming from two bays located on the rear of the structure. As additional units from surrounding communities were alerted to assist, Beltsville firefighters stretched hoselines and initiated a knock down of the fire. The Beltsville ambulance crew located an adult male employee, approximately 30 years of age, who sustained second degree burns to a small area of his lower legs. Additionally, a firefighter assigned to the College Park Fire/EMS Station #812 sustained injuries to his knee while operating on the fireground. Both patients were transported to area hospitals. Quick work by the initial arriving crews limited the fire to two bays. A total of 25 firefighters operated on the fireground. The cause of the fire is under investigation and fire loss is estimated at $40,000.

Gas prices impacting home response

That's the story from the Hammond Fire Department in the state of New York. With volunteer ranks dwindling, gasoline nearing $4-a-gallon isn't helping recruitment and retention. Read the story.

Telephone solicitation problems in DE

A story we have heard many times. This time it is going on in Delaware. From delawareonline.com:

The Delaware Volunteer Firemen’s Association is alerting residents that local fire companies are not conducting a telephone solicitation seeking donations for injured firefighters.

Ron Marvel, president of the association, said a telephone solicitation now hitting Delaware households is not sanctioned by any volunteer fire department in the state of Delaware -- and none will benefit from it.

“These guys who do this are a legal 501-C3 corporation who are established outside of the state and start calling Delaware residents for donations,” Marvel said. “They tell people that they are giving the money to the Delaware Fire Service.”

Marvel said no Delaware fire company solicits over the telephone for funds. None of the money collected is being used by Delaware firefighters.

“If you receive a telephone solicitation, do not give them any personal information such as a credit card number or other financial data,” Marvel said.

He suggested asking for the caller’s name, telephone number and address, and then contact local police.

Anyone concerned about the validity of a donation request should contact the Delaware Volunteer Firemen’s Association at 734-9390.

Rescuers intervene in suicide attempt

This is all the caption says with this interesting video: Rescuers Risk Their Lives Foiling A Suicide Attempt. This was recently broadcast on a Russian Citizen's Journalism programme. A drunken man was threatening to kill himself and rescuers put their lives on the line to save him.The man lived, but sustained serious injuries.

FFs attempt to thwart another suicide attempt

This one is from Dubbo, Australia last week. Firefighters try to move a rig into place to save "Bruce" who is hanging from a railroad bridge. It doesn't quite work out the way everyone hoped, but Bruce survived. Read more.

Plane crashes into home in Venezuela and burns

From Monday in the northern Venezuela city of Catia La Mar. Four dead and eight injured when a small plane crashes into a home. Click here for another view.

Who ya gonna call: Marion County, FL's quack rescue team

Photo by David Henman, Marion County Fire Rescue

It doesn't matter what heroic feat this highly trained professional does for the rest of his career, he will always be remembered for this moment. Firefighter/paramedic and technical rescue technician Max Riddle of Golden Ocala Station 20 climbed 18 feet down a ladder into a storm drain to save seven baby ducks. The picture above from OrlandoSentinel.com where you can read this story.

# posted by Dave Statter @ 5:42 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

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 3 Comments Links to this post

The long-awaited beach replenishment project in Bethany Beach and South Bethany, DE has, for the most part, been completed. Officials are already hearing complaints from people who can't see the Atlantic from the Boardwalk or their homes.

Having seen these projects in other beach jurisdictions I am curious how beach patrols and other first responders alter procedures. There is now a small mountain of sand to climb and a much further distance to get patients to ambulances. When lifeguards aren't on duty, fewer people will likely notice when someone is in trouble on the ocean.

The upside of course is that when the next coastal storm hits, emergency crews should be handling a lot fewer flooding and damage calls.

These pictures, on a gray and rainy Sunday, are off of my camera-phone from South Bethany.

# posted by Dave Statter @ 12:05 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

(Updated at 12:11 PM)

Video of the day & Close Call Alert: From Skagit County, WA. This is a fire Sunday afternoon at an abandoned school in the town of Concrete. Watch what happens at 1:19 into the video. No one was injured. The film served as a backdrop for a 1993 movie starring Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio called "This Boy's Life". More video and details, here.

Dave's an idiot

That's what some people think of me for answering comments that question my past. I understand that some people feel I should ignore people who make those remarks.

Hey, I often am the one asking the tough questions and uncovering the skeletons in closets. If there are people who have doubts about me, I am glad to answer the questions no matter what the motive of the questioner is. It goes with the territory.

The good news is it dredged up a few memories for people. Even heard from a retired PGFD official who was so shell-shocked after years on the job that he escaped to cave in West Virginia and had barely been from since.

This morning one person wrote in to say they have records to indicate that Dave Statter did exist. That's a relief. I was starting to get worried this whole fireman, CRT, dispatcher thing was just a bad hallucination from the 70s.

Also, some more memories of 5012 Rhode Island Avenue.

Click here to read about Dave the fraud and associated comments.

One item discussed was our summer running Prince George's County Fire Communications out of a bookmobile. I am thinking of writing a few things more about that unique experience from 1978. Anyone with memories, please share them. If there is a picture of the bookmobile to be had, please let me know at dstatter@wusa9.com.

An absolutely bizarre series of events: TV station reports on paramedic and wife attempting to steal a patient

KSTP-TV reported on Sunday about a February crash in Osceola, WI that left a man badly injured with a broken back. As an Osceola Area Ambulance EMT and a Lifelink III paramedic prepared the patient for medevac, the ambulance door opened. According to the TV station's report, a medic from Lakeview Hospital walked in and demanded to take over the patient's care because it was his area. The medic got a sheriff's deputy to back him up. The deputy is the medic's wife. It is a story you must see to believe. Click here.

Puck you, Part 3: The demotion

Things are tense in Montreal and little of it appears to be about firefighting. My friend Bill Schumm, AKA FireGeezer and I have been following various aspects of the escalation of the battle between firefighters, top fire officials and the mayor. The latest chapter is the demotion of a captain to a lieutenant because he showed his true colors. Click here.

Airport delay

This story is about a delay and there is a delay in getting it to you (it was also reported by KSTP-TV, but at the end of March). The TV station has been trying to figure out why there was a long response time to a St. Patrick's Day car fire at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Depending on which version is correct, it took anywhere from 17 to 33 minutes to get water on the fire. It spread to adjacent cars. The airport fire department promised an investigation. Click here to see the story.

(We also promise an investigation into why our crack staff failed to bring this one to you earlier.)

Hotel fire in PA

These pictures are from Steve Marshall who always keeps STATter 911 informed of the latest from the greater Erie area. Steve tells us this is a 3-alarm fire around 10:45 PM on Sunday that destroyed the old Hotel Evergreen in Edinboro, PA.

The hotel had been vacant, but the 4-story wooden structure still housed a bar and pizza shop. No one is certain, without sifting through the rubble, that there were no victims. A car was parked outside the building and can be seen burning in the bottom picture.

The building was very old and many people thought it was haunted.

Helmet-cam in Bucks County

# posted by Dave Statter @ 12:11 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

(Updated at 5:48 AM, Sunday)

Pictures of the day: Jimmy Daly of MA has been a great contributor to STATter 911. This is some of his latest work. A series of early shots from the fire and rescue in Saugus on Thursday. While we have more on this fire below, Jimmy has 7 pages of pictures on his photo site DalyImages. Check them out. Thanks Jimmy.

The real Dave Statter was abducted by aliens

I am an impostor. Or so some of those who write comments to STATter 911 and on The Watch Desk would have you believe.

One of the writers says he has the goods on me and is looking for someone to report this scandal. I try to help that person along with some tips and my own, obviously distorted, account of my brief and ancient fire service career. If you really have nothing better to do, click here.

$3 million fire at car dealership

The picture above is from the Prince Frederick VFD where you will see more photos and an account of Saturday's fire at the Toyota dealership in Prince Frederick. They also have a video of the aftermath.

Here are details from the Maryland State Fire Marshal's office:

A team of Deputy State Fire Marshals is continuing with their investigation into what sparked a two-alarm fire that heavily damaged a local automobile dealership.

The 5: 45 a.m. fire damaged the Bayside Chevrolet and Toyota dealership located at 1200 Solomon’s Island Road. The fire was discovered by a passerby who notified Calvert County 9-1-1 Center. Local firefighters were dispatched to the scene for a smoke investigation. When firefighters arrived they found heavy fire conditions inside the building. A second alarm was sounded which brought additional firefighters from Calvert and Charles Counties. It took firefighters approximately one-hour to control the blaze.

Besides the damage done to the building, five automobiles belonging to the dealership and to customers suffered damage. The fire caused an estimated $3,000,000.00 damage to the building. There were no reported injuries.

Investigators have determined the fire originated in the parts room of the 80’ by 115’ block building. The exact cause for the fire remains under investigation.

"We felt like the ducks and seagulls from the Exxon Valdez"

The words of one Boston firefighter who was coated with lubricating oil during a 9-alarm fire at a Boston power plant. It happened on October 1, 2002 and now ten firefighters are suing. They are claiming serious respiratory and other health issues from the oil that rendered their SCBA useless by seeping into the regulators.

The plant's operators are on the receiving end of the suit. The firefighters claim it took them two hours to notify fire officials to shut the flow 0f the oil feeding the fire.

The pictures above and the story from The Boston Herald.

Lots of fire in CT

Rob Ladd wrote to alert me to his series of pictures of the 6-alarm fire early Saturday morning in Norwich, CT. The fire ran the open cockloft of a large apartment complex. More pictures from Rob, a video and his description of the fire can be seen at NLCFirePhotos.

FireGeezer also has a good account of this one and a bunch of links.

Below is the story from WTNH-TV.

DC FF who shot at tow truck drivers is back to work in one jurisdiction

DC Fire & EMS tried to fire Berlin Hiligh twice. Once when he was arrested for shooting at two tow truck operators in Bowie, MD. The second time when he went to jail after admitting guilt to a misdemeanor charge. But Hiligh is back driving Engine 4. Hiligh was also a volunteer in Prince George's County. He was dropped from the rolls of PGFD, but is still a non-operational member of the Boulevard Heights VFD (Station 817). Read the details here.

A reversal of misfortune for volunteer chief in Prince George's County, MD

Ritchie VFD Chief William Cunningham appealed the sentence that would have kept him from returning to the chief's spot until 2013. Ritchie VP Larry Lee told STATter 911 Wednesday afternoon, and other sources confirm, Prince George's Fire/EMS Chief Lawrence Sedgwick has reduced that sentence to just 6-months. Cunningham would be able to begin riding again and return as chief in August. Sources say there will be some monitoring requirements concerning Cunningham's performance upon his return.

Lt. in trouble for transporting patient on fire engine

KYW-TV image

Michelle Smith believes the action of the Philadelphia Fire Department lieutenant saved her life when she was having an asthma attack. With an ambulance not expected to get to the scene for as long as 15 minutes, the unidentified fire officer decided to transport Smith on the rig.

KYW-TV reports the officer is now in trouble for failing to follow policy and has been transferred.

Watch the story from KYW-TV

No one in trouble for policy that delays transporting of patients

In Columbia, SC a policy that prevents firefighters from driving or even setting foot in county ambulances is under scrutiny. A WIS-TV story indicates the policy is delaying tranports and impacting care.

Read and watch the story

MA rescue at 3-alarm triple-decker blaze

In Saugus, firefighters, on-duty and off, rescue disabled woman. The first to the woman was a prevention captain out on inspections. Excerpts from Boston Herald story:

The heroic response started when Saugus Fire Prevention Capt. Tom Nolan, hearing the call on his scanner, pulled up to the scene in his official car at about 12:30 p.m. yesterday. He ran into the smoke-filled Central Street house wearing a uniform shirt and tie but no protective gear after neighbors told him a woman with no legs lived on the second floor.

He found his way to the woman through thick smoke, dragged her to the back of the apartment, removed a window and shouted to an arriving fire company to get a ladder.

As firefighters hoisted a ladder to the second-floor window, off-duty firefighter Bill Cross, who happened to be passing the scene, jumped out of his car, scampered up the ladder in shorts and a t-shirt behind the on-duty jakes to help rescue the woman.

Nolan at this point was overcome by smoke and had to be helped out of the building. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital where he is being treated for smoke inhalation and carbon-monoxide poisoning. He was reported in stable condition late yesterday, said Blanchard.

Watch video from Boston Herald

Watch video from WBZ-TV

Also from MA: Turmoil on the Cape

Truro has the smallest fire department on Cape Cod. They are also facing some big difficulties. Changes at the top and budget issues in a department where the chief is a 20-hour-a-week employee. Read more.

Part of our plan was not to tell you

Another video from Monday night's hockey celebration in Montreal captures one of the police cars being set on fire. Warning, as usual, that there are many forms of the "f" word in this one.

That appears to be part of the response by management to criticism by the union representing Montreal firefighters that there was no planning for Monday's wild hockey celebration. Excerpts from the Gazette:

But the fire department says it did have a plan, and if the rank and file weren't aware of it, it's because they didn't need to be.

"We were ready Monday night and we're ready" for last night's NHL playoff game against the Philadelphia Flyers, division fire chief James Ross said.

"Some people may make different claims. But we don't publish what our plan is to everybody, and I can understand that certain people weren't advised.

"(The plan) isn't something the person on the ground has to know. It's not that it's hidden or not hidden. It's just that the people with a strategic role to play are aware of it."

Union spokesperson Chris Ross (no relation to the division chief) said that during major events like the Montreal International Jazz Festival, additional vehicles and personnel are deployed and lanes are kept open to allow fire trucks to answer calls.

"But when it came down to the hockey, absolutely nothing was planned in advance," he said.

"Nobody knew anything, nobody expected anything, and our fire trucks downtown found themselves paralyzed, unable to move, unable to respond efficiently, and (firefighters were) intimidated when it came to putting the car fires out.

"And when the city finally woke up in the middle of the night and went to Station 25 on Drummond St. and said: 'We're going to have to pull you out of there because you're going to be in trouble' ... the guys said: 'Forget about it, we're already in trouble. We're not going outside. We're surrounded by people.' "

Fire trucks and firefighters became the targets of bricks and other missiles, one piece of concrete striking a firefighter in the legs, the union official said.

Bus burns

Early video of small fire in a bus on the Autobahn becoming a big fire.

Polls out because stairs are cheaper

New firehouses in Seattle will make use of stairs rather than brass fire poles. The department says it spent $150,00 each for two poles in a recently built station and can't afford that in future structures. Firefighters aren't happy. Read more.

First norovirus, then mice and now a fire

Picture from National Harbor staff via Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department

The new National Harbor project on the Potomac in Oxon Hill, MD has had a rough start. Added to the recent discovery of both noroviris and mice at the Gaylord hotel is a fire Wednesday afternoon at another building in the complex.

A second-alarm was sounded for a hi-rise condo building under construction. We could see the thick black smoke from our camera in Pentagon City, VA. Here is what Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department Chief Spokesman Mark Brady wrote about the fire:

Just after 5:30 PM, Thursday, April 24, 2008, Prince George’s County Firefighters and Paramedics were alerted to a fire on the roof of a building under construction at the National Harbor. Firefighters arrived within minutes at 155 Potomac Passage, an 8-story condominium building, under construction, with thick black smoke showing from the roof area. Firefighters worked quickly to stretch hose lines through and up stairwells to initiate an attack on the seat of the fire. Construction and roofing materials covering about a 10-20 square foot area on the roof were well involved with fire and extinguished within 15 minutes. A precautionary second alarm was sounded bringing about 50 firefighters and medics to the scene. There were no injuries. Fire loss is estimated at $5,000 and the cause is attributed to improperly discarded smoking materials.

Today is the official ribbon cutting for the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. Let's hope they use safety scissors.

Grimke to go bye-bye

The long time headquarters for the DC Fire & EMS Department will soon be history. Battalion Chief Kenneth Crosswhite confirms for STATter 911 that they hope to be moving with the DC Department of Corrections from the old Grimke School at 1923 Vermont Avenue, NW to the Patricia Roberts Harris Education Center building at 4600 Livingston Road, SE by July. This is supposed to be a temporary stop on the way to a brand new building.

# posted by Dave Statter @ 5:48 AM 4 Comments Links to this post

Here is a comment that was sent twice on Friday and was posted:

Mr Dave Statter, I am upset that you called yourself a former Volunteer Firefighter, and a Cardiac Technician, when in fact you only signed up to be a volunteer but never rode or took any classes, and there is no record of no EMS training at MIEMSS department. You are alway trying to report stories on firefighters, carrer or volunteer because you think you know, how about WE, or other news department do a story on your background as a so call Volunteer Firefighter/EMT-C, that would be news for your rivals. I will supply them the records.

Don't you know that all of my records burned up in the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904? Oh no, I'm sorry. I am confusing myself with FireGeezer.

Seriously, please share the records you have of mine that you say don't exist. I will be glad to print them here. Or, if you would like, contact me and I will give you the name of a good investigative reporter (not a hack like me) who can help you break this story wide open.

Comments like this to STATter 911 seem to crop up when I report on a controversial story. Unless they are profane, I always print them. It is important that we be as transparent as possible.

I am sure there are others who have questions about my connection to the fire service in Prince George's County, MD. It is now ancient history. So, let me try to fill in some blanks to help out my friend who has kindly written to STATter 911.

I joined the Oxon Hill Volunteer Fire Department (Station 21) in about March of 1974.

Your first tip: If you want some scandal to report about me, I rode fire trucks and went into burning buildings before getting any formal training. I also treated patients on ambulance calls without even having a first-aid card. In those days I wasn't alone.

I later took Fire School (I believe, but could be wrong, that was part of the University of MD Fire Service Extension) with either Don Bornman or Frank Holmes. I know I took a class with each of those fine gentlemen, but can't remember which class was which.

I also recall taking various other short courses, seminars and classes. One FSE class was Special Fires. My instructor in that class was Keith Fairfax, a long time member of the Bay District VFD in St. Marys County.

I took EMT in 1975 or 1976. Among those in the class was Laurie Gilman, then a volunteer at Clinton, who later worked with me at Prince George's Fire Communications.

I delivered a baby before even getting to that training in my EMT class. Lucky for me I was reading ahead and got to that chapter while sitting at Rosecroft Raceway on standby about an hour before the call came in.

In 1976 I became a Prince George's County CETA employee as part of the first group of civilians to work at Fire Communications. That later became a full time position. I worked at 5012 Rhode Island Avenue until 1979.

In 1976 or 1977 I was a sergeant at Oxon Hill. That lasted until career firefighters at Communications found some rule that precluded me from holding a rank higher than I held in the county, or some similar nonsense. I was ordered to relinquish that post and never held another line officer position. I was a member of the board of directors for a few years.

If you need it for your story, I can show you my picture as a board member that appears in the book for the 1979 Prince George's County Volunteer Firemen's Association Convention. It was held at Oxon Hill that year.

Another tip: Visuals are good when putting together a story like this.

Somehow they lost their minds at Oxon Hill, or were desperate, and let me start driving the fire trucks. My driver's training and much other training came from Jimmy Barnes, who was then assistant chief or chief at Oxon Hill.

Jimmy retired as a captain from PGFD a few years ago. I emceed his retirement banquet. From all the nasty things I said about Jimmy that night, he should be primed to give you plenty of dirt on me. I believe you can find him sitting in a rocking chair in front of the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department waving to the traffic as it goes by. You can probably find more nasty stuff about me from his brother Tommy at Accokeek.

There are scores of other members at OHVFD from 1974 to 1980 who can tell you the good, bad and ugly about me. I could give you the names, but a good investigative journalist will probably want to develop some independent sources.

Another tip: That convention book has a lot of names.

In 1977 I was chosen to be part of the first class of Cardiac Rescue Technicians in the county. Our training was at Prince George's Hospital. In fact, there is a picture of me in The Washington Star with other members of that class during our training. It actually has my name in the caption. So it is either me or some other ugly guy with a beard that looked like me and has the same name. Again, if you need that for your story, I can find it.

Also, sometime during our CRT training, PGFD Chief Jim Estepp asked me participate in a two-part "Town Hall" meeting on Channel 9 produced by Rich Adams. The topic was the delay in getting medic programs started in the Washington area as compared to Baltimore. Gordon Peterson and Bob Strickland hosted the programs.

It was the first time I met Rich and was the beginning of a wonderful friendship. It was also my first appearance on Channel 9. Rich used to have the tape of those shows, but I lost track of it after he passed away. This might not be available for your expose. Sorry.

By the way, for some unknown reason, to this day, I get confused with Rich Adams. For the record, I have met Rich Adams, and I am clearly no Rich Adams. At fire service events people often call me Rich or ask me how things are at BCC. He was a small, black male. I am a taller, white male. Go figure.

My partner for the beginning of the CRT class was Jack Snoddy. Sadly, it was discovered during the class that Jack had a terminal illness. I worked with Jack at Communications until he passed away.

Sorry that so many people who can verify my history are no longer with us. I know it doesn't help your story and probably makes you even more suspicious.

One person who was in that class and is still around is Tom Carter, then a member of Bladensburg. There were also two or three people in the class from Laurel Rescue Squad.

I took the Maryland CRT exam at Montgomery County's training center. I passed it. I got a plastic card saying I was a CRT. If you need it, I am sure it is somewhere. I also still have one of a number of blue shirts they gave me with PGFD and CRT patches. The shirts seem to have shrunk quite a bit. Cheap stuff.

When we completed our class, there were no medic units to ride. The career CRT class followed the volunteer class. I recall helping out in their training for one or two classes.

I believe the medic units hit the streets in the Fall of 1977. They were staffed by two career CRTs. The volunteers rode along as extras.

I rode a few shifts with Medic 2 at Silver Hill and I believe a couple of shifts with Medic 1 at Brentwood. It was clear that important partnerships were developing with the medic crews. While everyone was nice, I felt like an outsider and decided this wasn't for me. I much more enjoyed spending my free time at Oxon Hill.

Another scandal: Dave wasted the county's money on training he barely used.

I have no clue what documentation the state of Maryland has or doesn't have on me in reference to my EMT and CRT status (nor do I much care). You apparently do, so feel free to share it with the class.

If it will help you with your investigation, I do have a folder with various paper work covering my time in PGFD and some albums with a fair number of pictures from Oxon Hill. There is also picture that a lot of people have showing the first group of civilian dispatchers.

About 15-years-ago a friend of mine recalls seeing my personnel file from Communications. All he told me is there were a number of nasty notes from Al Goode, who was then Chief 49. It was kind of a badge of honor to get one of those.

I believe I also have two audio recordings of radio traffic where my voice is heard. One is of me riding the front seat on a natural gas explosion and fire on Alice Avenue that went to a second-alarm.

The other is an audio recording that my friend Bob Marbourg of WTOP Radio made years before we met. It is from a deadly explosion at Lee's Tavern in Hyattsville. I was working the Channel 1 radio that night.

Back in the Stone Age we didn't have cameras everywhere like today or the ability to get fireground audio off of the Internet. So I can't help you with much more documentation than what I have offered so far.

I make no claims to being even a decent firefighter, EMT, CRT or dispatcher. All of that would be for others to judge.

Hope this gives you a starting point for your story. I wish you good hunting. I am sure there is some dirt to be had. I can tell you I wasn't an angel.

One final tip: Find out what happened after the party County Executive Winfeld Kelly threw for those of us assigned to Communications. This was to thank us for the summer we spent working out of the county bookmobile while they remodeled our facility. Now that's a story (I am the only one who didn't call in sick the next day).

# posted by Dave Statter @ 9:34 PM 32 Comments Links to this post

Read previous coverage and see January 26, 2007 agreement between Berlin Hiligh and DC Fire & EMS Department

Watch my report from 9NEWS NOW at 7:00 PM

Joey Heidenberg said he thinks the man should be working at McDonalds. The man who shot at Heidenberg and a co-worker 17-months-ago isn't working for a fast food restaurant. He is working at a District of Columbia firehouse.

STATter 911 has learned Berlin Hiligh returned in recent weeks to driving Engine 4 at the firehouse on Sherman Avenue, NW. DC officials first tried to fire Hiligh when he was arrested for the November, 2006 shooting incident. They tried again last summer when Hiligh was AWOL from the department while serving his jail sentence.

The last time Berlin Hiligh was allowed to come back to work he was even assigned to details at The White House despite the shooting charges against him.

Between the two attempted firings, a previous administration in charge of the fire department agreed to allow Hiligh to return to the job after serving a 240 hour suspension. At the time the written agreement was signed Hiligh had not yet entered a guilty plea and had not been sentenced.

Sources familiar with the document told STATter 911 last July the department was operating on the best information it had at the time the agreement was made. The sources, who were not in a position to speak officially on the matter, said they were assured by the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office that Hiligh would not be serving time in jail.

When Hiligh returned to work briefly in Spring, 2007, The Washington Times reported the firefighter "worked overtime details at sensitive locations like the White House, where a fire company routinely stands by during takeoff and landing of Marine One, the presidential helicopter".

Sources confirm for STATter 911 that same January 26, 2007 agreement helped Hiligh keep his job. One part of the agreement reads, "WHEREAS, the parties wish to fully and completely resolve, without further litigation or expense, all charges that were brought or could have been brought against Firefighter Hiligh resulting from his arrest and conviction, as well as his enforced leave".

Court documents show that Hiligh didn't enter the guilty plea to a single misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment until March 7, 2007. More serious felony charges were dropped.

Hiligh was sentenced on May 24, 2007. He received a five-year sentence with all but six-months suspended. Hiligh served his time in the Prince George's County Detention Center. He was also put on supervised probation for three-years.

Department officials prevented some of Hiligh's fellow firefighters from covering his shifts or donating leave while he was in jail. Hiligh was then charged internally with failing to show up for work.

Battalion Chief Kenneth Crosswhite said the department can't provide details on this personnel matter. Crosswhite believes there should be no worry for the public. "He went through the administrative process, the judicial process in the agency" Crosswhite said. "If they felt that he was a problem they wouldn't have allowed him to continue with employment here in the city".

Berlin Hiligh was arrested by Prince George's County Police shortly after shooting at Heidenberg's tow truck. Heidenberg was removing Hiligh's Chevy Suburban after the vehicle was discovered with dead tags in a neighbor's parking space at the Bowie town house complex where Hiligh lives. At least one bullet hit the tow truck and another struck a home where a child was sleeping.

Hiligh's attorney, J. Wyland Gordon, told 9NEWS NOW, "We are glad he has his job back and is putting this matter behind him".

Another jurisdiction apparently sees this matter differently. At the time of the shooting incident Hiligh was a volunteer firefighter at the Boulevard Heights Station in Prince George's County. Hiligh is listed on the station's website as a "non-operational" member. Sources confirm that the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department has dropped Hiligh from its rolls because of the incident. This means he is unable to respond on emergency calls in Prince George's County.

Prince George's County is now handling another incident similar to the one involving Berlin Hiligh. This week a jury found career firefighter Carlos Johns guilty of pointing a gun at a tow truck crew attempting to repossess Johns' car.

Johns is now in the Prince George's County Detention Center awaiting sentencing. He faces up to ten years. Sources tell STATter 911 that termination proceedings have begun in this case with Johns being served papers at the jail.

# posted by Dave Statter @ 7:51 PM 22 Comments Links to this post

(Updated at 11:57 AM)

Firefighters association says department not ready for hockey "celebration" (or the Habs and the Hab nots)

The Association Des Pompiers De Montreal (the Montreal Firefighters Association for those who don't speak the language) is blasting management on what it believes is a lack of preparation for the "celebration" that occurred when the Canadiens eliminated the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs (see the video below if you are unclear on just what kind of gathering this was).

The firefighters group issued this scathing press release on Thursday morning that refers to a story FireGeezer covered about the Habs logos painted on firehouse doors earlier in the month. We will bring you the other side when it is available:

The Montreal Fire Department was not ready to respond during the mayhem following the Canadiens victory Monday night. Not only was the Fire Department not prepared for the events that should have been anticipated but the management of the Fire Department had actually removed several fire trucks from service that night reducing the amount of firefighters available to protect the population by nearly 20 firefighters.

The management of the Fire Department really appeared to be a bunch of amateurs on the night of the 21st, commented Michel Crevier, president of the Montreal Firefighters Association. We don't understand why the fire department has plans in place for events such as the Jazz Festival, the Grand Prix and the fireworks but nothing was prepared for the hockey match.

The only plan the City had in place, was to ensure that the fire station windows were cleaned of the HABS logos before the game.

The Montreal Firefighters Association hopes that the Director of the FireDepartment, Serge Tremblay, will understand in the future the importance ofpreparing in advance to ensure that the firefighters are able to adequately protect the population from events that risk ending in mayhem such as on the 21st of April.

Montgomery County, MD captain made $238,892 in 2007. IG report cites health, safety, fraud and abuse concerns.

Read IG Thomas Dagley's entire report

The Washington Post reports today the top ten overtime earners in the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service are all captains. With their base salaries of more than $97,000, the top ten grossed between $175,000 and almost $239,000 last year. Click here for the list (no names attached).

Below are excerpts from the article by Miranda S. Spivack and Ann E. Marimow:

Senior Montgomery County firefighters have worked so many extra hours that at least nine made almost $200,000 last year, a report by the county's inspector general said yesterday. The highest-paid firefighter was a captain who more than doubled his 2007 salary in overtime, making $238,892 and working nearly 2,000 extra hours.

The report said so much overtime could raise health and safety concerns for firefighters and opens the door to possible fraud and abuse. Overtime rose 47.5 percent from 2004 to 2007; this year, the fire and rescue service is on track to exceed its overtime budget for the fifth year.

Montgomery Inspector General Thomas Dagley, who has been studying the issue for two years, said in his report that the system "has become increasingly dependent on the use of overtime by senior level personnel . . . and created a workforce environment in which overtime remains vulnerable to abuse."

Officials across the region are grappling with rising overtime. In Fairfax County, for example, fire and rescue department overtime increased $1.2 million to $18.68 million in the past year. John J. Caussin Jr., an assistant fire chief for personnel in Fairfax, said that in tight budget times, fire departments still have to staff firetrucks and medic units, without adding personnel. "You've got to do more with less," he said.

Montgomery officials said budget constraints over the past decade have forced firefighters to take on extra duties, such as teaching recruits. In some cases, they said, paying overtime can be less expensive than hiring firefighters because retirement costs are higher for public safety employees than other county workers, a claim that auditors questioned.

County officials pledged to eliminate unnecessary overtime. "Can we do more work on that? Sure," said Timothy Firestine, the county's chief administrative officer, who formerly headed the Finance Department. "If the hour doesn't need to be worked, let's eliminate the hour. If the hour has to be worked, we have to find the most efficient, effective way of doing that."

Fire union representatives said overtime should not be cause for concern. "We don't believe there's a problem. We understand that a couple people have snuck through the cracks, but we believe with what we've put into place, there won't be any issue at all," firefighter union chief John Sparks said.

With some firefighters working as many as 80 hours a week, some employees are worried about on-the-job safety, the inspector general's report said. That concern was also voiced by Fire and Rescue Service Director Thomas W. Carr Jr. A regular workweek is 40 to 48 hours, depending on the job.

Carr said much of the overtime can be traced to decisions made by county leaders in the 1990s during a budget crunch, which forced the agency to increase the workload for firefighters and reduce hiring.

Much of the overtime noted in the report went to senior staff members, mostly captains, who are in charge of firehouses and fire scenes and are covered by a labor contract. None was named in the report. Several made almost as much as Carr, whose annual salary is just over $200,000.

Two PGFD stories bring comments

Yesterday afternoon we updated two stories from the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department that were first posted Tuesday evening. We added comments from a department spokesman. We are also getting comments from a number of readers.

If you want to read or join the discussion, click here for the story on the career firefighter convicted of pulling a gun on two men.

You can click here for the story on the lengthy suspension given to a volunteer chief over a convicted arsonist who was allowed to ride.

$26 million settlement in 2003 Cooke County Administration Building

Excerpts from Tribune.com:

Victims of the fatal 2003 Cook County Administration Building fire will receive $25.3 million, including $9 million from the county, under a series of settlements reached Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court.

The last-minute deal allows the county and six other defendants to avoid a massive and potentially risky civil trial, set to begin next week, that will examine the fire in the 37-story structure at 69 W. Washington St. that killed six office workers and injured 16 others.

Meanwhile, the settlements allow the plaintiffs to focus on what they say are the most blameworthy defendants, including the City of Chicago, said Robert Clifford, lead attorney for the plaintiffs.

The workers died in the fire on Oct. 17, 2003, after they became trapped in a stairwell with self-locking doors. Smoke poured up into the stairwell as firefighters battled the blaze on the 12th floor below.

In 22 lawsuits, the plaintiffs targeted what they allege were a series of mistakes by firefighters and the city's 911 operators, including poor communication and a failure to designate one stairwell for firefighting and one for evacuation.

Lawyers said the litigation ranks among the county's largest civil cases in terms of attorney hours, documents reviewed and witness depositions.

County officials said Tuesday that they settled because the entire $9 million would be paid from insurance proceeds, while a jury verdict might have outstripped their coverage limits.

County officials admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement.

"What I see is a lot of finger-pointing going on between the remaining defendants," Clifford said.

For the defendants, a trial would likely involve further rehashing of the criticism they faced in the wake of the fire, when two independent panels heaped criticism on the Chicago Fire Department and others.

A settlement would allow the plaintiffs to avoid testifying in court about the trauma of the day and their agonizing wait for rescuers.

At a court hearing last year, the plaintiffs' lawyers played a harrowing 8-minute phone call to 911 from Jody Schneiderman, a survivor who feared for her life as she was trapped in the southeast stairwell.

"You've got to open the doors," Schneiderman pleaded on the call.

Shouts are heard in the background.

Later, she complains she can no longer see.

"We don't have much longer," Schneiderman says in the recording. "Oh my God, I can't stand it."

Lawyers for the city argued last year that long-standing legal precedent makes the city immune from lawsuits based on the alleged mistakes of firefighters or other emergency personnel.

But in a key ruling last year, Maddux ruled the plaintiffs' allegations—if proven at trial—could overcome those normal immunities.

Maddux noted, for example, that the plaintiffs allege a firefighter ordered fleeing office workers back up into the locked stairwell, which filled with smoke.

WGN-TV video and story

October, 2004 Fire Engineering article on fire department changes

VA fire webmaster fights cuts on the job

Rhett Fleitz wears many hats. He runs VAFireNews.com and many other sites. He authors books on fire service history. He is a lieutenant in the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department. And he is the secretary/treasury of IAFF Local 1132, the Roanoke Fire Fighters Association.

It is in that last role that Rhett has now become part of the news he normally tells us about. Roanoke, like many other jurisdiction is facing some tight budgets. The plan is for the fire department to feel some of this pain. Rhett Fleitz is speaking out against those cuts.

Click here to watch the story

Excerpts from WDBJ7.com:

"This is the tough budget year, toughest budget year the city has experienced in thirty years," says Roanoke Fire Chief David Hoback. "It's very difficult, and nobody wants to lose positions, nobody wants to make cuts."

But it will have to be done. All city departments in Roanoke have been ordered to reduce their budgets. As a result, the fire department plans to take an engine out of service and then eliminate one administrative position as well as six uniform positions. That will bring about a savings of nearly $400,000.

Hoback points out no one will lose their jobs. It will all be done through attrition. Even so, the Roanoke Fire Fighters Association is fighting the cuts.

"We feel the decrease in staffing and taking another engine out of service will increase response times," says Rhett Fleitz with the Roanoke Fire Fighters Association.

They fear that will jeopardize fire fighters and the people they're trying to protect. The fire chief says if the cuts are approved, the same amount of personnel will be at every fire scene and response times won't change a bit.

"Our performance standards will be met," says Hoback. "We'll be there in four minutes or less 90% of the time for fires and eight minutes or less 90% for advance life support calls. Nothing from a performance stance will change."

Location, location, location

That's the theme of an article in Ohio's Buckeye Lake Beacon as it finds big differences in the level of response to fire calls on either side of the primary service area border between two fire departments. Click here to read.

Rescue training?

Another interesting video without much info

The video indicates it is from April 16. This is all the caption says: Laborers accidentally cutting through a 12KV underground cable.

Chesapeake house fire video

Raw helicopter video of a house destroyed in Chesapeake, VA.

# posted by Dave Statter @ 11:57 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

(Updated at 2:33 PM)

Old video of the day: From Bound Brook, NJ on 12-10-1990. Ten minutes of raw video from a structure fire on Talmadge Avenue.

Two PGFD stories: Volunteer department says it will ignore chief's long-term suspension; Career FF convicted on gun charge. Updated response from PGFD.

Two stories broke yesterday afternoon involving the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department. Both stories have been updated with comments from spokesman Mark Brady.

The first involves the latest in the continuing story of the convicted arsonist who ran for 8 months with Ritchie VFD (Station 837).

A trial board consisting of three volunteer chiefs convicted Ritchie's chief and president for their roles in this incident. PGFD Chief Lawrence Sedgwick ordered a lengthy suspension for Chief William Cunningham that could keep him from being chief again until 2013. There is a shorter suspension for President Dave Crigger.

STATter 911 has also learned that Ritchie officials have sent a letter saying they won't recognize Chief Sedgwick's authority in this matter. Apparently this one isn't over. Click here for the details.

The second story involves career firefighter Carlos Johns. The 44-year-old Johns faces up to ten years in prison after a jury convicted him Tuesday of threatening two men with a hand gun. The men were in the process of repossessing Johns' car. Click here for that story.

5 Pittsburgh FFs hurt in ceiling collapse at ice cream plant fire

Click here to see KDKA story followed by raw video

Abandoned hotel burns in UK

This hotel burned Tuesday evening. There was another fire on the site 3 days earlier. Read details and look at a series of pictures here.

Rock, paper, scissors

Need to add water to that game. That's what Miami-Dade firefighters used to put out the blaze in this 14-story rock melting machine. The fire started Tuesday afternoon when sparks from a torch being used to cut metal ignited a plastic coating.

News reports indicate a worker using an extinguisher failed to stop the spread of the fire.

The fire was in Medley, Florida at the Titan American concrete plant. No one was hurt.

Reading is fundamental ... and so is firefighting

From Chula Vista, CA, an April 21 council candidates forum. The discussion is about serious budget woes. The issue here is overtime for firefighters versus expanded library hours.

MA house fire

A house fire in Northampton, MA on Tuesday afternoon.

Got to save the chocolate

Normally I don't run response videos that end with the arrival on the scene. But the chocoholic in me makes an exception for this one. The Reiffton Fire Company in Berks County, PA responds to the Godiva factory.

# posted by Dave Statter @ 2:33 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

A career firefighter in Prince George's County, Maryland faces up to 10-years in jail after pulling a gun on two men who tried to repossess his car. A jury on Tuesday took three hours to convict 44-year-old Carlos Johns of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and the use of a handgun in a crime.

This stems from an incident on October 30, 2007 when Wade Gross and Keith Stokes attempted to repossess Johns' 2003 Merecedes Benz from the firefighter's home in Fort Washington. The car had been used as collateral on a loan.

According to a statement released by the office of Prince George's County States Attorney Glenn Ivey, Johns confronted the men with a hand gun before driving off in the vehicle. Police arrested Johns a short time later. A neighbor witnessed the entire incident.

The bond for Johns was revoked and he is currently in the Prince George's County Detention Center.

Contacted Tuesday evening, Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department Chief Spokesman Mark Brady was unable to provide information on Johns' status or assignment as a firefighter. When asked what action was taken after the October 30 arrest, Brady wrote in an email, "Due to the serious charges against the firefighter, appropriate disciplinary action was taken immediately upon the arrest you mention".

On Wednesday Brady added the following:

Mr. Johns was not on duty as a firefighter when this incident occurred; he did not represent himself as a firefighter, nor was he on fire department property when the crime occurred. He was a citizen that committed a crime and is now paying the price for that crime, at the time charges were filed and an arrest was made he was employed by the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. Appropriate and swift disciplinary action was taken by the Fire/EMS Department against Carlos Johns commensurate with the crimes he was charged with. The Fire/EMS Department is not able to provide any additional information as these are personnel matters.

Mark Brady indicated the Office of Law STATter 911 would have to file a Freedom of Information Act request to learn more about Carlos Johns employment history and status.

Note from STATter 911: Previously, work status and assignments have been something the department has often provided concerning career and volunteer staff without requiring a FOIA request.