CAMEO Community Members,
A dramatically updated version of MARPLOT is now available for
downloading, along with a maintenance upgrade to ALOHA.
MARPLOT 4.0, available as of today, is compatible with Windows XP and
Windows Vista. Working in its easy-to-use GIS interface, you can switch
quickly between three basemaps: standard map files, high-resolution
aerial photos, and topographical maps. You can draw overlay objects on
the basemaps, customize your map view by specifying which objects and
map layers are shown, and get LandView-like population estimates inside
selected areas. You can click on a location of interest to get its
elevation and an instant weather forecast, and you can easily display
ALOHA threat zones on the map. Included web mapping services enable the
latest U.S. Census county maps, and state and national map layers to
automatically download as you work in MARPLOT. Download MARPLOT 4.0 from
the CAMEO website
<http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/cameo/marplot.htm>.
If you're a Macintosh user, note that MARPLOT version 4.0 is currently
available only for Windows. A Macintosh version is planned for the
future. In the meantime, if you have an Intel-based Mac, you can run
MARPLOT 4.0 in Windows using Boot Camp or virtualization software that
allows you to run Windows on your Macintosh. Otherwise, you can download
the previous version of MARPLOT for the Mac
<http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/cameo/marplot_mac.htm> (version
3.3.3).
Also available as of today is ALOHA 5.4.1.1, which includes an updated
chemical library, now with updated DIPPR data and updated toxic levels
of concern (AEGLs, ERPGs, and TEELs), and a fix to a bug that prevented
users from entering heat of vaporization when adding a new chemical to
the library. ALOHA 5.4.1.1 is compatible with Microsoft Windows and with
Macintosh OS X. We recommend that all ALOHA users download ALOHA 5.4.1.1
from the CAMEO Website
<http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/cameo/aloha.htm>.
Everyone Goes Home
Omnes domum cedite
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
New Version of MARPLOT Avaliable
New Device Locates People In Imminent Danger
Pennsylvania - The best answer firefighters typically get when they ask if everyone has evacuated a burning building is: We think so. Dan Grant, a partner in the development of what he called the Holy Grail of tracking systems, hopes to provide a definitive answer and save lives. "We lose about 200 first responders a year in these situations," said Grant, CEO of The Parallel Group and marketing chief at Intelligence Safety Solutions LLC in the South Side. "They'll mount a search-and-rescue operation without knowing who's in there."
Research by University of Pittsburgh engineer Marlin Mickle could enable first responders to pinpoint within a few feet the locations of people inside burning buildings or other structures where there is an emergency.
The system would use a combination of wireless sensors and radio frequency identification tags, or RFIDs. Some stores use RFIDs to collect sales data.
Civilians inside a building might be tracked using their employee or school identification cards, for example, Grant said. or, those people might have RFIDs that lie dormant until activated by first responders in an emergency, Mickle said.
Mickle is developing computer programs that would be able to "read" how many workers had used their keys to enter a building before a fire started, for example.
John Twigg, CEO of OnSite Information Systems in Murrysville and another partner, said emergency workers could scatter sensors like "bread crumbs" in a building or the sensors could be installed in walls beforehand. The sensors would pick up the RFID signals and transmit information to a police or fire department computer in an emergency.
The number of breadcrumbs or wall devices used would depend on the level of precision desired, Mickle said. Each device would cost "well under $100," he said, and measure about 1 inch thick, 2 inches wide and 4 or 5 inches long.
The sensors also would help emergency responders if they become disoriented, said Peter Hawrylak, a research associate at Pitt's RFID Center of Excellence. For example, a firefighter's RFID tag would send electronic signals to a commander's laptop computer outside a burning building. The commander could monitor the firefighter's location and provide directions if needed.
Police officers could use the system as well.
"A commander can direct officers in a building so they don't mistake each other for the gunman," Hawrylak said.
The Pittsburgh team's approach would be much more precise than current tracking technologies, Mickle said.
Tests so far have been successful, Grant said. A major system test is scheduled for August at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. That could lead to federal grants and other partnerships, Grant said.
"If we can run it up the flagpole, we should be able to start selling it by the end of the year," he said. "If we get this right and make it cost effective and easy to use, we hope that every first responder worldwide views this as the industry standard."
Written by The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Monday, March 30, 2009
Fire Apparatus collide in Houston TX, Firefighter Injured
Story by click2houston.com
HOUSTON --
Eight firefighters and two others were injured when two fire trucks collided in southwest Houston on Monday, KPRC Local 2 reported.
A Houston fire department pumper truck traveling northbound on Dunlavy Street broadsided a ladder truck traveling west on Westheimer Road, causing the ladder truck to overturn and land on a car at about 10:50 a.m.
« Houston Firefighter Ejected In Apparatus Crash | Main
March 30, 2009
Houston Firefighter Ejected In Apparatus Crash
A Houston truck enroute to a fire struck another rig ejecting an officer from the rig.
Reports are that several firefighters are suffering from injuries. No word yet on the status of civilians.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
2-11 in Chicago Caught on Tape – Video and Audio
Update: Raw video from the ground and air of Chicago 2-11. Fire through the roof of a Northwest Side Pizzeria. Radio traffic added.
Love this video feed along with the radio traffic
Our man in Chicago, Steve Redick, reports he got to 2625 North Harlem Avenue before the transmission of the 2-11 on Friday afternoon. The call for the Cafe Italia came in at 4:52 PM. Before long there was fire through the roof of the one-story building.
No cause of the fire has been given. One firefighter was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries. The firefighter was reported by WMAQ-TV to be in good condition. Click here for more information.
See more of Steve Redick's work.
Two LODD this past week – Makes 24 for the year
ALABAMA FIRE CHIEF STRUCK AND KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
Friday, March 27, 2009
We regret to advise you that we have been advised that Double Springs Fire Chief Mike Gilbreath has been killed in the line of Duty. Around 0630 this morning Chief Gilbreath was removing a tree from County Road 25. His FD had been dispatched for trees down...and while operating, a car struck him and killed him. His full time job was with the county road department. Ours sincere condolences to all affected. Alabama Fire Chief Struck, Killed
Robert Strang
City, State: Melbourne, FL March 26th 2009
It is with deepest regret and sorrow to report the line-of-duty death of Lieutenant Robert Strang of IAFF Local 1951 – Melbourne, FL. Brother Strang passed away on Thursday, March 26, 2009 after returning from a structure fire. The cause has yet to be determined. Fla. Firefighter Discovered Dead at Station
More News
CHIEF CAR CRASHES INTO CIVILIAN CAR-FIRE AND EXPLOSION
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Chief of the Brewerton fire department crashed his SUV into the back of a car, causing the gas tank to rupture. Moments later, the car caught fire, and exploded.
The fire and explosion was reported just before 2pm, along Bartel Road in Brewerton yesterday. Yet another reason for collision avoidance systems on emergency vehicles! The technology is here, they have it on the Cadillac.
Supertanker Cleared for Wildland Firefighting
It is capable of flying two times as fast and carries eight times as much water as its largest predecessor – Note: What would be the odds that something like this crashed in the first year that it’s used? I’ll be watching the news for this one!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The ultimate model train set
As I watched this video of the Miniatur Wunderland my mind went from mild amusement to surprising awe to absolute astonishment. At 11,840 square feet and fully computerized, the world's largest model defies belief:
The Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany is the world’s largest model set.
It took 500,000 working hours to build, going from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden to North America, through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—complete with the Grand Canyon, 20-foot tall Swiss mountains, and:
• 800 trains.
• Over 10,000 train cars in total, running several hundred kilometers every day.
• One train is 47.5 feet long.
• Over 170 computer controlled cars.
• More than 200,000 people (there’s all kinds of things here, even a crime scene).
• Controlled by 40 computers.
• 200 cameras control the premises.
• Day and night lighting simulator.
• 300,000 computer-controlled LEDs.
Monday, March 23, 2009
LODD in Oklahoma
Report of Oklahoma firefighter being killed while battling blaze
A firefighter was killed and five others hurt in a grain elevator fire in Hydro, Caddo County Sheriff Gene Cain confirmed Monday.
Cain said soybeans caught fire at the facility, located in downtown Hydro off state Highway 58, and something went wrong during the firefight.
HYDRO, Okla. -- A firefighter was killed and at least two others hurt in a grain elevator fire in Hydro, Caddo County Sheriff Gene Cain confirmed Monday.
koco has a video http://www.koco.com/video/18995200/
Full Story Updates:
http://daily.firehouse.com/rmgo.asp?tid=937611&eid=744346&sb_id=319386,319386
Crash involving a fire truck in German Township PA
State police troopers investigate a two-vehicle crash involving a fire truck in German Township early Sunday morning that sent an unidentified female to the hospital. (Robert Esquivel/Herald-Standard)
One woman was injured when the vehicle she was driving and a fire truck crashed in German Township early Sunday morning.
Officials said the unidentified female was taken by ambulance to Uniontown Hospital following the collision, which occurred at 2:11 a.m.
The crash, according to officials, occurred as firefighters from McClellandtown Volunteer Fire Department were on their way to battle a structure fire in German Township.
A spokeswoman for Fayette County 911 said the department was notified of a structure fire at 369 Sunshine Hollow Road at 1:58 a.m.
Officials said the building, a former personal care home that had reportedly been vacant for several years, was destroyed in the blaze.
As firefighters from McClellandtown were responding to the call, the fire truck they were traveling in and the car driven by the woman crashed on Route 21 a short distance from the fire department, which is located on Puritan Road, officials said.
Masontown and Uniontown fire departments were called to assist state police at the scene of the wreck, officials said, noting that numerous other Fayette County fire departments battled the blaze on Sunshine Hollow Road.
The 911 spokeswoman said crews battled the fire about four hours, leaving at 6:05 a.m.
No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze, officials said, noting that the state police fire marshal was called to the scene.
Police are also investigating the crash.
Officials said a McClellandtown Volunteer Fire Department fire truck was involved in a second collision on Route 21 at 2:28 p.m. Sunday.
No injuries were reported as a result of the second collision, officials said, adding that police were notified but that firefighters on scene reported no emergency backup was needed.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Atlanta fire-rescue crews rescued two men trapped
Watch the story from WXIA-TV (or here)
From our sister station in Atlanta, WXIA-TV:
Atlanta fire-rescue crews rescued two men trapped on a scaffold that partially collapsed in downtown Atlanta late Thursday afternoon.
Peachtree Street was closed in the area of the rescue operation.
The accident happened around 5:30 Thursday afternoon at 54 Peachtree Street, near Underground Atlanta.
The two men were on the scaffold near the top of the building when the collapse occurred.
Rescue crews lowered the men from the scaffold near the top of the building to the ground, one at a time, shortly after 7 p.m.
Neither man was reported injured.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
DuPont Introduces Innovative Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) to Better Protect Firefighters
Smart-Fiber Technology Activates When Needed for More Thermal Protection
WILMINGTON, Del., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DuPont (NYSE: DD) today announced the latest offering in advanced fibers with DuPont(TM) Nomex(R) On Demand(TM), a new patented smart-fiber technology that gives firefighters up to 20 percent more thermal performance when they encounter emergency conditions.
The term "smart-fiber technology" refers to the ability of the new material -- initially for use in thermal liners in firefighter turnout gear -- to detect emergency conditions and automatically expand to trap more air for greater thermal insulation. In emergency conditions, air temperatures can exceed hundreds of degrees. Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) is specifically engineered to react and expand when temperatures reach 250 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Yet in routine conditions, thermal liners made with Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) remain thin and flexible, providing excellent thermal protection and good mobility. Once activated, Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) continues to provide maximum thermal protection, when and where it is needed.
"DuPont(TM) Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) is the first smart-fiber technology that helps protect lives," said Thomas G. Powell, vice president and general manager -- DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems. "It is a great example of our commitment to market-driven science -- matching our many years of experience in high-performance fibers with an understanding of the evolving needs of the fire services industry. We are committed to protecting firefighters and other emergency responders with innovative products that will help enable them to perform their jobs as safely as possible."
The new technology is commercially available in the United States and Canada and will be available globally in late 2009. While initially available in firefighter gear, DuPont is reviewing additional applications for Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) including auto racing, where 95 percent of today's drivers wear suits made of DuPont(TM) Nomex(R); wildfire control; oil and gas operations; and military uses. DuPont estimates the demand for fire protection gear in the United States alone totals almost $300 million.
Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) has been tested by DuPont, its customers and independent third parties. In addition, it meets National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and has been certified for use by Underwriters Laboratories.
DuPont(TM) Nomex(R) was the first flame-resistant fiber used in firefighter gear. Prior to its introduction in 1967, firefighters had limited protection. Both Nomex(R) and DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R) brand fibers are used in the fire services industry, with proven inherent flame protection, durability and comfort. About 70 percent of the thermal protection in a firefighter's turnout coat comes from materials using Nomex(R) and Kevlar(R).
DuPont is committed to helping protect firefighters and other first responders with science-based innovations such as flame-resistant fibers, chemical protective suits, and other personal protective technologies. The company provides leading apparel brands for protection from thermal, ballistic, chemical, biological and cut/abrasion threats. Brands such as DuPont(TM) Nomex(R), Kevlar(R), Tyvek(R) and Tychem(R) have been protecting people around the world for more than 40 years.
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the company's strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures and financial results are forward-looking statements. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," "projects," "indicates," and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors, including those discussed more fully elsewhere in this release and in DuPont's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K, as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those stated. These factors include, but are not limited to changes in the laws, regulations, policies and economic conditions of countries in which the company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of structural changes, including acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and market acceptance, and seasonality of sales of agricultural products. The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments or new information.
3/17/09
The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont(TM), The miracles of science(TM), Nomex(R) On Demand(TM), Kevlar(R), Nomex(R), Tyvek(R) and Tychem(R) are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.
Video - DuPont Introduces Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) to better protect firefighters:
(For high-resolution video, contact Cathy Andriadis at 302-774-4249.)
Animation - DuPont(TM) Nomex(R) On Demand(TM) activates when needed: http://www2.dupont.com/Personal_Protection/en_US/assets/downloads/nomex/nod_animation/shell.html?src=nod_prn_03_17_09_animation
Backgrounder: DuPont(TM) Nomex(R): http://sn.im/dy6w1-dd
To view a multi-media version of this release, please go to: http://sn.im/dy8ue-dd
SOURCE DuPont
Sucking at the hind tit of a dead cow
Mad as Hell! Very meaningful video worth the 6 and 1/2 minute time to watch, my sentiments exactly and a lot of good reminders! They say that you should not send the tea bag, only a scanned in copy of one.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
AIG Latest
The CEO of failed insurance conglomerate AIG Edward Liddy testified before the House Financial Services Subcommittee Wednesday. Liddy told lawmakers the large bonuses paid to AIG workers are ‘distasteful’
LINK: Liddy: We’ve heard America ‘loudly and clearly’
WASHINGTON - Under intense pressure from the Obama administration and Congress, the head of bailed-out insurance giant AIG declared Wednesday that some of the firm’s executives have begun returning all or part of bonuses totaling $165 million.
Vice President Joe Biden’s remarks at IAFF’s 2009 conference.
In case you missed it, as he was at the Union conference, we will wait and see if he goes to any volunteer firefighter conferences?
Whitehouse.gov March 17, 2009
Below, courtesy of the White House, is the full text of Vice President Joe Biden’s remarks at IAFF’s 2009 conference.
In case you don’t feel like reading the entire text, here are a few highlights:
“Like you, I don’t want to read another obituary about a fire fighter who lost his life by putting himself in harm’s way for the good of the community.”
“You know, we’ve already increased funding for stations, equipment, better training, more protective clothing. We included $210 billion in the Recovery Act. We’re committed to increasing funding for SAFER, which will go directly to fire departments, so you can hire more trained fire fighters to work by your sides and retain — important point — retain fire fighters who are in danger, as they were in Philadelphia, of being laid off. "
“Finally, the Public Safety Employee Cooperation Act, blocked by the last administration, will pass this time, and the President will sign it and he’ll sign it with pride.”
“But, folks, the truth is, as you commit to saving the lives of Americans who are in danger, you continue to do that and we will continue, Barack Obama and I will continue to do everything we can to not only deal with saving their lives but saving your lives. They’re not just puffed-up platitudes. This is your new government taking bold action to ensure that as a community of fire fighters, you are as strong as possible.”
“And the thing about you guys that I love about you men and women is you’re crazy. Folks, the thing about you all that people don’t get, is it runs through your whole being. The very thing that made you firefighters make you such darn good citizens. Think about it. Think about any other profession. How many people are so involved in the things in the community that matter to people’s lives? I know you like the excitement. As I said, you’re crazy. "
REMARKS BY THE VICE PRESIDENT
TO THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS
AT THEIR 2009 LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.) Folks, thank you very, very much. Man, it’s good to be with you. (Applause.) It’s good to be with you. (Applause.) Please, thank you very, very much. (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.) It’s good to be home with all of you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. I appreciate that warm welcome. And understand that the feeling is mutual.
Let me begin by thanking Harold. Harold was always an ally and a good acquaintance. But during the campaign, and since the campaign, we’ve become close personal friends. I want to tell you that I know of no labor leader, I know of no business leader, I know of no leader who bleeds more for the losses of his men and women, and who cares more about their physical and financial security than Harold Schaitberger. And, Harold, they’re lucky to have you, and you’re lucky to have them. It’s a good marriage. (Applause.)
Now, about that bell. (Laughter.) I got two things about the same time: I got a bell, and a German Shepherd puppy. (Laughter.) And I got 13 acres that is fenced in, in the middle of 75 acres. I always voted for public housing — I never knew it was going to be this good. (Laughter.) And guess what — (applause) — German Shepherd puppies respond to bells. (Laughter.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I think we should start by — I want to personally — give a personal thank you. As they say, as the President says, a shout out to Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia for keeping those fire stations open. (Applause.) We did it. We did it. (Applause.) Five engine companies and two truck companies, and more importantly, all those jobs saved. It was one of the first pieces of the economic Recovery Act we were actually able to put to work, and put to work the way we want to see that money put to work. We want to see it — put the money into saving jobs, but also, particularly saving jobs that are absolutely essential to the community, the safety and well-being of the community.
So I — and I was in Philadelphia this morning. I’m there a lot. This morning my mom was operated on. She’s 92 years old, and God love her, she came through. She broke her hip, and she came through the operation incredibly well. I told her that — (applause) — those of you who’ve met my mom, you know she’s fairly politically astute — (laughter) — and she still runs the show. And so I said, "don’t worry, Mom — last night I went up to see her, and with, obviously, my brothers and my sister and my wife and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and my daughter and my — everybody is up, because Mom-Mom runs the show. You think I’m joking — I’m not. (Laughter.)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
FIREFIGHTER CLOSE CALL IN MINNESOTA
Not approved by UL, makes you wonder if people really pay attention to the UL label on consumer products. I know they ban grills on decks in some residential housing complexes, they should also be banned
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A Rochester firefighter was injured Saturday after using the wrong type of fire extinguisher at a fire in southeast Rochester.
Firefighters had responded about 2020 hours Saturday to a cooking fire in the 1600 block of Marion Road Southeast. A deep fat fryer used to fry turkeys was on a deck and started a fire that spread, according to Fire Marshall Vance Swisher.
Swisher said the firefighter, in his first year of service, suffered second-degree burns to his hands and face but didn't require hospitalization.
Monday, March 16, 2009
LODD
Notice of Firefighter Fatality: Odessa, MO
from USFA Firefighter Fatalities
William Roger Vorwark of the Odessa Fire & Rescue Protection District in Odessa, MO has died as the result of an on-duty incident that occurred on 2009-03-14 00:00:00.0.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dry start to 2009 sets U.S. record
The first two months of 2009 are the driest start of any year since the USA began keeping records over a century ago, leading to severe drought in Texas, dipping reservoir levels in Florida and a surge in wildfires across the nation.
Farmers, cattlemen, firefighters and others worry that the dry start may be a harbinger of a bleak summer that could lead to increasing risk of fire and poor crop conditions.
Richard Heim, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center, said the 2.69-inch average rainfall across the U.S. in January and February is the least amount of moisture in those months since NOAA began keeping records in 1895.
So far this year, the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise has logged 11,814 wildfires, the most for any two-month period in a decade and almost 3,700 more than the average.
The dry spell extends a drought that has hammered Central Texas since 2007 and California and the Southeast since 2006.
• In Texas, planting season for cotton, corn and sorghum should be well underway, but in much of the state it’s been too dry to plant, says state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. Even with 2 inches of rain forecast for the next few days, crops will be at risk, Nielsen-Gammon said.
“Winter rain is like putting money in the bank for plants to withdraw,” he said. “That supply of water isn’t there, so plants will be very vulnerable to dry spells.”
• In South Florida, Lake Okeechobee is at 12.54 feet, which is about 2 feet below its average for much of the past 45 years. The South Florida Water Management District is holding public meetings starting today to discuss water restrictions, spokesperson Gabe Margasak said.
• In California, NOAA reports the snowpack is at 80% of normal and much of the state is under severe drought. State officials are using prison inmate crews to clear away brush and create fire breaks around communities to reduce the risk of wildfires, said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The dry winter could mean a longer fire season in the summer because the grasses will dry out sooner and the trees will have less moisture in them, Berlant said.
Despite the current severity, the latest conditions pale in comparison to the drought of the 1930s, known as the Dust Bowl. At its height in July 1934, nearly two-thirds of the nation was in a severe to extreme drought. Today, 7% is. Hundreds of heat records from the 1930s still stand across the Plains.
From USA Today/ Oren Dorell
USA Today Coverage
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
NFFNMRS annual report from 2008
The NFFNMRS annual report from 2008 is out and it contains interesting data along with a synopisis of the program. You can download or obtain a print copy at the National Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System website. Download report 2008 Annual Report .98 MB
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tender Rolls
WAYNEVILLE, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A 20-year veteran firefighter is recovering after he was hurt in a fire truck rollover accident early this week in Webster County.
It happened at about 5:32 p.m. Monday on Erbacon Road near Wayneville.
According to a news release from Richard Rose, OES Director for Webster County, 53-year-old Daniel Tharp was driving a 2,000 gallon tanker alone when it somehow went over a hill, landing 75-feet below on railroad tracks.
Pay Attention – From FF Closecalls
DO YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT RESPOND ON E.M.S. RUNS? PAY ATTENTION:
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
DO YOU GO ON EMS RUNS? DO YOU USE A STETHOSCOPE ?
The authors of this study swabbed 50 stethoscopes of EMS providers presenting to their emergency department (ED) with patients. The swabs were then cultured to detect the presence of methicillin-resistant staph aureus (MRSA)... [ more ]
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Class B Firefighting Foam
Best Practices Today for Class B Firefighting Foam
- Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are a group of chemicals developed by 3M Corp for use in products to make them water repellent, stain-resistant, slippery and longer lasting.
- PFCs are not natural and do not seem to break down in the environment. Once in the environment, they may be taken up by living things, and build up (bioaccumulate) within the tissue of plants, animals and people.
- Scientists have been surprised to find PFCs in approximately 98% of all humans, including people in remote areas who have never had contact with the modern world. Studies in Minnesota have shown PFCs to be present in some ground and surface waters, air, soil and fish. Studies are underway to see if PFCs create health or developmental problems in people.
- PFCs are used in Class B firefighting foams to increase their effectiveness and make them long lasting.
- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is working on a study to understand the potential of firefighting foam as a source of PFCs in the environment. Soil and groundwater at approximately 20 firefighting training sites will be evaluated for PFCs. Minnesota Department of Health is sampling some municipal wells near foam training sites.
- Results from this work will be able late in 2009. MPCA, MnSCU Fire/EMS/Safety Center, and Fire Marshal’s Office have developed guidelines for the training and use of Class B fire fighting foam until more answers on foam are known.
Use of foam on fires and spills
First, Class B firefighting foam has been a lifesaver. It is meant for flammable liquid fires and flammable liquid pools, or for combustible liquid fires. So use it if you have a flammable liquid like gasoline on fire or a big gasoline pool in a place where it could ignite or where it would do damage if it did ignite. Don’t automatically use it for a diesel fuel spill, unless the diesel fuel is on fire or the situation is endangering life and property. Don’t automatically blanket non-leaking flammable liquid tanks unless the situation really calls for it.
Second, don’t use Class B foam on car fires, ordinary structure fires, wildland fires, or other inappropriate situations. Class A foams are meant for those situations, Class A foams are not thought to contain PFCs.
Foam training
Foam training sessions should include discussion of when foam use is necessary, when it can be helpful for safety, and when its use is inappropriate.
If possible, use training foams in training. Training foams are not thought to contain PFCs. Class B foam training should not be done near surface waters or storm sewer inlets which would allow foam to quickly drain to water.
PFCs can quickly pass through soil to groundwater. If your city has municipal wells your city water superintendent will have a map of the “well head protection area” which shows where the city’s wells draw their water from. Training in those protection areas or in areas near private wells should be avoided. Train on soil where possible, and pick organic soils as opposed to sandy and gravelly soils if possible. That will increase the likelihood that PFCs in the foam are retained in the soil and don’t quickly wash through to groundwater.
Foam types
There are many types of PFCs. Apparently all the AFFF type Class B foams have some PFC content of various types. Ethanol resistant AFFF foams apparently also contain types of PFCs. Class A foams are not thought to contain PFCs.
Firefighters’ Health
Use foams to protect the public, your firefighters, and valuable property. There is no current concern that PFCs can enter firefighters’ bodies by occasional skin contact or inhalation during firefighting or training.
Disposal
At this time the best disposal of Class B foams is to use it appropriately on Class B flammable liquid spills and fires. Liquids can’t be put into the garbage. If Class B foam is sent down the sanitary sewer it will go to the city’s wastewater treatment plant and the PFCs in the foam probably will pass straight on through to the river or lake without being broken down. So for now, the best advice is to store it safely where the containers won’t get damaged until it gets used or until there are better disposal options available. That likely will be quite some time.
Jim Stockinger - Emergency Response Specialist
Steve Lee – Manager Emergency Response Unit Emergency Response and Preparedness
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
also
Fire Training Captain Linwood Fire Department
Don Beckering, State Director
Jerry Rosendahl, State Fire Marshal
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Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
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USFA Publications
I have been getting things here for years. Most of it is available for down load (PDF) if you have access to a fast printer or view on screen. The technical reports are very interesting. There are training aids and available training simulators. Give it a look.
USFA provides information resources in many formats, including books, pamphlets and DVD's, free of charge. Customers can use our online catalog to order from over 400 publications and other information products. You do not need to register to download products in this catalog. Go to USFA Publication Page
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Recent FF deaths
Notice of Firefighter Fatality: Coventry, CT
from USFA Firefighter Fatalities
Charles Myshrall of the North Coventry Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. in Coventry, CT has died as the result of an on-duty incident that occurred on 2009-01-30 00:00:00.0.
Mar 5, 2009 (4 days ago)
Notice of Firefighter Fatality: Oklahoma City, OK
from USFA Firefighter Fatalities
Christopher Allen Dill of the Oklahoma City Fire Department in Oklahoma City, OK has died as the result of an on-duty incident that occurred on 2009-03-04 00:00:00.0.
Fire Officers Discuss Safety Issues
From Firehouse.com EMMITSBURG, Md. -- As of Monday, statistics show 20 firefighters across the nation have lost their lives on duty so far this year.
Last year, 114 paid the ultimate sacrifice.
About 140 fire and rescue personnel from across the country spent this past weekend at the National Fire Academy networking and learning how best to spread the Courage to be Safe message.
The attendees -- from both small and large departments -- said they are passionate about reducing the number of injuries and deaths.
The Everyone Goes Home Safety Summit attracted not only state and regional advocates, but people interested in joining the cause.
"I think the weekend was a huge success," said Billy Hayes, advocates program manager. "We had some well-known speakers who focused on safety. I'm sure people took away many nuggets..."
Hayes said the EGH program goal is to have an advocate in every state. The volunteers undergo a background check from the regional staff member to insure they understand the commitment.
Things will not get better until there's a cultural change. Atlanta Chief Kelvin Cochran said firefighters take risks every day. But, asked whether all those risks are necessary.
He recalled the death of a firefighter who died after entering a vacant duplex without proper gear. Unfortunately, he said, crews continue to race into empty buildings. And, they don't always have on SCBA.
Cochran said it's time people stop celebrating unnecessary risk-taking. It's that unsafe behavior that gets passed on from seasoned crews to the rookies. And, he said it has to stop.
He challenged the audience: "Am I doing everything I can do to minimize the potential of one of my firefighters dying in the line of duty?"
While it's a tough decision, he said officers and RIT crews need to know when it's time give it up, and back out. Cochran said it's unacceptable that some believe dying in the line of duty is greater when the death occurs while the firefighter was attempting to save a fellow firefighter.
It's vital for every firefighter to strive for one common goal -- you go home, we go home.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
What's Burning
Fire in Northeast Phila. Claims One Life A two-alarm fire in Northeast Philadelphia’s Pennypack section has claimed one life. Investigators are seeking a cause. A late Saturday night fire that escalated to two-alarms has claimed the life of an unidentified victim. ...
3-alarm fire damages Glen Burnie apartments Annapolis Capital, A three-alarm fire at a Glen Burnie apartment complex yesterday afternoon displaced 24 families and destroyed several units in one building. Sixty-nine firefighters battled the blaze at the Hidden Woods Apartments at 324 ...
Blaze hits West Side building Chicago Breaking News - Tribune, IL Crews responded to a still-alarm fire at the vacant residence in the 4900 block of West Jackson Boulevard shortly before 10:30 pm, fire officials said. The blaze spread fast and escalated to a still-and-box alarm, at one point with flames shooting from ...
Hospital fire under control As many as a dozen fire crews were called out to Willis Knighton Medical Center on Greenwood Road to manage the blaze. Authorities say when a fire alarm went off just after 10:00pm crews found an electrical box on fire. Officials say they got the main ...
Fire leaves $1.5 million damage at Salt Lake house UT Fire officials say no one was home at the time of Friday's fire and no utilities were hooked up to the home. So at this point they are considering the fire suspicious. Friday night's incident was classified as a two-alarm fire because of the threat to ...
None hurt in two-alarm E. Baltimore fire Baltimore Sun, United States, Baltimore fire officials are investigating the cause of a two-alarm fire in an abandoned building on the city's east side yesterday afternoon, said Chief Kevin Cartwright, a department spokesman. No one was injured. Nearly 70 firefighters, paramedics ...
Glen Burnie fire routs apartment residents Baltimore Sun, United States A three-alarm fire raged through a Glen Burnie apartment building yesterday afternoon, forcing two dozen families from their homes. No injuries were reported in the fire at the Hidden Woods complex, said Lt. Stuart Peters, an Anne Arundel County Fire ...
Fire damages four apartment units in SW Houston Houston Chronicle, United States Firefighters battled a two-alarm fire that damaged at least four residences at a southwest Houston apartment complex Saturday, authorities said. The blaze, which began around 9 pm at an apartment complex on Wilcrest near Bexley Drive, took about 45 ...
Village Inn Pizza to reopen on Springs Road this week Hickory Daily Record, NC Village Inn Pizza on NC 127 in Hickory was badly damaged by a two-alarm fire Jan. 25. By Richard Gould Hickory Daily Record HICKORY - Village Inn Pizza is coming back to town after both Hickory locations were destroyed by fires the Hickory Police ...
Friday, March 6, 2009
Bertie Co. Volunteer firefighter loses legs following car wreck
Monday morning, Timothy "T. C." King was the first firefighter at the scene of a car wreck on Cremo Road. The car hit a patch of black ice and went off the road into a ditch.
Full story and video at //www.wvec.com/news/topstories/stories/wvec_local_030309_nc_firefighter.22aade9e.html
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Building explosion in Elk River.
Here is the report from Kare 11 News - A man was taken to the hospital Wednesday afternoon after a building explosion in Elk River.
The victim was working in a building near the intersection of County Road 13 and County Road 33.
The Elk River Police Chief said the victim turned on a mitre saw which somehow ignited a 500-pound propane tank.
Full Story: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=541188&catid=2
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29519943/
Fire news
Twenty-five people left homeless in Edison apartment fire Scarlet Scuttlebutt, NJ A two alarm fire started about 11:45 pm Wednesday, March 4, at the Oxford Arms apartment complex on Hana Avenue in Edison. The fire started on the top floor of Building 19, engulfing twelve units in flames. Twenty-five people were evacuated, ...
Fire destroys apartment unit near Castro Valley Daily Review Online, CA Oakland Tribune CASTRO VALLEY -- A two-alarm fire destroyed a second-floor apartment in a complex on Grove Way at Sixth Street in an unincorporated section of Castro Valley this morning. The blaze was reported at 5:43 am. ...
Oklahoma City Firefighter Collapses; Dies KOKC, OK (Oklahoma City, OK) -- A 15-year veteran of the Oklahoma City Fire Department collapsed and died yesterday right after battling a three-alarm fire at the Penn Grand Apartments on the city's southwest side. Fire officials say Corporal Christopher Allen ...
Teens charged in arson Longmont Daily Times- CO BOULDER Prosecutors have filed felony arson charges against two teenagers accused of starting the two-alarm fire at the historic Golden West Flour Mill on Saturday. The boy and girl, both 17, appeared in juvenile court ...
No arrests made in arson at Dallas apartment 8:15 AM CT Dallas Morning News, TX The one-alarm fire took place early Wednesday at the Colorado Place Apartments in the 2200 block of Fort Worth Avenue just south of Interstate 30 and west of Hampton Road. Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Ernest Gurule says the fire caused $350000 in ...
Inferno sweeps Newark complex (video) The Newark Advocate, OH March 5, 2009 About 75 firefighters from area departments halted the advance of a three-alarm fire overnight in a commercial building on Pine Street, saving part of the ...
BREAKING NEWS: Firefighters on the scene of Newport News ...WVEC.com VA The Newport News Fire Department has been on the scene of the neighborhood grocery store since about 4:10am, responding to a two-alarm fire. Because of ongoing efforts, all roads from 15th through 21st Streets between Marshall Avenue and Roanoke Avenue ...
Firefighters seek to stop spending plan that doesn't fund full shifts Gloucester Daily Times, USA It cites findings in the recently released After Action Report on the Lorraine Apartments fire that the department was understaffed the night of the eight-alarm fire. At the heart of the union's legal position is language in the firefighters' last ...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Suicide Stunt Endangers FF’s & Medics
Note: This item is also how to make a self igniting Molotov cocktail.
New Suicide Stunt Endangers FF’s & Medics
AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COORDINATOR in an urban county in Texas was recently contacted by a relative who is an EMT and assistant coroner in Pennsylvania. He told him of an unusual call that he was dispatched to for a “person down in auto.” On arrival they found the victim sitting in his car, obviously unconscious. Before they were done, the incident grew into a full-blown haz mat call and the health of several first responders might have been compromised if they hadn’t already had safety goggles and gloves on.
Research done after that “close call” found that recently a new way to commit suicide has been discovered by mixing two chemicals that can be bought over the counter at local stores. They are Bonide - a sulfur spray used as an insecticide for fruit trees and hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. Once mixed, the chemicals produce heat and a flammable, noxious gas that causes the subject to pass out and the heart stop within minutes. The process appears to be quick and painless.
Two other similar events in California and Georgia indicate that this knowledge is spreading through the underground and could well be practiced in any community in North America. Both instances involved young men in their 20’s and locked inside their car with the chemicals. Both had left a note on the dashboard warning of the lethal gas to be found inside.
In August the Pasadena Independent reported:
A newer model, white VW Beetle was sealed off from public Monday as it was believed to contain hazardous chemicals as well as a body of a young man in his 20’s.
Pasadena police and fire officials staged at Halstead (just behind the Best Buy shopping Center) 2:40 p.m. HazMat teams from Glendale were quickly called in.
The windows to the car were rolled up and apparently locked. The temperature was about 100 degrees when officials arrived. There was allegedly a sign on the vehicle warning people of the potential danger.
Engine 37 from Pasadena established a staging area down wind for incoming units and contacted PPD to gather more information. Battalion 3 arrived on scene and established Halstead command. Upon further investigation and information gathered from PPD, it was determined that the LACO specialized haz-mat unit would be needed.
You can read the entire article HERE.
And more recently, in December the Cartersville, Georgia, Daily Tribune reported:
Bartow County HAZMAT workers, in addition to other city and county emergency crews, were called Tuesday to a day use area on Lake Allatoona where a man had apparently committed suicide using hazardous chemicals.
Around 12 p.m. Bartow County fire fighters, deputies and emergency medical workers responded to a call that a man was found by a park ranger sitting in a car and did not appear to be breathing. In that car were two buckets containing a yellow substance and a note on the window that said, ‘Caution,’ and it had the chemical name on it,” BCFD Bt. Chief David Levey said, adding that the substance was a mixture of chemicals including sulfuric acid.
Read the full account of the incident HERE.
Our EPO friend has compiled a simple check-list to remind you of some good practices whenever you run a call that looks like it could be one of these:
Do not become complacent! Your response should be similar on every call.
Don’t go rushing in.
Survey the scene.
Does the scene look routine?
Do you see anything unusual? (Example: A note on the window, containers inside the vehicle and taped windows or vents).
Wear the appropriate PPE.
Establish a Hot Zone and call for additional resources (haz mat, PD, etc.)
Did PD arrive prior to FD and become contaminated requiring emergency decon and first aid?
What action will you take? Will you hurry to make patient access? Will you use a lockout tool, center punch, or halligan to make entry?
You make access, a rush of warm air comes out of the vehicle and you smell a sharp odor. You have just become a victim and have been exposed to a noxious, possibly fatal gas.
Use this information to structure a drill for the entire shift. It’s only a matter of time until somebody uses this trick to make a booby trap for first-responders.
Good Check List
Incident Review Checklist and After Action Review from Wildfire Today by Bill Gabbert
The After Action Review (AAR) process, after having been successfully institutionalized by the military, was adopted by many wildland fire agencies 8-10 years ago. It is a learning tool that can evaluate a process or an incident with the goal of improving performance by sustaining strengths and correcting weaknesses. The process is simple. Participants that were involved in the incident are encouraged to provide input on:
what was planned, what actually happened, why it happened, and what can be done next time.
The Lessons Learned Center posts copies of the AARs they have received, making it possible for us to learn from the experiences of others. This is an incredibly valuable service the LLC provides.But there are other ways to conduct an after action review. Thanks to Butch Weedon's "The Latest", we have another process called an "Incident Review Checklist". It is very detailed and attempts to ensure that few issues are forgotten. It emphases WHAT happened, but the list does not cover WHY or what should be done NEXT TIME. Maybe it is assumed that the WHY and the NEXT TIME will be discussed if problems are identified. All of the items on the list below do not apply to every department or agency, but at a minimium, it is food for thought.
Here is the:Incident Review Checklist
- Did we acknowledge the page only once?
- Did we use the dispatch channel for only essential communications?
- Did we drive appropriately and wear a seat belt when in route to the station?
- Did everyone take/ wear appropriate PPE to the scene, given the nature of the incident?
- Did we respond with the proper apparatus?
- Did we take the most direct route to the scene?
- Did we have enough members respond?
- Did everyone respond to where they should respond to (station / scene)?
- Did anyone have to ask for directions?
- Did everyone wear a seatbelt?
- Did we stop at all stop indicators, and yield at yield signs (at least until other traffic yielded to us)?
- Did we stage and attempt to get an assignment / or assume command?
- Did we do the 5 step communications process consistently?
- Did we do what the IC said do?
- Did we get on a tactical channel as assigned?
- Did we wear appropriate PPE?
- Did we maintain crew integrity?
- Did we position our apparatus to operate at best advantage?
- Did we apply the high idle?
- Did we have water ready immediately when called for?
- Did we get anyone hurt?
- Did we do any unnecessary damage?
- Did we operate inside the hazard zone only with a crew w/ PPE and an assignment?
- Did we execute the basics flawlessly?
- Did our command have a plan for EMS / Water Supply?
- Did we release apparatus when it was not needed?
- Did we top off fuel and water in our apparatus?
- Did we clean and refuel our tools?
- Did we refill our air bottles and clean our face pieces?
- Did we leave our apparatus ready to respond to the next alarm?
- Did we make a log entry and file a report?
- Were we nice to our customers and/or host?
- Did we do more than was expected of us?
- Did we turn off the lights, turn the station heat down and lock the station?
Monday, March 2, 2009
N.C. Firefighter Dies at the scene of a house fire
William Gray Parsons, 58, was an engineer with Millers Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
FireNews.net - - - News and Information for North Carolina's Fire ...
The Histories of North Carolina's Fallen Firefighters .... Assistant Chief John Goforth collapsed and died of a heart attack on October 29, 1956. ...
North Carolina Firefighter Collapses, Dies - Firehouse.com In The ...
Fire Department Communications
This was posted on Firefighter Hourly earlier today and really makes good press for a reminder. I hear it all to often in the scanner this taking place, Yes it may be volunteers doing It but full timers do it too as they get complacent. Getting complacent is no excuse for relaying information to other responding units and dispatch as to what is exactly going on at the scene. Comes down to doing it every time, from a dumpster fire to a fully involved warehouse, they are the same thing.
Communications Define Fire Departments from Firefighter Hourly by Jay Lowry
Two engines respond to the report of a house fire in a two story single family dwelling. The first due arrives and pulls an 1.75 line. There is NO transmission of any information other than the arrival.
The second due engine is still a minute away but on arrival they pull an 1.75 line into the rear of the structure. Two companies have committed to perform the same task and the first time the other will know is when they see each other. This is a failure of communication.
Some mistake talking a lot on the radio for communication. This is just as bad as not communicating. Essential information must be relayed in a timely manner. Here are some helpful tips on radio transmissions.
Don't wait for a fire to become familiar with the radio. Know it's strengths and weaknesses.
Speak calmly.
Yelling is what civilians do.
Transmit necessary information.
LISTEN to replies.
Don't step on others.
Communications personnel exist to support operations. In fact, everyone supports operations. Period.
Transmit a proper size up. Everytime.
The radio isn't a CB nor are you deer hunting or playing Star Trek. Radio traffic WILL end up in court.
Communicate often but provide needed information.
Man charged with biting off tip of paramedic's finger
Upon arrival, the paramedic immediately saw a woman being beaten by her boyfriend, Fire Media Affairs spokesman Joe Roccasalva said. Since the paramedic was the first to respond to the scene, he attempted to intervene and the man bit off about one-fourth of the tip of his right thumb, he said.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
News results for Man charged with biting off tip of paramedic's finger.
Man charged for allegedly biting off paramedic's finger
Uncle Jay Explains the news March 2, 2009
Forklift accident
Now you can understand why they block off the whole isle where they’re using a forklift at Home Depot.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
A Few Cans Short Of A Six Pack
2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and, after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef’s claim was approved.
3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.
4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn’t discovered for 3 days.
5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer… $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]
7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he’d just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.
8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, “Yes, officer, that’s her. That’s the lady I stole the purse from.”
9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan , at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn’t open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren’t available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]
10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home’s sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he’d ever had.
New of note from Statler 911 Blog
In a somewhat related story an Ohio chief cites a wellness program funded by federal money for discovering a heart problem and possibly saving his own life. Read the article.
Update on Fort Wayne's policy of not sending volunteer station closest to the emergency: A month after we first brought you this story a Fort Wayne TV station questions Chief Pete Kelly about a triple-fatal apartment fire. The chief believes closest isn't always better. Read and watch the story.
Video and new details on New York's Chinatown fire: We now have a run down of companies and a timeline to go with the videos of the fire yesterday morning that left one person dead and injured many others, including eight firefighters. Click here.
Also in FDNY news, two firefighters were seriously injured in a fire in Queens last night. Click here for details.
FF/PM Meacham comes to Washington and so does Chief Dave Case: The fire service was well represented at President Obama's speech before Congress last night. A career FF/PM from Lynchburg, VA and the volunteer fire chief from Clarence Center, NY were on hand. FF/PM Meacham talked to reporters about her visit to The White House and the trip by motorcade to hear the speech. Click here for more.
Clearly not that Beverly Hills: In Beverly Hills, Texas there is a 911 problem. Because the city doesn't have the technology, two other towns receive its 911 calls. One gets the landline calls, the other the cell phone calls. That didn't work too well when a man tried to report that his neighbor's house was burning early Monday. Watch the story.
It is better than watching a soap opera: The lawyer for Darren Bates says the video police made during the prostitution sting will show his client did nothing wrong. The prosecutor says just the opposite. Read the former Omaha union president's lawyer's notes from that video.
More important stuff from Omaha as a captain tells about his tumble through the floor: A mayday yesterday in Omaha and Captain Joe Salcedo is already talking about it. The captain came through the floor into the basement of a burning apartment. Read and watch the story. More from Firefighter Close Calls.
Chief's buggy stolen and crashed: A teenager got into the SUV at a fire call at Hofstra University. Six people were hurt in the collision. Read more.
And in Winnipeg it was a paramedic vehicle that was stolen and rammed into a police car during a chase. Read that story.
Up on the roof with Bill: Firegeezer Bill Schumm has been focusing on roof operations and two recent pictures. Here is the latest.
More on Anchorage rolling closures: We mentioned the other day that budget cuts are forcing Anchorage, Alaska to close fire companies on a rotating basis. Here's an update.