from www.firefighterclosecalls.com news
REQUIRED DECAL COULD WARN FIREFIGHTERS OF STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION DANGERS
A seemingly small addition to certain city buildings may make firefighting a lot safer for the city's volunteer fire department. A public hearing will be held next month on a proposed ordinance that would require a reflective sticker be affixed to buildings built with prefabricated engineered lum... [ more ]
NIOSH's WARNING STICKER
Homes come with own water supply: Marine operations in evidence from Thursday at Liberty Dock, Waldo Ponit Harbor in Sausalito, California. Fire involves two houseboats. Read more about Thursday's fire.
He said after finishing the call, the firefighters responded to a call at their own station house.
Seelig said like everyone else, firefighters need to be careful and attentive when cooking.
According to Seelig, the fire caused smoke and heat damage, primarily to kitchen areas that had been scheduled for renovation. He said the damage has been repaired.
From Associated Press
Monday June 22, June 19, 2009
The Adairville Fire Department in Kentucky lost a fire truck last Sunday morning June 14, 2009. The department responded to a barn fire along with the Adairville Rural Fire Department on Thacker Road in the Schochoh community.
The truck, which was driven by Brent Holman, had left the scene to refill its tank with water and was returning when it met another vehicle, according to fire chief Jim Trimble.
“We were just shuttling water and met another vehicle and he got over a little too much and dropped off the shoulder,” Trimble said. “Of course there wasn’t really much of a shoulder there anyway and then the water shifted in the tank and the truck rolled over.”
Trimble reported that the fire truck turned completely over and can to rest upright.
Holman was wearing his seat belt and was not seriously injured. He was taken to Logan Memorial hospital by the Logan County EMS, which was already on the scene of the fire.
“I talked to him after he got home and he said his left shoulder was a little sore and that was about it,” Trimble said.
Even with the truck out of commission, the Adairville fire departments still managed to get the barn fire put out.
“All in all, it wasn’t so bad except for losing the truck,” Trimble said.
After the truck wrecked, the Adairville Fire Department was helped by the Auburn Fire Department, which helped clean up the mess and loaned Adairville a truck to use until other arrangements could be made.
“That was very, very gracious,” Trimble said. “I personally thank the mayor and Jeff Gregory and Steve Montgomery. They were a big help.”
Adairville mayor Jim Wilkerson said the company the city purchased the fire truck from would be coming out soon to assess the damage to the truck.
“Is it totaled? I don’t know,” Wilkerson said. “It threw the water tank out and busted it up really good. I’m not sure if it will be able to be fixed or not.”
Wilkerson said that the company will loan the city a truck to use until arrangements can be made to either fix the broken one, or get a new one.
“We maybe have to buy a new one, but it will be covered by our insurance,” Wilkerson said. “We should be responsible only for the deductible.”
KY
Monday, June 22, 2009 From Firefighter Close Calls
What a father's day for one Central Kentucky family after a fiery crash almost claimed the lives of two brothers.
Sunday, Eli and John Carter of Bourbon County got the chance to go back to work and spend time with the man who inspired them to become first responders, their father Danny Carter.
"It's going to be a great father's day; it really is," said Danny Carter.
Eli and John were responding to a call early Saturday morning just inside Nicholas County when their fire engine veered off the road, slamming into a rock wall and flipping onto its top.
"When those big trucks start sliding, there's nothing you can do, but just hang on and hope for the best," said Eli Carter, who was driving the truck.
The truck burst into flames once on its top, trapping the brother's inside.
"The doors were jammed, so we had to bust out the windows and crawl out as the flames were shooting into the cab," Eli said.
"I just started walking up the hill and my back started burning and I just fell to the ground," John Carter said.
John had to be air-lifted to UK hospital with what doctors thought might be a broken back. He ended up suffering just torn ligaments and muscles, and was walking early Sunday morning.
"I'm not sure if it was luck or faith, I just thank God I made it," he went on to say.
Their dad, Danny, who is also a volunteer firefighter, says he's feeling pretty lucky too.
"It could have been much worse, I'm thankful it wasn't," he said.
He went on to say it's a father's day he will not forget for many years.
"Yes, it's going to be a great father's day, they are walking and doing well, I couldn't ask for anything more."
State fire investigators will be in Millersburg this week trying to determine what caused the accident.
In the meantime, the volunteer Millersburg Fire Department is using its back-up truck to make emergency runs.
PGFD volunteer chief tells community he "can't guarantee service": You can't blame this on Ripp's retirement. This is a complaint from Forestville VFD Chief Bobby Wilhite that the county only gave him 16-hours notice before pulling the career firefighters out of Station 823 for day work today. You can read Chief Wilhite's thoughts in our comments section below the story we wrote Wednesday about the rotating removal of career personnel. Click here and scroll down.
Timeout documented: The report is out into how the two-day April stand down in Minneola, Florida was handled. It was ordered by the city manager after a lieutenant and a medic had some run ins during a couple of EMS calls. Read the report.
Answering the critics: Spring Hill, TN Chief Jim Swindle explains a little bit more about his residential sprinkler position after being criticized for telling local politicians he didn't want them because it would conflict with the state code. Click here.
Schaitberger says cities and towns are playing Russian roulette: An article in US Today by Kevin Johnson looks at the impact of firefighter cuts across the country through the eyes of IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. Read details.
Charleston coverage: Some links to find articles on yesterday's second anniversary of the Sofa Super Store fire in Charleston, SC that took the lives of nine firefighters. Click here, here, here and here.
New Florida chief from DC: Kenneth Ellerbe, who was acting chief in DC for a few moments years back when no one would take it after the resignation of Tom Tippett, has been named chief of the Sarasota County Fire Department. Ellerbe begins the job on July 20. You can read a bit more here and here.
Fire captain convicted of rape: In Calvert County, MD DC Fire & EMS Department Captain Tony Sneed has been convicted of raping a 23-year-old woman who was his stepdaughter's friend. Click here for the story.
Woman calls 911 755 times in two-and-a-half-years: But she doesn't just rely on something as impersonal as the telephone. Linda Dunnivan also flags down police officers. Click here for the story from Albemarle County, VA.
He's almost as bad a photographer as he is a reporter: You can see my lens work in the little video I created from the 2009 Maryland State Firemen's Association Convention in Ocean City. Click here.
An Iowa teenager with extraordinarily quick thumbs has beaten 250,000 competitors to win the top prize in a texting competition in New York.
Kate Moore, 15, of Des Moines won the $50,000 grand prize at the L.G. National Texting Championship, which had its final rounds Monday and Tuesday.
The competition tested speed, accuracy, texting know-how and acronyms.
In one round, contestants had to navigate an obstacle course while texting.
Kate went thumb-to-thumb with Dynda Morgan, 14, of Savannah, Ga., in a final three-round showdown that measured speed in texting lengthy messages without errors.
The third, and tie-breaking, round had both teens rushing to text, "Zippity Dooo Dahh Zippity Ayy…MY oh MY, what a wonderful day! Plenty of sunshine Comin' my way…Zippity Do Dah Zippity Aay! WondeRful Feeling Wonderful day!"
In a text interview, CNN asked Kate, "Do ur thumbs hurt?"
