Sunday, May 19, 2013  PHOENIX FIREFIGHTER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY-Apparatus Incident (Video Below)

The Secret List www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

We regret to pass on to you that the Phoenix FD lost a Firefighter in the Line of Duty early this morning. Firefighter Bradley Harper, age 23, was caught between 2 fire department vehicles near the scene of an outside fire (large mulch fire) late yesterday. Other firefighters rescued him, treated him at the scene and transported him to the hospital where he tragically died about 0100 this morning. He reportedly had 2 years on the job and is married and is survived by his wife and parents.

HERE is some news and related video from the scene: http://www.azfamily.com/news/Firefighter--208038261.html

Our sincere condolences to the PFD and all affected. More details t... [ more ]

Sunday, May 19, 2013  We regret to pass on to you that the Phoenix FD lost a Firefighter in the Line of Duty early this morning. Firefighter Bradley Harper, age 23, was caught between 2 fire department vehicles near the scene of an outside fire (large mulch fire) late yesterday. Other firefighters rescued him, treated him at the scene and transported him to the hospital where he tragically died about 0100 this morning. 

Our sincere condolences to the PFD and all affected. More details to follow.

Saturday, May 18, 2013  paramedic from Hurley was seriously injured Saturday morning when the ambulance he was driving collided head-on with a pickup on state Route 32 near the Ulster-Rosendale town line, according to the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office.

A passenger in the ambulance and the two people in the pickup also were hurt, deputies said. They said there were no patients in the ambulance at the time and that the vehicle was not an emergency call.

The accident, at 6:55 a.m. on Route 32 near Platt Lane, involved a Mobile Life Support Services ambulance driven by paramedic William Spadafora, 43, of 191 Russell Road, Hurley, and a 2002 Dodge pickup driven by Marco Ochoa, 18, of 16 Oak St., Kingston, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The crash caused extensive front-end damage to both vehicles.

Spadafora was flown by helicopter to Albany Medical Center with multiple serious injuries, deputies said, and a passenger in the ambulance, Gigi Williams, also of 191 Russell ... [ more ]

Saturday, May 18, 2013  Thanks to the Atlanta FD for sharing this close call with FirefighterCloseCalls.com


Atlanta Fire Rescue: May 11, 2013 one of our aerial ladders struck a 114,000 volt power line while performing the daily apparatus check. This energized the apparatus and tripped an adjacent substation. The electrical current found a path to ground through the left rear outrigger. The fire station's electrical system was also affected by the current. The apparatus operator jumped from the apparatus (which you should not do). There were no juries and the apparatus is out of service pending an aerial service test and inspection.

1) Maintain a minimum of 10 feet from power lines up to 50,000 volts. For every 10,000 volts over that add 4 inches to the distance.

2)Do not jump from a vehicle that has contacted power lines, stay put.

3) treat all overhead lines as charged electrical power lines.

4) This was a veteran apparatus operator who is hig... [ more ]

Saturday, May 18, 2013  A Des Moines firefighter was hurt Thursday night fighting a fire in a duplex.


The fire happened at 1039 9th Street just about 7:29 p.m.


Des Moines Fire Department spokesman Capt. Steve Brown said the firefighter was treated and released from a hospital. He stepped into a hole in the floor, created by the fire and then fell through up to his waist.


He had a minor back injury, officials said.


Brown said the structural integrity of the building was OK, but with low visibility the firefighter couldn't see where the floor was burned away.


A resident of the house was also taken to the hospital for observation for smoke inhalation.


Damage to the home is estimated at more than $60,000.  The cause remains under investigation


Read more: more ]

Saturday, May 18, 2013  Columbus firefighters who were caught in the crossfire of a deadly shootout earlier this week are talking about the scene that unfolded before their eyes.  

The gun battle, which left a woman and a man wanted for questioning in connection with a homicide dead, occurred just outside of Fire Station 19 in Clintonville Wednesday morning.

Firefighters said they were sound asleep on the second story of the firehouse when they were awakened by the sound of gunshots.  

They said bullets were flying just outside of their doors. Several of the firefighters' personal vehicles were damaged by bullets.

One truck owned by a firefighter was struck with 19 bullets. Officials said the bullets could have otherwise hit nearby homes.

On Friday, firefighters told 10TV that the scene that unfolded was surreal.

"It's just hard to process, everything you're seeing, feeling, hearing. Fifteen seconds earlier, you were in a deep sleep, and you wak... [ more ]

Friday, May 17, 2013  Two firefighters were injured battling a 4-alarm blaze in Passaic.

One firefighter sustained burns to his upper body and another suffered hand and leg injuries as the rooming house on Lafayette Avenue burned Thursday.

It took about 3 1/2 hours to bring the blaze under control. Live electrical wires hampered efforts.

Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost tells The Record 34 people were evacuated from the three-story building and from adjacent buildings.

Trentacost says the fire began on the first floor and appears to be electrical in origin.

http://www.nj.com/passaic-county/index.ssf/2013/05/2_firefighters_hurt_in_passaic_blaze.html

Friday, May 17, 2013  20 firefighters have walked off the job leaving their gear behind following Tuesday night's brawl inside McIntosh Town Hall.

An ongoing dispute between Mayor Wilbert Dixon and Fire Chief Robert Davidson quickly escalated during the town's monthly council meeting. A fight broke out between the two, sending Davidson to the hospital.

"He's doing okay, but he's not doing okay emotionally. He's very down this is part of his family, this is a part of his life," said his daughter, Samantha.

After serving 13 years as fire chief, Davidson was let go following the fight. The mayor signed a warrant for his arrest this morning Davidson turned himself in to authorities. He bonded out just after 1 p.m. Thursday. His family insists he's the victim, not the suspect.

"I mean 13 years as a chief, not as a member but a chief, that's just what I don't understand. How can you get rid of somebody with that much dedication and that much service," s... [ more ]

Thursday, May 16, 2013  An SUV driven by a volunteer firefighter flipped over while he was on his way to an emergency call around 9 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Edward J. Collar IV, 19, was driving south on Farmington Avenue near Diamond Avenue, with the blue lights on top of his car illuminated, when another car pulled out in front of him, police said.

But a witness to the accident said that Collar had to stop quickly because a school bus was turning left onto Diamond Avenue.

“He flipped over less than 25 yards in front of me,” the witness told The Mercury.

The damp roadway conditions made breaking difficult and the SUV rolled over onto its top.

Upper Pottsgrove Police said he was not ejected from the car and he was able to climb out.


Farmington Avenue was closed for 45 minutes while police investigated the cras... [ more ]

Thursday, May 16, 2013  A fire truck passing through the state on its way to Canada was destroyed by fire Tuesday afternoon on southeastern South Dakota, according to Highway Patrol.The truck was northbound on Interstate 29 near mile marker 66, about a mile north of the Worthing exit, when the driver smelled smoke and pulled over, Capt. Kevin Joffer said. The driver saw flames underneath, Joffer said.
 
The truck was coming from Florida to Canada, Joffer said.
 
The fire was called in at 3:05 p.m., and Worthing and Lennox fire departments responded. I-29 northbound was down a lane as crews extinguished the fire.

Thursday, May 16, 2013  Nearly three months after being severely burned in a fire that killed two in Lancaster city, firefighter Lt. Andre Kelley walked out of a rehab hospital Wednesday morning to a hero's welcome.

A procession of fire trucks carrying fellow firefighters from as far away as Blue Rock Fire Rescue in Manor Township led the triumphant procession from Lancaster Rehabilitation Hospital in East Hempfield Township, through blocked-off city streets and to Kelley's cozy row home, newly spruced up by his comrades.

City hall workers cheered wildly on the building's front steps and county sheriffs stood at attention and saluted in front of Lancaster County Courthouse on South Duke Street as the procession went by.

Exiting a 30-foot-long black stretch limousine, Kelley, his wife and two children spent ... [ more ]

Thursday, May 16, 2013  A final look at the firehouse where he served for 29 years was bittersweet Monday night for Randy West, chief of Cerro Gordo's volunteer Fire Protection District.

West was present, along with many supporters, at a special meeting of the district's trustees to formally turn over his keys, radio and other materials after being dismissed by the five-person board in a decision announced Thursday. About a dozen of the department's other volunteers joined him in handing in their own resignations as a protest.

"I was relieved because I did not fulfill the trustees' wishes of firing the deputy chief, who happens to be my son, Blake," said West after the meeting. "At the meeting Thursday, they told me they wanted me to remain on as fire chief but they wanted me to remove Blake from the roster due to complaints about too much training. He was under direct order from me to push hard for that training, which is required by the state. They gave me an ultimatum... [ more ]

Wednesday, May 15, 2013  A man on a bicycle was seriously injured when he was struck early Wednesday morning by a city fire truck, said Sgt. Leo T. Shirkey of the Ohio Highway Patrol.

The fire truck was not heading to an emergency.

It was heading to Station 4 at Cleveland Avenue and 25th Street NW, returning from a crash on Fulton Road and Interstate 77, Shirkey said.

The crash occurred at 2:56 a.m. at that intersection.

Canton fire truck No. 9 was heading east on Fulton and, with the light green, turned north onto 25th Street, Shirkey said.

A man riding a bike west on Fulton failed to stop for a red light and was struck by the truck, he said.

Investigators said he not have identification on him but they were later able to locate and notify members of his family.

The bicyclist was later identified as Shawn Dockery, 51, of the 6200 block of Groton Street NW in Jackson Township.

He underwent surgery an... [ more ]

Wednesday, May 15, 2013 

How to cope with firefighter non-LODDs



Just because the firefighters did not die in the line of duty does not mean their fellow firefighters can cope with the loss without help

By Ronald J. Siarnicki



Recently my community of Kent Island, Md. suffered a tragic loss of four young men. These close friends, ages 18 and 19, went for a ride mid-day and were involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident.

There are no real answers as to how or why this occurred, but now my community is faced with addressing the aftermath.

In addition, the impact of this tragedy has affected my local fire service as one of these young men was a ... [ more ]