Friday, October 31, 2008
IAFC position on two-hatters
Read Firehouse.com article on two-hatters by Paul Peluso
Press release issued today from the IAFC:
The Board of Directors of the International Association of Fire Chiefs adopted the following position statement during the IAFC Board meeting on October 30 in Washington, D.C. The position was developed in conjunction with the IAFC’s Volunteer & Combination Officers Section:
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has a long history of encouraging individuals to serve their communities and their nation. Based upon this principle, the IAFC Board of Directors supports the rights of volunteer, career, or paid-on-call firefighters to serve multiple organizations or communities. Each man and woman who chooses to live a life of volunteer service does so out of a selfless and personal commitment. It should not be incumbent upon any organization to dictate or influence the extent of this deeply personal act.
As an independent leadership organization, the IAFC also recognizes the right of organizations (including trade organizations, unions and volunteer fire departments) to adopt a constitution and bylaws and set rules and qualifications for membership, as long as their membership requirements are neither illegal nor discriminatory. However, in the interest of public safety, the IAFC would recommend that no membership organization – volunteer, trade, or paid – should restrict membership and the right to serve in multiple organizations or communities.
When the exercise of the responsibility to serve a community involves choosing the fire and emergency service, the IAFC supports the rights of each individual to choose to serve in any capacity, whether in a volunteer, paid, or paid-on-call position. We further believe that individuals should have the right to engage in secondary employment, single or multiple volunteer activities, or a combination thereof on their own time so long as they do so in accordance with applicable laws. As the fire and emergency service’s premier leadership organization, we urge the members of the service to remember their esteemed place in their communities and act with respect, integrity, common sense and decency toward each other. When conflicts arise, we encourage fire and EMS departments – and other affected organizations – to work together in a constructive manner to resolve these conflicts at the local level.
In the 21st Century, the requirements and demands on the fire and emergency service have grown tremendously. While new and terrible threats have emerged and natural disasters continue to grow in frequency and intensity, our cities and towns are under extreme financial pressure. In this perilous situation, it is essential that those in the fire and emergency service maintain working relationships with individuals and organizations that protect our communities, even when there are differences of opinion or approach. It is equally important that we continue to collaborate and provide a united voice for the fire and emergency service. The IAFC encourages the entire fire and emergency service community to focus on our first priority, which is to provide for the safety and security of our citizens.
October 2008
Fandemonium and the tower. Some community outreach in Philly, but not the kind you like to see.
Some STATter 911 fans pointed out how some enthusiastic fans of a certain ball team in Philadelphia interacted with their local firefighters. Parts 1,2 and 3 from top to bottom.
This is Philadelphia's Ladder Tower 5, one of the city's newest fire trucks. The report is they were responding to a call (there were fires set during the "celebration").
Read more about the streets after the World Series victory.
Audio and preliminary report from MD State Police helicopter crash. Pilot discussing weather conditions says, "We can give it a shot".
Read preliminary report from NTSB
Listen to audio from night of crash
Watch report by 9NEWS NOW reporter Bruce Leshan
UPDATE: Reads state official's reaction to comments by SYSCOM dispatcher
(AP contributed to this report)
A preliminary report issued Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board details the timeline of a medical helicopter crash in Maryland that killed four people but does not determine the cause. Audio of phone and radio communications between Maryland's dispatch center for the helicopters (SYSCOM), the helicopter crew and various other agencies has also been released.
In the recordings, pilot Steven Bunker is heard discussing the weather conditions with SYSCOM and deciding whether to take the flight to Waldorf. Bunker discusses there is only an 800 foot ceiling at C0llege Park Airport that may not allow them to land at Prince George's County Hospital Center, about a mile away. The pilot makes note the MedStar helicopter recently landed at MedStar in the District of Columbia and said, "If they can do it we can do it". Bunker added, "We can give it a shot".
The SYSCOM dispatcher also makes the remark that when he heard the mission was for Charles County, Maryland, "I knew it was going to be Waldorf because those guys never want to drive to the hospital".
The Sept. 28 crash in District Heights, Md., was the worst in the 40 years that Maryland State Police have been operating medical evacuation flights.
Nationwide, it was the eighth fatal medical helicopter crash in the last 12 months.
Four of the five on board -- including a veteran pilot, a flight paramedic, an emergency medical technician and one of the two patients on board -- died in the crash as the pilot sought to land in poor weather near Andrews Air Force Base.
The pilot initially tried to land shortly before midnight on Sept. 27 at Prince George's County Hospital, but changed course for Andrews because of the bad weather, according to the report.
The audio documents the efforts to determine if the helicopter had landed safely after Andrews lost the chopper on radar. The Maryland State Police Forestville Barracks is the first to notify SYSCOM there is a problem, after Forestville was contacted by Andrews tower.
The report indicates that just before the pilot lost communication with the control tower at Andrews, he sought assistance for a radar landing, called an Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) approach.
But the tower controller said she was not certified to handle such an approach. At that point, communication was lost, according to the report.
For several years, qualification to conduct ASR approaches has not been required of tower controllers, said Laura Brown, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. Radar landings are handled by controllers at separate facilities.
Even if the tower controller were qualified for ASR approaches, it is not at all clear that it would have helped in this instance. Such landings require aircraft to be at a certain altitude, and it is unknown if the helicopter was able to conduct such a landing in the moments before it lost communication.
The NTSB preliminary report also now indicates it was the crew from Trooper 8 located in Montgomery County's Norwood, MD, that found the downed chopper. The crew drove to the scene. Here's the description from the NTSB:
A civilian pilot working for the Maryland State Police as Trooper 8 (T8), based in Norwood, Maryland, reported he overheard T2 on a scanner state he was unable to land at PG due to fog and was returning to ADW. T8 then looked at the weather for Gaithersburg, Maryland and ADW, which were both good. He also checked Tipton, Maryland, and College Park, Maryland, which were both below minimums with ceilings between 500 to 600 feet.
T8 added that the SYSCOM duty officer notified him at 0025 that T2 was missing, and requested he launch and head towards ADW. T8 departed Norwood, encountered low-level clouds 2 miles from ADW, and aborted the flight. After returning to Norwood, T8 and his medic proceeded in a vehicle to the area where T2 was thought to have crashed. Using the last radar return for the helicopter, T8 estimated where T2 might be located and set off on foot with his medic. They located the accident site at 0130.
At STATter 911's request, 9NEWS NOW reporter Bruce Leshan questioned the "0130" time of discovery of the wreckage in the preliminary report. Previous timelines and our own monitoring of the call put the time at around 2:00 AM. The NTSB now confirms Trooper 8's crew found the chopper at 1:58 AM.
NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said the investigation continues.
Quick takes
Picture and video of the day: A church fire in Poughkeepsie, NY on Thursday evening. Image from the Poughkeepsie Journal. Click here to see the video.
Better video of Loudoun County fire: You may recall we in September we gave you a link to a video presentation that went with the report of the May 25 fire that injured seven fire & rescue personnel in Loudoun County, VA. Now a better version of that video is available on Loudoun County's website. Click here to see the video.
Four-alarm restaurant fire: Click here for video of the fire in Windsor Township, PA.
Video roundup: A small, but interesting group of videos. Click here.
Firehouse in the final stretch: The handwriting is on the wall for an old St. Paul fire station. Watch the story.
Bad wreck in GA: We have raw helicopter video of a fiery, fatal crash in DeKalb County. Click here.
We have a winner: The winner of the first STATter 911 caption writing contest is Bubba B. who sent in this gem - Just when all hope was about lost, the Captain remember a secret weapon, Moses was riding in the bucket of the engine.
Click here to see the video Bubba is describing.
Watch video of VA fire that hurt 7
Click the image to watch audio-visual presentation from Loudoun County, VA fire
You may recall on September 24 we gave a you link to see the presentation of the Meadowood Court report to the Loudoun County (VA) Board of Supervisors. In the small screen showing the meeting, an audio-visual presentation played, matching pictures and home video to the dispatch and fireground audio. Yesterday. Chief Billy Goldfeder at FirefighterCloseCalls.com discovered a clean, much easier to see version of the video, now available on the Loudoun County website (click the image above to see it).
The May 25 fire injured seven fire & rescue personnel, including four firefighters who were caught in heavy fire conditions on the second floor of the home.
Click here to read the 210 page report.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Video roundup
Early raw video of Texas fire
Reported to be an abandoned nursing home in Paris, Texas on Wednesday.
Hazmat in Turkey
Here is the caption with this one: At 40C (104F) the road is iced! How? Oxigen(sic) truck's valve is broken, because of this everywhere is iced. Happened at Turkey.
Old video of the day
A Doc Zaffater video from February 3, 1994, as Ace Hardware and the Morgan Lumber Company burn in Shreveport.
The clock is ticking on a 123-year-old Minnesota firehouse
Click here to watch story on St. Paul's Fire Station 10
As a boy, Adrian Nowaczewski loved the old brick neighborhood fire station that stood at 754 Randolph Avenue. "It's always been a part of my life since I was a kid," recalled Nowaczewski. "It's on a nice side street with the people walking by, sittin' out, a lot of people coming over for tours, kids wanting to see the old barn."
Today, Nowaczewski is a Captain in the St. Paul Fire Department, who has spent 16 of his 25 years in the department at Fire Station 10. "I pinch myself every day I come to a job like this," he says.
St. Paul Station 10 in 1887. See more about Station 10 and more Minnesota fire history at The Extra Alarm Association of the Twin Cities website. When it was first built in 1885, horses pulled steam powered pumper wagons to fires. Until a couple of years ago, fire crews had to sweep up bits of hay and oats that would fall from the old feed loft.
All that history will soon be in the rear view mirror. Wednesday, dignitaries broke ground on a new, 15.2 million dollar Fire Complex that will sit on the corner of West 7th Street and Randolph Avenue. It will combine Stations 1 and 10, and also serve as headquarters for the Fire Department Administration.
"This is the greatest department in the entire country," reasoned St. Paul City Councilman Dave Thune, "and you deserve the kind of facility that helps you do your job better."
The new complex will feature more comfortable work and living spaces, upgraded technology, and a drive-thru garage so rig drivers don't have to back in.
While acknowledging that the new station will be more comfortable and current, Captain Nowaczewski is quick to say he will miss the old firehouse he grew up with.
"I'm gonna miss the place... it was a great house."
Raw video of deadly wreck and fire in Georgia
Click here for raw helicopter video from WXIA-TV
WXIA-TV story about a deadly wreck in DeKalb County, Georgia:
One person was killed and three others were injured Thursday morning in a fiery wreck that blocked all of the southbound lanes of I-675 South of I-285, authorities reported.
The wreck involved four vehicles including one tractor-trailer truck and a box truck.
The cause of the wreck has not yet been determined.
Quick takes
Picture and video of the day: Looks like an early photo from a fire at the Golden Corral in Great Falls, MT yesterday. There are more pictures on the Montana State University Fire Services Training School website. You will find more than a half-hour of raw video of the fire, here. Details about the blaze can be found here.
Caption writing contest continues: We have a few entries to our first caption writing contest. Looking for descriptions of the efforts of some hard working and very clean firefighters, who win the hearts of bystanders. Click here to enter. Void where prohibited.
FFs grab their own: Story of a firefighter needing help at a Sunday night blaze in an abandoned church in Jackson, MS. Read the details.
Light my fire: All they had to do was interview FireGeezer and his friend FossilMedic if they wanted first hand knowledge of man's early dealings with fire. Instead, some academic types in Israel went digging. We dug too, delving into the video vault to show how much we have learned in 790,000 years. A hint: not much. Here's the story.
Creating more convertible box trucks: Yes, my favorite traffic camera has yielded another video. Watch it here.
Where's the report?: We have been asking in recent weeks where the report is looking at how four DC firefighters were injured at a fire on 4th Street, NE. We asked again yesterday on the anniversary of the blaze. DC Fire & EMS Department spokesman Alan Etter confirms it should be released soon.
So, how do you feel about the lieutenant taking on the fire chief?: My stats show a lot of people viewed our coverage of the Topeka lieutenant calling his boss a liar at a City Council meeting. But few commented on the story. Was Lt. Jim Seichepine right to do it? Was it the appropriate time? Will the mess in Topeka ever calm down?
We have both labor and management out their reading us. I would love to hear your thoughts. Click here and scroll down.
A love fest in MD?: After complaining about roadblock after roadblock from Jack Johnson's administration (much of it chronicled on STATter 911), Prince George's County volunteers continue to sing a different tune following their recent meeting with the county executive. Daniel Valentine has the latest from the Gazette.
I'm melting: A little story of fire and ice from Phoenix. Apparently firefighters save the day during a fire in an ice sculpting business. Read the story.
Baltimore County fire: Some video from Michael Schwartzberg at a fire in Randallstown on Tuesday evening. Click here. Two firefighters and a homeowner were hurt. For Michael's still pictures and details of the fire on Pikeswood Drive, click here.
Our New England bureau chief checking in: A Jimmy Daly photo of a fire early Wednesday in Saugus, MA. Police used a ladder to get an elderly man off the porch roof. Click here for details and click here for some good video.Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Just a little off the top
We've known about it for 790,000 years, yet we still don't know how to use it safely
Excavations at the Gesher Benot Ya’qov site. Photo by Prof. Naama Goren-Inbar.
Fire in the news. A new understanding of when man was first able to start fires on his own and not have to rely on mother nature. Here is the lead to the FoxNews.com version of the story:
The discovery of fire took place half a million years earlier than thought, Israeli archaeologists have revealed.
Digs at the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov site in northern Israel near a drained lakebed uncovered burnt flakes of flint dating back 790,000 years — long before modern Homo sapiens evolved in eastern Africa.
Click here to read the press release from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Now, click below to watch just how far man has come in making productive and safe use of this powerful tool. If you need more proof, check out this story from FireGeezer of the man who set his apartment on fire while using road flares to signal police agents who were orbiting the earth.
Firefighter rescues colleague at church fire
Image of Sunday's church fire from WAPT-TV. Click here to see station's fire video.
Watch WLBT-TV interview with FF Corey Landrum
Jackson, Mississippi Firefighter Corey Landrum says he was changing an air bottle at a church fire Sunday night when he heard the cry for help. It was from Firefighter Richard Taylor of Rescue 14.
Taylor was on the second floor of the abandoned church. Landrum said he want to the sound of Taylor's voice and was able to get the injured firefighter to a stairwell where they were met by Firefighter Brian Khun of Rescue 23. They were able to removed Taylor from the building. Taylor was released from the hospital after receiving first and second degree burns to his stomach and legs.
WLBT-TV image of FF Corey LandrumQuick takes
Hero says chief is a liar: The way it has been going, when I read a headline just before midnight with the words "Firefighter jabs at Giles", I was thinking they had finally come to blows in Topeka. Not quite, but the lieutenant who was snubbed at last week's City Council meeting claimed Giles "lied to my face". Lt. Jim Seichepine said those words at the podium after receiving a standing ovation for his heroism. Read and view the latest.
Meanwhile, in Ohio, an Ex-fire chief says it is the union not telling the truth and files suit: Former Clearcreek Township Chief Bernie Becker is going to court against the IAFF Local 4207. An excerpt from The Western Star:
Becker claims Jason Scott, president of International Association of Firefighters Local 4207, libeled him and invaded his privacy by "falsely alleging" Becker "sexually harassed employees working under his supervision, created a hostile work environment, and abused his position of power" in an "unsigned letter" to the township government on Feb. 29.
The very first STATter 911 caption writing contest: Some very hard working firefighters who were giving it their all on the West Coast got in over their heads and end up with a round of applause from the citizenry. I don't think the caption provided, or my description, does the video justice. We need your input. Click here to see the video and enter.
Second prize is a free subscription to STATter 911. First prize is blocking software so you never have to look at this silly site again. (Entries already arriving. Check them out.)
Update on PA firehouse destroyed by fire: We have donation information, new pictures and links for Monday's fire that destroyed the Forestville Citizens Fire Company. Click here.
Ethanol email follow: As I suspected, the hundreds of city emails that follow the ethanol trail in Alexandria, VA, had been on the city website since the summer. I had just never seen them. Talking to city PIO (and my former executive editor) Tony Castrilli, he agrees they are well worth reading. While Tony says there were clearly some hits and some misses by the city through the process, it is a treasure trove of information for any jurisdiction that has an ethanol transloading facility suddenly arrive on its doorstep. Click here for the details.
Geezer's got it all: Ambulance crashes. Ambulances that don't show up. Meth lab fires. Circus animals facing danger. An emergency that adds new meaning to the phrase "family jewels". All part of the content at FireGeezer.com yesterday. Yet the old man cries like a baby because I beat him to the story of the man with his arm stuck in a train's john.
On top of all this, he has beer, pizza and barbecue served from fire engines (I like the Pirsch). Just go there and scroll down. I am way too tired to find all of the links for you. Trust me, you will find everything and more.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Hero lieutenant slams Topeka fire chief at council hearing. Calls Giles a liar. Mayor cuts him off.
Click image above to see story from WIBW-TV
Topeka Fire Department Lt. Jim Seichepine tried to tell City Council members and the public Tuesday night that Chief Howard Giles "lied to my face", before being cut off by by Mayor Bill Bunten. This is the latest episode in an ongoing battle between Chief Giles and many of his firefighters.
Lt. Seichepine had just received a standing ovation for winning the Thomas McGaughey Fire Service Award from the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office, the highest honor in the state to recognize the heroism of a firefighter.
Seichepine's appearance before the council was a belated one. Controversy erupted a week earlier when Chief Giles was recognized at a council hearing for being named Fire Chief of the Year by the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs. Giles never mentioned Seichepine's award for rescuing a child from a burning home last November.
Reading from a prepared speech, the lieutenant said the following (transcribed from the above video with additional quotes from an article by Tim Hrenchir at CJOnline.com):
"When are you, the leaders of this community, going to start taking the safety of the citizens in this community seriously. By doing nothing, you are essentially leaving that child or that family in that house to burn because you are not hearing their calls for help to lead them to safety. This last week's events should have brought some realization to you about the type of man we are dealing with here. A man that stood before me and lied to my face. A man who obviously is no leader ..."
It was at that point Mayor Bunten interrupted, saying, "Just a moment. Just a moment. I respectfully ask you to not do that".
The lieutenant paused and then replied, "I guess I'm done".
Bunten also said, “The rules of this council do not allow us to get personal in these things. We’re here to recognize you for bravery.”
According to CJOnline.com, Lt. Seichepine noted that he was among union members who expressed no confidence in Chief Giles in a vote last year.
Giles was at the council hearing.
Video of the day: A success story at another all-hazards department. Take part in the first STATter 911 caption writing contest.
I am not sure when this was, but I guess you have to call it a good day when the public gives the firemen a round of applause (Part 2, below). Here is the caption:
One of the 51 line buses hit this fire hydrant on Shattuck in Berkeley California.
Feel free to provide your own caption in the comments section below. Just keep it clean.
Update on PA firehouse fire. New pictures, links and donation information.
Engine 267, a 1986 Hahn, is the lone survivor of the fire early Monday morning. It was saved by a member who drove it through a bay door and put the pumper to work. This picture is from Coal Region Fire, where you can see more pictures and videos of the fire. Other pictures can be found here.
Chief Fred Meusel of the Forestville Citizens Fire Company said it appears that radio chargers or flashlight chargers were the source of an electrical fire that destroyed the fire house and much of its equipment.
Here is information on making donations to the Schuylkill County, PA fire company:
A special fire fund will be set up at the
First National Bank of Minersville
C/o Forestville Fire Company Fire Loss Fund
260 Sunbury St.
Minersville, PA 17954
570-544-4726
For Donations of Gear or Equipment
Please contact the Fire Chief Fred Meusel 570-691-6694
or John Pritz 570-544-2659
Below are photos from the Forestville Citizens Fire Company website of two of the rigs lost in the fire:
Here are excerpts from an article by Peter E. Bortner at RepublicanHerald.com:
They have two things on which to build hope for the future, he continued, including the social hall, which survived, and the surviving engine, which was their newest, a 1986 Hahn pumper that company member Elvin Brennan saved by driving it through a closed garage door as the fire burned.
“As soon as I got it out, the whole place went up,” Brennan said.
Brennan said he arrived about 12:30 a.m. after his son, Elvin Brennan III, saw the fire while on his way home.
“It was in the corner at the time I got there,” the elder Brennan said. “It wasn’t really that bad. I didn’t think it was going to burn. I wanted to get our hose one out.”
He did not have the chance to do so, however, and it was lost, along with two other engines, including the pride of the company, a 1931 Hahn.
“It was in A-1 condition. It was beautiful,” said Nick Brilla, a member of the company for 50 years. “We had the flood of ’72. It pumped for five days straight.”
The company remains intact, however. Meusel said South Cass Township Fire Company, Primrose, has donated gear to allow the members to continue their work, and Doli Construction Co. has allowed the company to park the remaining engine in a garage next to the company property.
Coincidentally, Meusel said, the same engine had been parked in the same garage, then known as Demcher’s Garage, while the firehouse was being built.
Quick takes
Lead story - Dallas fire captain arrested at crash scene: Confusion reigns over some of the details from the incident Sunday morning. What is clear is that Captain Kenneth Harris is charged with a misdemeanor after a confrontation with the cop at an accident scene. Click here for pictures, video and more details.
What did they know and when did they know it?: It has probably been available for a while, but I only found it by accident when looking for something else last night. The City of Alexandria, Virginia has posted hundreds of emails on its website laying out the evolution of the Norfolk Southern ethanol transloading facility that cropped up in April. It gives a great deal of insight into the city and the fire department's handling of political concerns and safety issues surrounding the controversial facility. Click here.
Guilty plea on deadly Houston fire where captain was trapped: You will likely recall the dramatic Mayday from March 28, 2007 involving Houston Fire Department Captain Eric Abbt. The woman who set that fire, killing three people, entered a guilty plea and is scheduled to begin serving a 25-year-sentence in January. She set the fire to delay an audit of her employer.
Read Houston Fire Department report.
Audio and video of the Mayday.
Firehouse burns in PA: The Forestville Citizens Fire Company building was destroyed, taking with it equipment inside, including a 1930s pumper. Read details.
How's this for a change? Citizens complain sirens aren't loud enough: They do that when the sirens are part of the local nuclear power plant's warning system. Read about the test in New Hampshire.
Retired chief officer urges no vote on money for fire departments: As we have reported before, Proposition A, on the ballot November 4 in the San Diego area, would create and fund a fire authority. It is a reaction to last year's devastating fires. A retired division chief with the North County Fire Protection District believes it is the wrong reaction. Read his reasoning.
Raw video from Seattle fire: Deadly apartment fire on Monday morning. Click here for video, pictures and info.
Taking tops off in Durham: Remember my favorite overpass in Durham, NC. We have shown you a series of videos as trucks fail to do the limbo when passing through. It was July when we last checked in. Click here to see the latest example.
Our friend and great photographer Mike Legeros, of Raleigh/Wake Firefighting Blog fame, provided some new info this morning -
That bridge in Durham is Brightleaf Square, a former turn-of-the-century tobacco factory converted into a retail complex. The best pizza in the Raleigh-Durham area is sold there, at a bar named Satisfaction. The wife and I visit probably once a month.
So next time you are in the area, grab a slice and watch the trucks go topless. Tell them Mike and Dave sent you.
Who ya gonna call?: In France, a man tried to retrieve his cell phone from a toilet on a high-speed train. Firefighters then had to retrieve the man. Read more.
And finally ... a bad day at the office: Click here to see a video on why it is important to communicate well with those you are working with.
Cop versus firefighter: Dallas fire captain arrested at crash scene
There is a lot that isn't known about what happened between a Dallas cop and a firefighter early Sunday morning. What is known is that Dallas Fire Department Captain Kenneth Harris was arrested at the scene of an accident by a Dallas police officer.
Captain Harris was charged with a misdemeanor account of making offensive contact. He is accused of poking an officer in the chest. Firefighters claim he tapped the cop on the shoulder.
Of all the news organizations covering the story, the NBC station in Dallas, KXAS-TV, is the only one to report that Captain Harris' fire engine was struck by an intoxicated driver while they were working another accident scene. The station reports Captain Harris confronted the officer about a slow response time.
While the other TV stations aren't reporting those details, they do have interviews with Dallas Firefighter Association President D. D. Pierce. Pierce believes the officer acted improperly and says the incident created unnecessary tension between the departments.
To add to the confusion, some of the news stories provide different locations on where the incident occurred.
Capt. Kenneth Harris from KTVT-TVMonday, October 27, 2008
More on Alexandria's ethanol problems: Read city emails on how the facility evolved and who knew what and when.
Read City of Alexandria emails on ethanol transloading facility
You may have figured out from the article we linked to over the weekend on Alexandria, VA's dealings with an ethanol transloading facility, that it has become a bit of a public relations mess. Citizens are complaining city officials kept their dealings with Norfolk Southern secret for too long.
In the Washington Post article, Mayor William D. Euille, who met with Norfolk Southern back in 2006, blamed senior city staff for the secrecy:
"It's not my job full time to manage those inquiries and those matters," Euille said. "That's why we have a full-time city manager and attorney and fire chief and others."
Steve Mason, special assistant to the city manager, said, "We failed to notify the community, and we failed to notify the City Council of this situation."
In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, Alexandria posted hundreds of emails between city officials, and between city officials and Norfolk Southern officials and others, on the city run website.
In an effort to provide full disclosure to you, I admit I have no clue how long the email dump has been there, I only discovered it tonight by accident.
If you are one of those who likes to get into the inner workings of governments, you may find some of these emails fascinating. It also might be of use to any community who has to deal with ethanol and a big rail corporation.
Besides the political issues, the emails include discussions of fire safety and code issues. It also details the equipment and foam Norfolk Southern provided the Alexandria Fire Department and how that situation evolved.
Since this is a fire service website, we should point out as you read these memos, and make note of the the mayor's comment above, Adam Thiel didn't become chief of the Alexandria Fire Department until August, 2007.
Below is what is apparently the first electronic message about the facility:
To: Robert Rodriguez; Maurice Jones/Alex
Subject: Norfolk Southern Ethanol transfer facility site plan and fire lines
From: Gregg Fields/Alex
Date: 20 Jun 2006 12:02:44
Bcc:
Cc: Arthur Dahlberg/Alex
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Art has asked me to forward contact information for Norfolk Southern. They are installing a new Ethanol Transfer facility on Metro Road (across from Virginia paving). They want to be sure they are complying with any City requirements and would like to submit a site plan and fire line locations for your review. The gentleman's name is Kelly Mehan and his phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx X 23. He will be calling you shortly. Thanks.
Gregg Fields
Engineering Supervisor
City of Alexandria, Code Enforcement
Phone: xxx-xxx-xxxx x134 Fax: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Fast forward almost two years, to a series of emails on April 4, 2008. That's when Chief Fire Marshal Robert Rodriguez discovered the facility would soon be up and running and sent this email at 1:54 PM:
All -
I have just driven by the Norfolk Southern yard and there are ten brand new tank cars located on the siding inside the perimeter fence. We also just received another phone requesting to place keys in the Knox Box at the facility and meet with on site staff to go over the plant / process. Please advise if we need to take any further action.
Thanks,
Bob
It was only a little more than a half-hour later that Chief Thiel notified his bosses it was time to sound the alarm, so his Northern Virginia fire service partners knew what he knew:
Adam Thiel/Alex
04/04/2008 02:31 PM
To
cc Jim Hartmann/Alex@Alex, Michele Evans/Alex@Alex, Ignacio Pessoa/Alex@Alex, John Catlett/Alex@Alex, Robert Rodriguez/Alex@Alex
Subject Re: Fw: Ten rail tank cars now at the Norfolk Southern facilityLink
I generally understand the political/legal sensitivities/implications associated with this change-of-use at the Norfolk Southern Intermodal Ramp.
That said, we are now "way behind" in terms of our preparation/readiness for an emergency event involving bulk quantities of ethanol. Our needs go far beyond site familiarization and training on the transloading process. We do not have the equipment or supplies to handle a fire at this site; and neither do our regional partners. (I.e., we can't just call for mutual-aid and get what we need.)
There's a lot we need to do at this point...recommend we get a meeting of the principals together ASAP.
Also, we need to notify our Operations folks, VDEM, and FFX/ARL counties without delay.
Thanks!
Adam
Firehouse burns in PA. Destroys equipment, including a 1930s engine.
FirefightingNews.com is the first to tell us about a fire that caused destroyed a Schuylkill County fire station. An electrical problem apparently sparked the blaze. More from WNEP-TV.
Here is the lead to the story from the The Morning Call:
A fire in a Schuylkill County volunteer fire department's engine room early this morning destroyed three vehicles, including an antique engine from the 1930s, and its gear for firefighters.
The fire broke out at the Forestville Citizens Fire Company in Cass Township around 12:30 a.m. Fire departments from the area scrambled to assist their neighbors as flames consumed the building next to Forestville's social hall.
Firefighters saved their 1986 engine, but the fire destroyed a 1962 engine, a 1931 engine and a recently refurbished 1975 brush truck.
Raw video from Seattle fatal 2-alarm fire
Image from KIRO-TV
Watch raw helicopter video from KIRO-TV
One man died in a fire early this morning in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. The apartment building was scheduled for demolition and the man who died was the only person living there. The fire, in the 1600 block of Bellvue Avenue, went to two alarms.
Image from KIRO-TV
The picture below is from Jeffrey Lake on seattlepi.com. Click here for more of the paper's pictures from the fire.
Quick takes
The second time around: Last Christmas we told you about a diner burning down in Balltown, IA. Breitbach's Country Dining was rebuilt. It didn't last long. It burned down again on Friday morning. This AP Photo/Telegraph Herald by Kori Newby came from KCRG.com where you can read more and see the station's early fire video, here. It was last Monday that KCRG-TV profiled Breitbach's and how well they were doing after rebuilding. Click here to watch that story.
On the budget cut beat: The IAFF in Milwaukee is fighting back against a consultant's report that laid the groundwork for downsizing. Read the union's own report.
In Wilkes Barre, PA, the mayor says staffing is "sufficient". The union president calls what they have the "illusion of fire protection". Read more.
Under the heading it hurts to laugh, a comic strip puts the slashing of budgets in perspective. Click here.
And in Mesa, AZ, the fire chief is talking about layoffs.
Now you see it. Now you don't: A video poking fun at Topeka Fire Chief Howard Giles has vanished from YouTube after being featured in the local media. Called "Howie's Great Adventure", the Capital-Journal wrote about and linked to the video on Saturday. Chief Giles said at the time the video was under investigation by the department. By Saturday night the video was history.
Chief Giles and his firefighters have had a rocky relationship that was made worse when his award as Fire Chief of the Year in Kansas was recognized by the Topeka City Council. The same group that gave Giles the award also gave a top award to a Topeka lieutenant for rescuing a 4-year-old child during a house fire. Giles caused controversy when the lieutenant wasn't recognized by the council. A newspaper columnist says the chief deserves the criticism.
Video roundup: We have fires in CA, IN, NY, NJ and an unusual sighting in New Zealand. Click here.
School building is one of three that burns in Waco: We have raw video of the largest of three fires in Waco, Texas early Saturday morning. Click here.
A prompt response from the complaint department. Maybe not so from the fire department: The IAFF in a New Brunswick community thinks the chief overreacted to one complaint about one response. Read about the controversy.
You just can't get this kind of coverage elsewhere: One week after we were the first to show you the dramatic video from St. Louis, we've done it again. STATter 911 is the first fire service web site with dramatic rescue video from the other side of the world. Leo the dog shows he is lion-hearted and clearly not afraid to face the wrath of dogs everywhere for his selfless act. You'll find the story here.
Ethanol issues: Another look at how the fire service and communities are dealing with ethanol. The article focuses on the experience of Alexandria, VA. Click here.
An all-hazards fire marshal: When you are the FM, it seems you have to know a lot more than you used to. How about being conversant in environmental laws and issues? In Michigan, Ypsilanti Township Fire Marshal Phil Stachlewitz struts his staff when questioned about leaf burning regulations. Click here.
911 overload: Cell phones and language barriers put the strain on 911 systems. The view from Fairfax County, VA. Read more.
New fire stations: A groundbreaking in MD and a dedication in VA. Political leaders speak at one, and a balding, overweight blogger at the other. You decide which audience got the better deal. Click here.
And finally, warming things up over cold feet: A man in Japan had second thoughts about getting married over the weekend. To get out of the ceremony he decided to set fire to the hotel where the wedding was being held. One motivation for backing out of the wedding is that he is already married. If you really care, you can read more.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Video roundup
CA apartment fire
One firefighter was reported injured and a pet killed in this apartment fire on Saturday afternoon in San Bernardino. Click here to read more.
IN house fire
A Friday afternoon fire at a vacant house in Gary, IN. Here's the caption: GFD was dispatched to the 2300 Block of Connecticut at 2:48 pm on 10-24-08. Truck 4 was first on scene and reported heavy smoke showing and a working fire in a 25x50 brick vacant single family dwelling. The rear porches that were wood took off and extended into the house. Fire was blowing through the roof soon after and the truck was set-up. Multiple lines were stretched out and an interior attack was made. Nobody was hurt at the scene and crews worked for about an hour and a half.
House fire in NY
A fire Saturday night in the Town of Cheektowaga.
House fire in NJ
This is from October 4 in South Seaville.
One long mutual aid response
A 1961 LAFD Crown in New Zealand parading around the Firefighters Combat Challenge last year.
Greater love hath no pooch than to lay down his life for a bunch of kittens
They may chase after each the from morning until night, but apparently the barks and growls are all set aside when danger strikes. That was the case in Melbourne, Australia when Leo, faced with deteriorating conditions inside a burning home, refused to leave behind four helpless kittens.
Firefighters found the tenacious terrier guarding the box with the kittens even though smoke and flames raced through the home. Leo almost didn't survive his heroic moment. Firefighters had to resuscitate the 11-month-old dog. But soon he was back with the kittens he helped save, sharing a post-rescue smooch.
Apparently not eligible for a Carnegie Medal (we are going to have to work to correct this injustice), Leo will have to settle for an RSPCA bravery medal.
(Please note, while I am providing you this important breaking news, the lead story over on FireGeezer is about a new air thingy, or some such nonsense.)
Abandoned, century-old school building is one of three early morning fires in Waco. Watch raw video.
Click here to see raw video from Waco school fire.
Friday night and early Saturday morning, three fires erupted in abandoned buildings in Waco, Texas. The buildings were within 5 blocks of each other. The fires broke out between 9:20 PM and 4:40 AM. The last and largest blaze was in the old Sanger Avenue Elementary School.
The building was 104 years old and considered an architectural landmark. It was a 42,000 square foot building. Here are excerpts from WacoTrib.com, where you will find more pictures and video:
“This will probably keep burning for a couple of days,” said acting assistant fire chief Benjamin Samarripa. “The roof collapsed on it, so some of the chunks of the roof are covering flames in some parts of the building.”
Just hours earlier, firefighters were battling a blaze at the Townhouse Hotel on 17th Street and Washington Avenue, which was reported at 12:12 a.m. Samarripa said no one was reported inside either of the buildings, and that there had been no injuries.
A spokeswoman with the Waco Police Department said a third fire began at a former southern cooking restaurant on 23rd Street and Waco Drive about 9:20 p.m. Friday.
That fire was completely put out and appeared to be contained to the heating and air conditioning units in the back of the building.
“When you have two large structure fires that you’re working simultaneously, it will of course put a strain on the department, especially when there is a commercial building, involved because of the sheer size of it,” Samarrripa said. “But it still didn’t deplete us to zero. We have manpower, and we have trucks at the fire station (in case anything else were to happen.”
Arizona chief tells the department it may not be possible to avoid layoffs.
Photo by Christine Keith/The Arizona Republic. Caption:
Mechanic Jason Nickelson works on an 8-year-old fire truck at the East Mesa Service Center. A bond going before voters would free up money for several fire projects, but the city still is struggling with a growing deficit.
In Mesa, AZ, The Arizona Republic is looking at an email from Fire Chief Harry Beck. It is similar to warnings issued to those in fire and EMS around the country about dire financial problems for the city. And this one uses the "L" word. Here are excerpts from an article by Gary Nelson:
Mesa's fire chief has fired a $1 million early-warning shot in what could become the worst fiscal bombardment in city history.
With every department already under orders to cut spending, Fire Chief Harry Beck told his crews in an e-mail that beginning Monday, he will cut $1 million in training and other programs.
"Mesa is experiencing the most severe revenue crisis in memory," Beck's e-mail said.
City Manager Chris Brady said Thursday that after the City Council decides Nov. 20 what to cut, only "critical services" might remain.
"Every department is going through and making reductions now," Brady said. "There'll be more to come."
Brady said every function of city government is being re-evaluated, and some departments will suffer more than others.
Mesa finances its government largely with sales taxes, state-shared revenues and income from electric and gas utilities.
With the economy staggering, sales-tax revenue has plunged. Mesa had figured it would take a modest dip from 2007 levels and budgeted accordingly.
But from June through August, sales-tax revenue was $4.5 million less than budgeted and down 13.6 percent from a year earlier.
Mayor Scott Smith said last week that Mesa will pay its bills despite its budget problems.
"Our challenges are that with these fixed debt payments, in addition to revenues that go up and down with the economy, it makes it very difficult to establish or maintain long-term service levels," he said.
Beck said in the e-mail to his department that he wouldn't impose layoffs now.
But, he added, "The forecast is very grim, and it may not be possible to avoid layoffs."
New fire stations
Catlett, VA
It had been 19 years since I spent any amount of time at the Catlett Volunteer Fire Company in Fauquier County, VA. In 1989 it was under very tragic circumstances, covering the deaths of two firefighters when their fire engine was struck by an Amtrak train.
By contrast, my visit Saturday was a very happy occasion. Now merged with the Cedar Run Volunteer Rescue Squad, Catlett Volunteer Fire & Rescue has a brand new building. Inside the sprawling complex, there is a memorial to Jay Mark Miller and Matthew B. Smith and the loss of the two firefighters was noted during the dedication ceremony.
Other than the persistent rain, the only real negative about the event, was the audience being subjected to the ramblings and rantings of some fire service blogger.
Congratulations to everyone in Catlett on the new firehouse and a new pumper.
Takoma Park, MD
While I don't know for sure, looking at the picture below and the number of politicians on hand for Thursday's groundbreaking of the new Takoma Park, MD fire station, listening to a speech by Dave Statter during the brief Catlett ceremony, may have been a better deal (just kidding).
The Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department has the oldest station in the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service. The new station, seen in the drawings below, will be on the same site and is scheduled for completion in 2010. A temporary building has been set up for use until the new firehouse is ready.
The pictures at the groundbreaking are from 9NEWS NOW assignment editor and Takoma Park resident Alan Henney.
