Wednesday, January 25, 2012  WEST VIRGINIA FF/PARAMEDIC LODD-MEDICAL EMERGENCY
The Secret List www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com


We regret to advise you that a Boone County Ambulance Authority Paramedic died in the Line of Duty today, Wednesday, January 25th.
26-year-old Paramedic Sarah Nodurft died while she and her partner were returning from a routine interfacilty transfer when she suddenly and unexpectedly died. The cause of her death has not yet been determined. PM Nodurft was also member of the Spruce River Fire Department. Our sincere condolences to all affected. RIP.
Take Care-BE CAREFUL


BillyG
The Secret List 1-25-12 / 1800 hrs
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com



 

Wednesday, January 25, 2012  Hey,
Once in a while we have positive information related to an elected official who does get it.
Less than one week since (Columbus, Indiana) Mayor Kristen Brown announced she would not accept the city owned $40,000.00 SUV  purchased by the previous mayor, the newly elected mayor announced she would sell the vehicle at once and donate all monies to City of Columbus Fire Department in order to purchase ice water rescue equipment and provide training for all her Firefighters. WTF!? Seriously? Yep-seriously. 

One year ago, a 16 year old lad slipped under the ice at a lake in Columbus and died. The teenager hung on to the ice for a long time as neighbors and family attempted a rescue.  Firefighters were delayed in responding due to dispatch issues, and just as they arrived with minimal ice rescue capabilities, the young man tragically went under.

Mayor Brown made improving city fire department technical rescue capabilities a main focus of her campaign and following the city council meeting announcement last week, all 6 city fire stations on all 3 shifts have begun in water training with new equipment.

Tuesday January 24, one week following the Mayor's announcement, Firefighters from Fairfield, Ohio will arrive in Columbus to begin an advanced training program on the newly purchased rescue equipment. The Firefighters will stay in CFD stations for 3 days as they train Columbus Firefighters in this special gesture of 'Mutual Aid'. Outstanding.
 
 
--READ THIS "FIRST HAND ACCOUNT" ASHEVILLE FIRE CAPTAIN LODD-Followup:
The article link below, The Loss of Captain Bowen, Part 1, from Dave Statter, are FF Jay Bettencourt's words and they come from a Firefighter (Jay) who watched his friend die...a Firefighter who came close to dying himself. These are the thoughts and emotions of a Firefighter facing the biggest challenge of his life. We urge you to read every word of this outstanding CLOSE CALL , and LODD account.
The Loss of Captain Bowen: By Firefighter Jay Bettencourt, Asheville Fire Department
http://tinyurl.com/7segew5
 
 
==OHIO DOUBLE FATAL APPARATUS CRASH UPDATE
Oral arguments in the wrongful death lawsuit stemming from the 2008 Massillon fire truck crash that killed Ronald E. Anderson, 72, and his 4-year-old step-grandson, Javarre J. Tate, are scheduled to now be heard next month.  The Ohio Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in the case Feb. 8. 
HERE IS VIDEO OF THE FATAL CRASH:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga_vHeGYQ34

Last August, the Supreme Court accepted the city’s appeal of a lower court’s ruling in the case. The city is hoping the state’s highest court will grant it immunity from liability in the May 2008 crash on Walnut Road Southeast. The city initially was granted immunity by the Stark County Common Pleas Court in 2010, but that decision later was reversed in March 2011 by  the 5th District Court of Appeals.

The lawsuit, filed by Anderson’s widow, Cynthia Anderson, in September 2009, argues that firefighter Susan Toles drove the fire engine at excessive and unsafe speeds given the neighborhood and the nature of the emergency. Firefighters were responding to a vehicle fire. The lawsuit, which is seeking more than $25,000 in damages, also accuses Toles of violating state laws, local ordinances and departmental policies regarding safe driving. No criminal charges were filed in the case. An investigation determined the truck was traveling at reasonable speeds for an emergency.

The city argued that the crash was unavoidable because Ronald Anderson failed to yield to the oncoming fire truck as he crossed the intersection, which has a four-way stop and a flashing red light....that the fire apparatus ran.

Common Pleas Judge Charles Brown ruled the city was immune from liability, stating there was a lack of evidence that Toles and her supervisor, Capt. Rick Annen, acted with “a malicious purpose, in bad faith or in a wanton or reckless manner” and that the truck had not been operated in a manner that constituted willful or wanton misconduct. A tragic but interesting case to watch.
 
 
==DCFD UPDATE:
GOT CARCINOGENS?!  
WHY THE DCFD UNIFORM FIASCO IS A HEALTH ISSUE TO FF's AND THE PUBLIC.
.....AND A CHANCE FOR YOU TO HELP SUPPORT THE DCFD BURN FOUNDATION
Several comments from numerous DCFD Firefighters today is that Chief of DCFEMS has done more to UNITE their members than ever before-but that's not necessarily a good thing-at least not for that chief.
Several hundred D.C. Firefighters literally turned their backs on the Chief of DCFEMS Ellerbe yesterday in an effort to send a very clear message. The Chief of DCFEMS had just finished his "State of the Department" speech when the Firefighters stood up and walked out the door. Word is the time of the meeting had been quickly changed in an earlier attempt to avoid the Firefighters arriving at the correct time, but the change got out and plenty showed up on time. The Chief of DCFEMS is attempting to create a new schedule that has understandably infuriated the members, in addition to a regularly changing FD uniform policy-that does not include issued uniform jackets for Firefighters...and do not allow them to wear ones they have personally bought-because they have "DCFD" on them-which the DCFEMS Chief doesn't like. 
WE GET that any Chief has the right to dictate what is worn, and the way Chiefs normally deal with that is by ISSUING uniforms, jackets etc for all personnel, for all seasons. 
 
Most DCFD FF's now have to wear their bunker gear from the apparatus (as a winter "outer jacket") into homes and businesses for EMS calls, inspections etc-to be warm-and by them wearing soot covered PPE PROBABLY violates some public health policies, standards and/or laws....besides, it's filthy customer service. 
 
Today, Mr. Ellerbe had just finished his first ever "State Of The FEMS Department" speech and had opened the floor to questions when one Firefighter in the room shouted this command: "D.C.F.D., attention! About face! D.C.F.D. dismissed!!
And with that the Firefighters in the room walked out. 
 
HELP SUPPORT THE DCFD FIREFIGHTERS BURN FOUNDATION:
The DCFD Store is doing a promotion with the "DCFD memorial" shirts as well as "standard" DCFD Shirts and are donating $5 from every shirt sold to the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation. All shirts in the "Support DCFD" section gets the foundation your donation. Go to: www.dcfdstore.com and go to the "support DCFD" section. 
Additionally, you may have seen the "Grim Reaper" DCFD t-shirts on the news today, they are not a part of the above donation but can be purchased from different folks HERE: dcfirebye@aol.com and here: http://www.fdtees.com  
Take Care-BE CAREFUL.
BillyG
The Secret List 1-25-12 / 0700 hours
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com 
 
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Monday, January 23, 2012  The Secret List www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com
Local news (with pictures): http://noticias.terra.com.br/brasil/transito/noticias/0,,OI5569896-EI998,00-MG+caminhao+atropela+bombeiro+que+prestava+socorro.html
BillyG
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com 



 

Thursday, January 19, 2012  MAUI COUNTY FIREFIGHTER LINE OF DUTY DEATH-MEDICAL EMERGENCY
The Secret List www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com
It is with deep regret that we advise you that Firefighter III Duane Ibarra, 50, of the Maui County Fire Department, died in the Line of Duty last night (Wednesday 1/18/2012) at the Makawao Fire Station while on duty. Firefighter Ibarra was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. Our sincere condolences to the members of the MFD and family of FF Duane Ibarra. FF Ibarra was a 20 year veteran of the Department. RIP.


UPDATE: NEW JERSEY FIREFIGHTER DIES OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY WHILE OPERATING AT A FATAL HOUSE FIRE
A veteran Hopelawn Firefighter was among 2 people who died as a result of a house fire. FF Bruce Turcotte, 58, of the Hopelawn section of Woodbridge was pronounced dead shortly after 3 p.m. at JFK Medical Center in Edison. Turcotte, a member of the Hopelawn Volunteer Fire Department, apparently suffered a heart attack. He was laying hoses when he collapsed at the scene. A longtime Firefighter, Turcotte is from a family of firefighters in Hopelawn-including his son. RIP.


PA FIREFIGHTER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY-RESPONDING CRASH-Funeral Details
The funeral for Fallen firefighter Brandon Little of United Hook & Ladder Company 33 in Adams County (PA) will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Abbottstown.
Take Care-BE CAREFUL.
BillyG
The Secret List 1-19--12 / 2230 Hours
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com



 

Thursday, January 19, 2012   All,
The Firefighter who Died in the Line of Duty last night was 19-year-old Brandon Little of Adam's County's United Hook and Ladder Fire Company # 33.  Adams County is just north of Emmitsburg, MD. Firefighter Little was killed after crashing his personal vehicle while responding on a fire call. Around 1740 hours, the 19-year-old Volunteer Firefighter turned of for that fire call when he lost control of his Jeep Grand Cherokee outside of Abbottstown. His Jeep went through a post and a rail fence, and slammed into a tree. Speed is believed to be a factor and he was ejected. 

STATEMENT FROM THE UNITED HOOK & LADDER COMPANY # 33
It is with deep regret that the mem bership of the United Hook & Ladder Company #33 announce the death of Brandon Little this evening while operating in the line of duty. All apparatus assigned to the department is Out of Service until Noon on Thursday January 19, 2012. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming and the officers will announce preparations to the membership as they become available. We would like to thank our fellow firefighters, departments, public officials, and general public for their thoughts, prayers, and support during this difficult time.
FD, FUNERAL AND RELATED DETAILS WILL BE POSTED HERE:
http://www.33fire.com 

Our condolences to all affected, RIP.
LOCAL MEDIA UPDATES AND COVERAGE HERE:
www.gettysburgtimes.com
Take Care-BE CAREFUL-BELT IN-SLOW DOWN.
BillyG
The Secret List 1-17-12 / 0017 Hours
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com