Friday, August 1, 2014  It should be noted we have heard from MANY who have concerns with the SMOKE DIVERS macho training attitude and the issues that go along with its class and instructors.  This class was also not sanctioned by TEEX.


THIS PROGRAM IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HAZING NOT TRAINING!






Penelope M. Smith, the widow of Capt. Neal Wade Smith, today (Thu. 7/31/14) filed a wrongful death and gross negligence lawsuit in Beaumont (Jefferson County) state court against several firefighters training groups and individuals who ran a 2012 training exercise that killed her husband. It was a grueling and deadly hazing that caused Capt. Smith’s death and led to medical evacuations for three other participants.


(Attached is the lawsuit with more detail and a picture of the late Capt. Neal Wade Smith, a volunteer with the Atascocita Volunteer Fire Dep... [ more ]

Friday, August 1, 2014  While officials still aren’t releasing much information about the June 22 fire at the Summer Brook Apartments that killed a teenage girl, area firefighters say rescuing people from apartment complexes can be a challenge.

Kristen Milano, 19, died from smoke inhalation in the blaze, according to the state medical examiner. Eric Morelli, 18, was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter in the case.


Friends of Milano have said the fire started after a man threw a lit firecracker up to a second-story window as a prank. While the warrant in the criminal case remains sealed, a police inventory list shows a number of fireworks were seized as part of the investigation.

Police and fire officials have refused to release details of the fire, including how long it took fire crews to reach the apartment after the emergency call ... [ more ]

Friday, August 1, 2014  A firefighter was injured Friday afternoon while battling a house fire in St. Louis.

The firefighter fell part of the way through a floor while inside a burning brick home in the 4200 block of Evans Avenue, said St. Louis Fire Capt. Garon Mosby.

The fire was reported about 2 p.m.
A family escaped the burning home safely, Mosby said. Neighbors told firefighters the family of about 10 people had been evicted earlier this week but appeared to have been squatting in the home. Mosby said utilities to the home had been shut off.

Mosby said the fire started on the first floor and caused extensive damage. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

The firefighter was hurt when he fell part of the way through a floor, Mosby said. Fellow firefighters caught him and prevented him from falling to the basement. The injured firefighter was hospitalized for treatment and is expected to be OK.


http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/met... [ more ]

Friday, August 1, 2014  News from down in Texas is that the Fire Chief, Rhoda Mae Kerr, is getting tough on DUI's involving her personnel. 



Austin Firefighters Association President Bob Nicks states that Chief Kerr's "tactic" is "very heavy-handed." But Chief Kerr's actions target what has been described as a significant AFD problem, and this also follows an apparent crackdown by Aus­tin Police Chief Art Acevedo on his personnel as well. 




In early April, APD Chief Acevedo distributed a dramatic video to departmental personnel (LINK TO VIDEO BELOW) announcing a new, zero-tolerance policy against drunk-driving police officers. First-time offenders won't just receive temporary suspensions anymore, the Chief asserted. Each suspected offender stands to be fired, whether or not they're found guilty in a court of law.

"If our investigation shows through an abundance of evidence that someone at our department, whether they're sworn or un... [ more ]

Wednesday, July 30, 2014  The widow of a veteran Dallas firefighter killed in a six-alarm fire more than a year ago has retained a lawyer to help get answers from the city about how he died.
Stanley Wilson's body was removed by fellow firefighters May 20, 2013, from a collapsed building in the Hearthwood Condominiums in the 12300 block of Abrams Road near LBJ Freeway.
His wife, Jenny Wilson, has been waiting more than 14 months for the line-of-duty death report to be released.
"I think patience has turned into frustration, and she just wants answers about what happened to her husband," said her lawyer, Barry Hasten.
Hasten wrote a letter to Dallas Fire Rescue Chief Louie Bright asking that the report be released and questioning the delay.
"Most all the witnesses, if not all the witnesses, they'd need to interview are under their control. They're employees of the Dallas Fire Department. So I can see no reason why it's taken this long," Hasten said.
Reports at the time of the fire... [ more ]

Wednesday, July 30, 2014  We regret to pass on that a 21-year-old Firefighter has died at the Launch fire near Fourmile Lake in Klamath County, Oregon. Firefighter Matthew David Goodnature’s mom has old media that her son loved his job working as a Firefighter with Pacific Aasis Wildland Firefighting, based in Ashland.
Around 1830-1900 hours last night FF Goodnature stepped on a rock, slipped, and fell on a downed tree. The lower part of his back hit and it appears he broke his back and died.  
Detectives are working on ruling out foul play, but there's no evidence to suggest it was anything other than an accident.
This was his second season as a Wildland Firefighter. Our condolences to all affected. RIP.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014  The video says it all.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014  Firefighters are on the scene of a raging four-alarm fire that tore through several homes in the Wakefield section of the Bronx Wednesday.

The fire, which started just before 2 p.m. in a home on Hill Avenue, has involved three two-story homes. There are ladders stretching up to the second floor windows, meaning that rescue attempts are likely involved.

There are 13 reported injuries, including two civilians and 11 firefighters. A firefighter was the most seriously injured with first-degree burns on his neck. He was transported to Weill Cornell Medical Center.


The fire completely consumed and gutted the row homes, which consisted of six or seven individual apartments. Those residents are displaced and are looking for a new place to live. Seventeen adults and four children were seeking shelter from the Red Cross for at least for one night.

http://7online.com/news/firefighter-seriously-hurt-as-bronx-fire-tears-through-3-homes/228335/<... [ more ]

Wednesday, July 30, 2014   A Firefighter from New York is calling on his brothers and sisters in the fire service to lend a hand, in his battle with a serious illness.
"I love the fire service," said David Blank of Lake View, who has been a member of North Boston Fire Department for the past 30 years including time as Chief of Department.
Earlier this year, Blank, 53, began experiencing unexplained and excruciating bone pain.
"I kind of blew it off at first as old age and overdoing it sometimes,"
Last month after a bone marrow biopsy, doctors confirmed a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Blank has been hospitalized at Roswell Park Cancer Center since July 3rd, undergoing chemotherapy.
Several of his Brother and Sister Firefighters are collecting t-shirts-so he can wear a different one each day as he fights his cancer-
CAN YOU HELP?
Please send an XL tee-shirt from your FD or FIRE/EMS org for Ex-Chief Blank to:
Firefighter Dave Blank T-Shirt
5564 Main St, ... [ more ]

Wednesday, July 30, 2014  THIS IS GREAT NEWS! The  USFA’s National Fire Academy (NFA) announces a new training program aimed at improving the professional skills of America’s fire and emergency medical services first responders. Called the Managing Officer (MO) program, the curriculum emphasizes leadership, safety, community risk reduction, training, and technology for those men and women who may be embarking on supervisory roles in their organization.
The MO program differs from other NFA programs by providing new officers a defined nationally-recognized curriculum. Students will be able to complete the program in as little as two years, and will receive a NFA capstone certificate when they finish.

NFA Superintendent Dr. Denis Onieal explained, “The MO program will fulfill the four universal elements of professional development: higher education, training and certification, continuing education and experience. This includes a combination of self-study, state and local t... [ more ]

Wednesday, July 30, 2014  A young Napanee area volunteer firefighter continues to fight for her life in a Kingston hospital, after suffering a bleed in her brain.

Jessica Boomhower, a 20-year-old volunteer firefighter with the Dorland Station south of Napanee, was on training at the Napanee Fire Station on June 25 when she began to complain that she was not feeling well.

"Jessica was at the station when a call came in, and she was getting ready to respond," said Greater Napanee Fire Services chief, Terry Gervais. "She felt ill as she was getting onto the truck, and a couple of firefighters helped her get into a chair and called EMS."

Boomhower was rushed to the hospital in Napanee, where she was unconscious on arrival.

"They transported her right to Kingston General Hospital, where she received emergency surgery on her brain for a brain injury," said Gervais.

Boomhower remains in KGH and is making some slow steps towards recovery. The Napa... [ more ]

Tuesday, July 29, 2014  A week after the fire in the 22-storey Lotus Business Park killed a fireman and injured four others the Chief Fire Officer has been replaced.

The BMC on Monday divested acting CFO A N Verma of his charge. Deputy CFO Sunil Nesrikar has been given charge as CFO.

However, additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh sought to delink the two things and said the decision had been pending.

Verma said he had learnt from TV channels that he had been shunted out for his lethargic reaction to the Lotus Park fire. “I have not been given any reason. How can they remove me when I am the senior most,’’ he said.

Verma arrived at Lotus Park four hours after the fire even though a brigade call had been given to summon help from fire stations across the city. There was a lot of anger against him as he was not present at the site when fireman Nitin Yevlekar’s body was brought down from the building.

At the time of the ... [ more ]