Saturday, March 7, 2015  Firefighter Jeff Buck, who was critically injured while fighting that fire in Clearfield, PA continues to fight for his life.
His sister is saying he may have suffered severe brain damage. 18 year old Buck suffered the worst of the injuries from Tuesday mornings house fire. While operating, the roof collapsed trapping he and two of his fellow Lawrence Township Volunteer Firefighters inside. The other two Firefighters were released the same day. But Jeff Buck the 18 year old Firefighter who is still in High School engaged with a child on the way, had to be transported by ambulance to UPMC Altoona where he is still in critical condition. His sister updated friends and family on his condition saying that Buck is off sedation and major medications but is still receiving anti-seizure medications and while he is breathing on his own he may have severe brain damage. Signs that there is still a massive amount of hope he will pull through.

Friday, March 6, 2015   A few months ago, a young Fire Protection Engineering lad reached out for some help-as he is doing University level studies related to fire hose lines....specifically hose lines that have burned through at fires. Fires that you have been on-or are familiar with. We told him we are more than glad to help.

The young man, Patrick G, from Worcester Polytechnic Institute put together a survey to ask you - fire fighters, a few specific questions to determine if you have come in contact with a burn-through or know about one.

Please help him out----his work will help us all:

PLEASE TAKE THE SURVEY:
more ]

Friday, March 6, 2015  A Munson Township fire truck was involved in an accident on its way to a house fire, said Lt. John Hiscox with the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office.

It happened on Wilson Mills Road in Munson Township Thursday afternoon.

Two vehicles were going eastbound, when the first car spotted the fire truck and slowed to pull over. The second car did not slow down, according to the sheriff’s office. It hit the back of the minivan and veered left of center, striking the fire truck head on.

The fire truck driver and the driver of another vehicle were taken to Hillcrest Hospital in critical condition. A release from the Munson Fire Department Thursday night said the firefighter has minor injuries. The two other firefighters were taken to University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center; they have been released.

Friday, March 6, 2015  Three firefighters, a Con Edison worker and a National Grid worker were all injured Thursday night in two separate manhole explosions in Brooklyn.
Three FDNY firefighters were rushed to area hospitals after a manhole explosion and fire were reported at 9:54 p.m. at Broadway and Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn, officials told CBS2.
At least one firefighter was escorted by police to Kings County Hospital Center, officials said. The other two were also taken to unspecified hospitals.
The firefighters’ conditions were not immediately learned, but all were expected to survive.
The FDNY, National Grid and Con Edison remained on the scene late Thursday night.
In an earlier incident at 8:44 p.m., a Con Ed worker and a National Grid worker were injured while attending to a manhole fire at Nevins and Pacific streets in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn.
Their conditions were not immediately available.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/05/firefighter-injured-in-bushwick-brooklyn-... [ more ]

Friday, March 6, 2015   A firefighter was seriously injured when a manhole explosion launched the cover into his head in Brooklyn on Thursday night.Firefighters from Engine 222 were working on a manhole fire on Broadway at Lexington Ave. in Bushwick around 2200

when the cover blew and struck the Firefighter in the head.

The man was rushed to Kings County Hospital with a police escort, according to the sources. He had a massive head wound but was expected to survive.

Thursday, March 5, 2015  A Munson Township (Geauga County, Ohio, east of Cleveland) ladder truck was involved in a serious crash on its way to a house fire this afternoon.Two vehicles were going eastbound, when the first car spotted the fire apparatus and slowed to pull over. The second car did not slow down. It hit the back of the minivan and veered left of center, striking the fire truck head on.

The fire apparatus driver and the driver of another vehicle were taken to Hillcrest Hospital in critical condition. Two other firefighters were taken to University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center. More to follow. KTIYP's.

Take Care. Be Careful. Pass It On.

BillyG

The Secret List 3-5-2015-1530

www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

Thursday, March 5, 2015  THREE MONTHS after Joyce Craig became Philly's first female firefighter to die on duty, three investigations into her death remain unresolved.That's because a series of errors occurred that morning, complicating investigators' probes, sources said.

Fire spokesman Clifford Gilliam declined to comment on the Dec. 9 fire in West Oak Lane that killed Craig, saying he couldn't talk about ongoing investigations.

But veteran firefighters described it as "a perfect storm of things that went wrong," including:

An inexperienced ladder crew took 18 minutes to respond.

The team with whom Craig entered the rowhouse got separated, leaving her alone inside.

Many of those on the scene were either young or recent transfers, including the firefighter assigned to fight the fire beside Craig.

The city Fire Marshal's Office, the Medical Examiner's Office and the federal National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health are investigati... [ more ]

Thursday, March 5, 2015  I've been really, really lucky in my career to get to know and work with some really cool FIRE CHAPLAINS. My favorite ones-actually, my favorite religious leaders-are the ones whose daily actions define their stated beliefs...it's a good way to be...for a Chaplain, or any of us. Actions not words. Good stuff.

If you have had a chance to read PASS IT ON, you read some great words from Chicago FD Chaplain Father Tom. He represents the good in fire chaplains. There for everyone.


Last week we lost a wonderful Fire Chaplain, Rev Richard (Dick) Kirby.


I first met Rev Kirby in the early 80's when he volunteered to help out as our Chaplain. Easily identified as that "little Irishman" who would always wear something such as a cloverleaf to proudly represent his heritage, and would greet people with: "Top o' the morning to you." ...to which I would always respond back to him "climb back into that #%$^! box of Lucky Charms cereal you came out of... [ more ]

Wednesday, March 4, 2015   Michael McCauley had only been a firefighter for a few months when he saved a life — and he didn’t even have to run into a burning building to do it.
The 26-year-old Staten Island resident was told in 2013 that he was a match for a leukemia patient in desperate need of a bone-marrow transplant.
On Wednesday, he will finally meet the mystery recipient — Aaron Faulkner, a 33-year-old Iraq War veteran and father of two from Pittsburgh, at a special reception at FDNY headquarters in Brooklyn.
Faulkner went to college after serving in Iraq, and was studying to become a pastor when he started feeling tired, and thought he had mononucleosis when he got the diagnosis of leukemia.
“I went a long time without hearing anything,” said McCauley, who works out of Engine 242 in Bay Ridge. “I wasn’t sure whether or not it helped.”
Faulkner, a former Marine now studying to be a pastor, was a student at Geneva College in Pennsylvania when he started to... [ more ]

Wednesday, March 4, 2015  We’re learning more about the firefighter who is in the hospital after being injured while fighting a fire in Clearfield County. Firefighter Jeff Buck, 18, is in UPMC Altoona where he remains in critical condition after the porch roof collapsed while he was fighting the fire. Mayday in a distress call sent shockwaves through the entire first responder community after three firefighters from the Lawrence Township Fire Department were trapped under a collapsed porch during a three-alarm fire Tuesday in Clearfield. “The family is with the firefighter, along with a contingent from Station 5, Lawrence Township, where the firefighter was from,” Clearfield County director of Emergency Services Joe Bigar said. Two of the firefighters were treated and released, but Buck was rushed to UPMC Altoona. His injuries were so serious that officials called for a helicopter, but due to weather conditions they could not fly the man out. “He was stabilized and transported by ground,” said Biga... [ more ]

Tuesday, March 3, 2015  We have news of a house fire in Raleigh County.According to Raleigh County Dispatch the call in of a house fire at 7:07 a.m. Monday morning at 144 Deweese Court Pemberton, West Virginia.

As of 9 o'clock Monday morning the fire was still active. Coal City Fire Department, Sophia Area and Sophia City Fire Department and Best Ambulance Service all responded.

A firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to the hospital for treatment.